Oysters in the afternoon

oystershells

There are times when I feel my culinary life has been taken over by a certain fruit or flavor. When every market stall, my kitchen table and even my brain is immersed in a single-minded symphony of strawberries or tomatoes, when the choice seems so limited but the possibilities endless. The last few weeks have seen us up to our knees in tomatoes and I don’t think I’ve cooked a meal for over a month that hasn’t included tomatoes in some shape or form. These food invasions are part and parcel of being on that carousel of seasonal cooking and the thing I love most is that they are all so predictable and comforting in their repetitiveness, for what are traditions but a repeat performance of last year’s feast. The fava bean deluge of April, the artichokes of May are no less predictable than Christmas or Easter – you know they’re coming and you prepare to enjoy them. But then there is that other type of food invasion, the ones that don’t dance to the tunes of the calendar but rather to fashion and whimsy and blind chance. You might come home from a holiday in Italy and have Aperol Spritz every day (until you’d never want to have it again) or you suddenly get a delivery of 30 kg of rice and you deliberately cook around it. You start with curries and Chinese dishes but then you start thinking of French ways of including them like blanquette de veau or a colonial dish like kedgeree.

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Two weeks ago we were attacked by molluscs. Living in Médoc oysters are very much part of every day life, and while they are, in my mind at least, associated with the colder months, such rules have little meaning when you live close to oyster paradise. Every market in the region has at least one or two oysterman and on weekends roads are lined with little trucks or tables offering oysters to passersby. So we tend to have them about once or twice a week, usually as a starter and almost always raw, with just a squeeze of lemon or with a drizzle of shallots in vinegar. To have more than 6 or 12 at a time or to have them three days in a row, that hardly ever happens. Until two weeks ago.

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It all started in Bordeaux. We had gone there for some business that must have been very tedious since I have completely forgotten what it was. To make the day more enjoyable we had decided to try a new bistrot, recently opened in Bordeaux, called Le Glouton. It’s owned our friends, Ludovic le Goardet and his wife Elisabeth. He used to be the chef at our beloved Café Lavinal in Pauillac. Due to poor planning and Friday traffic (mainly poor planning) we arrived so late that everyone else had left and to make up for lost time we just phoned ahead to ask the chef to serve us what ever he liked and was most convenient for him. First we had baked oysters with Béarnaise sauce, then chicken in puff pastry, beef cheek raviolis and the richest grilled chocolate mousse. All delicious but afterwards I kept thinking about the oysters. I’ve had baked oysters a thousand times, with shallots, wine, en persillade … but this I’d never had. And I wanted it again. The next day we bought some oysters at the market and I tried my own version. It worked, not least when paired with rosé. It’s a decadent combination, feels modern and old-fashioned at the same time, and so fitting for the season, like a swan song to summer and a welcome for autumn.

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We did, however, want more oysters. The next day, a Sunday, we headed for Cap Ferret which in September is as close to perfection as you can get. The crowds have mostly gone but it’s still lively, with less traffic and no reservations. We had the loveliest of Sundays, and we had oysters … lots of oysters.
One of our rituals are the mussels with sausage meat and french fries at Chez Hortense but because we were in an oyster mood we added a sneaky order of baked oysters en persillade and another of baked oysters with foie gras. Then we headed to the oyster shacks that are everywhere, local producers who make oysters for the rest of France but offer visitors a chance to taste the delicacies. These are simple, no fuss institutions, with (sometimes mismatched) wooden tables and chairs, with extremely limited choice (read only oysters) and a choice between white, rosé or red. If you don’t like oysters these are not the places to be.

