We can’t take credit for the creativity, ingenuity, or impeccable hosting abilities on this one – but we appreciate the heck out of our friends who can. For the third consecutive year, our foodie friends strung together what can only be described as mollusk madness. An elegant and slurpable ocean-themed feast we can’t help but raise our glasses to. They call it the Annual Bivalve Brunch – translation : bottomless bubbles and oysters galore.
The Oysters
Perhaps it will be your charming personality that results in so many positive responses to those online invites, but more than likely, it is the promise of oysters that will seal the deal. So go big, or they will go home. Be like our friends and display your beautiful bivalves in a way that commands attention. A multi-tier tower that could rival the height of most wedding cakes should do the trick.
Popular Oyster Varieties
These days thanks in part to some hard working independent oyster farmers and the collaboration with larger distribution companies, finding unique, small yield appellation oysters is easier than ever.
However, you probably won’t be finding any of those oysters at your local seafood counter, so keep an eye out for these popular, approachable and easily accessible varieties.
Blue Points, Long Island Sound
These plump, hard shelled oysters were the choice our friends selected to be served at their brunch. Blue Points were first devoured in New York City in the early 1800’s, where unfortunately they were basically eaten to extinction. These days, the name Blue Points is used to cover a much larger area, some of which can leave consumers feeling disappointed. Keep your eye out for ones that have been harvested from the sound of Norwalk, Connecticut to enjoy the best results.
Wellfleet, Cape Cod
Native to the area of the Massachusetts, Wellfleet oysters are synonymous with bright and briny. Their cold water environment slows down their metabolism which ultimately results in them providing a sweet taste. These long and strong-shelled oysters have been considered some of the world’s best for several generations.
Delaware Bay Oysters, Southern Delaware Bay
Depending on where your oysters are sourced from they may take on a different taste. The Delaware Bay oysters which are prized for their plump meat and delicate flavor are pulled from two locations, Cape Shore and the inner bay. Those from the Cape Shore are briny, sweet, and nutty, while their counterparts are much milder.
Malpeque, Prince Edward Island
Hailing from our neighbors to the north, Malpeque oysters are Prince Edward Island’s claim to fame. In 1900, these oysters which are clean in flavor and in presentation, were judged to be the tastiest oysters in the world at an exhibition in Paris.
Kumamoto, West Coast
These famously melon-scented oysters are sweet and firm. Their relatively small size makes them ideal for individuals delving into the oyster world for the first time, but are equally admired by seasoned slurpers.
If you’re interested in learning more about the oysters of North America, we recommend reading A Geography of Oysters by Rowan Jacobsen. According to the Los Angeles Times,
“There may be no more pleasurable food than a raw oyster, there almost certainly is no better guide.”
Helpful Hint : Whichever variety of oyster you decide to serve at your party, you’ll need to keep them on ice. Our hosts have found you can purchase the perfect type of ice from your local Sonic.
Shucking Tips
Perhaps in your attempt to float seamlessly about your party, topping off bubbles and engaging in witty banter, you’ll hire a professional shucker to take care of those nitty, gritty time consuming details. But what if s/he is a no show? Well, you’d better be prepared to wield your knife and crack open those shells on a moment’s notice.
Arm yourself with a few invaluable shucking tips and save the Band-Aids for another occasion.
Pack the perfect weapon! Select an oyster knife that you can be comfortable with. Professional shuckers will use a sharp, pointy knife that can quickly leave a beginner fumbling for those Band-Aids. Instead, as a beginner, try something that is slightly more forgiving.
Take it to the hinge! It is not the fastest way to shuck oysters, but everyone has to start somewhere. Going through the hinge will give you more control and less chance of knife slips and shell breakage.
No glove, no love! Use a good pair of protective gloves and keep your eye on the prize — even if there is wine sabering going on in the background vying for your attention.
Keep it clean! Use a towel under your oyster and even partially over the front. This will help protect your shucking surface, collect broken bits of shell, and soak up any juices you let escape. When it comes to shucking oysters, a clean space is a happy space.
Last but not least, don’t forget to separate the muscle from the shell. This is easily accomplished with just a simple twist of the knife.
And just like that, it’s time to enjoy your oysters with a glass of bubbles!
