Oysters take centre stage at Cliff Townhouse festival

It’s oyster season and hotels and restaurants all over the country are putting oysters top of the bill.

Sean Smith, head chef at the Cliff Townhouse on St Stephen’s Green in Dublin, brings his own twist to events with their fourth annual oyster festival, running from Tuesday Sept 8th to Sunday September 13th.

A masterclass is at the heart of the event on Thursday evening with Smith giving an introduction to oysters, their Irish suppliers and the tricky task of opening them correctly. Preparing and serving them follow, along with a focus on which drinks complement them best.

Outside the masterclass, the hotel has a dedicated oyster menu and also a quirky cocktail list that includes a smoked vodka oyster martini and a tomato and basil oyster shooter. For more traditionalists, Dungarvan Brewing Company wil be serving up their Black Rock Stout.

In the meantime, you can get ahead of Smith by trying two of his favourite recipes here and by watching his video on how to shuck an oyster, above.

For more on the festival and to book a place on the masterclass see theclifftownhouse.com