Oysterfest 2025

"Gimme oysters and beer, for dinner every day of the year, and I'll be fine." 

-- Jimmy Buffett, Tin Cup Chalice

That old Jimmy Buffett song may become my theme song, especially this time of the year. One of my most favorite places in the State of Maryland -- the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) -- holds a festival dedicated to my favorite bivalve in the entire world ... the oyster. It is an ideal location for an oyster festival. The CBMM is located on the shore of the Miles River, just a short boat ride from the Chesapeake Bay. But, not just any part of the shore; the museum is in St. Michaels, Maryland, a city that has a long history tied to the oyster. 

We have been going to the Oysterfest since 2018, although I seemingly only wrote "book-end" posts  for my blog in 2018 and 2024. Each festival has an oyster stew competition, where several local restaurants and caterers present their very best oyster stew to be judged by the attendees, with the winner getting bragging rights for a year.  There are also a range of other events, such as an oyster slurp-off, boat rides along the Miles River, and Chesapeake Retriever demonstrations.

The Talbot Watermen Association Oyster Booth

Every year we enjoy a wide range of oysters from the different vendors.  Oysters are served by both companies, like the Choptank Oyster Company, and, the Talbot Watermen Association, who are the go-to stop for oysters. I have a special place for the Talbot Watermen Association, because of the fact that they are an association of watermen who work the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, but are also committed to preserving not only the way of life, but also the fisheries through sustainable methods. 

Steamed Oysters

This year, I sampled some raw oysters from Choptank, but also some steamed oysters from the Talbot Watermen Association. The raw oysters were good, but, with a little grit and shell in them. But, the steamed oysters were out of this world. First, the oysters looked like they had been just harvested out of the water. Some of the oyster shells had little clam shells still on them (which are usually brushed off during processing. All of the oysters were large in size, even after the steaming process. 

I also finished off the oyster eating by participating in the Oyster Slurp Off. Three rounds of three competitors, with the winner of each round participating in the championship. I was in the first round. I won that round, but came in second in the championship. The winner used some questionable tactics, such as not raising his hand when he won and turning away when he finished. Still, I got twelve additional oysters when all was said and done, which is enough for me. 

Turning to the oyster stew competition, my beautiful Angel and I have judged several of these competitions. I am always struck by the different approaches that one can take with an oyster stew. This year's competition presented those varied recipes. There were five different oyster stews in the competition: 

Oyster Stew A: This oyster stew was more like an oyster bisque, a smooth cream base with no hint of any of the vegetables used in the recipe. This oyster stew was the only one that used only whole oysters, although they were a little on the small side. Overall, a very good effort, but I think a stew should have more texture to it. 

Oyster Stew B: My thoughts about texture were answered by this one. This entry was more of a stew, with little bits of onions and potatoes in each taste. I could also get the herbs used to prepare this stew, which is also something a little lacking in the prior one. This stew used chopped up oysters.

Oyster Stew C: It seemed my notes about texture were being heard more clearly. This entry was even chunkier, thicker and creamier. The oysters were also chopped up, but it was a little hard to find them. While it was thicker, this entry, like the prior one, did come through with the herbal elements. 

Oyster Stew D: This one took a slightly different approach. There was less of a texture, less chunks of potato or onion, but a more bacon flavor came through. The bacon added a subtle smokiness element that set this entry apart. It also used chopped oysters, but I thought I got a small whole one toward the end.

Oyster Stew E: The last one was a stew, with potatoes, onions and even corn, as well as a more yellowish color than the other entries, almost as if turmeric was used in the recipe. While this entry also used chopped oysters, the pieces were larger and more plentiful than in other stews.  

As for the judging, it was a close one for me, but I ultimately chose D as the best oyster stew. And, for the first time in all the judging that I have done, my choice was also the winner overall, as D, which is the oyster stew prepared by Oaks Waterfront Inn, took first place. Second place went to A (the more bisque like oyster stew), which was prepared by Chesapeake Chefs. Third place went to B, which was prepared by Theo's Steakhouse. In the end, I think everyone likes a little bacon hint in their oyster chowder. 