The Bubbles
The quickest way to glam up just about anything is to add bubbles. Distilled water – hydrating, but dull. Sparkling water, far more sophisticated. A hot bath – relaxing, but uninteresting. Throw in some bubbles and you’ve got a special occasion. The same goes for wine! So while you could open a few bottles of white wine to accompany your oysters, bubbles are certainly the more interesting choice.
Why Choose Bubbles?
Your first instinct might have you reaching for the chilled white wine to pair with your oysters. However, we recommend pairing bubbles with your oysters instead. The umami flavor found in oysters can make many white wines leave behind a metallic taste in your mouth. The saltiness of an oyster can turn many white wines flat, leaving them uninteresting and boring.
Whether it’s Champagne, Cava, or a domestic sparkler, the drier the bottle the better. If you opt for a Champagne, look for a blanc de blanc in either Brut, Brut Nature, or Extra Brut. Sparkling wines work so well because of their ability to complement the umami. The effervescence of the wine allows the saltiness and umami to River Dance on your tongue, leaving you in oyster bliss.
How to Display them
The important thing here is that your bubbles be kept icy cold. Warm bubbles are just an open invitation for disappointment. You could keep them chilled the traditional way for temperature control, but for optimum visual appearance and a slew of compliments on your creativity, think outside the bucket.
Our hosts have an antique stand alone tub that is the perfect resting place for bottles just waiting to be uncorked. If your tower of oysters hasn’t caught your guests attention, you can be certain that a bathtub full of bubbles will.
What else to Serve?
Classy Hors D’Oeuvres
If you build an oyster tower, they will come. But they will come hungry and while oysters may be the main attraction, they aren’t all that filling on their own. The last thing you probably want is for your guests to get too tipsy on bubbles and pass out on your floor. So you should probably feed them something more substantial.
Our friends strategically placed platters of fancy-arse finger foods around for guests to nosh on. Bite-sized pastries filled with creamy dips along with pimiento cheese and crackers are sure to delight. If you want to be extra classy like our fab friends, serve it with a silver spoon.
Seasonal Side Dish
On the off chance that you’ve invited one or two non-seafood lovin’ pals to your bivalve-themed brunch, it’s a good idea to have at least one edible option that didn’t come from the sea.
Infuse your menu with seasonal items. If you’re hosting your party in the fall, like this one was, there’s no greater showstopper than a stuffed, baked pumpkin. Have you ever seen something so magnificent?
We walked through the doors just in time to lend a hand with the pepper grinder and cracking a few eggs to fill out the pumpkin’s interior. So while we played no role in the genius behind the recipe that was far more complex than any Shake ‘n Bake chicken, we can still chime in with a partially disputed “and I helped.”
The recipe used at our Bivalve Brunch came from a book of unspecified origins, but if we were going to attempt recreating this masterpiece we’d follow a recipe such as this one.
Helpful hint : Make sure your pumpkin fits into your oven before you go through the painstaking trouble of filling it.
Seafood Stew
Since this was the bivalve brunch, it came as no surprise that the food table was flourishing with more than just the oysters. Our hosts had a drool worthy spread that could please even the pickiest seafood connoisseur. One of the standout dishes was a seafood stew.
It was a warming, filling dish with mollusks prominently featured. This would be a welcome addition to any table, especially during the cooler months when the rich broth will do wonders to warm your guests from the inside.
Sweet Treat
No party is complete without a sweet sendoff. The slicing of the cake usually signifies the conclusion of the event, but in the case of our friends, it just means it’s time to pull out the candlesticks. At any rate, we recommend plating up a regional delight as the centerpiece of your dessert table.
In Maryland, the logical choice is the Smith Island Cake. One of these days we’ll actually make a visit to the famed island bakery, but until then, they deliver straight to your door. Our hosts pre-ordered the coconut and lemon cakes. After sampling both, we can attest to how well they complement the seafood flavors of the menu. If you’re hooked on chocolate, we hear those are equally delectable.
Final Thoughts
Popular pairings are often popular for a reason – because they’re just undeniably so dang good; Oysters and bubbles are no exception. We’ve sampled this fancy faire around the world. From La Boqueria in Barcelona to the downtown pubs of Dublin (where Guinness is arguably the better companion).
In a time where we can’t travel and oyster bars are all but out of the question, bring the party to you and integrate a little oysters and bubbles into your life.
Cheers friends,
Megan + Matt
Comments
WOW! … jealous!
As enticing as you make it sound, I’m still a meat and potatoes guy. But keep on trying.