{Vendor Spotlight} Shucks Raw Bar

What a great experience.  Last night we were TREATED to a private oyster tasting with Bill and Patrick from Shucks Raw Bar.  And here’s our review…..5 stars!  For starters….the oyster were fabulous, fresh, and did we say fabulous! 

We were served 3 varieties:
1. Wiley point petite's from the Dammerscotta River Maine ~ all about the brine.  These were my  personal favorites.  A very strong flavor, a bite of the sea!

2. Shagokou's from Washington state ~ a firm texture with a strong flavor, but less so than the Wiley point petites.

3. Kummumotto's from Samish bay Washington ~ these were creamy, and very mild.  If you are one of those people who are nervous about oysters ( you need to get over that because you are missing out), this would be a perfect starter for you.

Even though the focus is obviously on the oysters, there’s so much more to the equation.  Eating oysters is about more than just the oyster....its about the experience.  Bill and Pat are great shuckers, and being a great shucker is about more than just opening oysters.  Conversation started out about the oysters and they filled us in on all the details.  Why they pick certain varieties, what creates the various  flavors, the importance of environment, the varieties they want to try…all the details to educate you on what you are eating ...  All the while, shucking away and putting out fresh oysters.  Whether you are a novice about oysters or you are a connoisseur, Bill and Pat can talk oysters with you and its pretty obvious they love doing it.  But we also talked about Montana, fishing, cabins in the mountains, and snakes (not sure how we got there!)  Like I said, this is an experience and the guys behind the bar are a big part of the experience your guests will have.


So if you are looking for that something extra to take your reception or party to the next level, we’ve got the inside line for you.  Shucks Raw Bar.  Fresh oysters shucked as your guests watch and enjoy the process and the conversation!  An interactive catering experience that will have you guests will love!


We should also point out, because its important, Bill and Pat work directly with the best growers and have their oysters flown in fresh.  And as someone who grew up eating oysters, I can tell you they were delicious.   

Give them a Call and Reserve your Oyster Experience Today!
Bill:  406-930-0828
Pat: 406-880-2832
info@shucksrawbar.com
www.shucksrawbar.com

{Featured Montana Bride Wedding} Christina + Ryan

 Christina, a Montana native, is a very talented painter and ended up getting her degree in the Fine Arts. From there, it was off to New York City for her where she eventually met her fiancée Ryan randomly at a friend’s apartment. Oddly enough it turns out that they both were from the same western Montana town of Whitefish located up close to the entrance of Glacier National Park. I’m always amazed at the curveballs of coincidence life can through at people sometimes. Two years apart in age, Christina and Ryan never knew one another growing up but found each other in one of the biggest cities on earth. Go figure. As they grew closer in their relationship, the two parted ways with the “Big Apple” and have since made a life together living and working in Portland, Oregon. When it came to plan their summer wedding the location was an obvious choice.

 On their wedding day, I awoke early to drive north of Missoula (where I had been visiting my parents) past the cherry orchards along Flathead Lake and eventually made my way northeast towards the entrance of Glacier National Park. Christina and Ryan chose a cute little 40-acre ranch just outside of Coram, Montana called Glacier River Ranch that was bordered by the gin clear blue waters of the Flathead River. There are few things in life more picturesque than a Montana backdrop and that day I couldn’t think of any. I arrived early so I could scout around the area and get a feel for the place. As family members were helping to set up, I decided to walk around the grounds for possible portrait locations. As I came around the side of a big ponderosa pine tree I startled a young black bear (about 30 yards away from me) and he quickly stood up on his hind legs to get a better view of the blond haired photographer that had interrupted his mid morning berry feast. Soon uninterested, it sauntered off until the delicious smells of a wedding reception food brought it closer to the wedding location so much so that the ranch owner had to scare it off with some warning shots of her deer rifle. Only in Montana. Love it.
 

The rest of the day mimicked the visions of a good Norman MacLean novel. The late August weather was perfect and their afternoon streamside reception was stunning as the golden Montana light lit up the trees as it slowly made its decent behind Teakettle Mountain. Like any proper Montana wedding the rest of the evening was spent eating roasted pig, drinking fine wine and Montana microbrews and dancing to live music from a local string band. It was so great to spend the day photographing such a fun couple and an honor to be asked to photograph the wedding of a old friend. I wish them all the best."

Photography and Text by Greener Visuals
Venue; Glacier River Ranch, Coram MT