Oysters on the Half Shell

It is hard to improve on what may be nature’s most perfect food. Few foods—caviar, sea urchin roe—capture the pure briny essence of the sea better.

When serving raw oysters on the half shell, you can’t shuck them by heating them first. You must open them raw, or ask the clerk at the fish market to do it, if you are serving them within a few hours. Shucking takes practice and a strong will to combat the tenacity of the oyster. If you are not yet skilled at it, get your guests involve