Platter of Oysters at Hog Island Oyster Bar (San Francisco)
We’ve said it before: We. Love. Oysters. And the place we prefer to go to get oysters is the Hog Island Oyster Co. at the San Francisco Ferry Building. Saturday is the day when we usually go there, visiting the excellent farmer’s market. Last time we were at the Ferry Building Farmer’s Market, we picked up a couple dozen oysters and brought them back home to shuck and eat.
But you know, shucking oysters, especially if you’re not expert at it, is a real pain. And two dozen oysters goes almost too quickly when you’ve got three oyster-obsessed eaters (yes, our 6 year-old Daniel loves them too!) Wouldn’t it be better to have someone else do all the work? I know I’d be much happier.
Saturday, we attended the first annual Fabulous Food Festival in San Francisco’s Concourse Exhibition Center. As in our TomatoFest experience, we got to go as "foodie correspondents" for FoodBuzz. The Fab Food Fest was a craft foodie’s showcase, with over 120 vendors featuring gourmet chocolates, sauces, baked goods, utensils, and other treats.
Steamed oysters. Deep fried oysters. Grilled oysters. Oyster Po-Boys…there are many ways to eat oysters. (Have you had the Hokkien-style Or Chien – Fried Oyster Omelette? So good!)
But I think my favorite way to eat oysters is to eat them raw. That combination of smooth, silky texture, sweet oyster meat, and briny oyster liquor is irresistible. There is nothing like it.
Still, we don’t get to eat raw oysters that often. Yes, I know there are places around here in the South Bay that sell raw oysters. We’ve even tried the vendor at the Sunnyvale farmer’s market. (Never again – Annie and I both got sick from a bad batch.) The place we prefer to get our fresh oysters from is Hog Island Oysters at the San Francisco Ferry Building.
