I wondered how you would do wiith all that seafood there in Boothbay! On our first Maine trip many years ago I decided I'd eat lobster everyday. Do you know how long that lasted? Two days.
The story I heard is that in colonial times, as part of their working agreement, hired hands and servants demanded that they not be served damned lobster more than X times a week.
What a lovely first online read for me this morning. Thank you, Garrison, particularly because I missed your show in New Jersey which I had been looking forward to very much. OBE as the Navy people I once worked with would say (Overcome By Events for the non-military types). And now at 79 I live by ODAT, which anyone in any kind of recovery knows is One Day At a Time.
Does being "an old man of the prairie" mean you would consider eating Prairie Oysters?
As a 40 year old native Irishman, newly arrived in New Mexico, I was invited one weekend to visit a genuine Spanish Land Grant Hacienda for the annual round up of new calfs and witness their branding, etc.
It was a magical experience - straight out of Hollywood except with genuine cowboys and cowgirls.
Having spent the previous 15 years working and living in London, Middle East and Paris my wife and myself considered ourselves fairly well travelled. But nothing prepared us for the this South Western delicacy.
I am still trying to work out who I am but one thing I know is that I ain't a fan of fresh Prairie Oysters.
I love lobster (from Ohio but now in the northeast). Still, having gorged a few times on blue crab (Maryland style) convinced me it is a true delicacy. That said, if one gets bad shellfish it is usually only a matter of time before the coming fire rips through the south forty. Not blooming where I was planted. They have largely gone crazy there.
Oy! This brought to mind a convention years ago where I, a native Midwesterner [Ohio which I think more mid-East] and lover of seafood, ate similarly to your meal and was without the skill you have and this “tossed my cookies” for two days. Lesson: never eat “fresh oysters” in Atlanta. Thanks for lessons learned. At going on 78, you lead, I’ll follow.
I am thinking it was not the lobster but the oysters, since August does not have an R in it. I've since heard of dreadful long-term damaging effects from eating faulty oysters, especially those that are not fresh, and so I intend to be extremely careful. No more oysters in Minnesota. Only at the Oyster Bar in NYC.
Ah the Oyster Bar there beneath my favorite room in the world, Grand Central. Great chowder, sure, but enhancing the delight were the delightful crew of Quebecoise young ladies. I hope the nepotism or national connection or whatever put them there is holding up. Though it has been four decades since I frequented the place, so maybe the current crew consists of delightful people from somewhere else. Still good chowder I bet.
As English, the date of your column purports to be the 8th of December, but I would gently point out it is August. No R in the month, no oysters, nor even ersters.
Boy Garrison, they really pulled the wool over our eyes when we moved from the Adirondack Mountains to the Southern Mississippi/New Orleans area. Yeah, the Cajuns, Creoles and even the Chalmatians, claim to be master cooks using oysters, shrimp, crawfish, catfish and sometimes gator, as their proteins (and yes, sometimes they throw in chicken, beef, and pork for good measure). They are a proud bunch with strong identities. And they know how to cook!! They could definitely teach Maniacs and other folks in the Northeast a thing a thing or two about spices.
But I did not know the truth until today. And thanks for bringing this to light. These great cooks, and pretty much anyone that lives down here, are quite simply "Bottom-Feeders"!
Take care, travel safe and please schedule a show within driving distance of New Orleans!!!!!
oysters. The word itself takes me back to Saturday evenings when my dad would open the small wooden bucket containing somewhat freshly shelled oysters. One rite of passage was to gobble these down while, by themselves or perhaps with a bit of horseradish. The other ritual was tiger meat, basically a dollop of raw hamburger on a saltine, seasoned with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. I suppose that qualified as surf and turf in eastern North Dakota.
I used to sell them from my freezer-on-a-3-wheel-mail-truck (with a bell!) in downtown Indianapolis for 7 cents. And I did let a few regulars 'slide on two pennies.' I was, after all, a good humor man.
I find it harder and harder to maintain this identity - although Kamala and Tim have made it a bit easier!
Happy recent birthday! I live on the southern coast of Maine (since retirement … born and raised in MA) but I don’t eat seafood, especially the bottom feeders or anything in a shell. I’m sorry you got sick on your tour of Maine…it really is a beautiful state despite the jokes. I’m looking forward to January even though shoveling will be involved. I think I’ll go and buy a Kamala t-shirt today. History in the making.
