All About Oysters
We’re in full oyster season swing in Charleston, so I thought I’d share some information on all aspects of oysters to kick off the new year!
Local Charleston Oyster Roasts
Any given weekend during oyster season, you are guaranteed to hear about an oyster roast going on. Whether they are for charity, in a friend’s backyard, or a festival, they are EVERYWHERE.
One of my favorites in January is the Lowcountry Oyster Festival, at Boone Hall. This is the 33rd year of the event, so they’ve got all the logistics figured out. If you aren’t excited by the 80,000+ pounds of oyster, then you’ll enjoy the live music, drinks, contests, and tents serving other foods from local restaurants. Even though I can’t eat oysters, this is a favorite event of mine.
Another popular oyster roast that is coming up is the 7th Annual Follywood Oyster Roast. This is on January 30th, at Brick House on Folly Road. Several bands will be playing, oysters will be shucked, and fundraising will be happening for the Warrior Surf Project on Folly Beach.
Oyster Shell Crafts & Gifts
I love a good oyster shell craft, and one of the easiest I’ve made is an oyster shell jewelry dish. After cleaning the oyster shells, paint them how you like (top, bottoms, or edges), seal them in with a clear spray, and add pearl feet so they sit upright! They are great engagement gifts 🙂 You can find more oyster shell crafts I’ve made with oyster shells here.
In a Half Shell has compiled a great list of 40 gifts for the oyster lover in your life. Check out the full list here, and get ready to be the best gift giver!
Oyster Roast Tips
Throwing your own oyster roast? Here are a few tips to make it a raging success and wow your friends:
- Build the perfect table for the oyster roast! You can find instructions here.
- A bushel of oysters will feed about 4-6 people, depending on whether or not you will be serving other food.
- Keep separate bins for spent oyster shells, and trash. The oyster shells end up being recycled, and no one wants to pick out the garage after the fact.
- Have LOTS of towels on hand, paper or cloth. Everyone that is eating the oysters will want to wipe their hands, multiple times, so be prepared and have them out on the table.
- Keep Tabasco, and saltines handy to make it easy for people to eat the oysters how they want! Also have some vodka (preferably pepper) and shot glasses ready, if your friends like oyster shooters 🙂
- Have extra oyster shuckers and gloves… And maybe some bandaids for anyone that doesn’t use gloves and cuts their hand while shucking. Even the experienced shucker can slip!
- Prepare some side dishes to complement the oysters, and please your shellfish allergy friends (like myself). Chili is a great option that everyone loves, plus you can prepare it ahead of time and let it simmer all day!
Remember, oyster season in Charleston is during any month with an R, so enjoy it while it’s chilly outside!
