Small Plates
Oysters with Pomegranate Mignonette
Oysters were one of the earliest and most accessible coastal foods. They grew in dense beds, required no hunting, and could be gathered by hand at low tide. For millennia they fed fishing villages, sustained sailors, and anchored entire port economies. Today, it is the ultimate food of foodies linked to the same kinds of dinner conversation as wine connoisseurs. Instead of terroir discussions, oysters are thought of in terms of merroir, or the environment of water salinity, minerals, currents, algae, temperature, and tides (along with shapes, flavor, texture, and appearance) that create distinct regional tastes. Oysters have always been a delicacy associated with the holidays and this simple twist on the traditional mignonette adds a sparkle and effervescence associate with the Christmas season. Garnet red pomegranate jewels are added to a bubbly mignonette for a festive first course, or as a passed hors d'oeuvres during a cocktail party.