About 44 years ago I had a chance to eat a plate of mussels in Baltimore,. something I'd never seen in Michigan. I'm an adventurous eater and so when one tasted off, I persevered. And then puked all night. Many years later I spent a couple of weeks working in South Korea. Learning of my wide-ranging tastes, my hosts took me to dinner. Pickled jellyfish are edible if not particularly palatable. The most difficult swallow was raw calves liver in sesame oil. It just didn't want to go down, but it did and nothing came back. He who dies with the most stories wins. Of course, if you don't live them, you can make them up. Here's to fiction, Garrison!
First job out of grad school was in Allentown PA in '67. The local delicacy was steamed clams ("steamers"). The bars downtown sold them as a loss leader for 2 dozen for $1. I preferred the 3 dozen for $1 at the bar in Shamrock PA, 15 miles W of Allentown. Had those and a glass of beer for $0.15 after a round of golf at the wonderful par 3 golf course across the road. Picnic Groves hosted Clam Bakes for group functions and picnics.
After moving away, didn't have steamers until we visited Maine in '86. The Inn we stayed at had a clam bake one night, but I don't like Maine clams as well as Chesapeake Bay clams, smaller, tougher, so now I eat clam strips (without the bellies). I did like the steamed mussels, more tender, sweeter..
I wondered how you would do wiith all that seafood there in Boothbay! On our first Maine trip many years ago I decided I'd eat lobster everyday. Do you know how long that lasted? Two days.
The story I heard is that in colonial times, as part of their working agreement, hired hands and servants demanded that they not be served damned lobster more than X times a week.
What a lovely first online read for me this morning. Thank you, Garrison, particularly because I missed your show in New Jersey which I had been looking forward to very much. OBE as the Navy people I once worked with would say (Overcome By Events for the non-military types). And now at 79 I live by ODAT, which anyone in any kind of recovery knows is One Day At a Time.
Made me hoot, thank you Garrison!!
"I believe I will stop my quest for sophistication and be myself". A true pearl of wisdom at any age but best learned young.
Does being "an old man of the prairie" mean you would consider eating Prairie Oysters?
As a 40 year old native Irishman, newly arrived in New Mexico, I was invited one weekend to visit a genuine Spanish Land Grant Hacienda for the annual round up of new calfs and witness their branding, etc.
It was a magical experience - straight out of Hollywood except with genuine cowboys and cowgirls.
Having spent the previous 15 years working and living in London, Middle East and Paris my wife and myself considered ourselves fairly well travelled. But nothing prepared us for the this South Western delicacy.
I am still trying to work out who I am but one thing I know is that I ain't a fan of fresh Prairie Oysters.
Thanks for the memory prompt.
Niall
(Kneel not Nile)
I love lobster (from Ohio but now in the northeast). Still, having gorged a few times on blue crab (Maryland style) convinced me it is a true delicacy. That said, if one gets bad shellfish it is usually only a matter of time before the coming fire rips through the south forty. Not blooming where I was planted. They have largely gone crazy there.
I like crab and lobster but my favorite seafood is scallops, bay scallops. Easy to fix, think I'll have some tonight.
Oy! This brought to mind a convention years ago where I, a native Midwesterner [Ohio which I think more mid-East] and lover of seafood, ate similarly to your meal and was without the skill you have and this “tossed my cookies” for two days. Lesson: never eat “fresh oysters” in Atlanta. Thanks for lessons learned. At going on 78, you lead, I’ll follow.
I am thinking it was not the lobster but the oysters, since August does not have an R in it. I've since heard of dreadful long-term damaging effects from eating faulty oysters, especially those that are not fresh, and so I intend to be extremely careful. No more oysters in Minnesota. Only at the Oyster Bar in NYC.
Ah the Oyster Bar there beneath my favorite room in the world, Grand Central. Great chowder, sure, but enhancing the delight were the delightful crew of Quebecoise young ladies. I hope the nepotism or national connection or whatever put them there is holding up. Though it has been four decades since I frequented the place, so maybe the current crew consists of delightful people from somewhere else. Still good chowder I bet.
