Evelyn Reynolds

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    Where to Buy Fresh Oysters Online That Ship Nationwide

    If you’re lucky enough to live near the coast, finding quality oysters locally these days isn’t hard to do. But for those in the inner, land-locked states, getting quality oysters can be more of a hassle. Or maybe you’re a true oyster fanatic and want to try out the offerings from the best shellfish from around coastal United States. Luckily, you can buy oysters online from chef-approved producers that ship nationwide. Here are some of our favorite places to buy oysters online, and might we suggest making this recipe for grilled oysters with spicy nduja butter. The Best Oyster Purveyors Across the Country That Ship Nationwide1. Rappahannock Oyster CompanyTaste the merroir (like terroir, but from the sea) of the Chesapeake Bay in flavor profiles from sweet to super briny. Order for a buck a shuck in quantities of 25–100, plus shipping.Learn More2. Fishers Island Oyster FarmRaised from spawn in the Long Island Sound, these firm, springy treats are also known for their perfect teardrop shape. Share a box of 100 for $125, including shipping to the Northeast.Learn More3. Murder Point OystersThese Alabama shuckers are the same species common to the East Coast, but the Gulf of Mexico’s warm waters make them famously plump and buttery. Get a 100-oyster bag for $135, plus shipping.Learn More4. Hog Island Oyster Co.Farmed in Tomales Bay, the spot most associated with quality Pacific oysters on the California coast. Choose from four types, available in 60-oyster bags for $105-$125, plus shipping.Learn More5. Hama HamaGrown from wild Pacific larvae in Washington’s Hood Canal and Puget Sound. Go big with a party-ready 10-dozen bag of easy-shucking Blue Pool oysters for $180, including shipping.Learn MoreFor access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube! More

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    The New Snack Down: Meet the Food and Drink Trends of 2022

    Say goodbye to whipped coffee and banana bread, and hello to the latest food and drink trends of 2022. The future of our pantry shelves are good for you and the environment. Ryan Andrews, RD, principal nutritionist and adviser at Precision Nutrition says he sees a pull toward more sustainability in our food practices and our choices overall, from pasture-raised animal products to eco-friendly packaging. Meanwhile, thanks to a year of waking up to health reminders, Robin Foroutan, RDN, integrative medicine dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says we’re also putting our well-being at the top of the grocery list. Here are the food trends blowing up—and the best ways to taste them.

    Earth-Friendly Upcycling
    The World Food Program World Food Programestimates that one-third of the planet’s food is lost or wasted every year. (The average American trashes 20 pounds each month.) Andrews says a new wave of forward-thinking snack brands are upcycling undesirable and leftover food byproducts into irresistible munchies. For example, addictingly crunchy ReGrained Super-grain+ Puffs are made from the spent grain of brewed beer.
    [$20, 5-pack; regrained.com]
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    Legumes Reimagined
    First kimchi was all the rage, now good ol’ reliable beans are joining the alternative snacks party. “Legumes are sustainable, health-promoting and tasty,” says Andrews. Plus they’re part of another major movement: plant-based eating. Fiber and protein keep you full longer, while powerful nutrients ward off disease. Brami’s pickled lupini beans have 50 percent more protein than chickpeas and 80 percent fewer calories than almonds.
    [$17, 4-pack; bramisnacks.com]
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    Punchy Spice Blends
    Herbs and spices will take you to Flavortown without torching your taste buds like some hot sauces can. Bonus: Most of these blends are packed with disease-fighting antioxidants, says Foroutan. A big trend for 2021 is artisanal fusions. Try Asian-influenced umami mixes. Or Mexican-inspired adobo spices, like SpiceWalla Al Pastor Rub, in which ancho and guajillo chilli powder lend a slow burn that’s mellowed by pineapple and citrus.
    [$11; spicewallabrand.com]
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    Diversified Grains, Seeds and Greens
    Go all-in on trendy whole grains like teff, spelt and sorghum; seeds like chia and sunflower; and while you’re at it, swap kale for collards. To achieve variety that yields superfood levels of vitamins and minerals, reach for Go Raw’s Sprouted Organic Mixed Seeds. The pumpkin, sunflower and watermelon seed medley is nutrient-dense due to the sprouted germination process, which breaks down some starch.
    [$80, 6-pack; goraw.com]
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    Premium Coffee
    Prioritize fair-trade beans; they’ve met standards that help the environment and ensure workers are treated well and paid fairly. Also, expect to see more coffee products mixed with adaptogens—plant compounds thought to armor the body against biological and physical stressors. Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee boasts ashwagandha, chaga mushroom and more adaptogenic ingredients known to lower stress and spike immunity.
    [$20; foursigmatic.com]
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    How to Make Grilled Oysters With Nduja Butter

