I’m from New York City, my mother and grandmother were born in Rockville, Maryland. They always told me to never eat oysters in a month without an R (May, June, July, and August). Originally one of the most prolific oyster producing regions in the world, East coast water temperatures vary dramatically from winter to summer. I now live in Seattle, where water temperatures are always cold and people eat oysters year round, but I still hear that bit of folkloric advice from time to time even here. When it comes to food and folklore, I’ve found that folklore is usually spot on, which got me wondering if there’s more to this. My thinking was that it all had to do with modern refrigeration. Turns out the issue is more complex.

Last night I volunteered to do a bit of oyster shucking at an event for the Northwest Women’s Law Center. The oysters were provided by “Oyster Bill” Whitbeck, the market manager for Taylor Shellfish. Bill is one of the world’s leading authorities on oysters and co-author of The Joy of Oysters. Since we were about to shuck and serve 17 dozen oysters in July, I asked Bill about the whole “R” thing and offered my theory about water temperature. Bill smiled big and said “Oh that old wive’s tale! I get that question all the time.” He then went on to explain that, while refrigeration and water temperature used to be a part of the reason people didn’t eat oysters in the summer, the most important reason is because that’s when oysters spawn. In fact, a law was passed in 1762 in Connecticut prohibiting consumption during those months as a way of combatting the already declining oyster population. Today, it’s still important what type of oyster you choose to eat for each season. Last night we were shucking Pacific Oysters (crassostrea gigas) and Kumamoto (crassostrea skimea) Oysters.

Originally from the warmer waters of Japan, these two varieties are at just the right point in their breeding cycle (just before spawning) during the summer months here in Washington. During spawning, oysters use up much of their stored glycogen (a natural sugar) and lose their firmness. Still perfectly safe, they are just not as tasty. So, if you have been depriving yourself…stop it! Go get some oysters and enjoy! Do be sure to keep them very cold on ice. Also try my Yuzu Shiso Granita as a topping, it was very popular among our guests.

Oh and don’t forget the wine pairing! Jameson Fink, local wine steward and blogger at Sparkling Vouvray, brought a great set of whites for us to try. My favorite was an Austrian Grüner Veltliner.

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Instead of a cool berry daiquiri for a hot summer night, Mark and I tried a new combination of flavors; cool cucumber, cantaloupe  and fresh mint blended with ice,  lime and rum.  I think this little cocktail might be that much better with vodka or gin.

Here’s the recipe:

Pulse it in the blender until smooth. Then strain the juice into a martini glass and garnish with a cucumber and cantaloupe slice. Cheers to summer!

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Here in Seattle we take advantage of every bit of sunshine we get, and fortunately in the summer we get a lot! It’s as if Mother Nature feels bad for dumping on us throughout the long winter, so she blankets us with sunny goodness for a few months to help us “forget” what’s inevitably around the corner.

So when the sun is out, so is the barbecue. Nearly every night we grill something up – which makes for little or no cleaning in the kitchen! Last night I celebrated my first harvest of heirloom baby lettuces from my garden. There’s nothing better than tender leaves tossed with a bit of good oil (we chose Walnut), an ever-so-light spritzing of lemon juice, and sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. We “garnished” our meal with these wonderful spicy bratwursts and onions we grilled.

Ahhh, summer in Seattle. “Tis a glorious thing indeed.

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Last summer I was on a gazpacho kick, whipping up a batch about every week, another summer it was a refreshing chilled melon soup with a hints of jalapeno. This summer my new favorite is sure to be this delicious chilled avocado cucumber soup that Barnaby made the other night. It’s creamy, yet light, with a slight lemony tang and bit of a chipotle kick. And so easy all you need is a knife, a blender, and a table set and ready in your backyard.

Here’s the easy recipe:

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Need a little inspiration beyond the berry flag cake that is on the cover of every food magazine in July?  Since we are a culmination of hundreds of different nationalities in this country, the sky is the limit to what is considered traditional American fare.  The farmer’s markets are packed with fresh fruit and vegetables right now so I’m all about celebrating seasonal ingredients for my Fourth of July picnic this year.

