As far as year’s go, I’d say this one’s starting off on the right foot. We spent the first few weekends traveling both for the book and for fun and I’ve managed to meet a number of die-hard oyster lovers along the way.

My trip to Houston brought me to some of the nicest, most voracious oyster fans I’ve ever encountered. Brasserie 19 hosted an oyster and wine tasting set for 4 pm on a Friday and sure enough, the place was packed to the gills and completely sold out at over 160 people. The entire crowd was into it, slurping back our selection of East and West coast oysters with genuine excitement for what was on the plate. My Dad, who played manager/bodyguard for the night, got a few pictures but mostly, we just enjoyed chatting up the crowd and spreading oyster cheer.

The following day, Hubbell & Hudson, a fantastic gourmet market in The Woodlands (with its own walk-thru beer cave and on-site cooking school) hosted me for a signing which drew a decidedly different oyster crowd: the kind who enjoy them at home. It was so refreshing to see so many folks who were comfortable with a shucking knife. Admittedly, before I worked for Island Creek, I don’t think I would have braved shucking oysters at home on a regular basis…special occasions are one thing but these folks seemed to be bringing oysters home just because it was Saturday. It inspires me to get back into the habit.

We also got to see some of my family’s Texas friends, as well as some of the extended ICO family: Shore’s aunt, uncle and cousin. It’s good to see these pockets of die-hard ICO fans spread throughout the country.

Here in Boston, I’ve been busy dining my way through oyster menus at spots like Harvest and La Morra. Next up, I’ll be doing a signing at the Weston Library this week, followed by a dinner at STIR Boston next Wednesday, Feb. 1. Then it’s on to Chicago, a class at Boston University, New York City… yes, it’s turning out to be quite a year. For those keeping track, Charlie’s now a pro at getting through airport security.

Will I see you on the trail? If not, you’ll be able to get a glimpse of SHUCKED on the air a few times in February. My interview with The Splendid Table airs the week of February 18… but before that, our long-awaited appearance on Bizarre Foods will air Monday, February 13 (host Andrew Zimmern gave the book a little love this past fall). Tune in for a look at life on the farm… and hopefully I’ll see you out on the road!

PS – Check it out: I made it onto a local bestseller list!

(Speaking of Alison, I have to give her huge props: I never mentioned our encounter in the book but really wanted to. Her encouragement helped propel me into my adventure. Alison – thank you! And I hope to see you in TX.)

I’ll also be heading out to Chicago from February 5-7 for an event at Shaw’s Crabhouse — a place I became pretty familiar with on a trip out there in 2009. Skip and I will be hosting an oyster luncheon where they’ll be serving recipes from the book after which, I’ll be hanging out in the Oyster Bar for a signing during oyster happy hour. (PS – all of the details for these events can be found on Signings and Appearances.)

Closer to home, I’ve got some really fun events coming up including a very special night we have planned at La Morra in Brookline. Chef Josh Ziskin cooked a meal for some wine-loving friends and I right before I started on the farm — he paired oysters with gnocchi and it pretty much blew my mind at the time. He and his wife Jen are very kindly hosting a Shucked dinner (four courses, paired with wines for $65) on Wednesday, January 18 at 6:30 pm to commemorate the journey. I hope you’ll come out for what is sure to be a stellar meal.

And now, a few notes about our first Christmas with Charlie:

- We hit the road for a ten-day Southern tour stopping first in Charlotte to spend a few days with my family and then made our way to Knoxville to celebrate Christmas with Dave’s family.

- The kind and supremely generous folks of Hama Hama Oysters sent out a few dozen of their regular oysters and Blue Pools, which my family and I happily slurped back a few days before Christmas (thanks, Adam!)

- Both my niece Gracyn and Charlie teased the idea of trying oysters. Alas, neither fully took the plunge but I see a couple of oyster lovers in the making.

- We don’t have video proof, but after hours and hours of practicing with his Pop-Pop, Charlie had his first official rollover on Christmas morning right at the feet of Grandpa Dave. Of course, no one actually saw him do it but he started off on his back and a minute later, he was on his belly. So we know it happened somehow… and it made for an exciting milestone. Now, if only we can get him to say Mama…

- Charlie got to meet his great grandad Joe, or JoeJoe as the kids call him, another milestone that formed an instant friendship. Between JoeJoe, Charlie’s cousin Alice, and the many cousins and aunts and uncles we spent our week with, Charlie was fully entertained during our time in Knoxville (and I think it’s safe to say that the rest of the family was, too)!

