I’m just finishing up downloading some pictures from our recent Tomales Bay hike and Hog Island Oyster Picnic. I realized while doing so-that we were all having so much fun we only remembered to take a few! We could not have asked for a better day on the Coast-warm, sunny, clear, and with a nice light bay breeze providing just that little bit of relief we craved while we exerted ourselves in anticipation of lunch. Our group was great, a bunch of about 18 people: wineclub members, customers, and 3 students from Missouri who found us on our local Chamber of Commerce events page. (thanks Elizabeth!)
I caught snips of Mike and Tony’s conversations with those on our hike; Mike getting into his archeological speak with one of our guests from Novato and Tony was fully embracing his naturalist side with talk about the flora and fauna on the trail as well as our little garden back ‘home’ at the winery. Some of our resident wine club members, the Mitchells and the Covellos provided great company and it was so nice for us all to join up outside the winery and in such an intoxicating setting (We’ll see you on the boat cruise next month-Barbara!)
Lunch was much harder work than most people imagined with ’shucking’ proving to be quite a dangerous sport (I’ll save the picture of my bandaged hand) but everyone pitched in the attempt to get us all fed. Let’s see, we had Tatiana with a bread knife (glass of pinot blanc in hand) and a cutting board alongside Bertie (who flew all the way in from Florida!), and then we had Bertie’s husband, who I believe shucked more than his fair share of oysters, and also made sure we all had enough sunscreen (this may have been in response to the changing shades of pink on a few of our shoulders……….). I threw myelf into making a cheese plate, and then a rustic mignonette (wine vinegar and shallots thrown into a recyclable plastic cup) for our oysters. Mike and one of the Moser girls (who were celebrating their mom Norene’s 70th birthday!) engaged in a shucking contest of which, I’m sure Mike would be ashamed to admit: He lost (see below picture of his handshake of shame).
Tony cranked up the BBQ and threw some of the oysters on there for the folks who liked their oysters a little toasty-there were plenty of these babies to go around. Pinot Noir went wonderfully with the bbq guys and the cowgirl creamery cheese-the chard and the pinot blanc were great with the kumamoto and sweetwater oysters. By the end of the day we were down to 50 oysters left on ice-and believe it or not everyone had had their fill (of oysters-I should specify….not of wine)! Except for Mike and I that is……….we polished off at least another dozen each. Waste not want not-right?
Bliss!
Coming up next: Fri. Night music with Joe DiOrio and Co (8/1) and next month a Bay Cruise from Sausalito…… Tough job but some us here have to do it
