{"id":91,"date":"2020-10-01T19:04:48","date_gmt":"2020-10-01T19:04:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/?p=91"},"modified":"2020-10-28T03:45:33","modified_gmt":"2020-10-28T03:45:33","slug":"4-oyster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/2020\/10\/01\/4-oyster\/","title":{"rendered":"#4 Oyster"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Oyster platter at Maxies<br>Photo by Val<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-accent-background-color has-accent-color\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2>Preparation:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>This week I watched:<\/strong><br>Anatomy of a Scene prompt: The Shape of Water<br>Penn Cove Shellfish,&nbsp;Tastemakers<br>Eat Like a Fish, Bren Smith. FYE Common Read<br>Farming While Black, Leah Penniman,&nbsp;EcoFarm&nbsp;2020 Keynote&nbsp;<br><strong>This week I read:<\/strong><br>American Terroir, That Totten Smell<br>The Cooking Gene ch. 5-7<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-accent-background-color has-accent-color\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2>#4a Tasting Lab: Oyster<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"oyster\" width=\"676\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/dbZ3gCQL1Yo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Oysters at Maxies<br>Photo and video by Val<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I was able to go out with a group of oyster lovers for my first oyster experience at <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.maxiesmke.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Maxies<\/a> in Milwaukee. I cannot say how proud I am of myself, I literally have no words, for trying an oyster. I honestly believe that being surrounded by the right people will help you accomplish anything. If I had not gone out with this specific group of people, I do not think I would have actually tried an oyster. <br> Now on to the oysters. There were to differed oysters from New Hampshire, wish I had written them down, that I could clearly tell had been grown in a bag. They were served with lemons, horseradish, mignonette sauce, and cocktail sauce. I was actually very surprised at the smell, I always pictured them smelling so awful, but it was a nice ocean smell. I squeezed a little lemon on my small little oyster, the one in the video with the fork poking at it, and opened my mouth and in it went. I could only handle chewing it a couple times before the texture got too much for me, but I do have to say the taste was actually nice. Would I eat a bunch of them, no, would I try an oyster again, yes, if it was the right situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-2\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20201021172518061_COVER2-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"362\" data-link=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/2020\/10\/01\/4-oyster\/00100lrportrait_00100_burst20201021172518061_cover2\/\" class=\"wp-image-362\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20201021172518061_COVER2-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20201021172518061_COVER2-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20201021172518061_COVER2-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20201021172518061_COVER2.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Jalapeno Margarita<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"930\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20201021183645211_COVER-930x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"360\" data-link=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/2020\/10\/01\/4-oyster\/00100lrportrait_00100_burst20201021183645211_cover\/\" class=\"wp-image-360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20201021183645211_COVER-930x1024.jpg 930w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20201021183645211_COVER-273x300.jpg 273w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20201021183645211_COVER-768x846.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20201021183645211_COVER-945x1040.jpg 945w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20201021183645211_COVER-600x661.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/00100lrPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20201021183645211_COVER.jpg 1090w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 930px) 100vw, 930px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">S&#8217;mores Pie<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/00000IMG_00000_BURST20201021173440269_COVER-1-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"363\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/00000IMG_00000_BURST20201021173440269_COVER-1.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/2020\/10\/01\/4-oyster\/00000img_00000_burst20201021173440269_cover-1\/\" class=\"wp-image-363\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">NC Pulled Pork Sandwich with Sweetpotato Fries <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Photos by Val<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Amandas dessert video\" width=\"676\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DGXdy3Bo2I8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-accent-background-color has-accent-color\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h4><strong>Resources\/Required Reading\/Browsing:<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Evergreen Shellfish Garden Reseeding and Revitalization&#8221;<br>Exploring the Geography, Glories of Oysters<br>The Geography of Oysters<br> The Essential Oyster<br>3 Feet Under [trailer] &#8211; geoduck clam documentary<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-file\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/HOW-TO-ENJOY-OYSTERS-1.docx\">HOW-TO-ENJOY-OYSTERS-1<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/HOW-TO-ENJOY-OYSTERS-1.docx\" class=\"wp-block-file__button\" download>Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-accent-background-color has-accent-color\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>Lab Practice: Oyster Flavor Evaluation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Val eating an oyster\" width=\"676\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FMuh-iS3c4I?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Video by Val<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-file\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/worksheet-How-To-Enjoy-Oysters-1.docx\">worksheet-How-To-Enjoy-Oysters-1<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/worksheet-How-To-Enjoy-Oysters-1.docx\" class=\"wp-block-file__button\" download>Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Val&#8217;s Notes<br>&#8220;You don&#8217;t have to actually eat an oyster to enjoy them.