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The Friendship: An Oyster Pairing for John Adams and Thomas Jefferson

A oyster pairing celebrates the hot-and-cold temperaments and long-standing friendship of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

To describe the long-standing but unconventional friendship between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, I can’t think of a more perfect metaphor than the one already imagined by their contemporary, Dr. Benjamin Rush.

To him, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were “the North and South Poles of the American Revolution,” forces that somehow created one of the most enduring partnerships in American history.

Though they were opposites in almost every way, two men worked, fought, lived, and died in tandem from the birth of American independence through their final years as statesmen and symbols of the Revolution’s legacy.

fried and raw oysters
Photo: Casey Barber

Physically, Jefferson and Adams couldn’t have been caricatured any better: Jefferson, the tall, lean, angular figure in direct contrast to Adams’ short, rotund, countenance.

Temperamentally, they fell on opposite ends of the spectrum as well.

Jefferson, the serious, cool and composed “sage of Monticello,” was a reticent public speaker who preferred to let others fight battles and get dirty on his behalf. He was a man of hidden motive and solitude, an enigma even now.

Meanwhile, Adams, the “sage of Quincy,” left it all on the table and wouldn’t be able to refstrain himself from speaking his mind if his life depended on it.

fried and raw oysters

Fiery, animated–some might say overexcited–and self-deprecating, his inner monologue was almost always external, whether in speeches, decisive action, or in letters to his best friend and wife Abigail.

As Joseph Ellis writes in Founding Brothers, “for him, the only meaningful kind of conversation was an argument.”

Yet the similarities between these two opinionated sages were equally prominent.

Both were vain when it came to their public perception and reputation, acutely aware of their place in the historical record and how they’d be remembered in the centuries to follow.

Both were prolific readers and writers, men of books and letters who put their knowledge to the test in civil service.

Both were enemies of Alexander Hamilton, though Adams allied with him as a Federalist prior to his election to the vice presidency.

And as the two architects behind the Declaration of Independence in 1776, both had a decisive role in creating the United States of America.

fried and raw oysters
Photo: Casey Barber

The bond between Adams and Jefferson grew stronger after the Revolutionary War, with the two men serving as American emissaries in Paris.

But every lifelong friendship goes through its ups and downs, and for Jefferson and Adams, the big falling-out occurred during Adams’ presidency and only got worse during Jefferson’s presidential term.

In the toxic political atmosphere of the day, Jefferson’s habit of spreading back-door rumors and discrediting Federalist opponents in pursuit of his own party goals only fueled Adams’ thin-skinned paranoia and inability to take criticism.

fried and raw oysters

The two gave each other the silent treatment until January 1, 1812, when Adams picked up a pen and initiated détente.

The friendship resumed in a long correspondence, a series of volleying letters wherein they revisited and debated their old ideological and political arguments through the lens of passed time.

As Adams wrote, “You and I ought not to die before We have explained ourselves to each other.”

And in the most cosmic, couldn’t-make-it-up ending possible, not only did Adams and Jefferson die on the same day, they died on July 4, 1826, the fiftieth anniversary of the announcement of the Declaration of Independence.

For two men deeply concerned with their place in the American pantheon, they truly couldn’t have written a better finale.

fried and raw oysters
Photo: Casey Barber

In the spirit of this opposites-attract friendship, I bring you two dishes that pair fiery spice with chilly coolness in the form of oysters–an iconic food found on the shores of both New England and Virginia, and which no doubt would have been slurped down by both parties during their lifetime.

John Adams, the irascible Massachusetts farmer, gets a plate of sizzling fried New England oysters tempered by a dip in cool cucumber remoulade.

Thomas Jefferson, the outwardly placid man of Monticello, gets his Virginia oysters served in their natural state on a bed of ice. The spicy mignonette, infused with chile peppers, speaks to Jefferson’s inner anger and habitual vendettas that he kept hidden from the world at large.

Both components of the meal are excellent on their own, but served as a complementary oyster pairing, they’re a memorable repast for the ages.

a pairing of fried and raw oysters for John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, via www.www.goodfoodstories.com

John Adams’ Hot Fried New England Oysters with Cool Cucumber Remoulade

Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

A pair of oyster dishes celebrate the hot-and-cold temperaments and long-standing friendship of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. It's a Revolutionary match!

Ingredients

Remoulade

  • 1/2 cup (4 ounces; 113 grams) mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup (2 ounces; 57 grams) plain Greek yogurt (any fat percentage)
  • zest of 1 medium to large lemon
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup finely diced cucumber
  • 1/4 cup finely diced celery
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh dill
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Fried Oysters

  • 1 cup whole-milk buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce or Frank’s Red Hot sauce, plus more for serving
  • 1/2 cup (2 1/8 ounces; 60 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon cornmeal
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) vegetable oil or more as needed for an electric deep fryer
  • 12 New England oysters such as Wellfleet, shucked and drained

Instructions

Make the remoulade:

  1. Stir the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon zest and juice, cucumber, celery, dill, and salt together in a bowl and set aside.

Fry the oysters:

  1. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a large (at least 3-quart), heavy pot such as a Dutch oven. Alternatively, fill an electric deep fryer with oil per manufacturer instructions and heat.
  2. Line a large plate or small baking sheet with paper towels.
  3. While the oil heats, stir the buttermilk and hot sauce together in one bowl, and whisk the flour, cornmeal, and salt together in a separate bowl.
  4. Dip each oyster in the buttermilk, then coat in the flour and cornmeal. Repeat once more for a double-coated dredge.
  5. Fry the oysters until golden and crisping to brown at the edges, about 3 minutes (though timing will vary based on your equipment).
  6. Remove the oysters with a metal spider or tongs and transfer to the paper towel-lined plate.
  7. Serve immediately with the remoulade and extra hot sauce, if desired.

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a pairing of fried and raw oysters for John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, via www.www.goodfoodstories.com

Thomas Jefferson’s Cold Virginia Oysters with Spicy Mignonette

Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

A pair of oyster dishes celebrate the hot-and-cold temperaments and long-standing friendship of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. It's a Revolutionary match!

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup Champagne vinegar
  • 1 small to medium shallot, minced
  • 1 Serrano, Fresno, or habanero chile, seeded and minced
  • 12 Virginia oysters such as Rappahannock

Instructions

  1. Stir the vinegar, shallot, and chile together. Let the mignonette rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes to allow the shallot and chile to infuse the vinegar with flavor and spice.
  2. Shuck the oysters. Serve in the shell on an iced platter with the mignonette on the side.

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