Food

A Roast With The Most

- Claiborne Williams Milde

Virginians have been roasting oysters alfresco for hundreds of years, beginning with the Native Americans who lived along the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries long before European settlers arrived. As he sailed the Chesapeake’s waters, Captain John Smith famously said oysters “lay thick as stones.” In fact, Chesapeake means “Great Shellfish Bay” in the native Algonquian language.

Since those days of plenty, wild oyster stocks have declined dramatically because of over harvesting, Disease and habitat loss. Wild oysters have been on the rise in recent years, thanks to robust restoration projects and more responsible harvesting practices. The Bay’s ecosystem appears to be improving as a result. Now, it’s possible to sample oysters (Crassostrea virginica) from Tidewater to Tangier Island and compare their relative sweetness and brininess. You can eat them raw at happy hours across or gorge to your heart’s content on freshly roasted oysters at your own backyard outdoor feast.