Happy new year!

Judging from the lines at the poissonerie this morning, nothing says bonne année quite like seafood. Luckily for me, I recently learned how to shuck an oyster — just in time to ring in the new year. Oysters look like rocks so forgive me if I doubted the fish guy when he tried to convince me how "easy" it is open them.

Him: "Just insert your knife here, madame, and the shell will pop right off."

Me: "Any kind of knife?"

Him: "Oui! N'importe couteau!"

But when I got home and tried to shove a knife inside, nothing happened. (And by "nothing," I mean that I almost stabbed a hole through my palm, but no shells popped off.) Frustrated, I watched this helpful video of the Executive Chef of Legal Seafoods shucking oysters. I gathered a dish towel, and a sharp, stout knife, and shoved the point into the butt of the shellfish. And, while I can't quite describe the result as a "pop," I did manage to pry that shell off.

Five oysters and their liquor went directly into my creamy, wine-laced fish pie filling (a delicious Gordon Ramsay recipe from his book Cooking for Friends). But I did eat one raw, salty and fresh, like a mouthful of ocean. It's shuckers privilege, after all.

And so, with that, I bid you happy new year, mes amis! May 2011 bring fresh oysters (if you like them), as well as many great meals with good friends. I'm sending you my very best wishes and heartfelt thanks, as always, for reading this humble li'l blog!