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

Between Two Shells: Baked Brie and Bacon Oysters with an Old Fashioned

by Blair Loup

Can you feel it? Temperatures are dipping below 70 degrees, and we’re all losing our minds. Sure, we’re seeing a lot of boots, scarves, and unnecessary hats, but we’re also seeing darker, heavier beers, more whiskey than usual, and heartier flavor profiles.

My cool weather cravings usually lean toward creamy Brie cheese, bold red wines, root vegetables, whiskey, and anything cooked whole carcass style. I feel like sometimes, Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar gets me too much. It’s honestly scary how easy it is to pair great bites with a tasty beverage.

A baked Brie and Bacon oyster and Old Fashioned at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar in downtown Baton Rouge, La.

The baked Brie and Bacon oyster is easily my favorite of the baked offerings at Jolie Pearl. What’s not to love about a Gulf oyster covered in a creamy Brie cheese sauce with specks of bacon and baked? The slight sweetness of the Brie and smokiness of the pork match up nicely with the smokey/sweet flavors of an Old Fashioned.

The typical Old Fashioned is simple, but irresistible. With a bitters-soaked sugar cube muddled in orange and cherry, the classic cocktail is supposed to be served with Rye whiskey. I asked for this one to be made with bourbon for a warmer caramel flavor to marry the Brie and bacon flavors.

With the weather cooling down and the holidays upon us, I know downtown Baton Rouge will be bustling. Pro-tip, leave early for all of your downtown tomfoolery and grab a bite and some booze at Jolie Pearl!

This is a great Fall/Winter transition pairing, and you can find some of the other parings we’ve tried and approved below:

Raw Gulf Oysters and Fresh Margaritas
Oysters Rockefellar and the Louisiana Mule
Raw Gulf Oysters topped with Cucumber Mignonette with Fresh Grapefruit Margaritas
Asian Style Chargrilled Oysters with Tin Roof Tunrow Harvest Ale
Chargrilled Oysters with Gnarly Barley's Catahoula Common
Raw West Coast Gold Creek Oysters with Jay D's Blanc Du Bois
Buffalo Chargrilled Oysters with Chafunkta’s Kingfish Cream Ale

Insta-Worthy Cocktails in Baton Rouge and New Orleans

by Sydney Blanchard

I don't know about y'all, but any time I go out and order a cocktail, I feel compelled to photograph it and post it on Instagram. There's just something so fun and novel about ordering a pretty cocktail. And if it tastes great? Even better.

Louisiana (New Orleans, specifically) is the birthplace of the cocktail, and what better way to celebrate local cocktail culture than to make a not-so-comprehensive list of some of the most photo-worthy cocktails we've had in the Baton Rouge/New Orleans area?

Without further adieu...here's our list! What would you include?

Grapefruit Margarita at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar

A little sweet, a little tart, and adorably pink, the grapefruit margarita at Jolie Pearl is perfect for pairing with oysters. 

Vodka Freeze at Bistro Byronz

This snow-white, boozy vodka freeze is a Bistro Byronz favorite.Topped with a cherry and a lime slice, it's also a guaranteed like-generator on Instagram. 

Blueberry Hill at Olive or Twist

You can't get an ugly cocktail at Olive or Twist. This muddled blueberry cocktail bursts with berry flavor and color, making it perfectly photogenic.

Sweet-T-Sway at Lock & Key Whiskey Bar

As gorgeous as it is delicious, Lock & Key's picture perfect Sweet-T-Sway combines sweet tea, pomegranate liqueur, muddled mint and hand-crushed ice. 

Jalapeño Pineapple Cilantro Margarita at Araña

Visually stunning chunky pineapple and bright green jalapeño bits make this margarita at Araña pop (and will make all your followers envious).

Damn Thistle at Sac-A-Lait

Sweet, syrupy, and adorned with an edible hibiscus flower, the picturesque Damn Thistle at Sac-A-Lait features Donner-Peltier's Oryza Vodka and tastes like a dream.

