It’s been a while…a long while. As an overthinking, overly analytical, borderline perfectionist, it is much easier to post on Instagram than to sit down and write a blog post. Are my word choices ok? Am I being witty enough? Or too cliche? Is this interesting to anyone else besides me? You know, that kind of stuff. But here we are and unbelievably wrapping up 2017.
When I started this super random and very specific passion project, I never imagined that I would find so many other passionate oyster lovers out there , all of whom have been so incredibly welcoming. Thanks to this new “oysterhood,” I’ve been inspired to try new varieties, up my shucking game, document my thoughts in a tasting journal, and use my oyster love as the topic of a presentation I had to give for a training class at work. I have learned more about oysters in the last 6 months than I had in the past 33-ish years.
So far, my favorite moments have been witnessing the reactions of family, friends and acquaintances when I tell them I’m oyster obsessed and have an oyster-centric blog and Instagram…and it’s even more amusing when I give them my handle – Emily the Oyster Girl! Is it still called a handle? That seems very 1999 and something you would hear in the movie Hackers. Username? I don’t know…anyway, the reactions are usually along the lines of “Oysters? I had no idea…” “I never would’ve guessed.” “I love oysters, too.” “I’ve never tried an oyster.”
A very memorable bucket list moment was trying a Belon for the first time…I don’t see them very often on menus or maybe I just wasn’t paying enough attention until now. A Belon, aka European Flat, you hear about them all the time as a connoisseur’s oyster, not for the faint of heart…intensely metallic oyster equivalent to sucking on a penny. Sounds less than appetizing but most certainly intriguing. How can I become an connoisseur without trying one? Luckily, I was able to at George & Sons in Hockessin and I LOVED them. And just like that, I checked one of the top items off of my oyster bucket list.
So, what’s in store for Emily the Oyster Girl in 2018? Hopefully, lots of eating and shucking. I’m going to say this and you all better hold me to it…I’m going to blog regularly. Don’t laugh or roll your eyes…I’m really going to try. But for now, I’ve got a dozen fresh oysters just begging to be shucked for our New Year’s Eve seafood extravaganza dinner….Happy New Year! Thanks for the support and see you in 2018!
Emily the Oyster Girl 