Jeremy Sewall

Harvard Book Store welcomes award-winning local chef and restaurateur JEREMY SEWALL for a discussion of his book, Oysters: A Celebration in the Raw, co-authored with Marion Lear Swaybill.

About Oysters

For centuries, oysters have had the power to sustain and delight, inspiring writers and artists, lowly cooks and four-star chefs, laborers and gourmands, and everyone in between. A feast for the eyes and the palate oysters also are rich in history and lore. In Oysters: A Celebration in the Raw, Marion Lear Swaybill presents a wide-ranging visual exploration of this iconic shellfish, including stunning portraits of more than fifty oyster varietals, the latest photographs from some of the country’s most renowned and beautiful oyster farms, and notable illustrations of oysters in the arts and culture, all alongside a lively and informative text. Acclaimed chef and restaurateur Jeremy Sewall provides personal insights, drawing on his New England lineage and his stature in the forefront of the current oyster revival.

Oysters: A Celebration in the Raw is true to its title from start to finish. Chapter One is a primer on all things oyster. Chapter Two introduces readers to legendary oystermen and women from around the country. Chapter Three offers exquisite photographs of more than fifty varieties of North American oysters, along with flavor profiles and ”merroir.” Oysters: A Celebration in the Raw concludes with highlights from the oyster timeline, depictions of oysters in art through the ages and stories of oysters as aphrodisiacs, and parses oyster myths and metaphors. The book also features an oyster glossary and resource list. It is the only book of its kind—a definitive visual companion to this iconic, much loved mollusk.

Overflowing with gorgeous original photography and fascinating anecdotes, Oysters: A Celebration in the Raw is the perfect book for oyster aficionados and newbies, foodies and chefs of all stripes, lovers of photography and art, the environment, history, and the sea.

Praise 

"Though many have a fondness for oysters, Chef Jeremy Sewall and writer Marion Lear Swaybill gush with an outright passion in this love letter to the beloved bivalve. Jeremy, an expert taster and professional oyster pusher, offers up a range of mouth-watering descriptions while Marion puts forth a solid primer covering everything from the rich history of oyster culture in this country to notes on how to identify certain species and, more importantly, how to open and enjoy them. If you’ve been on the hunt for a book that thoughtfully covers all things oyster, you're in good hands." —Erin Byers Murray, author of Shucked: Life on a New England Oyster Farm

"The authors’ deep love and knowledge and the incredible photography casts the oyster in an even more beguiling light. It’s truly a work of passion and art." —Barton Seaver, author of the best-selling Cod and Country: Simple, Delicious, Sustainable Cooking

"If you love eating oysters but know little about all the various East Coast, Gulf Coast and West Coast varieties, then we’ve got a handy reference for you. The forthcoming book Oysters: A Celebration in the Raw is a primer on everything you need to know about these ambrosial bivalves, from where they grow and how they taste to their greater purpose in sustaining a healthy ecosystem. Its authors include the Emmy-winning television producer and writer Marion Lear Swaybill and the James Beard Award–nominated Boston chef Jeremy Sewall, with photographs by award-winning filmmaker and cinematographer Scott Snider. In the book, you’ll find more than 200 pages brimming with beautifully photographed oysters, their origins and flavor profiles, as well as helpful insights on the history and current revival of oyster farming in America." —Food Republic