Aw Shucks! It's National Oysters on the Half Shell Day!

by Sarah Grimball, intern

It’s a day worth celebrating! Sometimes all you need is a platter of oysters and a good drink to set you right. We love holidays that celebrate food and we hope you hit up your favorite oyster bar after taking a look back on some of the best oysters we’ve devoured in the past:

Bacon & Brie Baked Oysters

Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar in Baton Rouge, LA

"What’s not to love about a Gulf oyster covered in a creamy Brie cheese sauce with specks of bacon and baked?" 🍹Between Two Shells is up on the blog now! Read more about our favorite @joliepearloysterbar pairings there 👻 #oyster #oysters #joliepearloysterbar #oldfashioned #pairings

A post shared by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Nov 23, 2015 at 7:33am PST

Murder Point Oysters straight out of the water

Murder Point in Gulf Shores, AL

We're about to chow down on some @murderpointoysterco #butterlove #oysters! Who wants some? #oco2015 #visitalbeaches

A post shared by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Nov 6, 2015 at 8:45am PST

Chargrilled Oysters topped with Cajun Corn Maque Choux

Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar in Baton Rouge, LA

Chargrilled #oysters topped with Cajun tasso corn maque choux at @hangoutcookoff in @gulfshoresorangebeach! Not too shabby, if I do say so myself. #oco2015 #oystercookoff #cornmaquechoux #visitalbeaches #cajuntasso #cajun

A post shared by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Nov 7, 2015 at 10:35am PST

Chargrilled Oysters with a Green Garlic House-Pickled Jalapeño and Bacon Butter

Sac-a-Lait in New Orleans, LA

Buffalo Chargrilled Oyster and a Chafunkta Kingfish Cream Ale

Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar in Baton Rouge, LA

Chargrilled Oysters in Curry Butter and House-Made Hot Sauce

Acre in Auburn, AL

Murder Point Oysters, Uprooted

by Sydney Blanchard

Each month, our Uprooted series will highlight local chefs, restaurants, organizations, and farmers who are spearheading the farm-to-table and local foodways movements in South Louisiana.

Murder Point Oysters, right out of the water

Alabama's waters have had a rough go of it in the last decade or so. Hurricanes and an oil spill ravaged the Gulf coast and its economy, and according to Rosa Zirlott, Alabama streams had not produced oysters for many years.

That was before she and her family, former shrimpers, became oyster farmers. 

The Zirlott family will soon begin their third year as Alabama oyster farmers, and Rosa and her son Lane are enthusiastic about their latest family endeavor, Murder Point Oysters.

Rosa Zirlott, co-owner of Murder Point Oysters and Zirlott family matriarch

"They're oysters worth killing for!" Rosa said. 

Out in Porterville Bay near Gulf Shores, Alabama, lies Murder Point. According to legend, it used to be called Myrtle Point until 1927 when the man who held the oyster lease was murdered in a dispute over the lease. 

"You have to talk to the old timers to find out what really happened," Rosa said. 

Rosa and her family are one of only 12 oyster farmers in Alabama, and they've learned a lot about raising oysters in the last two years. It's safe to say they take their new venture pretty seriously. 

“This is very, very new for Alabama," Rosa said. “I talked my husband into doing it. I said, 'Let’s do it. If it works, we can say it works, and maybe more people will want to get involved.'"

Lane, in particular, has found his calling.

"Lane talks to them every day to give them the butter love," according to Rosa. "He feels like these oysters are his babies."

The care for their craft and stewardship to the environment is obvious in touring their oyster beds. 

Out on their boat in the middle of the oyster beds, college-age guys in wet suits and rubber fishing overalls tumble the oysters.

Murder Point Oysters are graded by size and tumbled every two weeks

Tumbling the oysters, or running them through a metal grading machine, causes the oyster to clamp town and makes the muscle stronger. Tumbling ensures that the oysters remain organized in the beds by size, and it also knocks the end of the shell off. This makes the oyster shells shorter, tougher, and easier to open up without the shell breaking. 

Every two weeks, the oysters are graded and moved to beds with oysters of the same size. According to Rosa, this is necessary to ensure Murder Point Oysters are up to restaurant standards.

