The Hog Island Oyster Farm website says it's open rain or shine, and they're not kidding. Lucky for us, we arrived at this funky roadside shack on the shores of Tomales Bay minutes before the skies opened up, giving us just enough time to devour two dozen beautiful specimens (the Kumamotos are in the foreground, Sweet Waters in the back).

You can either shuck your own oysters or have the farm's staff shuck them for you - we opted for the latter and more civilized (read: lazy) choice. Paired up with a minerally Albarino, these babies were nothing short of perfect.

Next time, we're packing the rain gear and will let nothing stand between us and another dozen or so...not even Mother Nature.

(photo by Nina :-))