Oysters: A Celebration in the Raw

For centuries, oysters have had the power to sustain and delight, inspiring writers and artists, lowly cooks and four-star chefs, laborers and gourmands, and everyone in between. A feast for the eyes and the palate oysters also are rich in history and lore. In Oysters: A Celebration in the Raw, Marion Lear Swaybill presents a wide-ranging visual exploration of this iconic shellfish, including stunning portraits of more than fifty oyster varietals, the latest photographs from some of the country's most renowned and beautiful oyster farms, and notable illustrations of oysters in the arts and culture, all alongside a lively and informative text. Acclaimed chef and restaurateur Jeremy Sewall provides personal insights, drawing on his New England lineage and his stature in the forefront of the current oyster revival. Oysters: A Celebration in the Raw is true to its title from start to finish. Chapter One is a primer on all things oyster. Chapter Two introduces readers to legendary oystermen and women from around the country. Chapter Three offers exquisite photographs of more than fifty varieties of North American oysters, along with flavor profiles and "merroir." Oysters: A Celebration in the Raw concludes with highlights from the oyster timeline, depictions of oysters in art through the ages and stories of oysters as aphrodisiacs, and parses oyster myths and metaphors. The book also features an oyster glossary and resource list. It is the only book of its kind--a definitive visual companion to this iconic, much loved mollusk. Overflowing with gorgeous original photography and fascinating anecdotes, Oysters: A Celebration in the Raw is the perfect book for oyster aficionados and newbies, foodies and chefs of all stripes, lovers of photography and art, the environment, history, and the sea.

About the Author :
Marion Lear Swaybill is an Emmy award-winning television producer, writer, and pioneering media executive. As Director of Program Acquisitions at PBS station WNET, (1981-1989), Swaybill was on the cutting edge of the food-on-television revolution, introducing New York public television audiences to luminary chefs including Madhur Jaffrey, Lidia Bastianach, Martin Yan, Jacques Pepin, Britain's memorable Two Fat Ladies and many others. A cook as well as a writer, her recipes have appeared in the Great Cooks Guide series (Random House) and New England's Sound Magazine. Jeremy Sewall is an award-winning chef and restaurateur based in Boston and two-time James Beard Award nominee. Trained at the Culinary Institute of America, he has cooked in kitchens around the globe, focusing on seasonal ingredients and his New England food heritage. His restaurants Lineage, Eastern Standard, Island Creek Oyster Bar, and Row 34 have received accolades from New York Times, Esquire, Gourmet and The Boston Globe, among others. Scott Snider is an award-winning natural history filmmaker whose work takes him around the world as an accomplished underwater, long lens, and macro cinematographer. Scott has over 45 major credits for National Geographic, PBS Nature, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, the National Park Service and others. He is the founder of Half Moon Productions, a film and photography studio based in Charleston, South Carolina.

Review :
AWARDS 2016 Holiday gift guide selection -- Mic 2016 Holiday gift guide selection -- Parade 2016 Address gift guide selection-- The Boston Guide 2016 Holiday gift guide selection -- Foster's Daily Democrat PRAISE FOR OYSTERS "Oysters are back, and luckily writer Marion Lear Swaybill and Chef Jeremy Sewall are here to celebrate one of the few food groups chefs are happy to leave alone, knowing they are best eaten cold and raw"--Eli Zabar, New York's neighborhood grocer Reveals everything you wanted to know about the shellfish.--The New York Times If you know someone who considers the world their oyster, is obsessed with seafood or other aphrodisiacs, this book is for them. --Parade Chef Jeremy Sewall and journalist Marion Lear Swaybill present historical anecdotes and plenty of quotable factoids, plus information on growing cycles and growers, and tasting notes on 54 varieties. --The Wall Street Journal A beautiful volume featuring oysters as art, along with descriptions of how different oysters are raised, how they taste, as well as suggestions for serving them at home. --Forbes Features pretty portraits of oysters and oyster farms, plus briefings on bivalve prep.--The Boston Globe If oysters are an aphrodisiac, let this beautiful book speak volumes. -- Mic Gorgeous oyster centerfolds. -- Tasting Table "One can only say, 'About time!' It is a delight to have a book that treats this beloved mollusk from every possible standpoint. It is at once a field guide and an eater's companion, an entertaining romp, and a cookbook for those who like it raw. We've long been awaiting a volume such as this. The marvelous photographic gallery, revealing the character of each of dozens of oyster varieties, would by itself be enough, but this is ever so much more. Truly a pearl." -- Nach Waxman, Founding Partner of Kitchen Arts & Letters "Marion Lear Swaybill wanted to make an ode to oysters that was as much a guidebook as an art book celebrating their inherent beauty. With Boston chef Jeremy Sewall, she wrote Oysters: A Celebration in the Raw ... They worked with dozens of oysters farmers and photographer Scott Snider to produce a beautiful yet compact ode to more than 50 varietals and the history, lore, art and science behind them.--Food Matters, Austin American Statesman "Though many have a fondness for oysters, Chef Jeremy Sewall and writer Marion Lear Swaybill gush with an outright passion in this love letter to the beloved bivalve. Jeremy, an expert taster and professional oyster pusher, offers up a range of mouth-watering descriptions while Marion puts forth a solid primer covering everything from the rich history of oyster culture in this country to notes on how to identify certain species and, more importantly, how to open and enjoy them. If you've been on the hunt for a book that thoughtfully covers all things oyster, you're in good hands."-- Erin Byers Murray, author of Shucked: Life on a New England Oyster Farm Then comes the main course: 100 pages of close-up photography. Dozens of opened oysters get the treatment, which consists of two large photos that focus on the swirls, ridges and gooey guts of the interior, as well as the beautiful and intricate patterns of the outer shell. Wildlife cinematographer Scott Snider shoots them all stunningly against a black background, giving them the eerie appearance of mollusks lost in space."--Publishers Weekly "The authors' deep love and knowledge and the incredible photography casts the oyster in an even more beguiling light. It's truly a work of passion and art."--Barton Seaver, author of the best-selling For Cod and Country: Simple, Delicious, Sustainable Cooking "If you love eating oysters but know little about all the various East Coast, Gulf Coast and West Coast varieties, then we've got a handy reference for you ... Oysters: A Celebration in the Raw is a primer on everything you need to know about these ambrosial bivalves...you'll find more than 200 pages brimming with beautifully photographed oysters, their origins and flavor profiles, as well as helpful insights on the history and current revival of oyster farming in America."--Food Republic A gorgeous look at this popular and delicate mollusk, from decadent history, to modern oyster farming, to many varieties and their unique properties.--Omnivoracious I have to admit that I am not an oyster enthusiast and couldn't imagine how you could have an entire book devoted to the subject. What a revelation! The book is not only a comprehensive encyclopedia of oysters but you've included the history and provenance as well as a look at the passionate people who are working to restore oysters to a sustainable place in American cuisine. Oysters may or may not be an aphrodisiac but they clearly inspire passion among its devotees."--Chris Fennimore, Producer/Host, QED Cooks, Pittsburgh Mollusk-lovers rejoice! Jeremy Sewall and Marion Lear Swaybill dive into the depths for an expansive exploration of the beloved bivalve.--Boston Chefs This is a good general reference book on oysters, just not for the home cook.--The Manhattan Book Review