In the fall of 1973, along with my husband and parents, I took my one and only trip to Williamsburg, Va.
I was enchanted. It was a sun-splashed weekend with bright days and cool nights. The fall leaves, most of them a bright, buttery yellow (maybe maples?) almost glittered in the sunshine.
My father, who normally preferred traveling to Italy or New York City, walked ahead of us on the beautiful, wide streets, taking one photograph after another. These photos became the basis of his “Williamsburg Collection”—watercolors of the tree-lined streets and quaint buildings of this magical colonial town. We still have several of these paintings hanging in our home.
The food we savored during our little trip to Williamsburg was different than anything I had ever eaten before: peanut soup and Cornish hens at the King’s Arms Tavern, salmagundi salad at Christiana Campbell’s Tavern, and an elegant lobster dinner at the Williamsburg Inn.
I returned home with “The Williamsburg Cookbook” and, over the last 40-plus years, have made and treasured so many of its recipes: pork chops with sweet potatoes, pound cake, ham with brandied peaches, and wassail Christmas punch. I made Chowning’s Tavern “Welsh Rabbit with Beer” for years. It was an easy dinner.
Because of Williamsburg’s location in the tidewater area of Virginia, seafood dishes are offered in abundance at all of its inns and taverns. As the “Williamsburg Cookbook” notes, “Water and fish are everywhere in tidewater Virginia,” and, “Residents who live along the rivers can scrape up shellfish by the bushel.” Especially oysters!
The first Christmas Eve after our Williamsburg trip, I made some wonderful “scalloped oysters” as part of a late-night buffet. I decided to make them again this year as a first course to a Christmas Eve dinner. The recipe below was originally served at a Williamsburg restaurant called the Travis House, which was built in 1765 and restored in 1930. I think even the non-oyster lovers among you may enjoy them, but don’t let the amount of butter scare you!
Williamsburg Travis House Oysters
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour (Wondra flour works great)
- 1½ teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- ½ clove garlic, minced
- 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
- ½ medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 quart fresh shucked oysters in their “liquor”
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ to ½ cup cracker crumbs
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Grease a 2-quart casserole or six ramekins with PAM or softened butter.
- Melt the cup of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Remove from the heat, add the flour, and whisk until smooth.
- Return the pan to the heat and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture is light brown.
- Add paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic, onion and green pepper. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the oysters and their liquor, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce and stir well.
- Pour into your prepared casserole and sprinkle with cracker crumbs. Small ramekins also work nicely here instead of a larger casserole, especially when serving the oysters as a first course.
- Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until bubbly.
- Serve while still warm.
I have always wanted to spend a few days in Williamsburg during the Christmas season. The festivities are said to last almost the entire month of December: the flaming yule log, strolling carolers dressed in colonial garb, and a holiday dinner known as the “Crown of the Turtle Feast” at the King’s Arms Tavern.
I guess my dreams of a Williamsburg Christmas are far from my Italian tradition, but they are a nice little change. My ancestors might have enjoyed the rich eggnog I made for years, as long as there were some Italian pine nut cookies to go along!
Whatever you are cooking (or eating) this holiday season, I wish you happiness and peace.
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