Bonfire/OysterRoast/Deer Chili/ 2011 Kickoff /Throwdown

My only regret from New Year's Eve is that I didn't take a picture of good ole David the oyster man. 12/29: Anj calls up David, the Davis family oyster guy, places our NYE order for the bonfire/oyster roast/deer chili 2011 kickoff throw down @ the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Silas B.Davis.

12/30: David's a lil concerned cause his guys he usually gets the oysters from done up and gone on vacay with no warning. You know how oystermen ( I had "fishermen", but Anj said there's a big difference) do. 

Later that day: Ole David says not to fear. He's done found somebody in  Cedar Island - but......if they don't look good, he ain't buyin' em. If we don't hear from him though - no news is good news. Well....we didn't hear. 

12/31 - 3:00 p.m. - we stop by Davis General Store. Silas: "Well, Andrew. You talk to 'im bout the oysters?"

Anj: "Yeah." Silas: "Did ya?" Anj: "Yeah." Me: "Anj. I mean, damn, when are we gonna go pick 'em up? It's 3:00, and we gotta drive to Davidson to get 'em. Then you know there's gone be 8 million other things to do at your mama's house. People are gone be there at 7:30."

12/31 - 3:01 - Anj calls David. "Hey, this is Andrew. You got my oysters? He he. Good. We'll be up there shortly." There David was - snug as a bug in a rug in in front of his trailer/cooler roadside shop. Surrounded by Christmas trees and his little sea-net seashell embellished stand. You coulda looked at David and just known right off the bat - he had just driven over 6 hours to get some oysters off some boat from some random oysterman and then 6-7 more hours back to Mecklenburg County. He was not a man of false promises. Loved the ratty blue hat, and the oysterman's grin - not a care in the world...tannish, needin' a shave. He handed over two bushels of oysters - the last batch of which was delivered in a Blue Moon carton and that's how our NYE got started - with Good old Dave. See the magical memories made below... I hope yours was just grand as well.

 Nyyyyyep, every New Year's Eve that ends up worth even speakin of starts off with a good squirrel hunt...please observe the bros-n-law in hot pursuit of a menacing tree rat. Git 'im!

Sound I admittedly was previously unfamiliar with: the cheebitty cheebitty cheebitty groveling sound of a squirrel who's been hit, but ain't dead.

Paper and cardboard remnants of Christmas magic past = fire starters.

Pa Davis doin' somethin' clearly important.

I may have on a Carolina t-shirt under this here deer head embossed camo jacket, but I can burn me UP some flammables, now.

Hey gal, this is Silas. I know you're prolly on up in Raleigh, but I thought I'd give you a call and let you know we're 'bout to roast some oysters and burn up some Christmas trees.

Supper. Along with venison chili and sausage-tomato-onion (plus beans if you're an original Davis) soup.

Bubba. Bless his heart. Drooled allllllllll night for some scraps.

Gettin' ready....brang ON the salty sea-tastic aroma and goodness.

Steamin the oysters under a burlap bag.

Anj's NC Stizzle apron he got for a Christmas prize.

Note the runniness - naw, I won't eat that. No thanks. I did however, learn to love some of the over-cooked firm ones w/ a little TX Petey & a saltine. :)

Meanwhile, my naiiiisty husband happily slurps down the salty funk.

Step 2 - Add Texas Pete - not to be confused with 12 bottles of cocktail sauce. Or plain old tabasco sauce.

 

Lois Ellen's Christmas tree plus one Anj picked up off side of the road.

Light it up, brother.

Ahh.

More! More! More!

Super fantastic!

Whoo-hoo!