Susan in FL

We get them from the same place in Chincoteague, VA every year -- usually a bushel, where we know how fresh they are. Kept cold and moist, they are good for about a week. Up north there was never any question about keeping them alive because it was always cold enough to keep them outdoors in the burlap bag, and a couple times a day we wet the burlap bag with the garden hose. The worst thing about live oysters, short of dying/spoiling, is that they tend to dry up... thus, the hosing down of the bag full. Florida has been a different story and much more labor-intensive! I should say more labor-intensive for Russ, because he is the one who shucks them for eating raw or for storage in the fridge or recipes requiring shucking. While in the shell we keep them in our utililty room sink, not stopped, and we keep adding ice so that they stay cold and moist, and the melting ice keeps draining. This year we had some shucked ahead and stored them in the fridge. We believe that shucked, they would stay fresh at least twice as long as when they are kept live in the shell. However, we eat them all before that amount of time! Whew... Lots to do. That made me tired just writing about it. I'm so glad I don't know how to shuck them, but I do take my turn at scrubbing them before we steam some or eat them shucked, on the half shell. It's all worth it....

Whirley Pop!

As I've mentioned in this thread, the Michel Picard is still my favorite of what I've tasted.

As it turned out, Brooksie's Seafood Gumbo was not the next Gumbo, but I still plan to make it. We had oysters to use and went for this Gumbo tonight, so I thought I would revive this topic. It was really, really good. Anybody have any recent updates on Gumbo or the like?

Yeah..... I think that's it.

.... Texas.... Do you make slippery dumplings or the puffy drop dumplings?

Do you bring your own chopsticks into sushi restaurants? Of course... Why not, what a great idea. (That would be a DUH... on my part.) Your homemade sushi looks great. And now to the other side of the world for the origin of our dinner... The Chicken, Sausage, and Oyster Gumbo was delicious. (Including Okra, Judith. ) Russ did the roux, as I had a meeting early this evening. His was darker than what I have made, which if I understand correctly, made the Gumbo not as thick. The chicken was thigh meat, the sausage was andouille, and the oysters were almost the last of our supply.

Percy, I don't know what it is... but your eggs just do something to me.

I've been thinking about a classic minestrone to use the savoy cabbage I have (I love pesto on it, too), but then I saw Marcella Hazan's recipe for Savoy Cabbage Soup, Aosta Style. I'm still not sure what I'll do. Has anybody ever made an "Aosta Style" cabbage soup?

Got me! I've had a piece of pumpkin pie with my morning coffee twice. We didn't have a turkey at Thanksgiving, but on Saturday morning, I fixed us squab-pancetta-wild mushroom-roasted shallot and potato hash to go with our eggs! I often use leftovers for the hash thing for brunch by myself on weekdays that I'm off. Today I used leftover chicken. Yesterday was one of my more unusual ones, shredded leftover Brussels sprouts and potatoes. Weird, but good!

Very well put!! That pretty much says it all.

We have been with our oysters as some of you have been with your turkey. Judith, all of your burger dinner -- home ground beef, and your fixin's -- sounded wonderful! Last night I ate one raw oyster before dinner, just to play the silly game and keep the streak going. Russ made chicken, spaghetti with a quick marinara sauce, and caesar salad for dinner. Tonight oysters are going in a Gumbo we're making.

Thanks, All. I've gotten some good ideas for soup making. You all are almost making the cold weather sound appealing. Almost, but not. Tonight we're making Chicken, Sausage, and Oyster Gumbo. I think Emeril's beef fricassee might be the next "new" soup/stew I make. That sounds so good. I'm going to have to close the windows and turn on the air conditioning and get it all cold in here.

I don't know that it's unusual, but this recipe is the best goose of all time.

That's Nouveau... it does lack that depth of flavor. As far as I'm concerned, it's not supposed to have it. I guess part of the appreciation of it is knowing what to expect. It is not a wine to compare to "fine wines" or other reds worthy of aging. I'm looking forward to hearing other thoughts on the Michel Picard, which has been my favorite Beaujolais Nouveau so far. I'm glad to see the open-mindedness about it, but I don't want to come across as if this is my favorite wine of all time or anything!

Yes! I immediately noticed that expression, too. Great picture, in all regards. If those photos don't make one hungry for beef, nothing will!

I never heard of brewer's yeast on popcorn before this thread. Are you all talking about yeast used to brew beer which would be found in a home brew shop?

At first I didn't realize that this thread started over two years ago..... it's an oldie but goodie. These days we eat more cold soups when it's warm than hot soups during our much briefer period of cool weather. I miss hot soup, and when it is cool or rainy, cram in lots of soups and stews. Russ's favorite is lamb and barley, or a bean soup of some kind. For lunch sometimes I make a bowl of stracciatella. Besides so good, it is easy to make one or two servings at a time. Another favorite of mine is Sara Moulton's Broccoli and Angel Hair Pasta in Chicken Broth. Suddenly many favorite homemade hot soups are coming to mind. It must be time... creamy cauliflower soup, French onion, several versions of pasta e fagioli, clam chowder... mmm good. And of course, when talking soups and stews, Gumbo!

But of course!

Absolutely! ...one of the best. Russ and I were having this conversation about the many forms that pork & beans take yesterday when we were walking on the beach, and since then I've been itching to make some Boston Baked Beans from scratch, which I've done only once. I think I want Usinger's hot dogs with them. Cheers to that!

That sounds good, especially with how the pork was cooked. I bet the grilling smelled wonderful, too. The beans in our puree were cannellini beans. Pork and cannellini beans... obviously one of the winning pork & beans flavor combinations!

Tonight we had pork chops with white bean puree and truffle oil. It got us thinking about all the ways to fix pork and beans. What are some of your favorite versions?

I'm reminded of chicken under a brick... Might a stove-top method involve the use a brick?

Oysters, Day 8 (We had a few raw before we went to the party last night.) Starter tonight was Oysters Broiled in Roquefort Butter, a mixture of real good Roquefort and butter and black pepper with a little dollop of that on each oyster and broiled (and again, cheap bubbly). This was yummy -- better than I expected, but it's rich, so five each was plenty. Here they are just out of the oven and then plated. Main course was white bean puree with truffle oil, pork chops, left-over collard greens, and 2003 Shadow Lakes Vineyards Syrah, Madera County.

I'm glad this topic was revived. I'll be on the lookout for those suggested, and report back if I find any of them. Thanks for the overview and the links, iamthestretch.