Seafood Fair Day!

I love my job.

I love my job.

Did I mention I love my job?

Today at work was the second day of Google's "Think Global, Catch Local" Seafood Fair. The courtyard outside my building teemed with speakers, signups for volunteer events, and most of all FOOD (with hungry Googlers bearing down voraciously).

Here we go, bear with me if you can:

Summertime Citrus Halibut Ceviche with Brioche Crouton and Micro Cilantro
Caught by Johnny Le on "The Le"

Fritto Misto! with Lemon Aioli, Romesco and Bagna Cauda
Anthony Russo and Steve Fritz
Monterey and Half Moon Bay

Local Dungeness Crab Louie W/ Lemon & Tabasco Condiments

Abalone Ceviche Shooter with a Mock Pineapple Mojito (the abalone was a little too tough for me but GET A LOAD OF THAT PRESENTATION!!)
Caught by Fisherman Doug Hayes on "the Adventure Boat"
Pillar Point Harbor, Half Moon Bay

Clam pizza from Pizza Politana (sounds like a bad double entendre, sorry!)

Vietnamese Crunchy Sand Dabs in Lettuce & Herb Wraps
Caught by Captain Steve Fitz F/V "Mr. Morgan"
Half Moon Bay

Miso and Tamarind Black Cod Lettuce Cups with Forbidden Rice, Pickled Vegetables, and Crispy Won-Ton (unbelievable!!! really light and delicately cooked)
Caught by Josh Churchman on the "Paulo"
Half Moon Bay

But perhaps the most revelatory moment for me was when I stopped by the Hog Island Oyster Co booth, fueled by a stubborn unwillingness to actively dislike any food I haven't tried about 80000 times. The first oyster I ever ate was at my old boss's 4th of July BBQ. Having an old man going "Eat this! Eat this!" without actually explaining to you what it was, and ending up with a mouthful of fishy, gluey oyster did not exactly leave a good impression.

Since then, I've eaten oysters once or twice, but have never seen what all the fuss was about. UNTIL TODAY. Turns out the guy working the booth was someone I went to high school with (and I definitely didn't remember, but he remembered me :/) and he instructed me to take one of the oysters, put a little bit of mignonette sauce on and a squeeze of lemon, then tip the oyster into my mouth and chew. And it was MAGNIFICENT. A rush of briny saltiness, the tartness of the lemon, the herbal mignonette sauce. I ate two before the awkwardness of the high-school encounter drove me away. But I could have eaten 20!! HA! Another picky food habit falls by the wayside. (But so help me God, I will never like bleu cheese.)

Aaannnddd finishing it off with a goat milk ice cream sandwich from Oakland's very own La-Loo's.

Today is the best day.