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UNITING

Oyster Lovers
Worldwide

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Where to Begin?

If this is your first time to In A Half Shell, WELCOME! This site is dedicated to oyster lovers who are curious about these amazing delicacies.

The Oyster 101 is probably the best place to start as a beginner. If you’re already familiar with the basics, check out my Standards page for a more in-depth look into what truly makes oyster bars and oyster varietals great.

Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram for more regular oyster content, tips, and product discoveries.

 
 
Latest Journal Entries
The Paloma-Inspired Oyster Shooter
The Paloma-Inspired Oyster Shooter

A summery oyster shooter that has it all: citrus, heat, effervescence.

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How to Shuck An Oyster
How to Shuck An Oyster

Learn how to shuck and the world will really be your oyster!

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Night Tide at Capital Oyster Farm Photo Essay
Night Tide at Capital Oyster Farm Photo Essay

Partied all night long with the Capital team until the tide (and sun) came up.

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Chelsea Farms Photo Essay
Chelsea Farms Photo Essay

A photo essay of Chelsea Farms.

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Taylor Shellfish Farms Photo Essay
Taylor Shellfish Farms Photo Essay

A photo essay of the many aspects of Taylor Shellfish Farms.

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Exploring Maine's Easternmost Oyster Farm in Corea
Exploring Maine's Easternmost Oyster Farm in Corea

Spending a day with lobsterman turned oyster and seaweed farmer, Joe Young.

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Get Pumped About Landlocked 2018 by Oyster South
Get Pumped About Landlocked 2018 by Oyster South

One of my favorite oyster parties of the year!

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Luck Be a Grey Lady Tonight
Luck Be a Grey Lady Tonight

Profiling this little oyster haven in the Lower East Side of NYC.

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Salt Pond Hopping: Rhode Island Oyster Tour
Salt Pond Hopping: Rhode Island Oyster Tour

A visit to three of Rhode Island's iconic salt ponds and oyster farms.

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Rowan Jacobsen's New Rules of Oyster Eating
Rowan Jacobsen's New Rules of Oyster Eating

The definitive guide for modern oyster aficionados.

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Simple Garlicky Kaki Meshi (Oyster Rice) Recipe for Lazy Cooks
Simple Garlicky Kaki Meshi (Oyster Rice) Recipe for Lazy Cooks

Enjoy a tasty meal without doing much work.

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A List of Oyster Shuckers, Caterers and Mobile Raw Bars
A List of Oyster Shuckers, Caterers and Mobile Raw Bars

Interested in having a raw bar at your next event? It's easier than you think!

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Sense of
Place

To truly understand the oyster, you have to go to the source. Take a look at some of the most remarkable oyster farms around the country and world.

