Congratulations, Katie!

[aaronwcpa]

Katie: I have been reading EGullet for a very long time and your new position has finally made me write something: Congratulations and best of luck in your new position.

Living in suburbia our visit to Phila are few, except for DDC dinners, but we will dine there soon.

You are famous.

Aaron

[Mummer]

I stopped by for happy hour tonight.

I had some blue points with a cold one and a hug from Katie who introduced me to her new boss. He's proud of his product connections and told me he's picked up some Alaskan oysters at PHL today. Anybody can have fancy vodkas, but he's the only one in town with the special oyster list.

So I had another round of the specials and decided to return soon to sample the more exotic varieties.

Then I saw the new Kevin Bacon flick, the gritty part of the evening.

[KatieLoeb]

I can't believe how excited everyone is for me! This really is so gratifying. I'm truly humbled. And again, really excited to have so many potential guests! I'm looking forward to seeing each and every one of you. Please call first so I know you're coming. If I know I have visitors coming I am always happy to stay late and greet them personally. It's the least I can do, I just have to know ahead. Unless I have an unalterable commitment I will make certain I am there to say hello, even if it isn't my scheduled shift.

Aaron, I'm particularly flattered that we've gotten you to come out of hiding! Welcome to eGullet and now there's no turning back. We're looking forward to many insightful posts from you in the future!

Charlie - it was great to see you! Glad you could stop by. I'd like to clarify for everyone that the Happy Hour oysters are the Long Island Blue Points. Unfortunately, it's cost prohibitve to be giving away the Kumamotos and Katchemak Bay oysters at that spectacular Happy Hour price. But the Blue Points are very fresh and yummy too, as Charlie said. As soon as the wines I've ordered are in place (a few should be in tomorrow), we'll be all set to make the oyster and wine pairing experience happen for Happy Hour or any other time any of you want to make good on your promises to come see me!

I tried a half dozen of the St. Simon oysters for dinner last night and they were very good. I'd never even heard of that variety before, so I was particularly intrigued. I found them very buttery and the flavor was quite subtle. They are on the small/medium size end of the oyster spectrum. I feel the need to educate myself now because everyone is asking me questions I don't necessarily know the answers to about the varieties of oysters. I need to study up!

[phifly04]

http://cswgcin.nbii.gov/issues/invasives/f...oticOysters.pdf

Hope this helps a little Katie

[Fresser]

To everyone:

Thanks for the votes of confidence and the effusive good wishes.  It really means the world to me.  I'm so excited to have so many potential visitors lined up from so many different places!  How cool is that?  I didn't realize I came with a following...

Herb:

No swelled head, I promise.  I still have a lot of work to do, believe me.

Fresser:

You have an open invitation.  We'll even call a special session of Pizza Club if you make it.  I'm certain the Philly crew would be delighted to entertain you. 

←

Katie,

You mean a Heartlander could be an honorary member of Pizza Club Philly? Woo-hoo!

Also, I can't wait to see you in your adopted habitat of the restaurant world. Your bio listed a bit of your previous career--as a hat model, I believe--so I'm curious if you parachuted out of the corporate world, as did our own Zaftig Zagat, Fat Guy.

I could stow away with my friend Big Mushy in Maplewood, NJ and make the jaunt down to Philly on my next sojourn east. Big Mushy is an ex-Wall Streeter who seriously considered purchasing a drive-in movie theater and donning a paper hat to work the concession stand. "Fixed-income derivatives now showing on Screen 3! Will that be a LARGE popcorn tonight?" he would say, practicing his script.

If the eGullet Welcome Wagon could lure Big Mushy into the New Jersey forum--he's already registered--he could provide much amusement. PM me, one and all, and I'll provide Big Mushy's e-mail address.

One final point in the Mushmeister's favor: he introduced me to the original http://www.shaw-review.com site, the predecessor of all things eGullet.

[mrbigjas]

You mean a Heartlander could be an honorary member of Pizza Club Philly? Woo-hoo!

as rich has delineated for the record somewhere in those threads, there are only three rules for pizza club:

1. rsvp

2. show up

3. gorge

(paraphrased)

[TarteTatin]

"Quenelles! At the Sansom Street Oyster Houe? I think not.