Between Two Shells: Buffalo Chargrilled Oysters with Chafunkta's Kingfish Cream Ale

by Blair Loup

Buffalo Chargrilled Oyster and Chafunkta's Kingfish Cream Ale at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar in Baton Rouge

It’s fall, and sports are happening. If fall means sports, then sports means spicy food and beer. There’s something about watching sports ball something covered in buffalo sauce in one hand and a crisp craft beer in the other. It really gets me in the (team) spirit.

Yet, I can get bored with the battered chicken wing. I find myself craving that buffalo flavor without all the bones and mess. And I don’t know, when I’m eating in public, I don’t want to need a roll of paper towels to keep myself in check.

Conveniently, Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar now has a buffalo chargrilled oyster.

Jackpot.

These buffalo-style chargrilled oysters are simple but delicious: Gulf oyster, Tabasco’s Buffalo Style Hot Sauce, and creamy bleu cheese. It’s a recipe for scrumptious-ness. Pair with Chafunkta’s Kingfish Cream Ale, and you’re looking at a good time.

The Kingfish Cream Ale is crisp, but flavorful with a slight maltiness. It’s definitely a go-to oyster beer for me, and combined with the buffalo flavors, it’s a W.

Some of my best times in downtown Baton Rouge include indulging in some Gulf oysters with a Louisiana craft beer in hand.

Below are some other pairings we suggest at Jolie Pearl:

Raw Gulf Oysters and Fresh Margaritas

Oysters Rockefellar and the Louisiana Mule

Raw Gulf Oysters topped with Cucumber Mignonette with Fresh Grapefruit Margaritas

Asian Style Chargrilled Oysters with Tin Roof Tunrow Harvest Ale

Chargrilled Oysters with Gnarly Barley's Catahoula Common

Raw West Coast Gold Creek Oysters with Jay D's Blanc Du Bois

Between Two Shells: Raw West Coast Gold Creek Oysters with Jay D's Blanc Du Bois

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

As Louisiana wiggles its way into “fall,” our sinuses retaliate against the endless back and forth of cool one minute, warm the next weather, and we find ourselves victims to flash thunderstorms and preemptively retrieving our warmer clothing out of storage bins.

It’s a glorious time of year, and Baton Rouge is bustling with fun events – Live After Five is a favorite of mine. I like to be posted up with an assortment of raw oysters at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar, drink in hand.

Raw West Coast Gold Creek Oysters with Jay D's Blanc Du Bois at Live After Five

Situated on North Boulevard with doors open to the street, Jolie Pearl is the perfect location for grabbing a dance session on the lawn and then shimmying your way back to the bar for refills.

At my first Live After Five of the season, I paired some West Coast Gold Creek raw oysters with a glass of Jay D’s Blanc Du Bois, because why not?

It’s been a few months since the limited release of Jay D’s Blanc Du Bois from Louisiana’s Landry Vineyards, and while it can be hard to find a bottle in stores, Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar still pours it by the glass!

With grapes grown on Louisiana soil, the Blanc Du Bois is crisp to compliment the extra saltiness in these non-Gulf oysters, and fruit-forward notes of peach and pear harmonize with the briny, earthy notes that West Coast oysters are known for.

Delicious separate, but better together.

Below are some of the other pairings we suggest at Jolie Pearl:

Raw Gulf Oysters and Fresh Margaritas

Oysters Rockefellar and the Louisiana Mule

Raw Gulf Oysters topped with Cucumber Mignonette with Fresh Grapefruit Margaritas

Asian Style Chargrilled Oysters with Tin Roof Turnrow Harvest Ale

Chargrilled Oysters with Gnarly Barley's Catahoula Common

Between Two Shells: Chargrilled Oysters with Gnarly Barley's Catahoula Common

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

There are few things in this world better than things cooked in butter. We’ve all blasted Paula Deen about her obsession with the stuff, but in our heart of hearts we know she knows what’s up.

While the list of tasty things cooked in butter goes on and on, I’d like to narrow the discussion to chargrilled oysters. Envision this: plump, juicy Gulf oysters sizzling in a small pool of buttery, garlic-y goodness at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar.

A pint of Gnarly Barley Brewing's Catahoula Common with a chargrilled oyster at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar in Baton Rouge

All of the flavor gods assemble to make this dreamy, classic bite happen. The flavor profile is super simple and allows for another element to really set things off.