    Oysters are rich in zinc and amino acids that boost sex hormones, but science doubts they’re a true aphrodisiac. They sure set the mood, though. Having a backyard oyster feast? Save some to toss on the grill and earn points with this gourmet-but-simple treatment: grilled oysters with nduja butter.Not sure what nduja is? No sweat. It’s a spicy, spreadable Italian salumi that’s made with pork, fat, herbs, spices, and Calabrian chillies. It just so happens to be this recipe’s secret weapon, so don’t skip it! You can find it available at many gourmet shops or online. It also pairs beautifully with scallops, so it can do double duty in flavoring more than one seafood element.Before you attempt grilled oysters, make sure you know how to properly suck one with our foolproof four-step guide from Florida shucking champ Robert Daffin. Gain some knowledge about the comeback of gourmet Chesapeak Bay oysters from our profile of Rappahannock Oyster Company.Recipe provided by chef Dylan Allwood of Tavola restaurant in Charlottesville, VA.How to Make Grilled Oysters With Nduja ButterFor access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!Ingredients8 oz. unsalted butter, softened2 oz. nduja*Sea salt to taste1 Tbsp. olive oil1½ oz. panko bread crumbs16 oysters, shucked on the half shell2 chives, thinly slicedHow to make itPreheat grill to 450°F. Blend butter with nduja until well combined and season with sea salt.Heat olive oil in skillet on medium heat and toast bread crumbs until golden brown. Remove from heat.Scoop 2 tsp. butter mixture on top of each oyster. Arrange in a single layer on grill, cover and cook until hot and bubbly, about 5 minutes.Remove from grill. Garnish with bread crumbs and chives and serve warm. More

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    The Best Portable Grills for Barbecuing Outdoors Like a Pro

    One of the most satisfying rituals of being in the outdoors is scouring the woods for downed branches and logs to build a fire. Flames that you brought to life are then only naturally followed by grilling up a succulent meal, whether that’s on a skewer of charred veggies or a few links of split-open sausages. But making a fire to cook up some vittles is sometimes tough to manage—the forest may have already been cleaned of fallen wood, you’re in a parking lot after a long day of skiing, or camping in area where open fires are strictly forbidden. That’s where portable grills come in handy.

     
    Portable grills can mean the difference between a ho-hum bagged meal rehydrated with boiled water and a meal of flame-licked meats, starches, and veggies. Whether fueled by wood, charcoal, or gas, we tested the top portable grills for outdoor lovers, from super slim, packable options to big, rowdy cookers that can satisfy a crowd.

