HungryChris

Jasper White's Summer Shack at Mohegan Sun is holding the "Connecticut Oyster Open" this Monday at 7PM. It will be an oyster shucking contest and the competition will be from the staff of several area restaurants (Max's Oyster Bar,Go Fish, Bill's Seafood, Flanders's Fish Market and chefs from Mohegan Sun). The bottom line is for $35 you can enjoy all the clams and oysters you can put away! I'm all over that!

My favorite split pea soup starts with a "New England Boiled Dinner" with a smoked shoulder. When the dinner is done done, the sandwiches are gone and there is still some meat on the ham bone it goes in the crock pot with water and dry split peas. I do this in the morning and it simmers all day. A few peeled carrots are added, cut like you were sharpening a stick, garlick powder (one of the few places I use it) some Tobasco and salt and pepper to taste. Once the ham bone has been removed and the meat readded, it's ready. I'll bring a thermos to work every day until it's gone. It's really quite smooth. I always remember the chant of the early settlers lamenting a lack of varity in their diet: "Pea porridge hot, pea porridge cold, pea porridge in the pot, nine days old." I'll bet they never thought we'd strive to keep it alive!

I am an oyster fan who always visits the GCOB when in New York. Recently I have wondered if I should try another place in NYC. I am the type of person who will make a quart of cocktail sauce in the morning and go to Wickford, RI (to Champlins) and pick out my own oysters from their iced counter, put them in a cooler in my trunk and go home with the best of intentions of trying them in many recipies. What usually happens is that I slice up a few lemon wedges, open the lot and wolf them down over the sink instead of dinner that night. I love them so! What I really want to know is: Where can a day tripper get good oysters in NYC on a weekend.

I am curious as to why no discussion seems to take place on this forum about the relative merits of the resturants in "Little Italy". My accomplice and I are planning another trip to NYC and she wants to explore same. We recently had a fun time in the North End of Boston and want some tips on Little Italy. Anyone?