&#8221; -Emily Wilder<br> Shellfish are a huge ecosystem benefit.<br> A single oyster can filter 30-50 gallons of water per day.<br> When oysters thrive people thrive.<br> The best time to eat an oyster is mid-winter. They go into a sort of hibernation state and are much sweeter.<br> Taylor Shellfish Farms grows four different oysters. They are either beach grown or grown in a mesh bag. <br> The Pacific oyster accounts for roughly 90% of all farmed oysters. This specific oyster was originally from Japan.<br> Oysters grow from the hinge and the abductor muscle is the sweetest part. <br> When going out to eat or purchase oysters ask for the harvest tag, this will tell you when and where they were harvested.<br> When eating an oyster smell it first before you eat it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-accent-background-color has-accent-color\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2>#4b: Foodoir: Your Story of Tasting Place<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>\u201cWhat\u2019s in a name? Certainly something of a face but not really a full identity.\u201d Page 83<br> \u201cChristmas meant real coffee, oranges and penny candy, whole barbecued hogs, pecan pies and syrup cakes, black walnut taffy, possum and yams, corn liquor and ham\u2026.\u201d Page 105<br> \u201cBoth Alan and Toni are native African Texans drawing on the heritage that enriched Texas with okra, collard and turnip greens, black-eyed peas and other cowpeas, rice, watermelon, hot peppers and other spices, a variety of sweet potatoes, and other staples of the Afro Creole culinary world that would become key in the vocabulary of Texas \u201ceats.\u201d All the things my cousins enjoyed growing up- beans and rice, rice pudding, okra and tomatoes, gumbo, spicy stews, black-eyed pea caviar, greens, fried poke salad, pickled okra, and watermelon rind- are all signs of the Africanizing presence of blacks in Texas cuisine. Out influence across the South conquered more territory than any Confederate army ever managed.\u201d Page 112<\/em><br>-Michael Twitty<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-accent-background-color has-accent-color is-style-dots\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p>Before I was two years old my mother divorced my biological father and took back her madden name. My bio father was an alcoholic and my mother did not want me to grow up around that. I have no memory of him as my father at all. My mother married my dad when I was four years old. My dad Jim has been and will always be my father. As I got a little older, I started to realize that my last name was not the same as my mom and dads and I wanted that to change. In second grade my bio father allowed me to hyphenate my last name to Eide-Dingman. I was so happy to have the same name as all those that took me in as if I had always been one of them. On my 17th birthday my parents surprised me with the paperwork to legally change my last name to just Dingman. I couldn&#8217;t have been happier. For me it was all about knowing that I was officially part of the family that loved me and that I no longer had my bio father looming over my head everywhere I went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-3 is-cropped\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/couchgirls2-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"425\" class=\"wp-image-425\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/couchgirls2-3.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/couchgirls2-3-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Aunt Marj, cousin Emily and me<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"760\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/DSC000302-4-760x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"426\" data-link=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/2020\/10\/01\/4-oyster\/dsc000302-4\/\" class=\"wp-image-426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/DSC000302-4-760x1024.jpg 760w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/DSC000302-4-223x300.jpg 223w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/DSC000302-4-768x1034.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/DSC000302-4-600x808.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/DSC000302-4.jpg 891w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Grandpa and my sister Gabby<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a1-0252-2-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"427\" data-link=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/2020\/10\/01\/4-oyster\/a1-0252-2\/\" class=\"wp-image-427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a1-0252-2-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a1-0252-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a1-0252-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a1-0252-2-945x709.jpg 945w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a1-0252-2-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a1-0252-2.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Emily, Uncle Gordy, me, and cousine Jeannine<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/DSC00001-72-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"428\" data-link=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/2020\/10\/01\/4-oyster\/dsc00001-72-2\/\" class=\"wp-image-428\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/DSC00001-72-2.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/DSC00001-72-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/DSC00001-72-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/DSC00001-72-2-945x709.jpg 945w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/DSC00001-72-2-600x450.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Me, my dad, and Gabby<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"600\" height=\"498\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/surry-ride2-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"429\" data-link=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/2020\/10\/01\/4-oyster\/sierra-exif-jpeg-4\/\" class=\"wp-image-429\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/surry-ride2-2.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/surry-ride2-2-300x249.