The World is My OYSTER.

There are very few people who love oysters as much as I do. Oh, sure, here in Charleston there are throngs of people who attend oyster roasts or who love a raw oyster on a cracker with hot sauce. (Raw IS the best way to eat them, of course. And the best place so far? Felix's of New Orleans. The worst way is fried..but I'll deal with it if need be.)

But that isn't even the level of addiction to these little sea critters that I'm talking about. While I adore going to Pearlz, ordering oyster shots, attending roasts (and politely elbowing other eaters out of my way) or eating a dozen (or more) on crackers...I've also been known to just keep oysters around. 


I think it all started with my mom. She introduced me to oyster stew--the canned soup made by Campbell's that you mix with milk and heat up. She likes it, and we used to eat it when I was a kid--before I was even fully aware of my need for oysters.

But in the last couple of years, my need has turned fierce. Last Winter, for example, I started looking up my own oyster stew recipes. I made soup from scratch. It was yummy. Much better than the canned version.

But the canned version still does in a pinch. I have one in my cabinet right this minute.

Guess what else I have in my cabinet? Smoked oysters in a tin. Before you declare this post the most disgusting one I've ever written, hear this: They are delicious. I particularly like them on a cracker with a slice of habanero cheddar cheese. It is divine, I'm telling you.

It's officially oyster season here in South Carolina, but I don't think the season ever truly ends for me. Chillier months are just an excuse for me to declare my favorite food more proudly, since everyone else is eating it too.

via

And no, I've never found a pearl...although I probably will some day. As for the aphrodisiac properties, you'll have to see for yourself.