I consistently feel like a traitor when I announce this, but I prefer West Coast oysters. It might be that here on the New England shoreline there are plenty of perfectly delicious local oysters that dominate restaurant menus. I can even watch oysterboats motor to their beds not far from the Morningside seawall.  But when I see a Kumamoto or an Olympia on the menu, I can’t wait to experience the contrast in size, texture and flavor. Our friends Katherine and Nathan were recipients of a Groupon gift of 4 dozen oysters from Hood Canal Seafood in Washington. You know they are generous friends, because they kindly offered to share the delivery with us!

I brought the camera and D brought the know-how. He’s quite good at opening clams and oysters from his high school days working at a raw bar. He’s taught many people how to open an oyster, but Nathan’s by far his quickest understudy. He took to to the shucking in just a few minutes.