#taylor shellfish

These remarkable shellfish have been used in a number of dishes on Altura's menu, but their current incarnation is especially delicious. They appear on our tasting menu, paired with a cider-braised trotter, fried kale, and orange zest. 

"The oysters are cold smoked with applewood," explains Sous Chef Scott Klukas, "because the flavor complements the trotters which have been braised in a cider." 

First the oysters are shucked, and their liquor is saved for other projects like soups and gelée. Then they are arranged in a pan over ice and wrapped in airtight plastic.

The smoking gun is filled with applewood chips and when Scott activates it, the smoke filters through a tube into the pan, smoking the oysters while keeping cool from the ice at the bottom. Another hole is punched in the plastic to create a draw for the smoking gun. 

What results is a setup reminiscent of a miniature "Pink Floyd concert," as Scott observed, but also an oyster that, while still uncooked, is infused with a delicate and delicious flavor.