Mount Pleasant Magazine Jan/Feb 2015

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While the
wintery
months of-
ten conjure
up images
of hot choc-
olate by the
fire, here in Mount Pleasant, there’s
a distinctly Southern tradition that’s
equally savored: oyster roasts. Many
are happy to ignore the cold winter air
in exchange for the chance to sidle up
to a table laden with freshly steamed
oysters. If you fall into this category,
you might be interested in the tools
and know-how you’ll need to host
your own oyster roast and perhaps
start a tradition of your own.
Rial Fitch of Mount Pleasant
Seafood confirmed the popularity of
winter roasts.
“People in this area associate cold
weather with oysters. Oyster season in
the Charleston area is generally Octo-
ber through April. Typically, the busiest
months are December, January and
February. It’s cold, it’s party time and
the oysters are fatter when the water is
cold,” he said.
The requirements for an oyster roast
are pretty simple – oysters, a place to
cook them and a place to eat them.
Getting your hands on some oysters
is relatively easy and surprisingly inex-
pensive. A bushel of fresh cluster oysters
from McClellanville, enough to feed
four to seven adults, recently was going
for $32 at Mount Pleasant Seafood.
The local business also offers Beaufort
oysters and singles from other areas.
Be forewarned that your oysters will
need some TLC once you pick them up.
Fitch explained: “Clusters are not
washed very well. They’ve been washed
one time, but they need to be washed
again. You can do it by putting them
in a laundry basket. Some people put
them on the driveway and simply rinse
them off with a hose.”
After that, it’s cooking time. There
Host
Your
Own
Roast
It’s Oyster seasOn
In the LOwcOuntry
Story by Courtney Davis O’Leary.
66
While you need
an oyster knife to
keep your fingers
from getting cut
up, a glove is
optional; you can
use a rag.