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By Root 551 0

you can buy them shucked, which, for a small surcharge, you sometimes can. Ask your fish market. The first time I shucked oysters, I used a butter knife and the shucking was tedious, but totally doable. Shortly thereafter, my mother-in-law sent me a proper oyster shiv, short and sturdy, and that works much more efficiently. If you’re worried about gouging your palm while shucking, you can invest in an oyster glove. Choices range from a $5 rubber glove to a $140 mesh oyster glove imported from France.

Make it or buy it? Make it.

Hassle: Not that bad and your guests are so grateful.

Cost comparison: Up to $3.75 apiece in a restaurant; $1.00 at the local fish market, depending on season.

1. With or without a glove, here’s what you need to do: Standing over the sink, inspect the oysters carefully. They should all be tightly closed. If an oyster isn’t “clammed up” give it a hard tap. If it doesn’t close immediately, it is likely dead. Throw it away.

2. Scrub the oysters well with a brush. You’ll never get them spotless, but you want to eliminate loosely attached bits of dirt and grit.

3. If you’re not using a glove, drape your left hand with a towel to give yourself a firm grip on the oyster. When you look at an oyster, you’ll notice it has a flat top and cupped bottom. Place the oyster “cup” side down in your left hand. (You can switch hands, of course, if that’s more comfortable for you.) Wiggle the knife into the opening of the shell, trying to find the hinge. Take your time and don’t force it. Once you pry your way in a centimeter or two, twist the knife and the shell will pop open. Try to keep the liquid in the cup. Detach the meat from the shell with the knife and wipe away any obvious grit. Then put the oyster on the half shell on a platter. Repeat until the oysters are all shucked or you can’t stand it anymore.

4. Serve with mignonette (recipe follows).

MIGNONETTE

½ cup prosecco, Champagne, or white wine

½ cup white wine vinegar

2 shallots, finely chopped

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Mix everything together and serve with freshly shucked oysters.

Makes about 1 cup, enough for 10 dozen oysters

PIZZA

A competent pizzaiolo with a wood-burning oven that heats to 900 degrees F and cooks a pie in 90 seconds flat can make a better pizza than you can. If you have an authentic Neapolitan pizzeria in your area—and they are just about everywhere these days—give it your business. But it’s still fun to make pizza sometimes, especially if you have a baking stone. I thought a pizza peel—the wooden board with a long handle that you use to slide the pizza onto the stone—was silly, until I borrowed my sister’s. Now I covet one.

The cheese on a true Neapolitan pizza is always fresh mozzarella. But whether or not that’s what you use is entirely up to you. When I taught a sixth-grade cooking class once, I decided to bring in some cheap shredded mozzarella to show the girls the difference between fresh mozzarella—delicate and milky—and factory mozzarella—salty and rubbery. I had them taste the cheeses. To a girl, they preferred the factory mozzarella. They each got to make their own pizza and they fought over the last shreds. One poor girl was forced to use the dreaded fresh mozzarella on her pizza. She looked as if she was going to cry. This recipe calls for fresh mozzarella, but if you like salty, rubbery factory cheese, it’s your pizza.

Make it or buy it? Make it.

Hassle: Of course

Cost comparison: To make two 14-inch pizzas costs $15.50, including fuel to heat the oven. Two 14-inch pizzas bought carryout from Domino’s: $27.98.

DOUGH

1 tablespoon instant yeast

2 cups warm water (or whey from making yogurt)

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 tablespoon kosher salt

BAKING AND TOPPING

Cornmeal, for sprinkling

1 pound fresh mozzarella, homemade or store-bought, sliced

½ recipe marinara sauce, about 1¼ cups

Dried oregano and red pepper flakes, for sprinkling