Herf

I learned how to shuck oysters from The Hog Island Oyster Lover's Cookbook. I'd never done it before, but after reading this book and buying the knife and gloves they recommended, it was easy peasy. I shucked 2 dozen without ruining a single one. The knife is the Dexter Oyster Knife (4") and I highly recommend it: http://tinyurl.com/ycwy49k The knife isn't sharp. It's not really a knife at all. The pros at Hog Island sharpen theirs, but I didn't and it worked fine.

Here's a nice variant from Harrington and Moorhead. 4 oz. champagne 1/4 oz. gin 1/4 oz. cointreau 1/4 oz. lemon juice Shake gin, cointreau and lemon juice over cracked ice and strain into chilled flute. Top with chilled champagne. Garnish with a lemon twist.

I almost always prefer to use a hgh quality Black Currant Syrup instead of Creme de Cassis of any brand. And in many cases, without modification of the recipe.

These cherries are wonderful in cocktails too. You'll never use a maraschino cherry again! One thing I love to do is put about an inch tall layer of them in the bottom of a bottle of Woodford Reserve bourbon. Let it sit a few days (or more) and it will make the best Manhattan you've ever had.

I love using them for coring out the purplish part of artichokes in preparation for making stuffed artichokes. You have to cut off the top third of the artichoke first though.