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Driving home, enjoying the fluidity of the road I decided that my next post (if I would ever have the time to do one) would be dedicated to oysters. In fact, considering how much I love them I feel like I have been neglecting them. They are such ideal food, low in calories, easy to prepare, fantastic little proteins that are rich in calcium and iron. And simply so delicious. The following Tuesday we bought 6 dozen oysters at the market. I wanted to recreate some of the flavors from my oyster weekend and perhaps come up with a few of my own. Mainly I just wanted more oysters. Oddur and I did what we love best, threw all the oysters on our blue table and started opening them side by side. In the course of the day I made one recipe after another, we shelled, cooked and shot. My mother-in-law who doesn’t like oysters at all asked “what are you going to do with all these oysters when you are finished photographing them?”, eating them was for her out of the question. The kids were all at school so no help to be found there (most of them have come to appreciate oysters). In the end we just ate them all, one type after another, paired with rosé and white and Sauternes, between lunchtime and “pick-up kids from school time” 72 oysters found their way into our stomachs and each one tasted better than the next. It was where gourmandise meets gluttony.
Having 72 oysters in one sitting is a small achievement but when compared to the endeavours of a much more famous glutton, Honoré de Balzac himself it simply feels like a very light lunch. Balzac was famous for discipline when writing his books, working for 18 hour stretches and keeping himself hungry by feeding himself only fruit and the strongest “stomach burning” coffee. When the book was finished Monsieur Balzac completely changed his tune, headed to his favorite restaurant and famously cried out “Garçon, un cent d’huîtres!” or “Waiter, a hundred oysters!”. This he washed down with four bottles of white wine, followed by a dozen lamb chops, a duck with turnips, partridge, a Normandie sole and finally dessert. I don’t think I will ever scale the heights of Monsieur Balzac but one can always aspire.

When the children came home from school that night and asked the question they always ask “what’s for dinner?” I simply answered “Not oysters!”

ps: Just a quick reminder for those of you who have or will order my cookbook “A Kitchen in France” that you have a nice print waiting for you and all you have to do is click here and fill in your details.

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Oysters in a Béarnaise sauce

12 oysters
1/2 cup/ 120 g clarified butter
2 tablespoons/ 30 ml white wine
1 tablespoon/15 ml white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons lukewarm water
2 egg yolks
1 shallot (chopped very finely)
A few sprigs of fresh chervil (chopped finely) – save some
A few sprigs of fresh tarragon (chopped finely)
6 tablespoons heavy cream, whipped
Coarse sea-salt and freshly ground black pepper

Clarify the butter – melt the butter in a saucepan on a low heat. Simmer gently until the foam rises to the top. You should see the milk solids separating. Set aside to cool slightly, discard the foam, and pour the clear clarified butter in a bowl. You only want to keep the ‘clear’ butter which is perfect for cooking on high temperature and making sauces. (You might want to use a fine strainer if you wish).

In another saucepan, combine the vinegar, white wine, finely chopped shallot, the herbs, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer on a medium heat. Remove from heat, add the 2 egg yolks and the 2 teaspoons of water and whisk continuously. Return to a low heat, continue to whisk, and remove from heat every 1 minute – repeat this process for 8 minutes, constantly whisking until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and add the cooled clarified butter, continue to whisk until smooth. Return to the heat and whisk for 30 seconds, or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Set aside and leave to cool.

Whisk the heavy cream until stiff, and fold into the cooled Béarnaise sauce.

Shuck the oysters. Place a teaspoon or 2 of the sauce (depending on oyster size) on top of each oyster. Arrange oysters in an oven-proof dish or tray and place under a preheated grill for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and golden. Sprinkle fresh chervil on top (optional) Serve immediately.

oysterpersillade

Oysters en persillade
(recipe from Ludovic Le Goardet at Le Glouton bistrot in Bordeaux)

24 oysters (I used Cap Ferret or Marennes Oléron)
1/2 cup/ 120 g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
2 garlic cloves
1 small bunch of parsley, leaves picked
1 teaspoon fleur de sel/ coarse salt
A dash of freshly black pepper
1/2 pinch ground nutmeg
3/4 cup/45 g breadcrumbs

In a food processor, mix garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and nutmeg and mix for 30 seconds. Add the butter (at room temperature) and mix 10 more seconds until you get a smooth paste.
Shuck the oysters. Place a teaspoon of garlic butter on top of each oyster and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Arrange oysters in an oven-proof dish or tray and place under a preheated grill for about 5 minutes, or until the garlic butter is bubbly and golden. Serve immediately.

