Zen & Oysters

"The Joy of Shucking", a collection of recipes from the Wellfleet Oyster Fest

Review by Maggie Kulbokas

A side from its obvious benefits--food can be a great source of joy. Gathering the food, cooking it and last, but not least, eating it can be a true celebration of flavors and combinations.

"The Joy of Shucking" is available at Nicholas-Harrison Gallery (Wellfleet), Snow's (Orleans), Booksmith/Musicsmith (Orleans), Cappello's (Wellfleet), Brewster Bookstore (Brewster), Yellow Umbrella (Chatham), Titcomb's (East Sandwich), Mary's Bookstore (Sandwich) and Books by the Sea (South Yarmouth & Osterville).

Nowhere is this more evident than in "The Joy of Shucking", a collection of recipes from the Wellfleet OysterFest. 2004 marks the first edition of this wonderful assembly of recipes each incorporating Wellfleet's fine oysters.

2005 will be the 5th anniversary of the Wellfleet OysterFest which takes place the weekend after Columbus Day in October. The OysterFest is sponsored by Shellfish Promotion and Tasting or SPAT, a non-profit organization with the goal of boosting Wellfleet's shellfishing tradition. And what a clever acronym at that, as spat is also a young bivalve.  SPAT (the organization, not the baby oyster) has a scholarship program for people pursuing a career in shellfishing or a career which contributes to the understanding and promotion of Wellfleet shellfishing.

The OysterFest is a perfect celebration of this gem of the sea.  Wellfleet folks join together for a weekend of fun activities, entertainment and delicious food.  A quintessential block party, the fest features arts & crafts, a kayak and road race, fun for kids, educational exhibits, live music and, of course, the soon to be legendary Oyster Shuck-Off.  It's a true local hometown event. 

Oyster Tidbits

17th century explorer Samuel de Champlain dubbed Wellfleet "Port aux Huitres" which translates to "Port of the Oysters."

Oysters from Wellfleet are reputed to be the world's finest and were so plentiful 300 years ago they were considered a poor man's food.  (Not anymore!)

The "R" Myth debunked - Folklore claims oysters can only be eaten during months with 'r's in them such as September and October.  Untrue, oysters are actual a wonderful choice year round.  Why the myth?  Months with 'r's in them had are cooler and that would have been important in the days prior to refrigeration.

"The Joy of Shucking" is an incredible cookbook born out of that hometown tradition.  For a mere $15 clams (get it?) you will possess a mouth-watering assortment of oyster and clam recipes. The recipes were submitted by local chefs as well as folks willing to part with their secret handed-down family concoctions.  Many volunteer their time and efforts to the OysterFest. 

Each recipe begins with a short bio about the contributor.  I must admit, this is just as interesting as the recipes.  Many speak of family tradition, give the origin of the recipe or offer the perfect way to make their recipe come off without a hitch.  Several contributors are shellfishermen themselves.  Some are restaurant owners and or chefs.  Who knows, you may have already sampled one of these tasty creations. 

"The Joy of Shucking" should open with a disclaimer such as "warning: do not read when hungry" or "contents may cause salivation."  Recipes like Aunt Nancy's Pilgrim Stuffing, Peter Rennert's Oyster and Artichoke Stew with Saffron, Ann Marie and Andy Koch's Wellfleet Oysters Rockefeller (with a special twist) and Mark Gabriele's Mushrooms with Clam Stuffing  will have you running to the grocery store in no time.

The Wellfleet OysterFest Committee graciously allowed us to post one of these unique recipes.  Once you try this one, you'll want them all!  I chose the following because it was like killing two birds with one stone...

Derek Langlois' Guinness Oysters

• 6 Wellfleet oysters, shucked on the half shell
• 4 0z bacon, diced
• 2 onions, julienned (thinly sliced)
• 1/2 pint Guinness Stout
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a skillet, sauté bacon until crispy then pour off excess fat.  Add onions and sauté until soft.  Deglaze the pan with Guinness Stout.  Add heavy cream and reduce by half.  Add cream cheese and stir until incorporated.  Let mixture cool.  Top each oyster with a spoonful of the mixture. 

Bake until golden brown.

Serve with an ice cold pint of Guinness Stout. 

Derek Langlois, a graduate of Johnson and Wales Culinary School,  is the head chef at Van Rensselaer's Restaurant in Wellfleet.  At one time , Derek worked at an Irish Pub where Guinness Stout was a standard ingredient in many of the pub's recipes. How's that for inspiration?

Pick up your copy of "The Joy of Shucking" at one of the following locations:  Nicholas-Harrison Gallery (Wellfleet), Snow's (Orleans), Booksmith/Musicsmith (Orleans), Cappello's (Wellfleet), Brewster Bookstore (Brewster), Yellow Umbrella (Chatham), Titcomb's (East Sandwich), Mary's Bookstore (Sandwich) and Books by the Sea (South Yarmouth & Osterville).

Trust me, it's worth the $15 clams.