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    1. Primus Kuchoma
    This handsome, lightweight propane-powered grill has modern Scandinavian design cues like a wood-faced handle, stainless steel folding legs, and boxy lid with triangular vent holes. The 16×9-inch grilling surface is made from a non-stick ceramic and rests over a stainless drip tray, both easily removable for washing. An integrated Piezo ignitor blasts off a powerful 8,500 Btus of indirect, hot dog-roasting heat.[$190; primus.us]
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    2. Solo Stove Grill
    Solo Stove has mastered building fire pits that use managed air flow for efficient burning of combustibles like wood and charcoal. Its beefy new grill brings that design to a cheeseburger near you in a sleek stainless steel drum-like form that rests on a 13-inch high aluminum frame. It’s a fairly big unit, with a generous 480 square inches of circular grilling area, so is ideally suited for outings like group camping or tailgating. The kit comes with grilling tools, heavy-duty cover, carrying case, plus 4 pounds of briquettes and four fire starters.[$775; solostove.com]
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    3. Snow Peak Takibi Fire & Grill
    Crafted out of solid and sturdy stainless steel, the Takibi grill is an investment you’ll end up owning for years. The fold-up design makes stowing and deploying this mighty mite a cinch, and the strategically placed air holes and bottom vent create the optimum environment for efficiently burning your fuel, whether wood or charcoal. The burly mesh grill grate—with 290 square inches of cooking area—has adjustable legs to maximum heat levels for ultimate grilling goodness.[$320; snowpeak.com]
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    4. UCO Flatpack Grill & Firepit
    This is the grill you’ll want to pack for any trips where light and versatile are the key words. It only weighs slightly over 3 pounds and folds down to the size of a thin three-ring binder, making it easy to slip in a pack or leave in the back of your truck for impromptu burger sessions, or any on-the-go fire pit opportunities. The durable stainless steel grill is a bit small though, as it only gives you 130 square inches of grill space, and the grate is a little flimsy, but it’s the perfect solution for two- or three-man trips into the backcountry.[$50; ucogear.com]
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    5. NomadiQ Portable Gas Grill
    The clever, folding suitcase-like design of this propane grill makes deploying it up in front of BBQ buddies a neat trick. Even cooler are all of the trick features like integrated electronic ignitor, cast iron grill grates that give you 226 square inches of cooking room, and almost 10,000 Btus of flame power. Made from powder-coated steel, with stainless burners, the NomadiQ is a bit heavy at 12 pounds but the included carrying strap helps manage the load.[$400; nomadiqgrills.com]
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    6. HitchFire Forge 15
    One annoying thing about toting along your grill when out and about in the outdoors is that inevitably, after a few grill-downs, your trusty appliance will become coated with grease. Which is not something you want to toss in your rig. But with the HitchFire, you get portability outside of your vehicle, plus the convenience of having a swing-out grill that’s ready to go and at a back-friendly, waist height. It uses two of the green 1-pound propane camping propane canisters that nestle neatly under each side, and the grill is removable so you can use it on a picnic tabletop.[$449; hitchfire.com]
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    All the Essentials You Need to Throw an Oyster Fest

    It’s believed oysters have been around for roughly 200 million years ago. No doubt the first Paleolithic oyster fest was low on modern niceties like linen napkins and silver oyster spoons, but you don’t need anything fancy to turn your own shellfish fest into a success. Just make sure you have a few simple essentials like we’ve outlined below on hand to satisfy any hungry mollusk lovers who show up. Tried-and-True Oyster Fest Essentials1. Oyster KnivesRaw bar shuckers wield cheap ones, so they’re good enough for you—but yes, get the tool designed for the job, not a butter knife. And get several so you’re not stuck shucking by yourself. Use our foolproof guide on how to shuck oysters.2. PlattersDisplay your half-shell beauties for that raw bar vibe. Any rimmed platter that holds ice works; vintage beer trays make a statement, but cooler lids will do in a pinch.3. IceThis is a non-negotiable for keeping oysters chilled and creating an authentic presentation. You need crushed ice—and lots of it. Grab double what you think you need, then a bit more.4. CondimentsLemon wedges, cocktail sauce, and because you’re a class act, mix champagne vinegar with minced shallots and black pepper for a zingy mignonette.5. CrackersYes, eating an oyster atop a saltine is a rookie move. But be nice to newbies, too, especially if they brought good beer.For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube! More

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    Should You Only Eat Oysters in Months With an 'R'?

    You’ve probably heard the ages-old rule about eating raw oysters only in months that include the letter “R.” In other words, don’t consume them in the summer, no matter how many seafood shacks you might frequent. We call bullshit. Not that the caution didn’t make sense way back in the day, when lack of refrigeration meant that slurping raw oysters, quick to spoil in summer heat, was like playing shellfish roulette. Nowadays, oysters are kept icy cold and alive all the way from the water to your local raw bar, or doorstep.Red tide? Toxic algae? Yes, these occur more often in summer’s warming waters, but the United States is so strict about quality inspections that oysters aren’t imported from the European Union because it has less strict guidelines.Another previously relevant factor was that wild oysters spawn in warmer waters, a process that leaves them flimsy and rank. (Maybe you can relate.) Today’s farmed oysters are largely bred as sterile triploids that never reproduce. So forget about only eating oysters in months with an ‘r’. As long as you’re not ordering a wild-harvested oyster from warmer waters, there’s no issue. Pass the lemon wedge.For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube! More

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    The Unique Health Benefits of Every Type of Milk

    Dairy gets put in the hot seat every other month it seems. One good thing to come from all the attention, though, is that companies have scrambled to come up with dairy milk alternatives that meet consumers’ demands, whether it’s “milk” that’s lower in calories, free of lactose, void of stomach-curdling proteins, or something else […] More