oysterswithfoiegras

Oysters with foie gras & Sauternes wine

12 oysters
150 g foie gras (raw)
1 to 2 teaspoons of Sauternes wine
Coarse sea-salt & freshly ground black pepper

Shuck the oysters. Place a small slice of foie gras on top of each oyster, then pour one to 2 teaspoons of Sauternes wine. Season with salt and pepper. Place oysters in an oven-proof dish or tray and transfer to a preheated grill. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

oysterswithsausagemeat2

Oysters with sausages

6 oysters
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or if you prefer, olive oil)
2 or 3 sausages,
1 clove garlic, sliced finely
1 shallot, minced
A dash of ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons of red wine
Olive oil, to drizzle
A few sprigs of chives, finely chopped
Coarse sea-salt & freshly ground black pepper

For the garlic breadcrumbs
3/4 cup/45 g breadcrumbs
1/2 clove garlic, minced
Mix both ingredients together in a small bowl.

Slit the sausages sideways and squeeze the meat out of the skins.

Heat the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the shallots until softened, add the sausage meat, garlic, thyme, nutmeg, salt and pepper and stir, until the meat is cooked. Pour in the wine and continue to cook for 3 minutes. Take off the heat & set aside.

Shuck the oysters. Place 2 teaspoons of the sausage filling on top of each oyster. Sprinkle garlic breadcrumbs on top and drizzle a bit of olive oil. Arrange oysters in an oven-proof dish or tray and place under a preheated grill for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden. Sprinkle the chives on top. Serve immediately.

onions&figs

124 thoughts on “Oysters in the afternoon

    1. Hi Marta! Loved all these recipes – as much I love raw oyters with lemon or shallots vinaigrette, these were so delicious. And yes, my kids do eat oysters – it’s such a part of life here in our region, there are oyster stalls everywhere. I think the sausage meat filling was a total hit with the kids! Enjoy, Mimi x

  1. What an absolutely lovely post, Mimi.
    I have never really liked oysters until last year where I did try another one and I actually enjoyed the taste. I’ve never had a baked version though and definitely have to try that! I love the oysters en persillade. I can only imagine the warm butter with the breadcrumbs, sounds wonderful. And that is for any time of the year.
    Absolutely gorgeous pictures as always! 🙂
    Have a lovely day!

    1. Thank you Tina! We love oysters, they are a big part of our lives, a local speciality. I had so much fun cooking these recipes – and yes, the persillade version is oh so good! Especially with lots of good baguette bread 🙂 Enjoy, Mimix

  2. Dear Mimi, great post, beautiful photos and memories from the Bassin d’Arcachon oyster paradise and Chez Hortense, our holiday classic! Merci! A bientôt, bises Cécile

  3. 72 oysters! I’m impressed! Prince Edward Island (where I live) is also known for it’s oysters and people come from all over to try them. Our chefs are constantly finding new ways to prepare them but I must admit, while I have tried them I am with your mother in law on this one! Maybe though I simply haven’t had them prepared in a manner that appeals to me and it’s not necessarily the oysters which I dislike, you never know! Before I forget again, I have to thank you for the tian tartlets recipe, I meant to comment earlier but just kept forgetting, my memory is rubbish! A thank you is a must though because they were such a hit with my family that I had to make them multiple times to appease my two little minions! Liam and Elsa loved them and I think they will make their way onto our table frequently in the future. Thanks again for sharing! 🙂

    1. Bonjour! Prince Edward Island must be so beautiful, I must add it to my must-see list. And you are very welcome for the tian recipe! I am so happy to hear it was a hit. I do find them quite addictive, and what a fantastic way to make kids eat veggies 🙂 Have a lovely week Kimberly! Mimi x

      1. I love oysters, but rarely cook them (or have them — it’s much harder to find good quality fresh oysters when you don’t live near the sea), still, I’m excited for all these new ways to try them! We had our fill of oysters when my family vacationed on Prince Edward Island — it really is a must-see.

