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Boost oyster know-how for oyster lovers

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
What You Don't Know About Oyster Happy Hour Specials
What You Don't Know About Oyster Happy Hour Specials

Everyone has an oyster deal now, but are they really worth it?

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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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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

 
Upcoming sessions at the Secret Oyster Atelier: Next Thur, Oct 24th 6:30-7:30 PM - Shuck & Taste Oysters Like an Oyster Somm (accepting 6 students) Wed, Nov 6th 6:30-7:30PM - Shuck & Taste Oysters Like an Oyster Somm (accepting 6 students) Thur, Nov 7th 6:30-8:00PM - Canadian Oyster Discovery New Brunswick Edition with @michaelannrowe (9 seats left) Book directly from my profile! Repost this post or share in your IG Stories for a 15% discount. Hope to see you in class, oyster nerds! #oysternerd #bivalvecurious #oystersommelier #oysterprofessional #oysterclass #oystermasterclass #masterclass #oysters #chinatown #secretclub #oysterlove #eatmoreoysters #shucked #oyster101
Before I had my Oysters on the Half Shell Tasting Journal @33booksco, I kept meticulous tasting notes in a spreadsheet (swipe left). Now I'm on Volume 7 and love comparing old notes of the same varieties to my impressions today. Although it's not as convenient as jotting notes on my phone, I love the keepsake quality to it. Plus writing words down and filling in the fun flavor wheel helps me to actually remember more! Snag yours on the 33Books.com website or you can also find them being used by a number of great raw bars and organizations such as @omc.toronto @saltaireoysterbar @seafood4health @hamahamaoysters @oysterboytoronto @nationalshellfisheries and more! #33oysters #oysterlove #oysters #oystergifts #33books #notebook #passionjournal #foodlog #foodjournal #oyster #fooddiary #tastingnotes #rawbar #gifts #book
These new-to-market oysters by @johnsonbayoysters were very, very tasty. Super sweet adductor muscle, medium-high brine, crab knuckle, sea grass, celery salt flavor notes, and a clean, light mineral finish. Perfect meaty texture and meat-to-shell ratio. Not to mention flawlessly shucked by Nick of @thelocaloyster! We sampled them together at their new (still under construction) flagship location in Whitehall Mill in Baltimore, MD. I can't show/tell much right now, but I will say that this full-service restaurant has one of the most spectacularly beautiful custom oyster countertops aka "oyster shell terrazzo" that i've ever seen. I want it for my future dream kitchen!! Scheduled to open later this month. #oystersommelier #bivalvecurious #thelocaloyster #truechesapeake #baltimore #whitehallmill #oysters #oysterlove #oysterbar #rawbar #osters #maryland #seafood2xwk
The first stanza of a very lovely poem, "Oysters," by Seamus Heaney. The rest is worth a read. Link in my bio. #oysters #oysterlove #oysterpoetry #foodpoetry #poetry #foodwriting #shellfish #oysters #poem #quotes #seamusheaney #oyster
One of the most delicious and glorious seafood platters I've experienced in a long time. Super fresh and flavorful combination of Fine de Claire oysters, shrimp (with eggs) from Greenland, Norwegian langoustines, Canadian lobster, sea scallop crudo, snow crab legs, chubby Norwegian crab with the most insanely delicious roe, and steamed mussels in white wine sauce. Perfect late afternoon snack on our last day in Oslo! 🇳🇴 Vacationing in Lofoten Islands and Oslo was amazing. We'll be back, Norway. #solsiden #seafood #seafoodaddict #oysters #oysterlover #seafoodplatter #fruitsdemer #mussels #crab #lobster #shrimp #scallop #seafoodlovers #oslo #norway #norwegianseafood #seafoodlover #shellfish #eeeeeats #foodgasm #shellfishdiet #seafooddiet