Oyster Society: Adventures with the Shellfishly Motivated

Part culinary adventure, part personal awakening―one woman’s growing oyster obsession leads her into a coastal subculture that few outsiders ever see―and toward a life reclaimed.

What started as a whimsical visit to an oyster farm became a life-changing journey across North America’s hidden shellfish world. In Oyster Society, Virginia Shaffer (“Lady Oyster”) dives into the gritty, passionate community of people who live and breathe oysters.

From saltwater marshes to shucking competitions, she meets the farmers, chefs, and aficionados determined to change the world through one simple food. As Shaffer sinks deeper into this briny underground, she discovers that oyster people aren’t just growing shellfish―they’re cultivating resilience, sustainability, and authentic connections to the coast. 

Shaffer’s cathartic pursuit becomes a mouthwatering exploration of the people and ideas fueling the oyster renaissance. But the real revelation comes when she realizes the oyster has a plan for her too: a great unshackling from corporate life and a return to coastal living.

Immersive, delicious, and full of adventure, Oyster Society offers a fresh take on food memoir―intertwining industry exposé with an inner awakening.

VIRGINIA SHAFFER is a food writer, certified oyster sommelier, and the founder of Lady Oyster Tours & Tastings, Maine’s first oyster culinary tour company, which was globally awarded “Best Rural Culinary Heritage Experience” in 2025 by the World Food Travel Association. 

Virginia has written about shellfish for over ten years and has been featured on NPR, Boston Chronicle, and in publications such as Edible, Good Grit, MyMaine, Post and Courier, and more. She holds a certificate in Gastronomic Tourism from Le Cordon Bleu Paris, and a B.A. in International Studies from American University. Virginia lives in Bath with her husband, Warwick, two loyal collies, Tulip and Daffodil, and Woody, the pesky cat.