    2. Hmm … although i haven’t had oysters in ages (not that i don’t like them, in fact THEY don’t like me), your recipes are mouthwatering as always ! I’m gonna have to try oysters again !
      I’m off to Sri Lanka in 2 days, can’t wait to see what this place has in store for me, foodwise but not only !
      Have a nice sunny week 🙂

      Alice

      1. OK Alice, now, are you living a bit of a jet-set life! Lucky you – Sri Lanka! Oh well, I guess you’ll just have to tell me about all those amazing dishes you will have, especially the crabs and coconut infused curries? 🙂 And yes, why don’t you try ousters again, if you don’t feel like preparing them, then you can go to Le Glouton – the Béarnaise version was inspired from there! Mimi x

  4. Vous parlez de mon coeur.J’ai vécu presque les memes choses. En début de septembre j’etais a Cap Ferret aussi.J’ai mangé des huitres chaque jour chez boulan. Vous me donnez beaucoup d’idées comment on peut les manger d’autre façon.Pour l’année prochaine,parce que a Munich on en trouve pas!Et Cap Ferret est vraiment parfait en septembre.

    1. Bonjour! Oui, c’est un peu le paradis au Cap Ferret en ce moment. J’espère que vous aurez l’occasion d’essayer ces recettes – elles sont archi-faciles et délicieuses! Bonne semaine. Mimi x

  5. Dear Mimi…Just like your mother-in-law, I do not like oysters. Still, your recipes sounds scrumptious…can you only imagine how it would feel if I liked oysters?:)
    Thank You for another great post and beautiful photos. Still counting the days until the arrival of your cookbook:)

    1. Oh, no worries, I understand. However, I would recommend trying the sauces, especially the Béarnaise (the added cream is too good) – I used it as a cold dip for shrimps and crabs – loved it! Mimi x

  6. Greetings Mimi…my husband and I are traveling to Paris later this week and after reading your post have changed our plans to include a few days in Cap Ferret! Perfect timing I would say..thank you for the post!

    1. Hi Deb – so happy to hear you changed your plans – the weather is so amazing these days, it would me a shame to miss out! Wishing you beautiful oysters and lots of waffles with chantilly cream at Frédélian 🙂 Mimi x ps: and of course don’t forget the dune blanches at the boulangerie/pâtisserie ‘Chez Pascal’!

  7. How beautiful Mimi! I LOVE oysters as well! Thank you for such beautiful recipes. I hope even more seafood recipes will be in your book! I cannot WAIT to receive it. This post is so elegantly nautical. Being raised by the sea, I can almost taste the salt in gentle breezes off of the navy water. I adore the play of color, a rich red pure white and blanketing navy blue. It brings forth memories of my family’s annual seafood dinner. All of the family would buy pounds and pounds of oysters and steam them over a massive pit made of stone! Each oyster succulent and seasoned with spicy sauce lemon or butter. Oysters have a special place in my heart as it is associated with a memory of a time long lost. Maybe someday I shall revive such memories with my future children. A pit of oysters smoked by firelight. Every memory holds a beautiful flavor and Thank you for sharing yours! ⚓️⚓️⚓️⚓️

    ~ Tiffany

    1. Bonjour Tiffany! Loved to hear about the pit of oysters, smoked by firelight. I can just imagine the wonderful taste, especially the spicy sauce! There are quite a few seafood recipe in the book, so I hope you’ll lke them 🙂 Thanks for inspiring me to have a family seafood annual dinner – I’ll be thinking of you. Mimi x

  8. As I was looking thru the photos, Mimi, I was thinking, “there are so many wonderful places to live, how will I live everywhere in this life?” But then, right now I’ve come back to Vancouver where there is the loveliest of seafood right here in my Pacific. I also love oysters, in every possible way, but lately, and only because I’ve been landlocked for the summer in Oxford, I can’t get enough of wild Pacific salmon. Usually I just love to stuff it with a large bunch of garden herbs and lemon and onion. Simple sometimes if just the best, don’t you think? Lovely to have another post from you, and that reminds me, I have to go back to your last post and follow the directions because I prepurchased your book so long ago now that I plum forgot it’s coming. So excited!. Big hugs from me over here on the West Coast. I know you will have your work cut out for you very soon and wish you the very best with the new house.