The beauty of SSOH, as Katie made clear early in this string, is that it's an Old School Philadelphia restaurant, doing what the historic oyster houses always did: serving very fresh and high quality shellfish and finfish prepared in a straightforward manner. That doesn't mean it's immune to change -- SSOH was serving branzino four or five years ago, before anyone else in town even heard of it -- but it does mean sticking to basics. The kitchen at SSOH does an incredible job with fish (especially whoever handles the deep frying), but trying to expand its repertoire to quenelles would be, IMHO, a mistake. If you want quenelles, ask George Perriers to put it on his menus."

I really disagree, Ribkind! Quenelles are a very basic food, pike dumplings! They would be out of place at Georges Perrier. Quenelles are simple, peasant bistro food, like at Chez Jenny, not fine food...We think its perfect for a place like Sansom St. Oyster House...

As far as the plateau, there's nothing wrong with serving it with the items that they can get. No need to go crazy to serve razor clams, SSOH can "make it their own" by including whatever ingredients they specifically want to use that week...

Perhaps give these thoughts a chance rather than poo-poo them immediately.

Anyway, you and I and all on this thread are just giving ideas and thoughts and wishes. It's ultimately up to Cary and Katie and all involved at SSOH to do what they wish.

[rlibkind]

TarteTatin (Phillyfrancophiles),

I guess we'll agree to disagree. I'll grant you that quenelles are not limited to haute cuisine (indeed, to compare them to gefilte fish wouldn't be entirely off the mark), but I'll stand by my assertion that quenelles go against the grain of what is the classic Philadelphia oyster house. SSOH is not a French bistro; it's a Mid-Atlantic fish house. That said, I'll quote cdh's signature: De Gustibus Non Disputandum Est

[alacarte]

Congrats, Katie! This may warrant a road trip to Philly. Serving any of your famous limoncello...yet?

[mrbigjas]

hey katie, i'm not interested in any changes to the menu, but if you can get your hands on some of those oysters we had at fuji that time, well...

Edited January 14, 2005 by mrbigjas (log)

[Mummer]

Serving any of your famous limoncello...yet?

←

The LCB probably forbids selling homemade potables, but that's another active thread.

[KatieLoeb]

Serving any of your famous limoncello...yet?

←

The LCB probably forbids selling homemade potables, but that's another active thread.

←

I'm not certain this is entirely true, because many restaurants serve their own infused vodkas (Stoli Doli martinis at Capital Grill for instance). I'm looking into that to make infusion for oyster shooters! I'm thinking Lemon (not sweetened like Limoncello), Habanero and Horseradish to start. We'd serve small shots with an oyster in it.

Any of that sound appealing to anyone?

James, I will most certainly call Chef Matt and both invite him to come in and visit me at SSOH (I really need to return all the hospitality he's shown me over the years) and also to pick his brain for suppliers that Cary might not be aware of. I'll inquire after the Pacific Orchard oysters specifically.

[Curlz]

...our own Zaftig Zagat, Fat Guy. 

Oh, but I hope Steven enjoys this new moniker as much as I did reading it! Fresser, with that sense of humor, you're welcome on ANY board that eG has, but certainly on the NJ one. Join us! There. Your official invite.

Curlz

[Curlz]

I'm thinking Lemon (not sweetened like Limoncello), Habanero and Horseradish to start.  We'd serve small shots with an oyster in it.

Any of that sound appealing to anyone?

Sure, Katie! As long as I get mine sans oyster... Sorry--just don't like 'em. I'll let my dad have my share when he gets in there--I'll just help deplete the wine supply!

Edited January 14, 2005 by Curlz (log)

[judiu]

Serving any of your famous limoncello...yet?

←

The LCB probably forbids selling homemade potables, but that's another active thread.

←

[snip]

I'm looking into that to make infusion for oyster shooters! I'm thinking Lemon (not sweetened like Limoncello), Habanero and Horseradish to start. We'd serve small shots with an oyster in it.

[/snip]

Heck, pour mine with some tomato juice or better yet, V-8, and we'll call it a Bloody Philly!

[marinade]

I'm thinking Lemon (not sweetened like Limoncello), Habanero and Horseradish to start. We'd serve small shots with an oyster in it.

