A Geography of Oysters: The Connoisseur's Guide to Oyster Eating in North America [Paperback]

In this passionate, playful, and indispensable guide, oyster aficionado Rowan Jacobsen takes readers on a delectable tour of the oysters of North America. Region by region, he describes each oyster's appearance, flavor, origin, and availability, as well as explaining how oysters grow, how to shuck them without losing a finger, how to pair them with wine (not to mention beer), and why they're one of the few farmed seafoods that are good for the earth as well as good for you. Packed with fabulous recipes, maps, and photos, plus lists of top oyster restaurants, producers, and festivals,A Geography of Oystersis both delightful reading and the guide that oyster lovers of all kinds have been waiting for.

A wide-ranging, thorough, breezily written guide to oysters as cuisine (Boston Globe),A Geography of Oystersis the complete guide to understanding, serving, and savoring one of North America's most delicious foods-an Amazon Best of the Year 2007 selection.Rowan Jacobsenis the managing editor ofThe Art of Eatingand a frequent contributor to the magazine, for which he has written on subjects including wasabi, umami, lobsters, and mead. He is also the author ofChocolate Unwrapped.He grew up eating oysters in the steamy backwaters of rural Florida and now lives in the hills of Vermont with his wife and son.

The most remarkable single-subject books to come along in a while...Jacobsen covers oysters in exhaustive detail, but with writing so engaging and sprightly that reading about the briny darlings is almost as compulsive as eating them...this book will improve your oyster eating immeasurably...There may be no more pleasurable food than a raw oyster, there almost certainly is no better guide. Los Angeles Times

The ultimate macropedia for oysters. Publisher's Weekly (starred review)

Whether enjoyed on the half-shell raw -- alive, actually -- or fried, stewed, baked or pickled, the oyster has