It was oyster mania!

Mollusk madness.

Bivalve lunacy.

Within 30 minutes, we had each sucked down at least half a dozen raw oysters and eaten another half in various forms - Rockefeller, grilled, baked in pot pie, fried for po' boys and pickled. (Yes, pickled!) We had washed it all down with beer and enjoyed grilled cheese sandwiches and various pickled vegetables on the side.

And then, the real craziness began.

Just as someone said, it would be great to have another po' boy, we looked up to realize we were packed like sardines in the middle of the tin. The previously half empty lot lined with stalls serving a range of East Coast oysters and other local gastronomic goodies was now packed with hungry folks standing in long lines for their first taste of oyster. The shuckers, fryers and grillers struggled to meet the quickening demands of the ravenous crowd.

We assessed and decided we had advantages--a table already staked and scouts familiar with the lay of the land who were willing to risk bodily harm, and possibly ejection, to sally forth for more oysters. We were celebrating Mrs. O's birthday and would not be defeated!

And so it was that we stayed and stuffed ourselves even sillier.

The event was an Oyster Saloon revival hosted as a fundraiser by the New Amsterdam Market, an outdoor food market and an organization that promotes local sourcing and accessibility as well as economic development in Lower Manhattan.

It was a revival because, at one time, New York was an oyster hotbed. You could gulp them on street corners, buy them at open-air markets, or enjoy them in cellars in the company of prostitutes. They were cheap, easy to come by and could be savored by anyone with a few cents in their pocket. (For more information, listen to 'History on the Half Shell' in 'Big Oyster,' an interview with author Mark Kurlansky in the archives of Weekend Edition on NPR.)

We were nearly first in line when the 'doors' of the Oyster Saloon opened at about 5:45. By 8:00, most of the oyster stalls were closed, and our bellies were sloshing.

In all the madness, it was impossible to take notes about which oyster varieties I ate and which I most enjoyed. But, there wasn't a single oyster I disliked, which is saying a lot for a girl from the Midwest. Here are a few of the highlights oysters and otherwise:

• Grilled Oysters by Luke's Lobster -- deliciously seasoned with garlic and shallot

• Oyster Soup from Chef King Phojanakong of Kuma Inn -- lovely tender oysters in a flavorful and magnificent coconut-milk broth

• Pickled Vegetables from rick's picks -- My favorite experience of the evening was walking up to the rick's picks table, handing over my ticket and asking for whatever pickles the gentleman at the table (perhaps, Rick?) recommended. He said it was like asking someone to choose a favorite among his children and moments later handed me a paper dish with a bit of everything -- beets, green beans, carrots, cucumbers, okra. All were fantastic and inspiring for my soon-to-be new adventure into home canning (see last week and my new quest to preserve ramps for year-round cocktail enjoyment.) I can't wait to stop by their booth at the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket sometime soon.

• Pickled Oysters by Scott Bridi from Brooklyn Cured -- I had no idea you could pickle oysters... As Tammy said last night, "I just had a pickled oyster, and it changed my life." I might go with 'rocked my world' over 'changed my life' but impressive nonetheless. And, they had the prettiest strands of something mauve delicately placed atop the gray, silky oyster.

• Gingerbread from Chef Sarah Cox at Blue Bottle -- We spent the last of our food tickets on gingerbread from Blue Bottle coffee, which is, by the way, this week's gastronomic delight. (This is a new feature of UG in the upper right corner of the blog.) This cake is dense and chewy with great ginger bite, not too sweet. It would be perfect for an afternoon coffee break.

• Grilled Cheese from Saxelby Cheesemongers -- made with two different varieties of cheddar--sharp, earthy and heady--between two slices of grilled crispy bread

If you are interested in supporting the New Amsterdam Market, they are hosting an online Purveyor's Auction to benefit the market and celebrate the art of making things by hand. There are many 'experiences' on the auction block that have promise for being incredible, such as a day of lamb-birthing, a honey-tasting laboratory workshop, and chocolate making with the Mast Brothers.

There it is, ladies and g's. Stay tuned for more gastronomic adventures from the Big Erster...oh did you say Oyster? Let's call the whole thing off!