Oyster Bowl XII

 Every Super Bowl Sunday for the past 12 years, Jack

Morrison and his crew from the Blue Point Grill

and Nassau Street Seafood have held the Oyster Bowl,
an oyster eating contest to benefit Susan G.
Komen for the Cure, a charity dedicated to education
and research about causes, treatment, and the search
for a cure for breast cancer.  The event is held on the
 sidewalk outside of the Blue Point, which is adjacent
to Nassau Street Seafood, my all-time, hands-down
favorite fish market. Ever.  Here I stand next to one
of my favorite fishmongers, Colin, an Irish gentleman
who I want on my side any day of the week.  I thought
I knew my fish until I met him many years ago.   

Inside Nassau Street Seafood, the first thing you smell

is fresh produce.  You can't say that about most of

the fish markets you walk into.  I always tell people

when they ask where to buy fish:  "Anything they have

in their case, you could eat raw.  That's how fresh it

is."  No lie.  And the prices aren't discount, but you 

should never skimp on fish. On the other hand, good

vegetables can be found elsewhere much cheaper. 

But when you're there, and those baby pattypans

are staring you in the face..........no wait, look away,

be strong!  Stop and Shop is on the way home.

2 out of 3 reasons to be.  My older daughter was

working this afternoon. Gotta have gas and

spending money! By the way, did I mention

that it was an unbelievably beautiful day today, the

first in seemingly months?  No?  It was.

Her love of all things oyster came from me, I think.

The oyster stew was sublime, and the price was

justified when we remembered it was for charity.

Congressman Rush Holt asked me and Liv if he could

get a shot with the two of us.  I said okay...............

but make it quick!

War paint (cocktail sauce).

They shucked 7500 East Point oysters from South

Jersey this morning in anticipation for the event this

afternoon.  7500 oysters.   

Waiting for the contestants to line up. Eat as many

oysters as you can in two minutes, and deposit

your shells in the buckets provided in front of you.

Your oyster count is tabulated by the number of

shells in your bucket. If you leave a shell on the tray,

it will not count. You may dress your oysters with

condiments before the gun, then all hell breaks loose.

This clip captured the action in all of its primeval gore,

with shredded bivalves hanging from the maws of the

gladiators, only to be slurped up in nauseating fashion.

It was really cool.

Charles and Dorothy, the couple in the middle of the

frame, have been a part of the Oyster Bowl from

the very beginning.  They both use the "Slurp from

the Shell" method, which, while not being the fastest

way to eat oysters, may be the most traditional.

Notice the "Oyster Cam" on the guy to the

right of Charles. I'd love to see that clip.

Hats off to Charles, who polished off 62 while

suffering a cut to his upper lip from a rather sharp

 oyster shell edge.  Dorothy actually made the

perpetual Oyster Bowl Trophy 12 years ago,

pictured below.  Those two are some of my all-

time favorite former, and hopefully future customers.

It was so so good to see them both today. 

The winner today ate 87 oysters in two minutes.  The record

was set in 2009 at 102.  I guess every year is different. 

Beside winning the Oyster Bowl for a year, the victor

receives a vacation for 2 in the Caribbean.  Not bad, but

the trip is over in 14 days.  The Oyster Bowl is theirs for 365.