The Oysterfest is perhaps the event enjoyed the most by the  Savage Boleks. This year's event was perhaps the best Oysterfest of all. And I did not even get to the part where we learned about the Pocomoke nation, the indigenous people who lived on the eastern shore long before the area was colonized. I was very appreciative of hearing about the history and culture of the Pocomoke people from members of the nation. There will be more about that in future posts. Until then ...  

PEACE.

Akotonshi

Living in the Chesapeake Bay region, I often find myself having a parochial view about blue crabs. I know that blue crabs can be found around the world (see my post about their invasion of Italian waters), but I admittedly think very regionally about blue crabs when it comes to cooking. Bury them in Old Bay or XO and steam them. The only true crabcakes are Maryland crabcakes. It becomes ingrained in a person the longer they live in the area.

Yet, there is so much more to blue crab dishes. I previously posted about a crab dish from Ghana -- Ghanian Crab Stew -- but I spent more time talking about rice than I did blue crab. As it turns out, the crusteacean has quite the place in Ghanaian cuisine and culture. So, it seems appropriate to return to Ghana when I was looking to prepare a crab dish based upon a cuisine far beyond the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. My efforts would take me to the brackish waters in southern Ghana, such as the estuary of the Volta River, where the river waters meet the Atlantic Ocean, and the various lagoons that are parallel to that ocean.

At one point in time, there was an abundance of blue crabs, shrimp, shellfish, and fin fish in these brackish waters. These populations benefitted from mangroves, which sprouted up in various areas along the lagoons and deltas, and which provide protected areas for crabs, shellfish and fish. They also supported fisheries across southern Ghana. Those fisheries, in turn, provided incomes that sustained families from Agbletokwei to Kpotitsekopre. 

However, those fisheries have faced a range of issues in recent years. Much of the mangroves have been cut down, causing a loss of habitat for crustaceans like the blue crab. Overfishing generally, and the rise of industrial fishing and illegal fishing, have also contributed to the loss of populations, as has the increased amount of pollution from industrialization. As the populations of crab, shrimp and fish decline, so does the ability of small-scale fishermen and women to make a living and provide for their families. 

There have been efforts to try to support small scale, local fishing. For example, back in 2021, the U.S. Agency for International Development provided millions to help restore Ghanian fisheries. That program focused on sardines, mackerel and anchovies, which meant more of a focus on the Atlantic Ocean (which is still needed), than the brackish coastal waters. (The current Trump administration is trying to destroy USAID, depriving the entire world -- including the U.S. -- of the benefits from international development assistance.) More recently, in July 2025, the Ghanian government passed the Fisheries and Aquaculture Law, which helps protect small scale fishers who use traditional canoes from illegal fishing vessels. This law is also focused on the ocean, rather than the lagoons and rivers of the country. 

I hope that a more wholistic approach may be pursued, one that recognizes the interconnectedness of the rivers, lagoons and oceans, thereby addressing all of it. This effort would also require a focus not only on the water, but also the land, such as restoring the mangroves and the habitats for aquatic species, which is happening in certain parts of Ghana, like in the Keta Lagoon. These efforts have seen positive results, For an overview of what is being done in that lagoon, check out this video from Terraformation:

We have the power to undo the damage we have done, but it takes commitment and, most importantly, time.  With more mangroves come more aquatic species, like blue crabs. And, with more blue crabs come dishes like Akotonshi.

AKONTOSHI

Recipe adapted from African Food Network

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 8 whole crabs or 1 pound of cooked crab meat
• 2 large fresh ginger pieces
• 2 cloves
• 4 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 large onions, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 3-4 large tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 large green bell peppers, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons grains of paradise, growned to a powder (optiona0l)
• 4 medium minced African bird peppers (or hot Thai peppers)
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup dried shrimp
• Plain bread crumbs
• Parsley
• Salt 

Directions:

1. Prepare the crabs or crab meat. If cooking whole crabs, clean them and bring a large pot of water to a bowl. Add the ginbger cloves and crab and cook for 15 minutes. Remvoe crabs and meat, keep shells for plating. If using crab meat, mix crab meat with 1/4 cup of water that has been boiled with ginger piece and cloves for 15 minutes.  Drain the water, flake the meat and set aside.