In Season Now

• Strawberries, cherries, raspberries
• Fresh lettuce, green beans, seabeans, beets, zucchini blossoms
• Basil, cilantro, other fresh and fragrant herbs

I’m still debating my barbecue decisions however. Should I go for the beer can chicken or classic slow cooked ribs or should I splurge on  a fillet of salmon rubbed down with herb butter? Knowing me, I’ll try to attempt all three this weekend if given the opportunity.  Here are three recipe ideas from Foodista contributors to get your creative juices flowing.  So, if you are just needing a picnic side dish or drink to bring to the picnic, it’s a great time of year to make a fresh salsa and toast your weekend with a refreshing summer mint mojito or a chilly sangria with farmer market cherries.

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I recognize that it’s not quite summer, but when we have a bout of fine weather there are certain foods that just scream al fresco dining.  My aunt Dolores has a beautiful backyard in Portola Valley, filled with flowers and blooming trees, and throughout the warm months she hosts the most amazing barbecues. She and her family spent many summers in Tuscany, so there’s always a touch of Italy on the menu. One of her staples, and the thing I look forward to the most (in addition to her killer grilled ribs!) is a colorful tomato salad – something I could fill up on alone it’s so delicious. I hesitate to call it a Caprese salad as there are always additional ingredients that push it just beyond the usual tomato-basil-mozzarella boundaries: pine nuts, red onion, avocado or Kalamata olives…sometimes it has it all.

In addition to fresh ingredients, there are three keys to making this simple salad beyond fabulous: excellent ripe tomatoes and really good, high-quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar. How beautiful is the simplicity of a vibrant and fresh salad! This one is a mouth-pleaser for sure.

Fresh sliced tomatoes, as red as you can get them!
Lots of fresh basil, sliced into ribbons
Fresh mozzarella, sliced
Pitted and sliced Kalamata olives, or any good-quality olive
High-quality extra virgin olive oil
High-quality balsamic vinegar
Cracked black pepper

Toss, serve and sit back to enjoy the mmmmmm’s.

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Barnaby whipped up this refreshing cocktail from the most beautiful crimson tomatoes we found at the farmer’s market. They’re so lovely, their color so perfect, they shine like they’re in a beauty pageant. “Me, me, pick me!” they seem to shout.

And, mmm…mmm…are they juicy! Perfect for flavoring a summer-fresh cocktail.

By using the strained juice of a plump tomato you get the wonderful, tasty essence of the fruit.

Fresh Tomato Martini

2 – 2 1/2 jiggers of fresh tomato water
1- 1 1/2 jiggers of vodka
Ice

In a blender, puree 2 small tomatoes. Strain the pulp through a fine flour sack cloth or cheesecloth into a bowl, tightening the towel to get as much juice as possible.

Fill a martini shaker 3/4 of the way with ice. Add the vodka and the fresh tomato juice, and shake well. Strain over a martini glass and serve immediately.

1 serving.

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I was born on a small island where people take food very seriously. Manhattan was then, and still is, the heart of America’s melting pot, a fact perhaps most reflected in the variety and diversity of foods. Many dishes came with immigrants from somewhere else, like the hot dog, cheesecake, and bagels. However, some seem to be true New York creations and the Egg Cream is one such item. Not particularly well known outside of the Big Apple, it was one of my favorite drinks growing up. Though the name would imply otherwise, the Egg Cream contains neither eggs, nor cream. There is some debate about the whos and whens of it’s creation and whys of its name, but everyone seems to agree that it’s made up of 3 key ingredients:

1. Milk
2. Fox’s u-bet Chocolate Flavored Syrup
3. Seltzer Water

We used to make them at home, in fact my father got regular deliveries of cases of soda siphons well into the 1980’s. However, my favorite place to drink Egg Creams was from a tiny little stand down on Canal Street near the Subway station. We often went there weekends to shop in Chinatown and see what oddities we could pick up on Canal Street. Better known today as a place for knockoff Rolex watches and Gucci handbags, in the 1970s Canal street was a place to find cheap surplus electronic parts, which I used to solder together into all sorts of experiments. Boxes of electric motors, switches and flashlight bulbs, all bought for a dime, made the best toys! However, getting there could be an ordeal since we lived on the Upper West Side about 125 blocks north. Only 6 miles away in reality, it felt like going to a far off land for me, especially since air conditioned subway cars were almost non-existent back then. So an ice-cold Egg Cream was the perfect refreshing treat when we came up out of the hot tunnels during those sweltering summer months.

Now you may think the combo of milk, soda, and chocolate syrup sounds strange, but give it a try…I bet you’ll love it! Check out post on Roots and Grubs for extensive detail on how properly to prepare and consume an Egg Cream.

I’d love to know what you think. Click the Comments link below and share your thoughts.

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