"We try to create a quality product," Rosa said. "We’re trying to send the perfect oyster."

Murder Point Oysters cleaned off and ready for eating

But they don't stop at tumbling the oysters to ensure quality. Rosa said Murder Points oysters will taste different from the oysters growing in the waters next to them. Instead of keeping their oysters on top of the water while they're developing, the Zirlotts move their oyster babies up and down in the water column, allowing them to be flavored by different pressures, temperatures, and food sources. 

When the oysters are ready to be harvested, they're taken from the water directly to a processing facility owned by the Zirlotts, where they're then sent off to restaurants across the country where they are in high demand.

"It really is farm-to-table," Rosa said.

Prepared and garnished Murder Point Oysters served at Fisher's in Orange Beach, Ala.

The Murder Point Oyster business is maintaining consistent growth. In August they places 800,000 baby oysters into the water who will be ready to be eaten by 2016.

The Zirlotts take pride not only in their rich, buttery oyster crop, but in the work they do in sustaining and maintaining an ecosystem friendly not only to oysters but to the wildlife that share the waters with their oysters.

“We want to do right by the environment," Rosa said.

Read more Uprooted here:

Nino's Italian, Uprooted

Indie Plate, Uprooted

Red Stick Farmers Market, Uprooted

Iverstine Family Farms, Uprooted

The 10 Best Bites of Food I Ate in 2014

I've had the chance to travel fairly extensively around Louisiana and across the country this year, and along the way I've tasted some extraordinary dishes. I wanted to end the year with a bang by sharing the ten best bites of food to come across my taste buds this year. It proved to be no easy task, but each of these culinary creations struck a chord within me. Each picture brings back fond memories similar to those you'd feel when reconnecting with an old friend. These dishes trigger automatic salivation, instant warmth, and big smiles. While to some this may sound dramatic, those who've experienced such a dish will understand completely. In descending order, I give you my ten favorite dishes of 2014.

1) The Black Drum at Village Café in Lafayette

While filming at Village Café for Louisiana Culinary Trails, I had the pleasure of trying Chef Jeremy Conner's stuffed fish: Louisiana black drum stuffed with lump crab meat and pan seared served over squash and topped with a lemon crab butter sauce. I can taste this dish all over again each time I look at this picture. It was one of the most perfectly cooked pieces of Gulf seafood I've ever had, and that's even after waiting for the cameras to stop rolling before taking a bite. The velvety butter sauce had a citrus tang that complimented the sweetness of the crab and mild flavors of the Black Drum. This dish, which is always on the menu in some form, represents Gulf fish the the way it is meant to be eaten and most certainly is a must try.

The Black Drum at Village Café in Lafayette

2) The Oyster Stuffed Quail over Pumpkin Purée at Le Foret in New Orleans

I had the opportunity to dine at Le Foret in New Orleans a couple of times this year. Each trip provided exceptional bites. The plating and flavor profiles of Chef Brandon Felder's dishes are off the charts. Packed with Gulf oysters and set atop a beautiful artwork of pumpkin puree and other delicious sauces, this quail dish was so quintessentially Fall I could hear leaves crisping under my every step.

The Oyster Stuffed Quail over Pumpkin Purée at Le Foret in New Orleans

3) The Chicken Curry at Dang's Vietnamese Restaurant in Baton Rouge

Over the course of several weeks, my Chief Confusion Coordinator, Blair Loup, and I visited the Vietnamese restaurants of Baton Rouge for a pho round-up post. In doing so, we stumbled upon a surprising and incredibly delicious bowl of chicken curry at Dang's Vietnamese Restaurant. In addition to having the best pho in town, they also have this golden beauty. Curry isn't something you see often in Vietnamese cuisine and while it caught me off guard to find it on their specials menu in the first place, the bowl of chicken curry with layers of citrus and coconut flavors served with rice noodles is something I will order time and time again.