Thanks to our entire family for making Charlie’s first Christmas so special! And to my Mom who created these adorable Shucked aprons…modeled by my parents and our dear friends Carol & Jim right before they shucked several dozen ICOs on New Year’s Eve. I have the feeling Dave and I are going to get a lot of use of them out on the road. (And PS: We’ve got a few extras if anyone’s interested!)

Look! It's Dave from Shucked!

We slurped most of them back on the half shell but also threw a handful on the grill where, after they popped open, we doused them in butter and Mexican hot sauce. It’s one of my favorite no-fail recipes from chef Ken Oringer. We also made an herbed oyster stuffing again this year but for that, we used South Carolina oysters. I stopped at two grocery stores before snagging the last two dozen at the Piggly Wiggly. Apparently, South Carolinians go crazy for oysters on Thanksgiving.

I also got some exciting news over the holiday: Shucked is going into its first reprint! That means there will be plenty of copies for you and your loved ones (hint hint). I’ll be out and about signing books over the next few weeks, starting on Monday night at the Hotel Commonwealth (check out the flyer below) so come on out and get a signed copy.

It’s been a wild few weeks since the book’s release. I’ve had a handful of signings in and around Boston where I try desperately to come up with something witty to write inside people’s books. It’s tough to be clever on the spot but I’ve settled on one or two catch phrases that seem to both make sense and flow quickly (essential when there’s a line of people–yes, a line!–waiting for your signature). What’s more daunting is staring out into a room full of people who are there to buy my book. I have to let that sink in…

Shucked fans lined up at Westwinds Bookshop

Ok, deep breath. Yes, it is a surreal, out-of-body experience to sign my own book. I keep having to remind myself that it is, in fact, my book and not someone else’s that I’m vandalizing with a foreign signature. I also have to get used to talking about myself and this entire experience in a way that isn’t rambling or disjointed or um, nerdy. Because I can get kinda nerdy when I talk about oysters. I know this because people’s faces glaze over the minute I start talking about upwellers and algae blooms. So I try to keep those parts of the conversation to a minimum and just nod my head vigorously when they ask me if I still love oysters or if I found the experience to be hard work. Both of which are very much true and easy to compute. Upwellers=not so much.

But really, what’s great about this whole experience is that I get to share my love for Island Creek Oysters with lots of people every single day. When I was writing the book, my head was down and all I could think about was the finished product. Now that it’s out in the world, I can sit back and reflect on how much fun I had… and all of the amazing people I worked with on the farm. I’ve had a number of people tell me that they were drawn to the book without even knowing about Island Creek… which is just what I was hoping for.

I’ve also–for the first time, really–been on the answer end of a number of in-depth interviews, which is giving me even greater respect for everyone I’ve ever put on the spot in my writing career. I had some fun doing a Q&A with Bon Appetit’s Sam Dean while an interview for the Patriot Ledger was so thorough, it made me want to go back and re-interview for every story I’ve ever written. I also enjoyed writing a piece for the blog section of The Huffington Post and just this past weekend, did an appearance on TV Diner. Consider my 15 minutes of fame officially clocked.

The absolute best part about being on the circuit? Having Dave, Charlie, and a few of my good friends there with me. (Jenn: Your babysitting-slash-photography services are invaluable!) Dave is not only beefing up his shucking skills but has become a star in his own right since people now know him as a character from the book (keep an eye out for his forthcoming blog, “Dave: The guy from Shucked”). As for Charlie, as Dave has pointed out: If you haven’t finished the book, our son is a walking spoiler alert. (Sorry!) I feel lucky to have so much support.

Charlie at the Westwinds signing

It’s here! Today is the official release date for my new book, SHUCKED: Life on a New England Oyster Farm. It’s hard to believe that just over three years ago, I came up with the crazy idea to work at Island Creek. The book captures the entire 18-month journey, from my first shaky days out on the flats to the kitchen and dining room at Per Se. For those who have followed along on the blog all these years, first of all, THANK YOU! Secondly, you will find that the book goes a lot deeper than what you’ve seen here, so I hope you’ll give the full version a go. And there are recipes to boot!

Thanks so much for all of your support… and for reading!

