Tasty Tuesday - Grilled Oysters, Wine & Romance

The kitchen certainly is the heart of my home. As a family, we love to cook and eat together. College boy has even taken on cooking at the frat house. Youngest son has begun preparing fancy sandwiches and noodle dishes. Middle son (aka Mr. Athlete) prefers to consume than cook. Even with the boys home, hubby and I find time to make a meal for the two of us.

If you are looking for something unique to do for Valentine's Day, I suggest preparing a meal together. Oysters have been considered an food of love due to aphrodisiac properties.  Chill  white wine. Some folks like to pair a bubbly wine with oysters. I like something a bit more  light.

Being from Michigan, I like to give a shout out to local wines. I suggest a a 2013 Barrel Chardonnay by Three Fires Wine. Light hints of lemon, pineapple and sweet butter pair perfectly with oysters and shellfish.

Give this tasty recipe of grilling oysters at home a try:

What you need:
      Fresh unshucked oysters (check local listings for a fish market or ask your favorite grocery if you can                                                               order them fresh)
      Herb butter - take a mix of parsley, chives, tarragon, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon zest and work into a                                     soft butter
      Crusty bread for serving
      Shucking kinfe
      Grill

Instructions:
      
Heat the grill - the hotter the better
      
Shuck the oysters - take it slow, protect hand with a glove, brace oyster against a hard surface
     
 Arrange the oysters on the grill - work in small batches. Discard the top shell and                                 arrange the bottom bowl-like shells withe the raw oysters in rows over the grill.
    
  Add a pat of butter (1Tbsp) to each oyster
     
  Close the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes. Check them - oysters should be just starting to                       shrink, look for caramelization in the butter around the edges. Cook for                                   another 30 seconds if needed.
      
Serve Immediately, use the bread to mop up the leftover butter - YUM!

Note: to grill oysters whole, without shucking them - lay the oysters on the grill and close the lid. Check every minute. As soon as you see the top shell loosen, take the oysters off the grill and eat.

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Romance Author and Artist Mary Quast lives in a log home affectionately named "Camp Run-A-Muk" located in the woods of Michigan with her husband, three sons, and a collection of animal family members. As a professional artist, Mary Quast answered the call to express herself creatively. With her descriptive writing style she has developed a knack for creating passionate characters and realistic settings. Quast is one of the original writers for the 1 Night Stand Series published by Decadent Publishing. When she’s not busy writing contemporary erotic romance novels, novelettes, and short stories, Mary Quast doles out sensual tips and yummy eye candy on her blog “Romantic Interludes”.

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