The Chicken Curry at Dang's Vietnamese Restaurant in Baton Rouge

4) The Japanese Kobe Beef at Ember Wine Bar & Grille in Lake Charles

I've never had steak like this before, and that's saying something. A few other steaks were in the running for my favorite chunk of beef this year. The bone-in ribeye from Doe's Eat Place in Baton Rouge, the classic Florentine porterhouse from Carnevino in Las Vegas, and the New York Strip from 33 Steak in New Orleans all placed highly on my beef-o-meter, but this beauty from Ember at the L'Auberge in Lake Charles, Louisiana wins the blue ribbon. The beauty of being based out of a casino is to be able to play within your food service outlets, and Chef Mark Chapman knows exactly what kind of fun to have. He imports this authentic Japanese Kobe Beef and sells it for $30/ounce with a minimum order of four ounces. For you people who struggle with math, that means that the cheapest you can get a taste of this steak butter is $120, and that's still not quite the size of a respectable petite filet. But damn is it worth it! The marbling in the beef is unlike any I've seen in person. Seared to a glorious rare temperature, the shingled beef is as close as you could imagine to a breathtaking bite of beef bacon packed with umami.

The Japanese Kobe Beef at Ember Wine Bar & Grille in Lake Charles

5) The Crispy Pig Ear Salad at Sojourn in New Orleans

Sojourn chef Jeff Williams invited me via Twitter to attend his first tasting menu pop-up dinner in New Orleans. The courses were some of the more inspired dishes upon which I have feasted. As I'm sure you know, I'm not much of a salad guy, but Chef Jeff's crispy pig ear salad is something I could eat on a daily basis. Crisp, local greens sprinkled with strips of crunchy and salty pig ear and sweet baby carrots were brightened with a peppery horseradish vinaigrette and balanced brilliantly with grated egg yolk. The flavors erupted upon my taste buds in ways that very few salads ever have, making my only complaint to be that I haven't had it since that night.

Sojourn's Crispy Pig Ear Salad in New Orleans

6) The Tuna and Grapefruit at Lucy B. Goode in Gulf Shores, Alabama

On a media trip to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach this past summer I had the pleasure of dining at Lucy B Goode. In an area ruled by tasty but all-too-often deep fried Gulf seafood, Lucy B Goode boasts contemporary dishes featuring locally sourced ingredients from area farms. Chef Randall Baldwin started us out with an off-menu appetizer which included only a few simple ingredients. Slices of fresh tuna and ripe grapefruit were adorned with celery leaves for a sharp contrast to the sweet juiciness of the dish which he finished with sea salt, cracked black pepper, and a light drizzling of sesame oil. The subtle flavors of the tuna and grapefruit fused together like the crescendo in a lovely score.

Tiled Fresh Tuna and Grapefruit Slices with Celery Stems at Lucy B. Goode in Gulf Shores

7) The Barbecue Spare Ribs at Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City, Missouri

A month before I launched Jay D's Louisiana Barbecue Sauce I found myself on a bachelor party adventure for my brother Eric. We just so happened to trek to the barbecue mecca that is Kansas City where I set my sights on the legendary smoked meats institution called Arthur Bryant's. Our hungover bachelor party gang showed up ready to devour some Que, so after ordering heaping portions of nearly everything on the menu, we sat down to chow down on heavenly swine and bovine. The pork spare ribs were of worthwhile wonder as if the pit-masters had wept tears of deliciousness over these bones. Few ribs have boasted the superior texture and flavor of these magically smoked morsels of pig.

Pork Spare Ribs at Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City

8) The Homemade Poptart at Magpie Cafe in Baton Rouge

All hail the Magpie poptart. Every kid who grew up in the 90's knows the Kelloggs version all too well. Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon could do me no wrong. Naturally, when I heard that Magpie Café  made a homemade rendition of the poptart, I knew I had to try it. They're typically made on Saturday mornings, but every now and then you can find the folks over at Magpie sneaking it into their weekday breakfast offerings. You may be saying, "Jay, a poptart? Really? With all of the wonderful things you've had to eat how did this make the list?" Well, I'll enlighten you. Not only is Magpie's version on the poptart euphorically delectable, it also gets bonus points on principle. The nostalgia it represents creates an experience that is at once memorable and triumphant above the original. Plus, the fact that someone thought up an idea like making a badass version of the poptart deserves recognition.