    1. Thank you Veronica, and yes, I agree with you simple is just the best. I think the best place love anywhere near the sea, where you can get fresh seafood anytime of the year. I hope you will enjoy the book 🙂 Mimi x

  9. Many thanks Mimi – a ‘one stop shop’ for oyster recipes. There are no actual oyster leases here in Jervis Bay Australia, but some of the rivers close by are famous for their ‘Sydney Rock’ Oysters. There’s even an oyster festival next weekend and I’ll be the one armed with several recipes! Wonderful photos Odder.

    1. Hi Jude! Well yes, you’ll be armed with lots of new recipes for next week’s festival – I love those Sydney Rock oysters – I have some of the best seafood memories wining and dining in Sydney 🙂 Enjoy the recipes, Mimix

  10. What a coincidence !! Since Thursday we had 4 holidays in Barcelona, ​​my husband and I went to pass them Gruissan, Narbonne and Collioure. We have taken oysters remembering another vacation at the Hotel de la Plage in Cap Ferret. Today, your post makes me think I have your recipe for oysters que cocinar home to remember these days. Thanks Mimi, I love what you’ve written and of course the photos!!

      1. Yes, I love, like the island of Ré but … in June or September, when not busy. Now I have really wanted to know the Médoc. Hugs, Mimi.

  11. When I read this posting and saw all the seductive pictures,
    it was the first time I really regret ted having an oyster allergy . On this occasion I like to thank you for all your delicious recipes which most of them I have tried
    more or less successfully.

  12. What beautiful post, Mimi. All the photos are just stunning….a beautiful September afternoon.

    I would love very much to try the oysters in the Béarnaise sauce…they look irresistible. I do not think I could ever tire of shellfish 😉

    Take care,
    Tammy<3

  13. The images are so beautiful – but I have never eaten oysters… it terrifies me a bit to ever eat them! 🙂 I am happy that you & your love enjoyed them together! xo, dana

  14. 72 oysters – … “a la grande!!!”
    Hope little Marcel keeps quiet:)
    Enjoy these endless lovely, late summer days. They are miracles from the earth! Yesterday i made for the first time this year YOUR calvados apple tarte * (my absolutely fovourite!!!) with OUR homegrown apples … “a la grande”!!!!

    1. Bonjour Aileen, Yes, these late summer days are miracles – I have to say September has become my favourite month. Happy to hear you enjoyed the Calvados apple tart 🙂 Mimi x

  15. These photos and recipes and your story are all sublime! I am a vegetarian, but I love to cook many of your recipes for my non-vegetarian husband and friends, and would so much like to try some of these oyster recipes. However as someone who does not eat them, and has no experience with them, I worry I won’t know how to tell a bad one from a good one. Any tips or astuces? And do you happen to have recommendations for vendors in New York City? I know you were here earlier this year but I don’t know that you explored oysters during your trip! In any case, thank you again for sharing all of this.

    1. Bonjour Sara, thanks so much for dropping by! Well, I think the most important tip is that an oyster should smell fresh, just like the sea. Also, if you are buying them, they should be completely closed (unless shucked in a restaurant). I am not an expert on oysters in NY, however, I’ve been seeing a lot of my NY friends going to Maison Premiere in Brooklyn – looks very good to me! Mimi x

      1. Merci, Mimi! Maison Première is indeed lovely–I have gone there mostly for champagne but have enjoyed seeing my friends eating their oysters! I have been told that there is a purveyor of excellent seafood in the east 50s, near me, who supplies Le Bernardin. I think I’ll give their oysters a try! Thank you for the tips about the perfume of an oyster. I will keep it in mind when I shop for them! Now to find out how to shuck them….! Que d’aventures. Merci encore une fois!

  16. Mimi – what a beautiful post! I’m so very happy that I’ve got a dozen Cotuit oysters waiting for me in my fridge! We hope you’ll join our Oyster Century Club and share the love of oysters with your friends in the US & Canada. We’re tasting through 100 varieties. Recently in Brussels I feasted on many different Belons, as well as others. Fantastic.

