Oysters and Grouper Cheeks

Yesterday during our weekly tennis match with the Chow men, my husband started talking about Oysters. Random, yes, but it reminded me of a recent trip to Panama City Beach. The coldest, sweetest, biggest Oysters I have ever had were at the Acme Oyster Bar in New Orleans. But on my last trip to PCB, my client and friend Susan Ester and her husband Alan showed me that Panhandle oysters are as delish.

The village of St. Andrews reminds me of some of the Maine towns I visited last summer. And the restaurant, The Captain's Table, is a snapshot of life on the water. We shared great conversation, cold beers and fresh raw oysters topped with horseradish and cocktail sauce. Then, the talk turned to the main meal, to which Alan decided to be adventurous and try grouper cheeks. This, being a food I have never heard of, I was wary. But then Susan decided to try it too. The pressure, I thought. After a few agonizing moments, I succumbed to the "When in Rome" theory. And so glad I did.

While the thought of eating a grouper's chunky little cheeks makes me uncomfortable, the moist white nuggets are delicious. I tried not to count how many groupers' cheeks I actually ate, because my visual artist side would then picture these fish swimming around the sea without their cheeks. A warped post I realize. But sometimes the truth is a bit off center. 

Thanks for a great time, Susan and Alan!