When I lived down on the Gulf coast, I'd eat platters of fried oysters at a local restaurant (they were cheap) and I like them that way, but oysters on the half-shell and oyster stew are my favorites.
In a pinch, I'll buy a couple cans of oyster stew and a can of oysters (the cheesy canned stuff doesn't have enough oysters), throw a little extra butter and black pepper on top, and eat that. Pretty awful stuff compared to the real thing... but like I said, this is Nebraska. The last time I had an awesome bowl of oyster stew was back around 1987 when I was driving loads of specialty freight to the east coast twice a week. There was a place in Connecticut that had great oysters and a stew that was apparently quite famous.
I also confess to consuming cans of smoked oysters like they were candy. My wife thinks they look like snotty boogers and taste like a pencil eraser soaked in cod liver oil. I'm not allowed to eat oysters or any other shellfish in her presence. Clams, mussels, none of them.