That sounds real appealing. If you have an ice cream machine I'd take it a step further with a melon ball dollop of a savory heat seeking sorbet. Any simple syrup can be infused. I’ve done infused ices with jalapeño, cut with tequila and lime. I also mess with an avocado ice to top off cevice. The ices should not overpower the oysters, but you can have some real fun with this.

(edited for addendum)

Edited January 14, 2005 by marinade (log)

[Ted Task]

Ersters with a horseradish vodka....I'll be there faster than planned!

Or maybe just a plate of those cute little Kumimotos (sp?)

Ted task

[NulloModo]

I'm not certain this is entirely true, because many restaurants serve their own infused vodkas (Stoli Doli martinis at Capital Grill for instance).  I'm looking into that to make infusion for oyster shooters!  I'm thinking Lemon (not sweetened like Limoncello), Habanero and Horseradish to start.  We'd serve small shots with an oyster in it.

Any of that sound appealing to anyone?

←

That sounds exceedingly tasty to me. I am ashamed to admit it, but my only oyster eating experience thus far comes from Hooters. They offer steamed oysters, but also a shooter involving a raw one, beer, and cocktail sauce. It is pretty darn tasty, plus you get to keep a cool shot glass (one can never have too many...) I would most certainly down several of yours as long as they were reasonably priced.

[KatieLoeb]

Ersters with a horseradish vodka....I'll be there faster than planned!

Or maybe just a plate of those cute little Kumimotos (sp?)

Ted task

←

Ted:

The infused vodkas are on my priority list somewhere below getting the wine list to actually have printed what's in house, and having the point-of-sale system accurately reflect the menu. Give me a few weeks to get the really important stuff lined up and find and test the infusion recipes. I will certainly post as soon as the shooters are in place.

Aside from my eternal thanks for all the thoughtful good wishes I've received, I'd really like to thank everyone for helping make my new job so much easier. I feel like I have a test market of savvy consumers to bounce ideas off of that'll be honest enough to tell me "NO - don't do that!" if I need a little dialing back. This is sort of my own private little Alinea Project, and your assistance is most appreciated.

[herbacidal]

The only times I've had oysters cooked they've been fried or steamed.

Raw oysters aren't bad but I do miss them steamed with ginger and scallion.

I forget what kind, I just remember that they were really big and we sold them for $2 each at a Chinese restaurant back in the mid 90s.

[KatieLoeb]

The only times I've had oysters cooked they've been fried or steamed.

Raw oysters aren't bad but I do miss them steamed with ginger and scallion.

I forget what kind, I just remember that they were really big and we sold them for $2 each at a Chinese restaurant back in the mid 90s.

←

Herb:

I believe I've had this dish or one remarkably similar at Shiao Lan Kung, so you can still go feed that jones if you feel the need. And yes - the oysters they use are enormous, sometimes the shell is as big as my hand. But they are really delicious.

[KatieLoeb]

Heck, pour mine with some tomato juice or better yet, V-8, and we'll call it a Bloody Philly! 

You've just given me another idea for an infusion flavor. Maybe something akin to "tomato water" with the vodka, or a "gazpacho" flavored infusion of some sort?

That could be great, I just have to figure out how to do it.

Or we could just do it with plain Bloody Mary mix and no vodka and call it a "Bloody Shame".

[Mummer]

Or we could just do it with plain Bloody Mary mix and no vodka and call it a "Bloody Shame". 

←

I thought that one was a Bloody Awful!

[MarketStEl]

how you feel about shellfish, fresser?

←

I like all kinds o' fish, especially if they're served with hush puppies.

I can't wait to meet the Philly crew!

←

The ratio of Midwesterners to the total group population would instantly double upon your visit.

You never told me which part of the Midwest you were from, though, Fresser.

This does matter a bit, as it would determine whether it would be worth it to seek out what passes for great barbecue here and share it with you. (You might want to wade through the discussion of The Smoked Joint in this forum by way of preparation. I haven't been there yet, so can't comment on whether it's better than the best stuff I've had here yet--served at a hole-in-the-wall at 55th and Baltimore called Belmont Bar-B-Q--but it's gotten a warm reception.)

Whether or not this happens, though, let me join Katie in encouraging you to visit here soon.

--Sandy, who makes his own Gates' Sauce

[herbacidal]

IIRC, Fresser be from that great Chicagoland area.