2. Saute the onions, tomatoes and spices. In a heavy pot, heat the oil to medium and add the other ingredients in the following sequence, stirring for a minute for so between each ingredient: onions, ground ginger, tomatoes, tomato paste, green pepper, cumin, nutmeg, thyme, grains of paradise (if using), paprika, masked peppers and dried shrump. Reduce heat and simmer for about 4-5 minutes, stirting constantly until vegetables are cooked.

3. Add the crab meat. Then add the crab meat and stir for another couple of minutes to heat it through. 

4. Finish the dish. Remove from heat, and spoon the crab mixture into the crab shells or ramekins if you began with crab meat. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of each serving and toast under an oven broiler for a couple of minutes. Be careful not to let the crumbs scorch. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately. 

PEACE.

Captain Crockett's Last Breakfast

My beautiful Angel and our family spent our most recent summer vacation in the small town of Harborton, Virginia. The town is nestled about halfway down the eastern Shore of Virginia, along the Puncoteague Creek as that waterway empties into the Chesapeake Bay. I rented a small house right on the creek, with its own dock and a couple of adirondack chairs looking westward toward the Chesapeake Bay. The location was ideal: it was quiet and peaceful, which I think we all needed at that time. 

As it turns out, the house was separated from other homes by fairly large stretches of green grass, weeds and other plants. However, in the midst of that green expanse, there was a small "island" of overgrowth. One could see the paths of the lawnmowers, revealing that this island was maintained intentionally. The greenery grew freely within its confines, eclipsing much but not all of what was inside. For instance, I could see a stone marker protuding out of the green bushes and weeds. I decided to check out that marker and whatever else might be hiding on that "island." 

When I reached the edge, I realized that the marker was really a monument memorializing the death of a person. While it commemorated an end of a life, the marker also serves as the beginning of a story. 

The Life and Death of Captain James E. Crockett

The "island" with the marker.

The monument marks the grave of James E. Crockett, the son of Asa and Susan Crockett. Upon closer inspection, the entire "island" is the Crockett family cemetary, with other headstones peering out from the undergrowth. After doing some research, I was able to confirm that James' parents, Asa and Susan Crockett, are buried on the "island," along with several other family members. Pictures of the tombstones taken in 2015 can be seen here and here. 

As for the story, it begins with Sampson Crockett, who was born on Tangier Island, Virginia in 1700. Sampson was the great, great grandfather of Asa Crockett. Asa was born in 1822, in the small town of Prospect Neck. The town is located in Accomack County, on Virginia's eastern shore, not too far from where Asa was buried. Asa grew up on the eastern shore, working as a sailor and eventually becoming a captain of his own vessel. He married Susan Turner (who was born in 1821 or 1822). Asa eventually purchased seven acres of land in 1852 along the Puncoteague Creek, which included the land where our vacation house was located (although that house had not been built until 1958), along with twelve additional acres down the road. Together, that land formed the Crockett farm. 

Ten years later, in 1862, James Crockett was born to Asa and Susan Crockett. James followed in his father's footsteps, becoming a sailor and, by the age of 32, the captain of the schooner Frank Cassidy. A schooner is a sailing ship with at least two or three masts that could be used for various purposes, such as fishing or transporting goods. There is at least one written account of what Captain James Crockett and the Frank Cassidy did. It appeared in a local newspaper, Peninsula Enterprise, where it was reported that the schooner and its captain were planning to take "sweet and Irish potatoes" from Harborton, Virginia to Baltimore, Maryland. It seems likely that Captain Crockett and the crew of the Frank Cassidy were part of a network transporting goods up and down the Chesapeake Bay.