Enter Gnarly Barley’s Catahoula Common. My obsession with Gnarly Barley Brewing is no secret. They are my craft beer spirit animal, but that’s beside the point.

The creaminess of the chargrilled oyster pairs perfectly with the crispy brew. The beer kind of lifts all of those strong flavors off of the tongue and is light and refreshing making it perfect for this warm Louisiana weather.

A match made in heaven, I’d say. Trust me, I’m a professional.

Below are some of the other pairings we suggest at Jolie Pearl:

Raw Gulf Oysters with Fresh Margaritas
Oysters Rockefellar and the Louisiana Mule
Raw Gulf Oysters topped with Cucumber Mignonette and Fresh Grapefruit Margaritas
Asian Style Chargrilled Oysters with Tin Roof Turnrow Harvest Ale

Between Two Shells: Asian Style Chargrilled Oysters with Tin Roof Turnrow Harvest Ale

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

A pint of Tin Roof Brewing's Turnrow Harvest Ale and the Asian Style Chargrilled Oyster at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar

All this hot weather has me constantly in the mood for spicy food. Then again, I’m always down for any bite with a kick. 

I know I can always get my heat fix at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar by dousing any raw oyster that comes my way with habanero hot sauce, but I recently discovered another spicy menu item at my favorite downtown spot.

The Asian Style chargrilled oysters are everything you’ve wanted oysters to be. Seafood and ponzu sauce just works. It’s like ponzu sauce walked into the oyster bar, arms wide open (lookin’ at you Creed) and said, “I’m here. Love me.”

Ponzu sauce has everything an oyster needs: a little citrus, a little sweet, and just enough vinegar to compliment the briny taste of the oyster. Top that puppy with some Sriracha sauce and I’m a happy girl.

I chose to pair this tasty morsel with a Tin Roof Tunrow. Turnrow is a harvest ale brewed with fresh ground coriander (aka cilantro). This means it's citrusy, spiced, and light, which translates to a “perfect for hot, humid days” brew.

This is what ‘Between Two Shells’ is all about: separately yummy, but magical together.

Below are some of the other pairings we suggest at Jolie Pearl:

Raw Gulf Oysters and Fresh Margaritas

Oysters Rockefellar and the Louisiana Mule

Raw Gulf Oysters topped with Cucumber Mignonette and Fresh Grapefruit Margaritas

Between Two Shells: Raw Gulf Oysters topped with Cucumber Mignonette and Fresh Grapefruit Margaritas

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

The Fresh Grapefruit Margarita and Cucumber Mignonette at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar

If you've stepped outside lately, you may have noticed it’s hot out. This time of year presents me with an unsolvable problem: when I get out of my car, my glasses fog up because I’m blasting the air conditioning, then my vision gets hit with 90% humidity. It’s my cross to bear, and the only respite is a fresh-squeezed margarita from Jolie Pearl.

Aside from serving fresh oysters from all over, they freshly squeeze all of the juices for their mixed drinks. When the heat gets unbearable, I hop on that citrusy-drink-and-ice-cold-seafood train.

I highly recommend dropping everything and grabbing a few grapefruit margaritas, a dozen raw Gulf oysters, and top them with Jolie Pearl's flavor-packed cucumber mignonette.

This pairing tastes like summer.

One second I’m downtown, and one bite later,  I’m by a pool with attractive people fanning me and pouring grapefruit margaritas down my throat. The sweet and spicy cucumber mignonette paired with the cool creaminess of the oyster matches up perfectly with the tangy citrus of the grapefruit and that element only tequila can bring.

It’s summer, y’all, and it’s hot outside, so treat yo self and head over to Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar. They can get your life right.

Below some of the other pairings we suggest at Jolie Pearl:

Raw Gulf Oysters and Fresh Margaritas
Oysters Rockefeller and the Louisiana Mule

Looking Ahead to the Food Network Star Premiere Party

Time to catch you up to speed just in case you're lagging behind somehow. I'm going to be on the upcoming season of Food Network Star, the network's largest competition reality show. As one of twelve finalists, I'll be competing in various cooking and presentation challenges in an effort to win my own show on Food Network!