Find the book here:
Amazon.com
Barnesandnoble.com
Islandcreekoysters.com
iTunes.com

Just over a year ago, I helped the guys at Island Creek put together an insane oyster tasting that put 18 oysters from both coasts side by side. The tasters included a number of wine experts — the idea was to create a new set of oyster descriptors, a new language that we could use to better describe the complexity of merroir. The tasting was a huge success in that we collected some out-of-this-world terms (lobster butter, shiitake mushrooms, linden flower) and because I still use a lot of the terms regularly when tasting several different oysters in one sitting. It’s the difference between calling a Rocky Nook “salty” (which it is) or saying it has an “olive-like brine.” Or recognizing that the toothsome, beef-like bite of a Moon Shoal is balanced by its brown-sugar finish.

Moon Shoals

These past few weeks, I’ve had the honor of tasting oysters with some fellow journalists who just happened to be interviewing me for the book (ok, so there was usually bubbly involved but, I swear, we were getting work done) and it occurs to me that there are many, many more oysters out there for me to try. Dave, Charlie and I are headed down to Charleston, SC for the Association of Food Journalists conference tomorrow where I’m told I need to get my hands on some Capers Blades (what a killer name). I’ll also be in Philly in November tasting oysters at DiNardo’s and look forward to seeing what’s on their list.

The point is, I really need to keep practicing. Like with wine, tasting is the only way to improve the palate. So, this past week, I got back to it with some old favorites: Moon Shoals, Beachpoints, Wellfleets, Belons, and of course, Island Creeks. The good news is: I still consider Island Creeks the gold standard of East Coast Oysters… a fact I’m guessing will never change.

So what are your recommendations? Any others out there I need to try?

Where better to dive back into adult reality than the Island Creek Oyster Festival? I admit I’ve been a victim of “baby brain” these past few weeks so it felt good to get back down to Duxbury and help out with the nuts and bolts of this massive annual event. I’m not sure how much of a help I was to those who had been immersed in the minute details these last several weeks (Cory, above, included) but at the very least I think I earned a few of the many oysters I downed during the party.

The event kicked off Friday night with the first ever Friends For Haiti fundraiser which brought some big name chefs into the mix. We had Jonathan Benno from Lincoln (nee Per Se) and chefs Brian Huston and Erling Wu-Bower from The Publican in Chicago along with good friends Jody Adams, Angela & Seth Raynor, Jeremy Sewall, and a host of others. There was a fantastic live auction which Angela co-emceed with editor Annie Copps as well as the Festival’s first ever “fire pit.” Suffice it to say, our little festival is all grown up! The Friday night event proceeds went to Caribbean Harvest, a program founded by Valentin Abe who came up from Haiti for the festivities. He very kindly shared his story with the crowd before the auction, explaining that his work is all about the people he helps. Read more about what he does here.

Valentin Abe at Friends for Haiti

On Saturday, Island Creek hosted it’s annual Oyster Festival complete with thousands of ravenous oyster and food lovers, a couple dozen chefs from Boston and NY, and as always, a killer band. It was a perfect day that turned into an absolutely stunning night, as captured by Dave out on the beach.

We even got Charlie in on the action – his first Festival at just 6 weeks old! Dave nabbed plenty of compliments carrying around his little guy while I took care of my volunteer duties. But we couldn’t have done it without the help of my parents, Mimi & Pop Pop. Huge thanks, guys!

The best part of the Fest was seeing these notices plastered all over the merch tent…

Thanks to Elizabeth Burnham for that! Can’t wait for that signing, set to take place on Saturday October 22nd at Westwinds Bookshop in Duxbury. Speaking of which, I’ve created a very handy “Signings and Appearances” page here on the blog where you can keep track of any and all SHUCKED related events. Hope to see you at one of them this fall!

Charlie

In Charlie’s first few weeks of life, we got him up to speed on the important things, such as how to enjoy Maryland blue crabs at Eastern Standard’s annual Crab Festival (ICOers Skip, Mark, CJ and Shore were all there to help him out and while it wasn’t as wild as years past, it certainly gave Charlie a taste for Old Bay) …

… along with where to go when he wants to get the area’s most incredible oysters. Yesterday, Charlie and I took a trip down to Duxbury so that I could be part of a shoot for the television show, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. While Charlie didn’t quite make it out onto the water, he did get a taste of his first oyster via osmosis. (Physically, he was about 5 minutes away with my friend Jenn in Kingston – which gave mom enough peace of mind to spend her first few hours away from the little peanut and not fret the entire time.) The shoot itself was loads of fun – Andrew put the whole crew at ease and even beat Chris at a shucking contest. I may have even gotten a little plug for SHUCKED into the footage (the episodes airs in February… stay tuned).