An example of a schooner (Source: Library of Congress)

Four years after that report, Captain Crockett made the news again on October 25, 1898. His vessel was anchored near Swan Point, which is along the shores of the Potomac River across from Colonial Beach, Virginia. The news went beyond the mundane of what was going where, to a much darker place.  

On the morning of October 25th, Captain James Crockett called upon the ship's cook, an African-American man named "Bob." The cook had recently joined the crew of the Frank Cassidy after his  release from a Maryland penitentiary. (Like his last name, Bob's crime and punishment are not known.) Captain Crockett ordered Bob to prepare breakfast. Bob went into the galley and prepared the meal, although it apparently took some time to complete. When Bob returned with breakfast, Captain Crockett took issue with the cook's tardiness.  A verbal altercation erupted between the Captain and the Cook, with the latter cursing at the Captain. Bob walked away and went to the galley. The cook returned with a gun and shot Captain James Crockett dead on the spot. Hearing the gunshot, the first mate, George Sturgis came to Captain Crockett's aid. However, Bob also shot Sturgis, grieviously wounding him. Other crew members ran to the scene; in the chaos that developed, Bob allegedly jumped overboard into the Potomac River. Bob did not know how to swim and he drowned.

Immediately thereafter, the remaining crew of the Frank Cassidy transported gravely-stricken Sturgis to nearby Colonial Beach, Virginia. They took Sturgis to Dr. J.W. Elsam, who began to tend to the first mate's wounds. Dr. Elsam ultimately determined that Sturgis needed to be transported to Washington, D.C. where there were better facilities. The crew and the doctor placed Sturgis on a steamer headed to Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, Sturgis did not survive the trip.  

As for their captain, the Frank Cassidy crew returned his body to the Crockett family, sailing the schooner down the Chesapeake Bay, into the Puncoteague Creek and all the way to Harborton, Virginia. Both Asa and and Susan were still alive (ages 76 and 74 respectively), along with some of James's siblings. Newspapers recounted at the time of ceremonies in connection with laying the body of James Crockett to rest. The grave was dug at the Crockett family farm, and the stone marker was put in place. That marker continues to be a reminder 127 years later of the life and death of Captain Crockett. 

The Puncoteague Creek, looking toward the Chesapeake Bay at sunset.

As for his parents, they lived on. Susan Crockett died suddently at her home just two years later in 1891. Asa Crockett died at age 85 in 1907, leaving behind his remaining children -- three sons (Captain B.F. Crockett of Onancock, VA; John Crockett of Newport News, VA; and Joseph Crockett of Mobile, Alabama) and three daughters.  After his death, the Crockett family farm was sold off to Charles E. Nichols (who owned it until at least 1961, if not later). And, for the most part, the rest is history. 

That Last Breakfast

Yet, there remains the issue of that last breakfast. The meal that led to Captain James Crockett's death. As I researched the Crocketts, I was -- and still am -- intrigued as to that very small aspect of the overall story. The actual contents of the meal were lost in memory and history within minutes of the violence aboard the Frank Cassidy. Any recreation of that meal would be an academic exercise.

Nevertheless, I decided to research the rather esoteric issue of what was served as breakfast on a schooner in 1898. My search led me to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, and, in particular, to a bell made in 1882 or 1883 (pictured to the right). It is a bell used by George W. Scott, a cook aboard a fishing schooner Ocean King that ran out of Glouchester, Massachusetts in the late nineteenth century. The Ocean King went out into the Atlantic Ocean around the same time that the Frank Cassidy was sailing up and down the Chesapeake Bay. 

The National Museum of American History provided the context that would help me in my search. A cook on a schooner was responsible for the provisions. Scott kept a record of the provisions he acquired for a four-month journey: 5 barrels of beef, 1 barrel pork, 1 barrel hams, 10 barrels flour, 50 gallons molasses, 15 bushels of potatoes and 200 pounds of butter. All of that food went toward the production of three meals per day. Breakfast consisted of items such as pancakes, potatoes and/or porridge. The second meal, dinner, consisted of a protein, usually meat or fish, served with a soup, baked beans, and bread or biscuits. The last meal of the day could have been just the leftovers. Each meal was announced by the ringing of a bell. 

