Oysters

When Durel and I were dating, we realized that we both love seafood.  We also realized that each of us firmly believe that *we* are from The State With The Best Seafood.  I am from Maryland. Durel is from Louisiana.

Enter, debate.  Maryland has the idyllic Chesapeake Bay, replete with oysters, rockfish, and, of course, CRABS.  

Louisiana has the epic Gulf of Mexico, replete with oysters, redfish, shrimp, and, of course, CRAWFISH.  How on earth do you decide the victor of this debate?

You don't.  Marriage is about compromise, people.  We took it as "meant to be" that we're both such seafood lovers, not afraid of eating crustaceans with our hands, and rocked on.

While on vacation, we rocked on in the kitchen with some fresh oysters.  I didn't make a recipe, per se, but tried to replicate something incredibly delicious that we enjoyed years ago at Drago's in New Orleans.

Here's what I did:  We left each oyster on the half-shell.  I made a topping of Italian breadcrumbs, minced fresh garlic, oregano, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese.  I sprinkled that on top of each oyster, and we grilled them that way.

Works in progress.

They were delicious but, after I ate one, I decided that they were a bit dry.  So, I whipped up a white sauce with butter, flour, milk, garlic, and more oregano, salt and pepper, and topped each grilled oyster with a spoonful of that.  The results?  AWESOMESAUCE.  If I do say so myself.

My beautiful sister-in-law, Geri, enjoying the oystery goodness.

Did Jack have an oyster?  No.  He was already in bed.

Will Jack eat oysters?  I'm sure he will.

Will one of us take more credit for Jack's hereditary love of seafood?  Probably.  We'll have to wait and see.

Sprinkle some Parmesan on it,
Heather