Episode 654: The Oyster King and the Seagull Test

This episode is all about the oyster. We meet two cousins -- Ryan and Travis Croxton -- who have reimagined their family oyster business, The Rappahannock Oyster Company on the Chesapeake Bay, and reinvigorated the industry through their innovative oyster farming techniques. Thomas "Uptown T" Stewart is an oyster-shucking fixture in New Orleans; he teaches us how to shuck with swagger. We talk to Joanne Hyppolite, curator at Smithsonian Institution National Museum of African American History and Culture, about the amazing story of Thomas Downing aka The Oyster King of New York City. Dan Souza from America's Test Kitchen shares his expert advice on selecting, grilling and serving oysters. Chef Brandon Jew of San Francisco’s Mister Jiu’s cuts no corners when it comes to handmade oyster sauce. And writer Alicia Kennedy finds solace in a half shell following a family tragedy.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• March 16, 2018 (originally aired)

• March 15, 2019 (rebroadcast)

• November 8, 2019 (rebroadcast)