    1. Hi Jacqueline! Thank you! I just checked out your site – sounds wonderful – I can certainly feel the oyster love! You should come and visit our region soon, have you been here before? You would ove our oysters! Mimi x

  17. J’adore les huîtres et surtout farcis avec une persillade, tellement bons! Nous aussi on adore le Cap Ferret en septembre, c’est un vrai paradis!
    72 huîtres pour le gouter ! Tes enfants on la chance 😉
    Le photos sont sublimes. J’aimerais essayer la recette avec le foie gras et sauternes! xo

    1. Bonjour Eva – Merci – nous avons passé de bons moments au Cap Ferret, c’est tellement beau et paradisiaque ! J’espère que tes enfants ont passé une bonne rentrée, les miens sont contents et ravis de faire de nouveaux camarades. Bonne semaine – et bonne dégustation d’huîtres! Mimix

  18. Wow Mimi, all that oysters looks amazing. I would have loved to join for the delicious food and of course beautiful company. Love the recipes and photos, gorgeous.
    Our summer holiday coming to an end still enjoying our last week.
    Best wishes and much love
    Rowaida xx

  19. Hello mimi,
    Quelle chance inouie nous avons de vivre dans ce beau médoc ! Tu nous fais tellement ressentir ta passion gourmande de la vie ! Ce n’est que du bonheur ! L’envie irrésistible d’essayer tes recettes alléchantes. Merci, encore merci à toi et à Oddur pour ses photos sublimes. Gros bisous à toute la tribu joyeuse et à très bientôt pour une petite visite .
    Anne-Marie

    1. Merci chère Anne-Marie! Nous profitons de ce beau mois de Septembre, et comme tu vois, nous étions si inspirés par ces recettes d’huîtres. A très vite – je t’inviterai pour une petite dégustation! Bisous, Mimi x

  20. Dear Mimi you have always such beautiful photos! I stay always stunned looking at them.
    And once more a great recipe, and beautiful stories 🙂
    Congratulations.
    A big kiss
    Cláudia V

  21. I had just finished reading your lovely blog and decided not to leave a comment but rather to savor the thought of those delicious oysters (I do not live on the coast). Then I opened my very next email from one of my teachers and I knew I had to post exactly what she wrote. “William Hendricksen, wrote this about modern readers’ squeamishness in regards to John’s (John the Baptist) diet of locusts: ‘Those who enjoy shrimp, mussel, oyster, and frog-leg should not find fault with those who eat the locust.’ ” It made me laugh. Will locust every make it to your table? Mimi, thank you for sharing all your lovely recipes and the beautiful photos of your lives together.

  22. I love your blog, I love your enthusiasm for simple but great food . I’m a chef in the U.S. . I’ve been following you for about a year or so . You inspire me to cook my best, thank you !

  23. Bonjour Mimi,
    Oysters……..nothing more perfect. Natural, mornay, Kilpatrick and now your gorgeous recipes. I think I’d like to try the parsley and butter ones first. Mimi, so pleased your telling us all about the fabulous restaurants in these areas. I’ve started making a list for September 2015……..it’s growing quickly. A little recipe for you whilst on the subject of oysters. Think of a dressing made with apple, verjuice, rosemary, olive oil and some salt and pepper…..can you taste it? One of my favourites. Looking forward to an update from your restaurant project………I’m so nosey!!! Bises dear Mimi xx Anita

    1. Bonjour Anita, Oh, I have a feeling you will be all over Médoc next summer 🙂 Can’t wait to meet you! I will certainly try your dressing recipe – sounds divine. Renovation works going well – surely but slowly – it’s all about painting, ordering equipment, cleaning – we’re moving forward. Photos very soon. Bisous, Mimix

  24. Hi Mimi, evervtried steamed oyster in a black bean sauce? Every now and then my husband and I head into Amterdam’s chinatown for a treat, they are absolutely devine. But then any kinda oyster is a treat in my opinion. I’ve never prepared oysters myself, Holland not really being an oyster country, but your recipes certainly do look tempting!

