An interactive cocktail party

October is over and we are well into November, which can only mean one thing: "Ramps and Floats" season is almost over. I know, right, that was exactly what your were thinking. We are definitely on the same wave length. 

Ok, so in all likelihood you were not thinking about ramps and floats. But you should have been, because the end of ramps and floats means I will have more time to catch up on posts and focus more on Gurnet Trading Co.. 

To clear out some of my back log I am going to share with you a delectable little tidbit of deliciousness that has been sitting on my shelf for the last month. 

Fall Seafood Celebration

Back in October the Fish King and Queen held a little get together with friends and family to show off and share some of their best fall products. 

A full lobster bake is more of  a sit down event and while it is a great way to impress friends, it is a little messy and involved for a casual "hors d'oeuvres" type gathering. My mom solved this problem by serving up cooked lobster and crab claws.

My mom cooked up a pile of lobsters and crabs, busted off the claws, and threw them in her prep sink so everyone could just gather around and snack.  By serving only the claws, the amount of after-party mess is greatly reduced. Claws are also much easier for the casual picker, bodies and tails are a touch more complicated. 

  

The oysters were the real stars of the show. My dad went out that morning and picked up a pile of the briny bi-valves.

The Belon Oyster (also known as the European Flat Oyster) can be a tricky critter to crack. While they can be eaten completely raw on the half-shell like other oysters, opening a raw Belon oyster requires a flat head screwdriver and a leather glove. We have seen a fair number of oyster knives fall before these rugged mollusks. That is why we skip the hardware and skin our cat a different way.

We place them on high heat on a grill for about 5 minutes or until they pop open.

When they first pop open they will still be mostly raw. At this point you can haul them off the grill and eat them raw or let them continue to cook a little.

Add a little Tabasco or cocktail sauce and they become a party classic with none of the hassle of having know how to open an oyster. 

Virtually preparation free, this cocktail party was super easy and fun for the guests. Serving "pick-your-own" food makes eating an event. Your guests interact with their food as well as each other and as they share techniques and recipes. Seafood served this way is a great way to show off high quality, premium products without any snobbery and all the camaraderie of drinking beers around a camp fire. 

Buy Wild Belon Oysters

Buy Maine Crab Claws