A Blueberry Poptart at Magpie Café in Baton Rouge

9) The Pork Belly Ramen at Bread and Circus Provisions in Lafayette

Lafayette has always had some amazing food, but right now their food scene seems to be exponentially exploding. Getting to experience some of the state's creations through filming the Louisiana Culinary Trails has been some of the most fun I've had this year. Shortly after visiting Village Café, we hopped over to Bread & Circus Provisions to see what Chef Manny Augello had going on in his kitchen. I sampled several of Chef's dishes, but this Pork Belly Ramen stole my heart. Legitimate ramen is hard to come by in Louisiana and it's exciting to find it in places you wouldn't expect. The vegetation gave an earthy taste to the creamy broth and I firmly believe that pork belly makes most things better. You'll definitely want to stop by Bread & Circus if you're anywhere around Lafayette area... you won't be disappointed!

The Pork Belly Ramen at Bread & Circus Provisions in Lafayette

10) The Hog Bone from Bacon Rouge's Chef Alex Hamman at Hogs for the Cause in New Orleans

One of the more underrated bites I've had this year came from Chef Alex Hamman's Hog Bone. I have competed in an all pork cook-off by the name of Hogs for the Cause for the past couple of years. Not only have our numbers increased for team Bacon Rouge, but so has the talent. Pastry Chef Instructor for the Louisiana Culinary Institute Alex Hamman created the Hog Bone for the Porkpouri (wild card) category in the 2014 competition. Our entire team watched in a state of shock when it didn't place in the top 10 because the flavors were so beautifully layered and innovative. Chef made a homemade cheese cracker as the base for a slightly spicy tasso and cracklin dust base that was then coated in velvety chocolate. The hog bone had all of the elements: sweet, crunchy, smoky, porky, and spicy, and they were devoured in no time. Chef Alex displayed some extreme skill in this whimsical creation and I can't wait to see what he comes up with for the 2015 Hogs for the Cause (which you can buy tickets for now... make sure to list "Bacon Rouge" as the team who referred you)!

The Hog Bone: Tasso, Cracklin Dust, Homemade Cheese Cracker invented by Alex Hamman for Team Bacon Rouge

Dock & Dine: Bite and Booze does Orange Beach Brunch at Fisher's Dockside

Fisher's Upstairs

Fisher's Upstairs

There are plenty of places to get great Gulf seafood in the resort destination of Gulf Shore and Orange Beach, but Fisher's is stepping things up a notch. Their downstairs oyster bar is great for families, large groups, and anyone looking to have a few good bites and a good time. Fisher's Upstairs is a completely different feel. It's fine dining, but Chef Bill Briand says you should feel just as comfortable in shorts and flip flops as you feel in a button up and tie. The attention to detail in the atmosphere is absolutely impeccable and I can't wait to experience a dinner upstairs. It will happen for sure, but for now I'll settle for brunch at the dock. I know, life is hard.

A couple of $3 mimosas, a bushwhacker, and some delectable dishes from Chef Bill and I was set for the trip back home on a Sunday afternoon. We started out with a tour of the upstairs restaurant and then he treated us to some excellent Gulf smoked tuna dip and deliciously fried crab claws.

The fried crab claws and smoked tuna dip at Fisher's Brunch

Creamy, crispy, and fresh all at the same time... that's what to love about a friend oyster. Gulf oysters are one of my favorite things to eat. While I typically favor them raw, when they are masterfully fried it is hard to go wrong. The Fried Oysters Benedict featured some of the succulent fried oysters with wilted spinach, poached eggs, and hollandaise. This sort of brunch dish can set any Sunday morning right!

Fried Gulf Oysters Benedict

Grits and grillades are a hearty Southern brunch favorite. The pan fried veal covered in a thick gravy over creamy grits is an automatic score in my book any day. The gravy really may have been the star of this dish. As great as the grits and veal were, the rustic brown goodness tied it all together.

Grits and Grillades

Fisher's smoked brisket hash brings another comfort dish to the table which can do no wrong. Served in a cast-iron skillet, the brisket is smoked in house then cooked down with some peppers, onions, and home potatoes before getting topped off with sunny side up eggs. This dish is like a hug for your hungover soul.