    1. Thank you Sandra! I am a big fan of black bean sauce – as a matter of fact I have a jar waiting for me in the pantry… I’ve been wanting to sauté clams & chilli with it (one of my favorite recipes!), but now I will certainly try with oysters! Bonne journée, Mimix

  25. I love Oysters! Eating them feels like bringing the relaxing feeling of a walk at the beach a little bit closer to our home in the country. To me it’s like you can almost taste the smell of a sea breeze. I only ate them with a drop of lemon juice and black pepper, but I’m definitely going to try out your recipes! Thanks!

    1. Bonjour Claudia. What I love most about oysters is the smell – it tastes of the sea. It’s an escapade! We always have them for Christmas & new year’s, it’s a French tradition to have a huge ‘plateau de fruit de mer’ (sea-food platter) as a starter dish. Enjoy the recipes. Mimi x

  26. Hello Mimi. Now you’ve gone and made me crave oysters. My hubby loves them, too, and could probably give monsieur Balzac a run for his money! I love the briny tang of raw oysters, but the ones cooked with foie gras sound deliciously decadent! Those first few days in September were glorious, weren’t they?

    1. Bonjour Zelda! Enjoy the foie gras recipe – yes, they are sooo decadent 🙂 We are still having beautiful weather this September, as a matter of fact, it’s even better than this summer. Tempted to come? Mimi x ps: Not sure if I told you, but Oddur & I will be in Paris on the 28th oct for an ‘evening with an author’ at the American Library in Paris. Just in case of are around… xx

      1. Glad you are still enjoying the beautiful weather. I’m back in the UK now, but it sounds very tempting, especially a little trip to Paris – we shall see! Speaking of foie gras, I brought back a couple of jars from France (cooked, so not suitable for this recipe?), and was wondering if you had any recommendations for accompaniments? I notice a plate of figs in one photo – is that something you would normally serve with foie gras?

        1. I love serving foie gras with toast, and my personal favorite is with pain d’épices (honey spice bread). And serve with a chutney, onion or an donion & pear. C’est bon! Mimi x

  27. This post left me so excited for our oyster season which starts in October. We steam ours over wood fire and dump them on big tables where everyone is waiting to devour. I definitley need to reserve some to try your recipes!

  28. I have never attempted to make Oysters but this post just got me thinking that maybe they are not too hard to make and I should try it.
    I love your words and pictures!

  29. Bonjour Mimi, je viens de découvrir votre blog et j’adore! Vous lire est un rêve à yeux ouverts. Vos photos sont sublimes et vos recettes me donnent l’eau à la bouche!!! Vous avez une nouvelle fan! Bravo pour ce blog et pour votre livre!!! ♥

  30. Hi Mimi! Love your pictures, recipes, and stories. I made a Bearnaise last week with sirloin–as per one of your past recipes. I couldn’t seem to find chervil. Is there a similar herb I can use instead? I used parsley last time and I don’t think it was a good substitute. Thanks!

  31. Hi Mimi, thank you for this beautiful post. I have just spent 10 days travelling through Pradinas, Toulouse and Perpignon and all the villages in between. Along the way we spent our time enjoying far too many oysters and local bottles of rose. Your post has perfectly captured the magic of south-west France and the best holiday of my life spent with new friends, old friends, food, wine and the soft light of French summer. Thank you for the reminder! Courtney

    1. Bonjour Courtney! Now it sounds like you had the best holiday ever! So happy to have revived some of your memories 🙂 Don’t you just love Toulouse? We passed by this summer (my aunt & cousin live there as well as Moissac). Mimix

  32. I absolutely love your photos, Mimi! And oysters and rose sounds like a fantastic combination. I had my favorite oysters in France in La Rochelle- the oyster salesman set up his wares right there in the street- and only 5 euros for a half-dozen!

