The Original Shuck

Location: Wintergreen Place, Corvallis OR

This is pre-digital...so no evidence! Just kidding I'm sure there are photos out there but they'd have to be scanned in or developed from actual film. Brace yourselves for the origin story of the Shuck. 

In the 80's my parents took my sister and I to a wedding on Whidbey Island in Washington state. My Dad showed us that they had an oyster bar at the reception. There were huge barrels of oysters that were being shucked and it was something we had never tried. They were grilling them on the beach and my Dad suggested we try them because they weren't likely to let us order them at a restaurant. So we posted up at the bar, got brave, and took our first bites of delicious Pacific Northwest oysters. We were hooked! I'm not sure if we ate anything else that day because I don't remember anything except beautifully grilled oysters with a splash of fresh lemon. 

Fast forward to my 21st birthday, and my parents asking me what I'd like to do to mark the occasion. Rather than a trip to Vegas, I wanted a cookout with oysters, beer, and all of my favorite people. My parents hosted, we had about 100 people over, and a tradition was born. The following year we celebrated Melissa's 21st the same way...and each year we've found a way to make the Shuck a special tradition that everyone can enjoy. 

Regardless of if you're having your first oyster, or you're a veteran Shucker, just know that it all started because of an adventure bite when I was about 10yrs old.