I had thoughts of trying to re-create Captain Crockett's last meal ringing in my head for days and weeks after our vacation. The Frank Cassidy most likely carried some of the provisions found on the Ocean King. Yet, posting a recipe about pancakes, potatoes, or porridge did not seem to be a fitting ending to a story that led to the death of three people, Captain Crockett, first mate Sturgis and Bob.

A more fitting ending is the recognition that history can live on, as long as there are people interested in learning it and willing to retell it (as accurately as possible). 

PEACE. 

Around the World in 80 Dishes: South Africa

I have gotten to where I am in life not because of something I brought to the world but through something I found - the wealth of African culture. 

-- Hugh Masakela 

When reading these words, they sound like the notes emanating from the trump of the famous South African jazz musician. "The Father of South African jazz, Masakela was known for his anti-apartheid songs, such as Soweto Blues and Bring Him Back Home." His music encouraged and inspired South Africans in their struggle to end the racist system of apartheid. That struggle eventually prevailed on May 4, 1990, when an agreement was reached to establish a democratic government -- of all the people and by all of the people -- by 1994. And, in that year, South Africa held its first fully democratic election, in which the Rainbow Nation (a term originated with Archbishop Desmond Tutu) elected Nelson Mandela as its first black President.

South Africa has always interested me, as it represents one of the best examples of how a diverse people can tear down a racist system and replace it with one based on equality and freedom. To be sure, South Africa has its issues, particularly economic issues which have perpetuated and, in some respects, worsened the economic divides amongst its people. But, there is a wealth of South African culture, one that transcends dollars and cents, or Rands. One that is truly invaluable.

My Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge invites me to learn more about this wealth. The Rainbow Nation, South Africa, is truly a diverse one, as evidenced by the fact that it has eleven official languages (Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, Xhosa, Xitsonga and Zulu). This diversity presents a lot of potential dishes for a main course. There are, of course, many dishes from the various African nations who live in South Africa, along with dishes from other significant ethnic groups, such as curry dishes from India and Malaysia, who were brought or made their way during the colonial period. And, there are, of course, the dishes of the colonizers themselves, such as the English and the Afrikaans. There are so many options that it took a very long time to decide. And, in the end, the decision was made not by myself but, interestingly enough, by Chef Gordon Ramsay. 

While I was preparing a meal one afternoon, I happened to have Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted on the television in the background. The show chronicles Chef Ramsay's travels to various parts of the world, where he spends a week learning about the people, their culture, and their food, all tied together by a challenge to prepare a meal at the end. This particular episode followed Chef Ramsay as he learned about South African cuisine in the KwaZulu-Natal province, with a particular emphasis on the Zulu cuisine, but a recognition of other influences. He prepared a whole fish on the braai, learned how to make Ushatini and Chakalaka, and discovered the importance of pelepele or piri piri. 

Ramsay's adventures provided a roadmap for this particular challenge. I am going to make the principal dishes from that Uncharted show: whole fish on the Braai, which will satisfy the challenge, along with the sides of ushatini and chakalaka. I will even make pelepele (or peri peri).   

MAIN DISH

For the culinary challenge, I prepared a whole fish for the braai. Gordon Ramsay's preparation of this dish was very simple, basically just some salt on the fish before placing it on the grill. My recipe involves a little more preparation and ingredients. 

WHOLE FISH ON THE BRAAI

Recipe from Fish Wife

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 whole fish (such as Red Roman, red snapper)
• 1 red onion
• 1 handful of cilantro
• 2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced chiles
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 lemon

Directions:

1. Prepare the fish. Score both sides of the fish.  Chop the red onion and the cilantro and stuff into the cavity of the fish. Grate some lemon rind and add to the cavity. Mix together the garlic, chiles, ginger and soy sauce. Spread one-half of the sauce over both sides of the fish. Keep the remaining half for basting the fish. Place the fish on a fish basket that can be flipped.

2. Grill the fish. Heat a charcoal or gas grill over high heat. Cook the fish over the heat for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping over 3 to 5 minutes. Using a basting brush, paint the fish with the marinade with every flip. When the fish is done, remove from the heat and allow to rest for a few minutes. 

SIDE DISH

Chakalaka is a South African side dish that is often served with the braai. Its origins lie in the townships around Johnannesberg, where Mozambican mineworkers lived and worked. These mineworkers would combine tinned food, like beans and tomatoes, with chiles to create a dish that they could eat with pap (porridge). Chakalaka represents an effort to take something that was brought to the region by colonialists (tinned food) and making it into something indigenous. 

CHAKALAKA

Recipe from Cooking Channel

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 green Thai Bird's eye chiles, seeded and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 ounces ginger, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 5 large carrots, scrubbed, topped, tailed and grated
• 14 ounces canned chopped tomatoes
• 12 ounces tomato paste
• 14 ounces canned baked beans
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper 

Directions:

1. Saute ingredients. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions until soft and translucent. Add the chiles, garlic and half of the ginger (reserve the other half to add right at the end). Add the curry powder and stir to combine. Add the bell peppers and cook for another two minutes. Add the carrots and stir to make sure they are well combined with the other ingredients and coated in the curry powder. Add in the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir. Cook until the mixture is well combined and slightly thickened, about 5 to 10 minutes. 

2. Finish the dish. Remove from the heat and add the baked beans, thyme and remaining ginger. Stir to combine; season with salt and pepper. Serve hot or cold. 

RELISH

Ushatini is a South African version of a salad or relish that I have seen around the world. In the Americas, it resembles salsa or pico de gallo, with tomatoes, onions and chiles. In the Middle East, it is halfway to a salad e-shirazi (all it needs is cucumbers). Yet, ushatini is South African with its use of the piri-piri chiles (or, in my case, Thai green chiles). It is a great accompaniment to the Braai, as it should be spooned over the grilled meat or seafood.  

USHATINI

Recipe from Cookpad

Ingredients:

• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 big tomatoes, diced
• 3 chiles, minced
• Vinegar, to taste
• Salt, to taste 

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. 

CONDIMENT

The final part of the Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge involves the preparation of peri-peri sauce, or what was referred to in Uncharted as "pele pele" sauce. This condiment was made possible by the Portuguese, who brought chiles to South Africa (as they did around the world), which served as the basis for the sauce. This is a very spicy sauce given the types of chiles used. 

SOUTH AFRICAN PERI PERI

Recipe from African Bites

Ingredients:

• 10 hot chiles (habanero, scotch bonnet or Thai chiles)
• 1 medium onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons bouillon powder or Maggi cubes
• 2 basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 1-3 roma tomatoes
• 1/2 to 1 cup vegetable oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper 

Directions:

1. Prepare the sauce. Coarsely chop the tomatoes and onions and discard the pepper stems. Then puree the tomatoes, onions, garlic, pepper, parsley, basil, and bouillon powder in a food processor with as much oil as needed to make a thick-ish puree. 

2. "Cook" the sauce. Pour the pepper mixture into a small saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and slowly simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Adjust seasoning with salts.

 3. Finish the dish. Let it cool, pour into a mason jar or a container with a lid, and store it in a fridge for up to a week. For the pepper sauce to last longer, fully cover it with oil. 

*     *     *

In the end, I think these dishes turned out well, even if they may not have reached the standards of either Gordon Ramsey or his hosts when he visited South Africa. The dishes enabled me to participate in an endeavor to learn more about South African cuisine, especially the dishes of the indigenous peoples. This challenge was a success and motivates me to my next one. Stay tuned for more....

PEACE.