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What I’m Slurping

 
Yesterday's oyster farm tour just off of Barnegat Light on Long Beach Island, NJ led by @barnegatoyster and @fortynorthoysters co-founder Matt Gregg was awesome! Some college friends, #NYOysterLovers Meetup members, and I spent a couple of hours learning about NJ shellfish history, Matt's farm & distribution business, as well as his fellow farmers (we ran into Chris Carroll and his lovely wife from @laughinggulloysters on the water). The last time when I visited Forty North Oyster Farm was 2013, when he & Scott just had the Mantoloking site and merely fantasizing about oyster farming near Barnegat Light. It's pretty cool to see how much the business has grown since then. After the tour, we were treated to a four variety sampler. Barnegat Oyster Collective carries a spectrum of boutique NJ oysters that range in salinity, flavor notes, and shell presentation. Overall, I think they are a great value and a really nice local oyster option for NY and NJ oyster lovers. Top left: Jersey Devil (new to market from Great Bay, NJ) Top right: Rose Cove (Little Egg Harbor, Barnegat Bay, NJ) Bottom left: Sugar Shack (Little Egg Harbor, Barnegat Bay, NJ) Bottom right: Swan Point (Mantoloking, Barnegat Bay, NJ) #nyoysterlovers #oysterlovers #oysterlove #oysters #barnegatlight #longbeachisland #njoyster #njoysterlovers #barnegatoystercollective #fortynorthoysterfarm #oysterfarmtour #oystourism #theoysterfarmers
If you're an oyster fanatic or just a bit bivalve curious 😘, then you should definitely snag one of my original Bivalve Curious t-shirts or tank tops. Link in profile. These soft, ring-spun shirts (available in multiple colors) will look great and feel great. I did quite a lot of research to pick out the best material and printing platform to use. Part of each sale will go to benefit Billion Oyster Project @billionoyster and the remainder will help fund an exciting new oyster thing that I'll be announcing soon. This is a limited-time sale, as well as an on-demand print run. That means once the campaign ends in 7 days, that's it! I won't have any leftover inventory. Share this post by either reposting or tagging a friend! To buy: https://oyster.guru/tshirt1 or link in profile. #oystersommelier #bivalvecurious #oysterswag #billionoysterproject #oysterproject #oystershirt #oysters #oysterlove #tshirtdesign #tanktop #summer #oysterapparel #shirtdesign #tshirt #oysterproud
Here's a summary of today's oyster flight that I served at a private party: Irish Point (PEI) Shigoku (WA) Taylor Kumamoto (WA) Everyone loved the Kumo's, no surprise there. I usually don't buy these, but for the right crowd, it's hard to resist indulging them a little. The Shigokus were a bit polarizing (too bold in flavor for some folks), but the Irish Points were perfect for beginners. Personally, I found the mouthfeel of the Shigoku incredibly satisfying. I paired the Irish Point with the rustic Yamada Everlasting Roots, a Tokubetsu Junmai in a traditional "travel size" 900 ml bottle. Then I paired the two West Coast varieties with the oh-so elegant Fukucho Moon on the Water, Junmai Ginjo, my favorite #oystersake. #bivalvecurious #oystersommelier #oystersomm #sake #princeedwardisland #samishbay #oaklandbay #oystertasting #oysters #oysterlove #weekend #japanesesake
Some tips about enjoying raw oysters around the world: 1. In France, get your cocktail fork or pocket oyster knife ready. You may need to sever the bottom adductor muscle on your own... they keep it intact for authenticity & "freshness." I've experienced this in Brussels as well. 2. In Australia, it's going to be pretty hard to find shuck-to-order oysters. Most oysters are sold pre-shucked in the AM. Best to order unopened oysters and shuck them yourself. Try the Sydney Rock oyster. 3. In China, make sure you only consume raw oysters from well-respected places. Do your due diligence. All premium oysters are imported from France, Ireland, US, which increases the cost. Expect to pay $6 USD minimum per piece. 4. In Brazil, citrus of choice is lime, not lemon. A squeeze on local oysters is actually quite good! Raw bar culture isn't a big thing here, but you may find some gems around the coastline. 5. In Japan, try A L L of the oyster preparations... grilled, roasted, smoked, hot pot, fried, and of course, raw. Of all my travels, I believe that the Japanese have truly embraced and mastered the ingredient. What other oyster travel tips do you have? Photo was taken in Bangkok at The Dock seafood stall in the Siam Paragon shopping plaza. I love their cute and descriptive #DocktoDish placemat. #bivalvecurious #oystersomm #oysterlove #oysters #bangkok #international #worldoystertour #oyster #rawbar #foodietips #traveltips #thailand
What's the perfect oyster pairing? Friends. 👯‍♀️👯‍♂️ Annnnd some bubbly rosé is nice too! 🥂 I enjoyed giving a whirlwind, super-speedy Oyster 101 featuring brand new ROC Reserves from Duxbury, MA by @realoystercult at @loosieskitchen with @drinknomikai last night. #bivalvecurious #oystersomm #oysterlovers #oysterlove #roseallday #bubblyandbivalves #oysterpairing #rocreserves #oysters #oyster #rose
My Oyster Husband wearing @barrierislandoysters shirt in Bangkok. We're finally back from spending two weeks in SE Asia and now going through photos. 75% of his t-shirt collection are now oyster or seafood themed. 🤣 Not every shirt makes the cut though. They have to be super soft and have a slick design (this one is one of my faves). Guess I'll be posting these every so often when we go somewhere cool! 👕 #shirtdesign #oysters #oysterlove #oysterbrands #oystersomm #oysterhusband #thailand #bangkok #chinatown #streetfood #wanderlust