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Oyster loaf
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evergene
Apr 28, 2013, 3:02:36 AM4/28/13
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At a picnic today, someone brought an oyster loaf, which I thought was
the finest thing there. The last oyster loaf I had was at Nettie's
Crab Shack in SF, and that one wasn't nowhere as good as the one at
the picnic. Of course, at a restaurant you get to eat the whole thing
yourself, whereas at a picnic you have to share. But the larger lesson
for me was a reminder of the Fallacy of Oyster Purity -- oysters need
not be eaten raw to be delicious.
There's a possibility the oyster loaf was invented not in New Orleans
but in San Francisco:
http://www.nola.com/dining/index.ssf/2012/04/was_the_oyster_loaf_invented_i.html
the finest thing there. The last oyster loaf I had was at Nettie's
Crab Shack in SF, and that one wasn't nowhere as good as the one at
the picnic. Of course, at a restaurant you get to eat the whole thing
yourself, whereas at a picnic you have to share. But the larger lesson
for me was a reminder of the Fallacy of Oyster Purity -- oysters need
not be eaten raw to be delicious.
There's a possibility the oyster loaf was invented not in New Orleans
but in San Francisco:
http://www.nola.com/dining/index.ssf/2012/04/was_the_oyster_loaf_invented_i.html
sf
Apr 28, 2013, 10:31:42 AM4/28/13
to
--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.
sf
Apr 28, 2013, 10:38:18 AM4/28/13
to
> But the larger lesson
> for me was a reminder of the Fallacy of Oyster Purity -- oysters need
> not be eaten raw to be delicious.
What about Hangtown Fry (I love that stuff) or Po'-Boy? How about
> for me was a reminder of the Fallacy of Oyster Purity -- oysters need
> not be eaten raw to be delicious.
oyster stew, bisque, soup?
Steve Pope
Apr 28, 2013, 4:03:50 PM4/28/13
to
sf <sf.u...@gmail.com> wrote:
><ge...@geeaitcheekaygee.com> wrote:
>> But the larger lesson
>> for me was a reminder of the Fallacy of Oyster Purity -- oysters need
>> not be eaten raw to be delicious.
>What about Hangtown Fry (I love that stuff) or Po'-Boy? How about
>oyster stew, bisque, soup?
Oyster chowder is a long-time favorite of mine.
><ge...@geeaitcheekaygee.com> wrote:
>> But the larger lesson
>> for me was a reminder of the Fallacy of Oyster Purity -- oysters need
>> not be eaten raw to be delicious.
>What about Hangtown Fry (I love that stuff) or Po'-Boy? How about
>oyster stew, bisque, soup?
Steve
sf
Apr 28, 2013, 5:23:25 PM4/28/13
to
Mark Mellin
Apr 28, 2013, 9:32:14 PM4/28/13
to
In article <j5hpn8d776kch0uqr...@4ax.com>, evergene wrote:
> At a picnic today, someone brought an oyster loaf, which I thought was
> the finest thing there. The last oyster loaf I had was at Nettie's
> Crab Shack in SF, and that one wasn't nowhere as good as the one at
> the picnic. Of course, at a restaurant you get to eat the whole thing
> yourself, whereas at a picnic you have to share. But the larger lesson
> for me was a reminder of the Fallacy of Oyster Purity -- oysters need
> not be eaten raw to be delicious.
Agreed, in particular with Gulf Oysters. Weary air travelers having to
> At a picnic today, someone brought an oyster loaf, which I thought was
> the finest thing there. The last oyster loaf I had was at Nettie's
> Crab Shack in SF, and that one wasn't nowhere as good as the one at
> the picnic. Of course, at a restaurant you get to eat the whole thing
> yourself, whereas at a picnic you have to share. But the larger lesson
> for me was a reminder of the Fallacy of Oyster Purity -- oysters need
> not be eaten raw to be delicious.
endure stopovers or departures from Texas may be pleased to learn that the
regional Gulf seafood chain, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, has opened outlets
at both DFW and Houston Hobby airports. Their baked oyster appetizer,
featuring lump crabmeat, spinach, & hollandaise, is quite tasty.
> There's a possibility the oyster loaf was invented not in New Orleans
> but in San Francisco:
> http://www.nola.com/dining/index.ssf/2012/04/was_the_oyster_loaf_invented_i.html
Po' Boys with Oyster Loaves; using a covered sour dough round seems unique to
the San Francisco version.
Years ago, while searching for a Hangtown Fry recipe in one of the used
bookstores on Polk Street, I found Genevieve Callahan's 1946 "The California
Cook Book." Ms. Callahan [1] was one of the first food editors of Sunset Magazine
after its transformation from Southern Pacific promotional literature to
Western Lifestyles [2].
On the page opposite of her Hangtown Fry recipe is a recipe for
"San Francisco Oyster Loaf." Her recipe seems consistent with that of
Samuel Dickson's description in "Tales of San Francisco,"
<http://books.google.com/books?id=y0P_E4drEB8C&pg=PA213&lpg=PA213&dq=samuel+dickson+oyster+loaf&source=bl&ots=qyTL31cOeW&sig=Xn6694WC-D2xDSo1ZGCFcCSMtJI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Tb59Uem1JoSWiQK-6ICgCQ&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=samuel%20dickson%20oyster%20loaf&f=false>
What is amusing is that both the SF and New Orleans versions include the
angry wife "Peacemaker" aspect of the treat. Helen Walker Linsenmeyer, in her
book "From Fingers to Finger Bowls: A Lively History of California Cooking"
notes that a very similar recipe, called Penny Loaves, can be found in E. Smith's
1739 edition of the "Compleat Housewife" cookbook.