This is how Food Network introduced me on Twitter:

Meet Jay, a blogger, radio host and expert tailgater competing on #FoodNetworkStar this year: http://t.co/rGEreg3MHU. pic.twitter.com/gwgQ7M59DT

— Food Network (@FoodNetwork) May 18, 2015

And here's my audition tape:

The premiere party for the Season 11 of Food Network Star will take place at the Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar and North Boulevard Town Square on Sunday, June 7th from 5-9 PM. Bonnie & Clyde will be playing from 6-7:45. We'll have drink specials from the Donner-Peltier Distillery as well plenty of oysters and other grub that you can order. Bring picnic blankets or bag chairs and watch the show in Town Square or come early and get a seat inside Jolie Pearl! I hope to see a lot of you there! Go ahead and set your DVR's and calendar reminders now as well!

Between Two Shells: Oysters Rockefeller and the Louisiana Mule

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

The Louisiana Mule and Rockefeller Oyster at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar in Downtown Baton Rouge

I’m not a girl of many talents. There are some that may contest this, but I feel like I have a small skill set that consists of things that are relatively useless with only a few exceptions: I tend to find good parking spots, I have the patience and determination it takes to tackle an entire season of a television series in one day, and I have a knack for pairing drinks with food. Having that said, at Jolie Pearl, when it comes to pairings, the world is your oyster…get it?

Now that you’re done laughing, let’s explore the harmonious flavor profiles of the Louisiana Mule and Rockefeller Oyster.

The Louisiana Mule at Jolie Pearl is prepared with Louisiana White Lightning Whiskey instead of vodka. This gives the drink an extra layer of boozy flavor. With slight moonshine notes from the whiskey, the concoction is spicy, herbaceous, and refreshing. I paired it with the Rockefeller because of the licorice flavors of the Pernod and earthiness of the spinach.

The more grounded flavors of the oyster are like the moms (or dads) of your friend groups. They keep you from getting carried away, but you’re still allowed to party. While the flavors in the Louisiana mule work together, they are separately extremely strong flavors, so it pairs deliciously with a toned down, classic, and scrumptious Rockefeller oyster.

Whether you’re eating them raw, baked, or char-grilled, you’re going to want to run, don’t walk, to Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar. Check back here for more pairings each month, and take a look at this pairing that we've already tasted and tested:

Raw Gulf Oysters and Fresh Margaritas

Between Two Shells: Raw Gulf Oysters and Fresh Margaritas

by Blair Loup aka BRFluff

A Raw Gulf Oyster paired with a Fresh Margarita at Jolie Pearl

I remember as a child growing up in Southwest Louisiana, all of the men in my family gathered around a table slurping oysters out of shells at crawfish boils and fish fries. When my dad handed me my first Gulf oyster he encouraged me to try it without crackers and cocktail sauce. I looked at this slimy thing with a few drops of Tabasco and a squeeze of lemon cautiously, then knocked it back in true YOLO fashion (sorry not sorry). I’ve been a sucker for raw oysters ever since. When Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar opened up in downtown Baton Rouge I was excited to taste oysters from other areas for the first time.

Jolie Pearl offers a wide range of raw, baked, and chargrilled oysters and we at Bite and Booze have made it our self-serving mission to pair each of these with a delicious craft beer, wine, or one of Jolie Pearl’s stellar cocktails.

While I enjoy trying different types of oysters, the Gulf oyster tastes nostalgic to me for obvious reasons. It’s creamy, briny, and slightly murky (which is where the flavor comes from); add to that a little pop from a spicy horseradish sauce and you’ve got yourself a bite of Louisiana. Most of the time I would pair this with a beer, but I couldn’t pass up the fresh margarita. This version is made with freshly squeezed lemon, lime, and orange juices in addition to a little agave nectar. There’s something about the taste of fresh citrus and tequila with a sugar/salt rim paired with a freshly shucked Gulf oyster that makes me feel like I’m in one of those wind machines with money flying all around.

It’s a good time at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar. There’s a vinyl happy hour (because yas) Monday-Friday from 4-7pm, and live music most Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.

We’ve only shucked the surface with these pairings, so check back here every month for more Bite and Booze pairings from Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar!