Shell Shucked on Salem Street

Mercato Del Mare (or the North End Fish Market) is a small fish shop tucked into a side street near Government Centre where, on Saturday of every week, the man on the street can learn how to brutally extract the fleshy goodness from a freshly caught oyster. For 75 cents an oyster and no extra charge anyone is free to join an oyster shucking class where a trained professional will talk you through, in thick Bostonese, the mechanics of knifing the oyster out of its shell.

Oysters are considered a delicacy the world over and Boston is lucky enough to be surrounded by seas rich with these delectable crustaceans. Throughout the shucking experience the guide talks the group through the various different types of oyster, how they are harvested and eventually end up on our table, what types of sauces or spices to cover your catch in… and various other pearls of wisdom.

Last Saturday there was a huge turnout and the groups were varied and interesting; many came to try their hand at shucking but stayed for the fresh fish on sale or the reasonably priced made to order sushi. We got talking to Emily from Ireland and Alfonzo from Mexico who, far from having shucked before, had hardly eaten an oyster before in their lives – though they both seemed pleasantly surprised.

Oysters aren’t for everyone; in fact on paper the oyster doesn’t look all that appealing whatsoever. The oyster has an almost overpoweringly briny taste with a bit of a fishy hint, the texture is both slimy and rubbery, it looks like something that could come out an unhealthy nose mid-February and to top it all off you don’t eat it, you tip your head back and let it slide down your throat. Though despite all these slightly negative attributes the oyster has found its slippery way into the hearts and minds of the culinary elite – and for that alone one must tip his hat to the oyster.

In Mercato del Mare blades are flashing and brine is flying as Emily and Alfonzo begin splitting shells. The cries of the experienced guide can be heard telling them to “dig the knife into the hinge, THE HINGE!” and “you’d wanna get the grit outta that thing before ya eat it” – everyone seems to be having a fantastic time of it.

Despite the ominous sounding taste, texture and appearance of the oyster you’ll never know what you think until you try one, and if you’re already a fan then these amazingly fresh and reasonably priced offerings can’t be missed. All this teamed with the action of wrestling the oyster from its shell with your own two hands has all the makings of a great afternoon out.