Smoked Brisket Hash

Fisher's makes me happy to eat bread pudding again. Okay, I'm usually pretty happy to eat bread pudding. But in Louisiana you can barely go out to eat without seeing it on a dessert menu. While bread pudding typically boasts delicious sweetness, it rarely presents something new and refreshing. But not here. Fisher's bread pudding is light and creamy. The toasted coconut brightens the entire dish. You will definitely want to save room for this on your trip!

Toasted Coconut Bread Pudding

Lucy B Goode: A Farm-to-Table Gem in Gulf Shores

The list of local farms they source their ingredients from.

Let me start by saying, "Wow." We rolled up to Lucy B Goode, which rests by the harbor, surrounded by the spectacle that is LuLu's, to an extremely embarrassing though fun-spirited surprise. Personalized menus gave Blair and Aimee some gut-bursting laughter while our rock star waiter articulated the mission of this farm to table restaurant. I guess sometimes when a restaurant knows who they are inviting over for a media dinner, they feel like going the extra mile. From the moment we walked in the door until we were almost the last people to leave, Lucy B Goode provided a dining (complete with custom cocktails) experience I would love to have again.










Chef Randall Baldwin welcomed us by sending out an off menu starter. Aimee doesn't go for tuna (still don't understand why), so that meant more for Blair and myself! The juicy grapefruit slices and sesame chili oil took the fresh tuna to an entirely different level. Seasoned with superb salt and pepper, this dish delivered a light and refreshing combination of bold and natural flavors.

Fresh Gulf Tuna, Grapefruit Slices, and Celery Leaves in a Sesame Chili Oil

Next came a dynamite pimento cheese dish which will make you wonder how anybody could possibly live outside the south. Pimento cheese is a simple concept, but when done right it can be irresistible. And as much as I don't like pickles, these house-pickled local cucumbers were pretty delicious as well. Merging the flavors together, the subtle savoriness of the pimento cheese combines with the sweet and slightly spicy pickles to create an appetizer that could be served as a game-day snack or on the finest of dining menus.

Pa-menna Cheese: House Made Pimento Cheese served with Rosemary Flatbread, Roasted Pecans, and LuLu's Sweet and Sassy Icebox Pickles

As we moved on to entrees we felt it necessary to try different dishes so that we could also sample them. While known for their fresh fish, I couldn't help but notice the braised ribs on the menu. I thought it would be an interesting twist on the Gulf Seafood weekend. The ribs are incredibly tender while boasting an Asian barbecue flare. The jicama slaw on top adds a pleasant crunch and the cheese grits on the bottom catch all of the juicy goodness coming off of the ribs... a little bonus at the bottom of the bowl!

Braised Sticky Sweet Pork Ribs topped with Homemade Jicama Slaw served over Cheese Grits

The two fish dishes we tried were the fresh catches of the day prepared two different ways. Both of the preparation options were quite rustic in a way that let the fresh Gulf fish be the star. We enjoyed red snapper with roasted potatoes and green beans as well as wahoo with a lovely summer succotash. Both dishes were absolutely on-point with their execution of the fish and pairing of the hearty sides.

Fresh Gulf Red Snapper served with Red Potatoes, Sautéed Green Beans, Grilled Lemon, and Brown Butter Vinaigrette

Fresh Gulf Wahoo served over a Summer Succotash with Sweet Corn, Field Peas, Cherry Tomatoes, Bacon Lardons, and Fresh Herbs

No meal is complete without curing the sweet tooth at the end. We tried a couple devilishly delicious desserts, but I almost have to say the star of the sweets were the local blueberries. They really lightened up decadent chocolate and cream flavors we had in store. One of the local blueberry farmers actually had a table behind us! Lucy B Goode presents a dining option that is unique to Gulf Shores though it is bringing dining back to the basics at the same time. I might have a hard time going back to the beach without stopping in to dine there again.

House Made Fudgesicle dunked in Mascarpone Cream topped with local Berries

Tres Leches Cake topped with local Berries

Mojitos, Burgers, and Ceviche...Oh My: Bite and Booze Goes to Work at Orange Beach's The Gulf

The Gulf at Orange Beach

Ordering up some burgers for the ladies!

