Oyster-mania in Bordeaux

The day I spent trailing on the garde manger station of a Manhattan restaurant where oysters made up one-fifth of the orders hitting the kitchen came in handy during my week's stay in the Bordeaux countryside when BB, KG and I had oysters not once, but four times. No one knew how to shuck the shellfish except me (though BB was a quick study)—and in most cases, the lusciously salty-sweet oysters were hard nuts to crack.


But man were they cheap. And the nice man at the Libourne open market gave us an even better deal on our first go at the bivalves, giving us the oysters priced at 4.5 euros/dozen for 4 euros, and throwing in a couple extra for good measure.


We rounded out our midday repast with a crisp, dry white wine, a lovely pate, plus a creamy fresh mound of burrata with melons, tomatoes and basil from the garden.


Honestly some of the best oysters I've ever had.


BB scored an even better deal on his second trip to the market, picking up two dozen assorted oysters that were equally as fantabulous for just 7 euros. Wowza.


Flanked with a lovely portion of paella, the oysters were one of the highlights of my trip to Bordeaux.