Today is National Oyster Day!  (It is also National Underwear Day, but we’ll leave that alone.)  There are several great restaurants in town that serve oysters, so make sure you go out and celebrate!

But first, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page when it comes to an understanding of those slippery little suckers.

Did you know?

1. One in 10,000 oysters has a pearl.

2. It was once assumed it was only safe to eat oysters during months that contained the letter “r”  in the month name.  This is a myth based in truth, in some instances, oysters are more likely to spoil in May, June, July and August.

3. Oysters must be eaten alive or cooked alive.

4. Fried oysters with egg and flour is a common dish in Singapore.

Source: Wikipedia

Tomorrow is Root Beer Float day, yum!

OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER WITH BEER-BRAISED SWISS CHARD

(Credit: Samuel Adams, Recipe by Food Network chef Michele Ragussis)

What you’ll need:
24 oysters
1 shallot, diced into small pieces
1 package bacon
2 bunches Swiss chard, chopped into small pieces
1 bottle Samuel Adams Boston Lager
1/2 pint heavy cream
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Breadcrumbs (optional)

How to:

1. Dice half the package of bacon into small pieces. In a large sauté pan, cook bacon until it starts to brown and gets crispy. Drain off half of the grease. Using the remaining half of the grease, add the diced shallots. Cook about 2 minutes.

2. Add the chopped Swiss chard and half a bottle of the beer to the sauté pan. Let reduce until almost all of the liquid is gone.

3. Add heavy cream and Parmesan cheese to the sauté pan. When mixture thickens, let it cool.

4. In the meantime, open the oysters. Try to save the liquid, as keeping the liquid in the oyster adds extra flavor. Use a good spoonful of the mixture to top the oysters. Add a sprinkle of cheese and a small amount of breadcrumbs (optional).

5. Bake at 400 degrees for about 3 minutes, and then broil about another minute until golden brown.