Speaking of the book, all systems are go for an October 11th publication date which we’ll be celebrating with a number of signings and book-related events. Get in on the fun by “liking” the book on Facebook or keep an eye on the blog where I’ll be adding a calendar of upcoming events. We have signings scheduled for Boston, Duxbury, Hingham, Philly, and Wilmington, DE so far… I have the feeling there will be many more to follow.

Until then, if you’ll indulge me, I’ll keep posting pictures of Charlie and any other fun oyster-related adventures I’m on… now that I’m able to eat them again (post pregnancy), there will be no more excuses for blog neglect. Next stop: Oyster Festival.

I’m going to stop apologizing for the lack of posts. But really, I am sorry that things have slowed down here. To be honest, I’ve been busy. Busy finishing up the book, baking this bun in the oven, and getting life in order before both bundles arrive later this year. What’s more, without oysters in my life, there seems to be little to cover at the moment. I promise that will change as soon as I can eat raw seafood again… and as soon as things pick up with the book.

Speaking of which, that somewhat neat little stack of papers represents my last go around with the copy. I’ve now gone through two full edits, one with my editor, the other with the copy editor and am now patiently waiting to see the book in galley form (all typeset and pretty like it will look when it’s printed). From the designs I’ve seen so far, it’s going to look awesome and very much in line with my experience on the farm overall. So what’s next? I’ll have one more chance to make tiny changes to the text when it’s on galley and then, we wait some more! It seems to be a lot of hurry up and waiting but honestly, the process has been really smooth and feels like it’s going at a nice pace. Which is helpful since everything else in life seems to be slowing down, too.

This week marks my last in the office at Boston magazine but I’ll still freelance for the print edition with pieces like this and this. I’ve also signed on to contribute regularly to their blog, Chowder (I usually post a few times a week so for newsy Boston restaurant content, keep that one bookmarked).

One thing I can report is that we had a lovely Mother’s Day brunch at the Island Creek Oyster Bar this past weekend. I was lucky enough to have my whole family in town (in laws and nieces to boot) and decided to show off my old digs. While my sister Shannon and her husband Brian were the only ones who tried ICOs on the half shell (my sis slurped hers down in seconds flat… mostly so that her daughter Gracyn could play with the shells), almost everyone else at the table tried the oyster sliders which are, in my admittedly biased opinion, the most addictive thing to come out any restaurant I’ve eaten at in the last six months. Oh, and the pastries–which are all made in house–are insane. Haven’t been yet? Drop what you’re doing and go. Right now.

Dave, Gracyn and BW at the Oyster Bar

Besides the obvious life change, I’ve rejoined the world of publishing for a brief stint back at Boston magazine where I’m filling in for the food editor while she’s out on maternity leave. I’ve been back for a few weeks now so I’m finally feeling comfortable in the new routine — though returning to office life has been a tough adjustment. Let’s just say that nothing compares to showing up to work in a hoodie and a pair of mud boots.

And so, my writing career seems to have picked up a few paces in front of where I left off. Thankfully, I’m now focused fully on food. The only downside is that being pregnant brings with it so many restrictions. Wine, obviously, is off limits but so are my beloved oysters in the raw. Moments like this make me want to cry.

a wine and oyster tasting

Still, I’m grateful that I can put together stories about food and once again, immerse myself back into the restaurant world of Boston, which I adore. This gig is up in May at which point I plan on throwing myself into the freelance world and hunting for work to keep me busy until the baby arrives.

The book, by the way (the book!) is in the copy edit stage, meaning I’ve turned in the first draft, done a thorough edit, and am now waiting for all of the red marks to come back to me one more time. The process has been eye opening — not only for the amount of time, emotional energy, and effort that goes into the writing process but for my own feelings toward it. I can honestly say it’s as emotional as producing an actual child, complete with the insecurity, pride, guilt, and unconditional love. Having put the book aside for a few weeks (well, sort of… it still lives in a pile by my desk where I pick up pages of it to read every day) I can say that I am truly terrified of letting it go. It’s been such an incredible journey and, in some cases, a very tough slog, and every step that I take forward only takes me further away from a life that I loved. My attachment to the entire project grows weaker each day but I can’t imagine it being completely done and behind me. It just seems so… final.

To ease the pain, I’ve thrown myself into this other work, other writing, and into preparing for what will surely be my next big life adventure. I still miss Island Creek every single day but take comfort in the fact that the folks there are still my family and I’m still part of theirs. They’ve even given our unborn baby its very own nickname (a rite of passage)… Poseidon. Looking forward to finding out if this little guy enjoys being on the water as much as I do.