Glad you enjoyed it as much as we did.
- Mark
[1] <http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2009/06/did_a_couple_of_san_francisco.php>
[2] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunset_magazine>
--
Mark Mellin San Mateo Village, CA 94403 USA
Don Martinich
Apr 28, 2013, 10:48:23 PM4/28/13
to
In article
<mellin-71B482....@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au>,
Mark, thank you for this post. I remember my parents talking fondly
about eating oyster loaves in SF in the 1920's and 30's. They said they
could be ordered and delivered to your door just like pizzas today. They
described them as a small loaf of "milk bread" with the top cut off,
filled with fried breaded oysters, and heated in an oven. (I don't
remember seeing food served in sourdough rounds until the 1960's, but
then, who knows?) Doris Muscatine has a good description of the oyster
loaf in her San Francisco cookbook.
In New Orleans, oyster po'boys and oyster loaves are definitely
different animal. I had the oyster loaf at Casamento's[1] and it was
just as the San Francisco loaf was described- a small soft loaf of white
bread filled with fried oysters, covered with melted butter, and heated
in the oven. It was the best oyster dish I had there in NOLA.
[1] http://www.casamentosrestaurant.com/main/main.html
Anyone ever try the Oyster Loaf in downtown San Jose?
D.M.
<mellin-71B482....@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au>,
about eating oyster loaves in SF in the 1920's and 30's. They said they
could be ordered and delivered to your door just like pizzas today. They
described them as a small loaf of "milk bread" with the top cut off,
filled with fried breaded oysters, and heated in an oven. (I don't
remember seeing food served in sourdough rounds until the 1960's, but
then, who knows?) Doris Muscatine has a good description of the oyster
loaf in her San Francisco cookbook.
In New Orleans, oyster po'boys and oyster loaves are definitely
different animal. I had the oyster loaf at Casamento's[1] and it was
just as the San Francisco loaf was described- a small soft loaf of white
bread filled with fried oysters, covered with melted butter, and heated
in the oven. It was the best oyster dish I had there in NOLA.
[1] http://www.casamentosrestaurant.com/main/main.html
Anyone ever try the Oyster Loaf in downtown San Jose?
D.M.
sf
Apr 29, 2013, 1:10:33 AM4/29/13
to
On Sun, 28 Apr 2013 18:32:14 -0700, Mark Mellin <mel...@sonic.net>
wrote:
> <http://books.google.com/books?id=y0P_E4drEB8C&pg=PA213&lpg=PA213&dq=samuel+dickson+oyster+loaf&source=bl&ots=qyTL31cOeW&sig=Xn6694WC-D2xDSo1ZGCFcCSMtJI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Tb59Uem1JoSWiQK-6ICgCQ&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=samuel%20dickson%20oyster%20loaf&f=false>
This article brings up lovely memories of Omar Khayyam's with their
rose petal jam on crispy lavosh and what they called "baby leg of
lamb". Oh, sooo good!
wrote:
> <http://books.google.com/books?id=y0P_E4drEB8C&pg=PA213&lpg=PA213&dq=samuel+dickson+oyster+loaf&source=bl&ots=qyTL31cOeW&sig=Xn6694WC-D2xDSo1ZGCFcCSMtJI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Tb59Uem1JoSWiQK-6ICgCQ&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=samuel%20dickson%20oyster%20loaf&f=false>
This article brings up lovely memories of Omar Khayyam's with their
rose petal jam on crispy lavosh and what they called "baby leg of
lamb". Oh, sooo good!
evergene
Apr 29, 2013, 11:39:16 AM4/29/13
to
Mark Mellin wrote:
[...]
> What is amusing is that both the SF and New Orleans versions include the
> angry wife "Peacemaker" aspect of the treat. Helen Walker Linsenmeyer, in her
> book "From Fingers to Finger Bowls: A Lively History of California Cooking"
> notes that a very similar recipe, called Penny Loaves, can be found in E. Smith's
> 1739 edition of the "Compleat Housewife" cookbook.
Thanks for the links, and the lore! I like the bit you cited above:
Dickson arrives home from a night of gambling and presents his angry
wife with an oyster loaf at 3 AM, and she smiles mournfully, eats the
oyster loaf, and forgives him all his sins and shortcomings. Have you
tried that approach?
[...]
> What is amusing is that both the SF and New Orleans versions include the
> angry wife "Peacemaker" aspect of the treat. Helen Walker Linsenmeyer, in her
> book "From Fingers to Finger Bowls: A Lively History of California Cooking"
> notes that a very similar recipe, called Penny Loaves, can be found in E. Smith's
> 1739 edition of the "Compleat Housewife" cookbook.
Dickson arrives home from a night of gambling and presents his angry
wife with an oyster loaf at 3 AM, and she smiles mournfully, eats the
oyster loaf, and forgives him all his sins and shortcomings. Have you
tried that approach?
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