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">My dad taking Grandpa and Grandma out on a drive<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/IMG_40222-4-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"430\" data-link=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/2020\/10\/01\/4-oyster\/img_40222-4\/\" class=\"wp-image-430\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/IMG_40222-4-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/IMG_40222-4-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/IMG_40222-4-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/IMG_40222-4-945x709.jpg 945w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/IMG_40222-4-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/IMG_40222-4.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Grandma<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"686\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/FB_IMG_1603668304981-1-1024x686.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"432\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/FB_IMG_1603668304981-1.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/2020\/10\/01\/4-oyster\/fb_img_1603668304981-1\/\" class=\"wp-image-432\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/FB_IMG_1603668304981-1-1024x686.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/FB_IMG_1603668304981-1-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/FB_IMG_1603668304981-1-768x514.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/FB_IMG_1603668304981-1-945x633.jpg 945w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/FB_IMG_1603668304981-1-600x402.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/FB_IMG_1603668304981-1.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Emily, Jeannine, Jamie, Gabby and me<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">I don&#8217;t think I could ever ask for a better family to take me in as one of their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of my fondest memories are when we all went on vacation to Puerto Rico for my parent\u2019s ten-year anniversary. The first night we were in Puerto Rico we stopped at a road side stand for chicken. I don&#8217;t think I will ever get this memory out of my head. The guy pulled down a whole cooked chicken, slapped it down on the cutting board, swung a machete through the air, and chopped off the chickens\u2019 head. Being only 13 I honestly did not know what to do with myself. When we brought the food back to our villa and we sat down to eat it, it was some of the best chicken I have ever had. It went so well with the rice and beans; I actually ate it all!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-2 is-cropped\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"802\" height=\"722\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-081.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"403\" data-link=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/2020\/10\/01\/4-oyster\/a-081\/\" class=\"wp-image-403\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-081.jpg 802w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-081-300x270.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-081-768x691.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-081-600x540.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 802px) 100vw, 802px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-048-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"404\" data-link=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/2020\/10\/01\/4-oyster\/a-048\/\" class=\"wp-image-404\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-048-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-048-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-048-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-048-945x709.jpg 945w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-048-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-048.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-056-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"405\" data-link=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/2020\/10\/01\/4-oyster\/a-056\/\" class=\"wp-image-405\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-056-1024x768.jpg 1024w, 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data-link=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/2020\/10\/01\/4-oyster\/a-042\/\" class=\"wp-image-406\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-042-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-042-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-042-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-042-945x709.jpg 945w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-042-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a-042.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"900\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/boat-view.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"411\" data-link=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/2020\/10\/01\/4-oyster\/sierra-exif-jpeg-2\/\" class=\"wp-image-411\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/boat-view.jpg 900w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/boat-view-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/boat-view-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/boat-view-600x450.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a009-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"412\" data-link=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/2020\/10\/01\/4-oyster\/a009\/\" class=\"wp-image-412\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a009-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a009-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a009-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/498\/2020\/10\/a009.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Oyster platter at MaxiesPhoto by Val Preparation: This week I watched:Anatomy of a Scene prompt: The Shape of WaterPenn Cove Shellfish,&nbsp;TastemakersEat Like a Fish, Bren Smith. FYE Common ReadFarming While Black, Leah Penniman,&nbsp;EcoFarm&nbsp;2020 Keynote&nbsp;This week I read:American Terroir, That Totten&#8230; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/2020\/10\/01\/4-oyster\/\">Continue Reading &rarr;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":353,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=91"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":455,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91\/revisions\/455"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/353"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=91"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=91"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/valstastingexperience\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=91"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}