To get your oyster fix this winter, you have your pick from the casual to the elegant.

At Bonna Bella Yacht Club, you can feast on Apalachicola Bay oysters at a proper, laid-back Lowcountry roast.  The Gulf of Mexico beauties are roasted on an open fire and topped off at a fixing bar complete with cocktail sauce, Tabasco, lemons and crackers.  At $17 per person, this all-you-can-eat event every Saturday and Sunday from 1 pm. until dusk is hard to beat.  The casual, dockside atmosphere is enjoyable for the entire family.  A plate of smoky fresh oysters, a cold beer and the beauty of the marsh make for a weekend afternoon that’s pretty close to perfect.  

Fit for a Robber Baron

Chef Patrick McNamara at Noble Fare celebrates the season with Oysters Rockefeller — a classic American dish that originated in New Orleans at Antoine’s, the oldest family-run restaurant in the country.  Named after John D. Rockefeller, one of the world’s richest men at the time, the original recipe is a secret and a source of hot debate.  Chef Patrick’s version is prepared with a cream and spinach sauce that is then baked off.  The savory richness of this preparation is a perfect complement to the briny sweetness of the oysters.  Pair this dish with a dry martini in Noble Fare’s formal yet warm dining room, and you’ll feel as rich as Rockefeller himself.

At the Planter’s Tavern, you can cozy up to the warmth of the fire and make merry to the tune of a live jazz pianist on a wintry weekend evening.  I love to sit at one of the tables near the bar and feast on some of the treats from The Olde Pink House’s more formal dining room upstairs.  For $10.95, you can order blackened oysters with a watermelon relish and apricot-pear chutney.  The purist will enjoy a half or full dozen on the half shell with the traditional condiments ($9 or $18).  In the mood for a light meal?  Try the Caesar salad with flash-fried oysters for $9.95.  All the oysters at the Pink House are Blue Points from northern Florida.

Chef Jeff Rodgers at Local 11 Ten serves oysters from St. Helena Island in South Carolina.  His seasonal menu offers two different preparations.  Large oysters (slightly smaller than the roasting size) are served raw after a quick salt bath and accompanied with a lemon-lavender sorbet ($12-13).  Smaller oysters are served flash-fried on a salad with herbed buttermilk dressing and remoulade ($12-13).

Have Them at Home

While all of these are wonderful ways to enjoy the fruits of the sea, I also like to buy my own oysters directly from the market to serve at home.  As soon as the evenings cool, I make an oyster stew.  I prepare a base similar to that of a New England clam chowder and replace the clams with plump, shucked oysters.  With a fresh baguette, herb butter and a cold bottle of Cidre Brut, this makes for a rich, elegant meal.

Of course, no holiday season would be complete without a backyard oyster roast. No fire pit?  Use your outdoor grill and a roasting pan.  Get your oysters by the bushel for $27-$35 at Russo’s Seafood or Bluffton Oyster Company.

     However and wherever you eat your oysters this season, enjoy these fresh fruits of the season while they last!