Only food I hate, oysters in any form.
In Mankato, where he once coached,
Tim Walz taught more than just the approach.
With passion and cheer,
He led without fear,
A champion, guiding each player to broach.
His team, once struggling, found their might,
Under his watch, they soared to new height.
With strategy and heart,
He played a key part,
In winning the state, a glorious night!
As English, the date of your column purports to be the 8th of December, but I would gently point out it is August. No R in the month, no oysters, nor even ersters.
Wives tale. New Orleans enjoys Gulf Coast Oysters 365 days a year. Yeah they taste better during some months, but they are safe year round!
https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/oysters-in-r-months-rule-4000-years-old/
https://ldh.la.gov/page/louisiana-oysters-are-safe-to-eat
You are so right.
Boy Garrison, they really pulled the wool over our eyes when we moved from the Adirondack Mountains to the Southern Mississippi/New Orleans area. Yeah, the Cajuns, Creoles and even the Chalmatians, claim to be master cooks using oysters, shrimp, crawfish, catfish and sometimes gator, as their proteins (and yes, sometimes they throw in chicken, beef, and pork for good measure). They are a proud bunch with strong identities. And they know how to cook!! They could definitely teach Maniacs and other folks in the Northeast a thing a thing or two about spices.
But I did not know the truth until today. And thanks for bringing this to light. These great cooks, and pretty much anyone that lives down here, are quite simply "Bottom-Feeders"!
Take care, travel safe and please schedule a show within driving distance of New Orleans!!!!!
I'm glad that you read A.J. Liebling in the eighth grade and set out to write like him.
Even Tim Walz wasn't satisfied just being a small-town teacher and coach.
oysters. The word itself takes me back to Saturday evenings when my dad would open the small wooden bucket containing somewhat freshly shelled oysters. One rite of passage was to gobble these down while, by themselves or perhaps with a bit of horseradish. The other ritual was tiger meat, basically a dollop of raw hamburger on a saltine, seasoned with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. I suppose that qualified as surf and turf in eastern North Dakota.
Surf and turf indeed! A fine and proper treat on a Saturday night.
Hard to beat a fudge bar in August!
I used to sell them from my freezer-on-a-3-wheel-mail-truck (with a bell!) in downtown Indianapolis for 7 cents. And I did let a few regulars 'slide on two pennies.' I was, after all, a good humor man.
I find it harder and harder to maintain this identity - although Kamala and Tim have made it a bit easier!
Happy recent birthday! I live on the southern coast of Maine (since retirement … born and raised in MA) but I don’t eat seafood, especially the bottom feeders or anything in a shell. I’m sorry you got sick on your tour of Maine…it really is a beautiful state despite the jokes. I’m looking forward to January even though shoveling will be involved. I think I’ll go and buy a Kamala t-shirt today. History in the making.
Greetings from Orono, Kay, been here 20 years from MN.
About 44 years ago I had a chance to eat a plate of mussels in Baltimore,. something I'd never seen in Michigan. I'm an adventurous eater and so when one tasted off, I persevered. And then puked all night. Many years later I spent a couple of weeks working in South Korea. Learning of my wide-ranging tastes, my hosts took me to dinner. Pickled jellyfish are edible if not particularly palatable. The most difficult swallow was raw calves liver in sesame oil. It just didn't want to go down, but it did and nothing came back. He who dies with the most stories wins. Of course, if you don't live them, you can make them up. Here's to fiction, Garrison!
First job out of grad school was in Allentown PA in '67. The local delicacy was steamed clams ("steamers"). The bars downtown sold them as a loss leader for 2 dozen for $1. I preferred the 3 dozen for $1 at the bar in Shamrock PA, 15 miles W of Allentown. Had those and a glass of beer for $0.15 after a round of golf at the wonderful par 3 golf course across the road. Picnic Groves hosted Clam Bakes for group functions and picnics.
After moving away, didn't have steamers until we visited Maine in '86. The Inn we stayed at had a clam bake one night, but I don't like Maine clams as well as Chesapeake Bay clams, smaller, tougher, so now I eat clam strips (without the bellies). I did like the steamed mussels, more tender, sweeter..
"a newly minted 82-year-old" : )