Oysters

As recently as 20 years ago East Coast bars and restaurants sold platters of oysters with steins of draft beer for little more than it would cost now to go out for a pizza. Unfortunately this joyful era is over—at least in New York—and oysters are sold individually in chic Manhattan restaurants for a price that not so long ago would buy a dozen.

Because oysters are expensive and extraordinary, an oyster soup or stew is always a special treat. Unlike clams and mussels, which are usually steamed open in white wine or some other flavorful liquid, oysters need to be shucked. For the inexperienced, this is a nuisance. If you’re going to use the oysters within a few hours, have them shucked at the fish store, but if they need to wait overnight, you’ll have to shuck them yourself. When storing unopened oysters, keep them in the refrigerator, arranged in a bowl so they stay flat. If thrown haphazardly into a bowl or bag, their liquid will drain and they will dry out.