Recipe for Antique Oyster Shooters

Food for romantics, tender little tastes of the sea may be all you need to begin a perfect evening. Oysters can be served on beautiful antique oyster plates, or on a bed of ice in a shallow bowl. We recently discovered individual hand painted Antique Oyster Shooters, porcelain dishes in the shape of oyster shells,  which are enchanting to use when serving. Much more rare to find than plates, these are little gilded wonders! I’m sharing a Recipe for Antique Oyster Shooters today and other oyster fun.

Mark Twain was a seafood connoisseur, he was a regular at San Francisco’s Occidental Hotel, eating his typical breakfast of salmon and fried oysters. He’d return for dinner at 7:30 p.m., where “if you refuse to move upon the supper works and destroy oysters done up in all kinds of seductive styles until 12 o’clock, the landlord will certainly be offended.” Twain’s love of oysters, and his excellent relationship with the landlord are legend.

Because of harvesting techniques and scientific methods, oysters are now available year round to those who love them!

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR OYSTERS

Before opening your oysters place them in a bowl and run cold water over them for about 5 minutes, gently toss the oysters around in the bowl. Dump the water out every now and then, try to get it as clean as possible. When the water runs clear, you are ready to shuck!

TIP: Add ice cubes to your bowl, this will help dislodge little bits clinging to the shells and will also keep your oysters chilled.

HOW TO SHUCK AN OYSTER

With an oyster knife, gently pop open the oyster. This is easier if you hold the oyster in a dish towel {or wear a shucking glove} so you don’t cut yourself on the shell. Do this over a bowl so you can reserve the liquid in the oyster. Most people think brute force is required, but really what you’re looking for is a bit of leverage and popping open the oyster at the right spot.

Hold the oyster so that the curved shell faces down and its flatter side faces up. Insert an oyster knife between the shells, into the hinge. Warning: Don’t use a nice pairing knife or something for this because odds are it will break. Gently twist the edge of the knife to pry open the shell {remember, try to keep the liquid in the shell!} and remove the top shell. Carefully cut the muscle away from the shell by sliding the knife horizontally along the inside top of the shell. Be careful no shell fragments are there and if so, simply remove.

TIP: If you don’t have a shucking knife, a flathead screwdriver works! Get a thick bladed screwdriver, and wash thoroughly in hot soapy water. After popping open the shell, use a paring knife to cut the muscle away from the shell horizontally.

I was thrilled recently to find beautiful hand painted porcelain oyster ‘shooters’ to serve individual oysters in great style. More rare to find than oyster plates, each one is a work of original art. These deserve a special oyster presentation such as these Tobiko Gin Oysters – easy to prepare and eat and so delicious!

OYSTERS FOR ANTIQUE SHOOTERS

Tobiko Gin Oysters in Antique Porcelain Shooters

Ingredients

• 12 oysters
• Chilled gin
• Tobiko {a miniature caviar, with a sweet salty taste}
• 1 lime, zested
• Lime juice {optional}

Directions

1. Being careful to preserve oyster liquor, shuck oysters and place them on a bed of shaved ice to keep them chilled.
2. Fill each antique porcelain oyster shooter shell with some gin, using a small spoon.
3. Place an oyster in each individual shell dish, and a tiny dollop of roe on each oyster, top with lime zest. {be sure to add the tobiko roe directly on the oyster, it’ll disperse if you place it in the liquid.
4. Garnish each oyster with a little of the lime zest.
5. If you are a real lover of lime, squeeze some lime juice on each oyster.
6. Serve immediately.

More Oyster Inspiration

Want more inspiration for oysters and oyster collections?

How to Host an Oyster Bar Party

Eating Oysters with Great Style

Collecting Antique Oyster Plates

Are you an ostreaphile { a lover or aficionado of oysters as food} ? Or a lover of antique oyster dishes, or both?