This Restaurant Is Serving a S’mores-Oyster Mashup

Longer days and shorter nights are lastly right here, and the hotter climate is creeping in. Sure, my winter-weary pals, summer time is simply across the nook. And with all of the campfires we’ll get pleasure from as soon as we will really sit exterior, s’extra season can have lastly arrived.

However this yr, relatively than biting into the standard mixture of marshmallow, Hershey’s milk chocolate, and graham cracker, one seafood spot needs you strive one thing new. 

Fleet Touchdown, a seafood restaurant and uncooked bar in Charleston, South Carolina, not too long ago launched its new Sm’oyster, which it calls a “daring and surprising tackle the basic s’extra expertise.” Because the title implies, the dessert features a roasted oyster topped with chocolate, toasted marshmallow, and graham cracker crumble.

Though it is secure to say oyster s’mores aren’t trending on-line but, customers on social media have been experimenting with savory s’mores not too long ago. The snack usually includes toasting cheese over a fireplace, then sandwiching it with crackers and charcuterie.

This is not the primary time Fleet Touchdown has examined a candy shellfish creation. Chef Lucas Hanagriff, the uncooked bar supervisor of the restaurant, tells Meals & Wine that “in enthusiastic about what we might do particular or completely different, the considered a dessert oyster crept in. I had by no means seen or heard of such an idea in my restricted oyster consuming and analysis.” He explains that earlier this yr, he was impressed by an surprising deal with: Woman Scout Cookies. 

“A sure chocolate and mint cookie was left in my presence after hours, and whereas I loved one observing oyster shells, I questioned what a salty model could be like,” he jokes. “This led to our first dessert oyster: an oyster topped with crushed chocolate and mint cookie and vanilla bean whipped cream (or ice cream). It was good to get pleasure from, however I felt like one thing was lacking.”

Hanagriff notes that his group will get “loads of requests” for baked oysters Rockefeller. Nonetheless, working at a uncooked bar with no oven makes this a troublesome request to meet. Nonetheless, it acquired his wheels turning, and he thought, “What if we had a torch, like for crème brûlée, that we might use on an oyster? Smoked oysters are performed aplenty, so we handed on that choice. Effectively, the wheels continued to show, and as we had beforehand performed with a dessert oyster, the next ideas led to torching a marshmallow or one thing comparable.” 

And this shortly led the group to s’mores. 

“I began to examine brûléeing the fluff in entrance of the visitor, to carry a extra distinctive degree of service to such a small plate. Because it seems, the smells generated from roasting the marshmallow are likely to take the visitor on a tour that will get them smiling earlier than they even benefit from the oyster,” he shares. 

For those who’re skeptical about what this tastes like, Hanagriff says it is just like a saltier s’extra. And as anybody who’s ever tried salted chocolate will inform you, including an surprising contact of salinity will be extremely scrumptious.

“Very like salted caramel, the flavors work nicely collectively. We don’t use a daily marshmallow. We make a fluff from sugar, honey, and egg whites. Using honey actually helps carry out some flavors shared with the graham cracker, that are enriched within the torching course of.”

At first, Hanagriff says, most individuals have a look at the employees like they “have two heads once we inform them now we have a dessert oyster to supply.” He notes that that is truthful contemplating he is by no means seen a dessert oyster on a menu both. However in keeping with the oyster knowledgeable, the commonest response from those that do strive the deal with is often, “Why does that work?!”

If the candy aspect of shellfish is not fairly your factor, you may discover loads of different oyster improvements at Fleet Touchdown. The restaurant presents a secret menu — which now we have some uncommon perception into — that features choices like a caprese-style oyster, a coastal martini oyster topped with cucumber, mint, and gin, and even a Buffalo oyster with candied bacon, Buffalo sauce, wildflower scorching honey, and a sliver of celery as a garnish. For those who’re interested by making an attempt objects on the key menu, simply discuss to your server whereas visiting the restaurant.

The restaurant likes to provide you with artistic new methods to serve this ingredient, as a result of it is nonetheless all in regards to the oyster. As Hanagriff says, “God and mom nature already made the oyster excellent, so we wish to try to take that greatness to a different degree.”