Seafood is a core part of Maryland's culture. Annapolis restaurants are using this common love to invite foodies downtown and help the bay.
ANNAPOLIS, MD — There's nothing more Maryland than seafood and the Chesapeake Bay. That's why Annapolis restaurants started an oyster event to support local businesses and bay restoration efforts.
Patch recently partnered with several local organizations to bring you their latest news. This guest contribution comes from the Downtown Annapolis Partnership. Here's what Executive Director Erik Evans wrote about the seafood celebration:
"This week oysters are the main attraction as the Downtown Annapolis Partnership launched a new marketing event called the Annapolis Oyster Fest to help boost sales for local restaurants, Maryland's oyster industry, and a Maryland brewery now through March 21st. This event has also partnered with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to raise funds and awareness for Chesapeake Bay restoration projects, shell recycling, and oyster restoration efforts.
The 19 participating restaurants in Annapolis are currently featuring a wide variety of your favorite oyster dishes including oysters on the half shell, oyster stew, oyster po'boys, Oysters Rockefeller, fried oysters, and oyster shooters for both dine-in and carryout.
The restaurants have also added oyster specialty dishes that foodies will want to seek out.
Boatyard Bar and Grill has Antoine's Stuffed Oysters with a Florentine stuffing (sautéed fresh spinach, shallot, garlic, Pernod, parmesan, cheddar, and provolone).
Harry Browne's has Mozzarella Oysters on the half shell with [a] spicy cocktail.
Luna Blu Restaurante Italiano has Baked Oysters with leeks, parmesan & bacon with a dash of cayenne.
Obriens Oyster Bar has the Tower for Four with steamed crab legs, mussels, corn, and potatoes over oysters and chilled shrimp cocktail with horseradish.
Sam's on the Waterfront has Chesapeake Bay Oysters Casino topped with spinach, bell peppers, onions, garlic, applewood bacon & parmesan.
Severn Inn has Fried Oysters with house made chorizo, feta, jalapeno queso, bacon, and scallions.
Some of these oyster dishes are just on the menu for a limited time during Annapolis Oyster Fest. Visit the Annapolis Oyster Fest website to see even more options that will be available for both dine-in and carry-out.
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The Eastern Shore Brewing Company is partnering with the Annapolis restaurants to create Maryland craft beer specials during the event that will complement the oyster dishes and Middleton's Tavern has oyster shooter kits to go. Most of the restaurants will have Maryland craft beer available for both dine-in and carryout.
To add some fun to the event the Downtown Annapolis Partnershipwill be giving away a dozen oysters to 100 people during the promotion. To enter for a chance to win a dozen oysters just post a picture with you and oysters on Facebook or Instagram, tagged with #AnnapolisOysterFest.
Oyster lovers should also take time to visit the studio of Kim Hovell on West Street in the Annapolis Arts District while en route to your favorite local oyster destination. This local artist is also an oyster fan and features images of this local delicacy in many of her artworks and home decor items.
Oysters have been a local favorite for centuries and with modern oyster farms, you can now have fresh oysters year-round in Annapolis. With most oysters consumed in restaurants, this past year has been particularly tough for local oyster farms and watermen. The slow down in sales has not only impacted the restaurants and Maryland oyster industry but also affects [the] Chesapeake Bay.
Most oyster shells from restaurants are recycled and used for establishing new oyster beds in the bay and its tributaries. The recycled shells are used to create and replant new oyster beds in the bay.
"This event supports our local restaurants, suppliers, waterman, and the environment," says Erik Evans, the Executive Director of the Downtown Annapolis Partnership who partnered with the Maryland Department of Agriculture and others in creating the event. The goal is to safely help several local industries recover from the past year of dealing with shutdowns and limited capacities while enjoying some good local food and drinks.
At the end of this event, the Downtown Annapolis Partnership will be starting Annapolis Restaurant Week (March 20-28)[, which] will offer both dine-in and carryout options this year. These events will also coincide with Maryland Day weekend (March 19-21) which will have several events at local historical and cultural sites along with the tall ship Pride of Baltimore II docked in downtown Annapolis.
Annapolis Oyster Fest restaurants have posted their oyster dishes and their Eastern Shore Brewing Company beer specials for dine-in and carryout at www.AnnapolisOysterFest.com
SOURCE:
https://patch.com/maryland/annapolis/seafood-celebration-draws-visitors-annapolis-helps-chesapeake
Patch by Jacob Baumgart - March 3, 2021