I’m a lifelong Coast resident with roots in the seafood industry. I finally tried an oyster.
I’m 33 years old and have lived on the Mississippi Coast for most of my life. Until two weeks ago, I had never eaten an oyster.
Seafood runs through my blood. My earliest childhood memories include waking up hours before dawn to go down to the Bayou Caddy with my grandfather. He’d eat mustard sardines on saltine crackers at 5 a.m. and crank up his boat before sunrise.
For part of my childhood, Harvey Mitchell — who I lovingly called “Papa” — would catch shrimp and tong for oysters in the murky Mississippi Sound. My cousins and I went with him occasionally. Back then, I mainly joined to watch him steer the ship and eat a beloved Burger King breakfast after we got back to shore.
Decades later, I’ve realized what those trips on the water really meant to me. Papa died when I was in seventh grade and to this day, I find myself driving down the beach to Bayou Caddy when I need clarity or peace. I think of his voice, the pack of cigarettes in the pocket of his white T-shirt that was too short and showed his belly, his blue bucket hat that Gen Zers would be fighting over today.
Papa used to shuck oysters at the kitchen table of his home in Bay St. Louis where I lived as a child, and I remember thinking they were slimy and smelly then.
And to this day, I’m still not a fan. I have always been a picky eater, and the texture of most seafood is usually a deal-breaker for me. Being from the Coast, I often fib and tell folks I’m allergic so I don’t get bombarded with questions and judgment.
But recently, Sun Herald reporter Jesse Lieberman and I had a nice dinner at Silver Slipper Casino’s steakhouse, Blue Bayou Bar & Grill, as part of a work assignment. The nine-course meal began with chargrilled oysters.
I was hesitant at first [duh], because the whole first course was seafood dishes. After a little peer pressure from Jesse, I looked out the window and saw the estuaries that lead into the Mississippi Sound and Bayou Caddy.
I thought about my grandfather, put an oyster on a piece of bread and began to chew. The oyster was cooked well, warm and had great flavor from the buttery sauce and cheese.
The oyster didn’t taste as “fishy” as I thought it would, and the texture was pleasant. I’m not sure if I could eat a whole dozen, but maybe I’ll give them another try soon as a toast to my Papa.
This story was originally published August 5, 2022 at 5:50 AM.
