When I was a kid my Mom used to, very rarely,

buy a pint of fresh oysters in their liquor,

to make the most memorable rich oyster stew.

I’ve never made it myself

but I can close my eyes and still bring back the sensory memories

of how it tasted..

all buttery and creamy.

From our feast of Steamed Garlic Leek Mussels,

I had a cup of mussels and 2 cups of the broth leftover.

The broth was already rich and buttery,

with the remnants of leek and garlic.

All I had to do was heat the broth,

stir in 1 cup cream and 1 cup milk.

I kept the temperature to just below simmer for about 5 minutes.

Seasoned with lots of freshly ground pepper

and a dash or 6 of tabasco sauce.

Returned the mussels to the pot to heat.

Mom used to serve it with saltine crackers,

which is part of my sensory memory.

I used to scrunch a handful of them into the bowl.

Rich, buttery, peppery with a hint of heat on my tongue…