After a long, hot day aboard the Wild Hearts Dolphin Cruise, team Bite and Booze hopped over to The Gulf. Made out of shipping containers with a gorgeous outdoor seating area, The Gulf is serving up juicy burgers, fresh fish dishes, and other delectable eats. The beach-side restaurant has a nice lawn as well as some lounge furniture on the sand. It's absolutely a funky spot and I would recommend it to anyone.

We had the pleasure of trying their Gulf Red Snapper Ceviche. Citrus juices combined with a bright pico and super fresh Red Snapper on a crisp tortilla chip will set you right after a decent trip on the water... and don't forget the mojito!

Red Snapper Ceviche

The Gulf's burgers presented a simple but tantalizing flurry of flavor. A buttery, toasted brioche bun cradled the juicy patty that bathed in aioli and melted pepper jack cheese. 

The Gulf's Signature Burger

The Gulf provides a really chill spot right on the water in Orange Beach. It's welcoming atmostphere provides a great place to relax and watch all of the boats go by. They have a few special night life activities,  but it's mostly a great lunch spot the whole family can enjoy. Especially with the mojitos. Mojitos for everyone.

Beach-side Dining at The Gulf

LA, meet L.A.: Getting Acquainted with Lower Alabama

I recently had the opportunity to take Team Bite and Booze on a press trip down to Gulf Shores Orange Beach for a little local wining, dining, and R&R. We had the chance to soak up some rays, but the real treat was all of the fresh gulf seafood we were invited to feast on everyday! Here's a look at a few places that were worthy of a pulling up a chair and chowing down:

We arrived at The Wharf ready to get tasting and luckily for us there was a nice little daiquiri shop right next to the parking garage! After we got settled in we walked to one of the restaurants downstairs from our condo: Villaggio Grille. Definitely the nicest restaurant at The Wharf, Villaggio has modern American cuisine with a slight Italian and Mediterranean influence. It's not a place to get spaghetti and meatballs, but they have some great Italian inspired seafood dishes.

Prince Edward Island Mussels: Roasted Tomatoes, White Wine, Lemon, Garlic, & Shallot

The next day we took a trek to The Beach Club to meet with their property managers over lunch at the Village Hideaway. They offered some awesome insight to the cool things going on in the Gulf Shores Orange Beach area and the really great beers from the nearby town of Fairhope. We had a couple of their amber ales while we toyed around with the golf simulator (Aimee and I schooled Blair) then sat down to a pretty tasty rack of ribs, fresh mahi tacos, and coconut shrimp. After lunch we got the chance to relax on the beach and catch some waves before heading back to The Wharf for a Gulf Coast/Alabama Seafood Twitter party and dinner.

Seafood Tacos: Fresh Gulf Mahi, Cilantro Slaw, Sliced Avocado, Key Lime Cream Sauce

Perhaps one of the most fun days we had during our stay in Gulf Shores Orange Beach started out with breakfast at Brick and Spoon. They had a build your own Bloody Mary menu, some massive pancakes, and some killer breakfast tacos. The unique breakfast tacos featured fried wonton wrappers as the shell. Brick and Spoon proved to be a great place to grab breakfast on your way to a sweet dolphin cruise!

Breakfast Tacos: Fried Wonton Shell, Chorizo Scrambled Eggs, Lettuce, Sour Cream, and Mango Salsa with a side of Cheese Grits

If you're going to take a sailing adventure while on the Alabama Gulf Coast, I'd gladly suggest the Wild Hearts Dolphin Cruise. Wild Hearts operates a nice catamaran sailboat that provides a great beer drinking platform in the bay and the gulf. They have fun stuff for kids to play with, water and snacks on board, and a great crew. It was a really nice, relaxing day on the water while soaking up some vitamin D.

View from the Wild Hearts Sailboat at Perdido Bay

We did some more dining in Gulf Shore and Orange Beach, but those places were so good that we wanted to give them their own blog posts. So coming up soon on Bite and Booze will be posts about The Gulf, Lucy B. Goode, and brunch at Fisher's!