How to Construct the Perfect Raw Bar

By Amanda Gabriele January 2, 2017

Easy Bistro & Bar, raw bar — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Feasting is our column dedicated to cooking, grilling, eating and discovering what’s on the menu across America and the world.

A great restaurant with an equally awesome raw bar is a true gem. Chef Erik Niel knows this, which is one of the reasons his Chattanooga, Tennessee spot Easy Bistro & Bar is forever on our hit list. The New Orleans native grew up fishing on the bayou, so his menu is chock-full of dishes inspired by his hometown and features seafood from all three American coasts.

To Chef Niel, knowing how to properly prepare seafood is an important skill for every home cook, especially when entertaining. So he shared a few pro tips on how to shuck and serve oysters and stock your raw bar, sure to come in handy whether you’re hosting a dinner for two or party for 20.

Easy Bistro & Bar — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Shucking technique: I’m a proponent of the towel and shucking knife. Towel in my left hand folded over the oyster to grip it. Knife at the point, twist and move back on the top shell, separating the adductor. Then separate the bottom adductor and go.

Stocking the raw bar: A good oyster knife, towels, ice, lemons, Champagne mignonette, caviar, really nice extra virgin olive oil, whatever good quality pickled veg you can get your hands on – pickled ramps, celery, onions, peppers, etc.

Favorite preparation: Oysters on the half shell with a spritz of lemon juice and a dollop of caviar. It’s so simple and so perfect together.

Easy Bistro & Bar — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Making your own champagne mignonette at home is easy. Follow this simple recipe from Chef Niel to complete your raw bar at home.

Champagne Mignonette
2 cup Champagne vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
1 cup shallots (brunoise)
1/2 cup black peppercorn (cracked)

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, mix with a fork or whisk. Hold no longer than 1 day.

To learn more about Erik Niel, visit easybistro.com. Photos by Beth Kirby

Amanda Gabriele

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Amanda Gabriele is a food and travel writer at The Manual and the former senior editor at Supercall. She can’t live without…

Food & Drink

We know the most popular cocktails — Try these underrated drinks instead

Try some alternatives to the most popular cocktails

Cocktails

Recently, we wrote an article about the 10 most popular cocktails in the US. Not surprisingly, it was littered with classic drinks like the Mojito, Margarita, Old Fashioned, and Moscow Mule. But drinking cocktails isn’t a popularity contest. Just because many people seem to enjoy Espresso Martinis doesn’t mean you have to stop drinking your classic Dirty Martini.

But, if you take a moment to peruse the list of the 10 most popular drinks, you might see a few you like and others you aren’t sure about. That’s okay. Lucky for you, we’re here to help. That’s why today we’re all about the underdogs.

Food & Drink

How to start your own home bar: the tools and mixers

the best home bar glassware version 1612854960 for your 2021

So you're building up your home bar. You've got the essential spirits in. You've added a selection of liqueurs and bitters to combine them with. Now, it's time to add the finishing touches. From mixers to tools to glasswear, we're rounding up everything else you'll need to turn a corner of your kitchen into a great home bar.
Speaking of the kitchen – this is, in my experience, the absolute best place for a home bar. While I love a good bar cart for a living room (or even an office, if you have that kind of job!) these are really more decorative than a practical place to mix drinks. The problem with using bar carts for serious cocktail making is twofold: One, the surfaces are usually too low, at below hip height, so you'll be bending over uncomfortably while you try to make your drinks. That's not chic, and it's hard on your back too. Instead you want something that's counter level, hence opting for the kitchen. The second issue is access to ice and a sink. Mixing serious cocktails requires a large amount of ice and frequent washing of glasses and tools. Sure, you can get an attractive ice bucket for your bar cart, and that certainly makes a fun decorative accessory. But you'll still be running back and forth to the kitchen to use the sink all the time anyway.
If you love the style of a bar cart, I certainly wouldn't want to stop you having one. They are great fun, and stylish to boot. I have a bar cart myself in my living room, which I love and use for very simple mixed drinks like negronis (though even then, you still have to go and fetch ice every time you want a drink). It's a great place for occasional special bottles, particularly beautiful glasswear, cocktail books, and other decorative accessories.
But for serious cocktail making, you want an area of clear counter space, near to a sink and to a freezer full of ice, and with easy access to all your bottles and tools. I find a small kitchen island perfect for this purpose, tucked into a corner of the kitchen near the appliances. Store bottles and equipment on the lower shelves of the island or on wall-mounted shelves to save space, and make sure you have a lamp or decent overhead lighting so you can see what you're doing while you mix. You'll want a small chopping board as well for slicing citrus and other fruit, and a small, sharp knife that you can borrow from your kitchen equipment.
Then it's time to turn your attention to home bar tools.

Essential home bar tools

Food & Drink

Big Green Egg brings back a fan-favorite item for a limited time

However spend your evenings outdoors, the Big Green Egg Chiminea is there to help keep things warm

The Big Green Egg Chiminea.

Love good times by the fire on a chilly night? Want to enjoy a few drinks in a toasty spot after a long day at work? Of course, we all do. But throwing some logs in a pit in the ground doesn't quite do it. If you want a cozy evening, Big Green Egg brings the wow with the release of a special Chiminea to celebrate 50 years in business, and it will take your gathering around the fire to a whole new level.
The Big Green Egg update

Big Green Egg has been the go-to for outdoor grillers and smokers looking for an outdoor cooker for decades. But if you want to hang out in the fresh air without cooking, the Chiminea is what you need. Freestanding fireplaces aren't new, and Big Green Egg isn't trying to reinvent them. The vintage version from 1999 is the starting point, with upgrades worthy of a 50th anniversary.
What's cracking with this egg
If it's not broken, don't fix it, right? But even the littlest changes will make something feel fresh. For those who aren't the best at starting a fire and keeping it going, the Chiminea comes with Lava Rocks to keep the flames roaring more evenly and for longer. Made from NASA-grade ceramic, the quality isn't something to worry about, either. And, yes, it's still in that gorgeous, signature deep green color.