Oysters

Oysters are a big part of my life, and a lot of people say they are like a women’s vagina, so maybe that’s why. And the clitoris is supposed to be like the little pearl inside. A couple of times I and other family members have found small pearls inside of oysters from Wellfleet. Wellfleet oysters have an amazing salty taste, just like the bay that they come from. They are so much better than the ones that you pay too much for in restaurants, because they are fresh and not frozen.

Shucking

Shucking oysters is really empowering. My sister who is trained as a chef taught me the right way to do it. First of all, you need the right kind of knife. Not the pointy one, but the one that has a little lip on the end. (OXO makes a good one.) Then you take the little lip of the knife and dig it into the oyster just at the joint where the two shells meet, twist, and unlock them. After that you need to use the side of the knife to separate the oyster from the bottom shell and clean off any debris. I love shucking oysters and have the scars to prove it.

Sharing

Sharing food -- especially freshly shucked, raw oysters-- with others is so rewarding. I just walk out onto the beach and collect them like sea glass, put as many of them as I can in a cooler, and bring them back to the city to give members of Our Community. In Buddhism they say that you practice for yourself and for others. I don’t think happiness can be felt unless it can be shared.