As followers of HG know all too well, HG loves oysters. When on PEI, HG devours scores from Malpeque and Rollo Bays. In Paris, favorite venue is Le Stella, the delightful brasserie in the staid 16th. Plenitude of riches in New York: Grand Central Oyster Bar; Daughter Victoria’s Cookshop Restaurant on 10th Avenue in Chelsea; a plateau de fruits de mer at Balthazar (a feast shared with Victoria); In Rhode Island, there’s the great Bristol Oyster Bar plus Hemenway’s in Providence. So, where does HG indulge oyster craving in landlocked New Mexico? Oysters are served at some Mexican seafood restaurants. They are on the menu at a few upscale places. Best of all, Friday is oyster night at the cafe in Santa Fe’s Whole Foods market. (Sometimes, there’s a “buck a shuck” offering). There are four varieties of oysters (including Malpeques) at the fish counter. Happily, there are well priced containers of shucked Pacific oysters. These are big, juicy specimens which BSK uses in oyster pan roast (mentioned in previous post) and congee made in the Instant Pot. BSK adds chopped oysters to robust congee flavored with clam juice, garlic, onions and Vietnamese Fish Sauce. Steaming bowls are topped with chopped scallions and salted peanuts after getting a dash of sesame oil and sriracha. Yes, the delightful bivalve is alive and well in The Land of Enchantment.
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