My New Orleans maternal side of the family always had oyster dressing as their turkey side. It was a big deal. They'd buy like a gallon of shucked Lake Pontchartrain oysters and use a LOT of them but probably eating half the gallon raw while preparing the stuffing. Yuk! I couldn't STAND oysters but Dad sure loved them. Never got to liking it so I'd either go without dressing or, as I set out on my own, we'd have both oyster and another kind of dressing - usually cornbread or regular bread. Another holiday delicacy was
Stuffed Mirliton. My Mom made the best!
My Daddy used to like raw oysters, with a little Tabasco and a beer. I never got into it, but the one time I tried it at B-More’s Inner Harbor, it was...interesting, and not really off-putting.
But I guess I just like my shellfish cooked somewhat.
(I don’t think I could eat a snail. I’ve stepped on too many, and fed too many to my turtle...)