Written by Maggie Ward

In the Field

Shucking At Home with Oysters XO

Happy Hour on the Half Shell

Spring 2020 will be remembered for a lot of things, but large-scale events will not be one of them. As festivals, concert tours, and sporting events are postponed or canceled, milestones and life events deserving of celebration are not. Southerners are especially well-equipped to go back to their roots bringing the usual soirées home and around the dinner table. In response to the unprecedented number of hours Americans are spending at home, many event operations have pivoted from offering onsite culinary experiences to delivering celebratory supplies and edible entertainment to meet this demand.

Oysters XO, a company known for interactive oyster event experiences, has made this transition by offering a new service of direct from farm-to-home oyster delivery with all of the supplies and knowledge needed for a happy hour on the half shell. By partnering with fisheries on multiple coasts, customers can order kits including three dozen premium oysters, two oyster knives, one Dutch towel, and an oyster bag. The oysters are shipped directly from local farms to your doorstep, arriving on your chosen date. Ours came from Bon Secours Fisheries in Alabama, a fourth-generation, family-run fishery founded in 1892. The kit includes Oysters XO’s virtual classes where they demonstrate their five-step shucking technique, provide oyster recipes and accompaniments, share recipes and pairing suggestions, and answer all of your questions in real time.

“This is the best time to discover the fun of opening oysters at home. We can help farmers find a new market during restaurant closures, and everyone can use a little bit of healthy, culinary entertainment in their lives,” said Rifko Meier, Chef/Owner of Oysters XO.

Rifko Meier’s Oyster Ceviche