Living in the Bay Area, we take many things for granted. For example, with the arrival of baseball season (Go Giants!) in early April, we expect warm spring weather filled with sunshine, blossoming flowers, and shorts & flip-flops. Food is another thing we take for granted. That is, we can get anything we want at just about any time (except for perhaps Rhubarb in winter). So it isn't surprising that one of San Francisco's first outdoor festivals of the calendar year is the annual Oyster and Beer Festival. What could be better than to welcome spring by slurping down a dozen fresh raw oysters and chasing them down with ice cold beers on a lazy Saturday afternoon?
There is something really wrong here when it is warmer in Bemidji, MN and Grand Forks, ND than it is in the Bay Are in early spring!
This year, our spring weather has been delayed by a series of storm systems that have pounded us with rain. In March, we had 27 days of rain and the forecast for April was more of the same. So when the Oyster Fest weekend arrived, I anticipated a rainout. Our friend Jenny, who lived within a short walk of Fort Mason where Oyster Fest was being held, organized a pre Oyster Fest brunch at her house and prepared a delicious brunch with her boyfriend, Charles. After brunch, with raincoats and umbrellas in hand, we headed to the Oyster Fest. The weather turned out to be good. As the morning turned to afternoon, the sun broke out of the clouds and brought with it more people to the festival. I think I even saw a fair number of people in shorts and flip-flops... crazy Californians!
As you can see, even though the sun was out, we were prepared for rain! Andrea's love for oysters is clearly visible here.
Jenny and Charles even made their own Champagne Vinegar Mignonnette sauce and brought it to the Oyster Fest. Wonder why Andrea is not in this picture?
Mmmm! Here is a raw pacific oyster with Jenny and Charles' Mignonnette sauce.
Even our friends from across the pond (UK), Fergal (with hat) and Simon, showed up for the Oyster and Beer Fest. Actually, they seem to show up for anything associated with "Beer". This is as happy as I have ever seen them.
Nico is describing here what had happened to him when he ate a bad oyster last year. Christina (turtle neck), Lucie (sunglasses) and Carol (hoodie) are having second thoughts about sharing another round of oysters. Doesn't Lucie (another Brit) look smashing with her fresh haircut?
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