70% of California’s Oysters come from Humboldt Bay on the north coast, about a hundred miles from the Oregon border. The Arcata Bay Oyster Festival (Arcata Bay is the north end of Humboldt Bay) was held last weekend, and attending reminded me that I have not said enough about oysters. Famous chef James Beard said his two favorite foods were raw apples and raw oysters. There is much to be said.

An Hangtown fry is an egg scramble made with bacon and oysters. The origins date to the days of the California gold rush circa 1850. Placerville, California, in the heart of the gold country was then known as Hangtown, thanks to a local judge with a summary concept of justice. The Hangtown fry originated when a gold miner struck it rich and asked a Hangtown eatery to prepare something with the most expensive ingredients at hand. That turned out to be eggs, oysters, and bacon. Those are fine ingredients, so why not try it out?

Fried oysters are deservedly classic seaside cuisine. Just as marshmallows go with campfires, fried oysters go with harbors. Princeton Seafood does them as well as they can be done, fresh oysters with a crunchy crust. No too much batter, but enough to preserve the juicy oysters and to crunch well.