Oyster – FoodWatcher

The 6 Best Drinks to Pair With Oysters, According to the Food52 Team

There’s only one thing more refreshing than a dozen briny, ice-cold oysters on a warm day: a dozen briny, ice-cold oysters paired with the perfect drink. But what exactly is the ideal drink to complement oysters’ sweet, fresh, and distinctly oceanic fl…

There’s only one thing more refreshing than a dozen briny, ice-cold oysters on a warm day: a dozen briny, ice-cold oysters paired with the perfect drink. But what exactly is the ideal drink to complement oysters’ sweet, fresh, and distinctly oceanic flavor? It’s a controversial question, so we asked members of our team to weigh in. Once you’ve loaded up on supplies, sourced your oysters, and figured out how to shuck them, these are the six drinks that deserve a spot at your next oyster party.

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Messermeister 6.5-Inch Oyster Knife $50

SIN Handmade Oyster Platter $112

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Valencia Bubbly Goblets $40–$99

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1. Negroni Sbagliato (With Extra Prosecco)

My ideal cocktail match for oysters is something bubbly, lightly bitter, and not too sweet—a glass of a dry, crisp white always works, too. This Negroni Sbagliato ticks all those boxes for me and pairs well with just about any type of oyster. —Erin Alexander, Managing Editor

11 Essentials for the Ultimate Summer Oyster Party

As we dive into summer, everything social begins to migrate outdoors. Dinner parties are now held in backyards, porches, or on apartment building-rooftops, and spritzes are sipped on while sitting on picnic blankets or under umbrellas at the beach. A major main character of warm-weather dining is, of course, shellfish and mollusks. Clams, shrimp, crawfish, lobster, mussels, and oysters suddenly are on the menu at every dinner—whether it's at your favorite restaurant or in a friend's backyard.

Here at Food52, we love to eat with the seasons. And oysters? We think they always deserve a spotlight. If you love to host but aren't sure what you should have on hand for an oyster party, you've come to the right place. We've scoured our Shop and pulled together 11 of our favorite kitchen and tabletop items we think are essentials for any summer shellfish bash.

How to Shuck Oysters—Our Complete Guide

Everyone should learn how to shuck oysters. If you’ve never done it before, it might seem intimidating—a sharp knife and curved shell can leave little room for error—but with the right equipment, some patience, and proper technique, it’s very easy. If you can confidently open an oyster, there will be more opportunities for you to enjoy the shellfish, especially at home. Not only does this have a financial upside (oysters are often much more affordable when you buy and shuck them yourself), but shucking oysters is also guaranteed to improve any party. Crack open a few dozen oysters, serve them to friends, pour some drinks, and everyone—including yourself—will inevitably have a blast.

From Our Shop

Messermeister 6.5-Inch Oyster Knife $50

Microplane Cut Resistant Kitchen Gloves (Set of 2) $20–$30

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Buy Some Oysters

First, you obviously need oysters. Luckily, regardless of where you live, you’ll have them tomorrow if you buy them from an oyster farm with online delivery like Island Creek Oysters or Copps Island Oysters. If you’re curious about online oyster delivery and how it works, this article explains the logistics and benefits of direct-to-consumer oysters.

The Best Oysters You Can Buy Are Probably Online

A few weeks ago, I shucked 50 oysters. It wasn’t in a restaurant kitchen—in the past, this would’ve been an hour’s work on any Thursday—or part of recipe testing in the Food52 office, but at my friend Nick’s apartment. And unlike all the other oysters I’ve shucked, these weren’t purchased from a fish market or restaurant distributor—they were bought online and shipped directly to his Brooklyn apartment. They were also absolutely delicious.

The day prior, the oysters I shucked—plus the other 50 that Nick ordered and opened himself—sat along the bottom of the Long Island Sound, roughly 50 miles away from his apartment. As someone who loves oysters, but is naturally skeptical of ordering shellfish online, I was curious: How the hell did these get here, and how are they so perfect?