    1. Bonjour Ashley! Thank you for your sweet words. There are oysters stalls in so many unexpected places around here, I just love to buy a little bag and have it as a snack, and what a healthy snack it is! Mimi x

  33. What a refreshing collection of photos and recipes ! I never tried an oyster until I met my husband who relished them and encouraged me to give them a try. I suddenly found myself adoring oysters and I’ve enjoyed them ever since. Isn’t it funny how you’re open to new things when you’re in love ? Thanks for the beautiful post – I’m counting the days until your book arrives !

    1. Merci dear Linny! Isn’t it fantastic to discover new horizons? Oysters are a big part of our lives here, I have even met an ‘oyster whisperer’ – he soothes oysters and gives them homeopathic concoctions… You’ll have to visit our region soon and enjoy our local oysters! Mimix

  34. 72 oysters between lunch and “gouter”. wow, that’s impressive!
    I reminds me of a winter spent in Gruissan, and we ate oyster platters every day…Always took the easy way out though, and ate them ray with a squeeze of lemon and shallots. But your recipes have me intrigued, especially the foie gras and oysters. Now if that doesn’t spell decadence, I don’t know what does! Can’t wait to try…

  35. Querida Mimi, me ha encantado tu nueva entrada, ha sido como un regalo para mi. Siempre he comido las ostras sin ningun aderezo, maximo un poco de limon, pero estas nuevas formas de cocinarlas me han conquistado. Este viernes comprare unas ostras y provare alguna de las recetas. Tengo una gran ilusion por poder visitarte algun dia, en tu restaurante. Siempre eres una inspiracion para mi. Con cariño, Rosa.

    1. Las ostras con salsa persillade son espactaculares, la proxima vez las probare con la salsa bearnesa. Gracias por compartir y feliz semana Mimi. Rosa.

  36. Such gorgeous photos, as always. I don’t know if you’re aware, but in the US, sausage and oysters are a common stuffing of Thanksgiving turkeys! I’d much rather have sausage filled oysters, myself. Brilliant!

  37. Another wonderful post, Mimi. We were lucky enough to fit a few days in the south of France into a recent bike trip in Germany, and the weather was glorious. Sitting in a quay-side restaurant in Cassis and eating fish soup with all the trimmings we decided to make a major trip to France next Spring. Is there a chance that your restaurant/inn/cooking classes will be open by then? If so, we will BE THERE.

  38. It’s so great to see this. I feel exactly the same way about that ingredient that you just can’t get enough of. Seafood in general has been on my list this summer and oysters especially. Though I haven’t had the confidence yet to write recipes around it. Thanks for a brilliant starting point!

  39. Beautiful post Mimi! Just a quick question if you don’t mind… will the print come once your pre-ordered books are shipped? Or should we look for the print in the mail soon after filling out the form? I haven’t received mine yet, so was just curious! 🙂

    1. Hello Daniella,

      We will be printing and mailing the preorder prints as soon as the book is officially on sale and the “preorder period” has ended. Sorry to keep you waiting!

      -Kevin Sweeting

      1. Oh no worries! I was just curious to know when they’d be mailed out. That’s great, thank you! Gosh I can’t wait for this book! Really looking forward to it.

  40. Love the pics and post. I have never tried oysters but maybe I will sometime. I ordered your book today so can hardly wait to get it and try some recipes. Thank you for always making my day!

  41. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and one of my favorite places/ things to do is go to Point Reyes to get an absurd amount of oysters and eat them on the beach.Thanks for all the oyster recipes! Always looking for ways to prepare the inevitable bag of leftover oysters we bring home.

  42. Mimi we just returned from a lovely trip throughout France and we did indeed take that trip to this beautiful area. Thank you so much for the suggestions. Although Chez Hortenze was closed, we still enjoyed several stops at the many little oyster shacks. I’m not sure we left any of those delicious gems for anyone else! We enjoyed a magical day of sunshine, juicy oysters and cold wine. Thank you for steering us to a lovely memory that we will not soon forget.

  43. Mimi, your pictures take me right back to the spirit of France – I worked in Paris at Lycee de l’hotellerie Jean Drouant for one of the best years of my life! I just started my own food blog with great inspiration from you.
    http://www.we cameforfood.com

    thank you and your husband so much for the beautiful words, recipes, and images.

    xoxo Kat

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