Oyster shells are piled high near a row of Monterey cypress on the north end of the peninsula.

Chester “Chet” Wachsmuth Jr. grew up around oysters. His great-grandfather, Louis C. Wachsmuth, began Dan and Louis Oyster Bar in 1907, carting in crates of the briny bivalves from Willapa and Yaquina Bay into his new restaurant and beginning a family tradition.

Chet never cared for the slippery flesh, never craved the intoxicating salty taste that gourmets covet, but he learned, or perhaps adapted. Like most of his family members, he grew up in the restaurant.

The antique structure remains next to its original location on Ankeny Street in Portland, an alleyway that has seen good times and bad but held steady, even when the oyster crop was nearly eradicated from the waters of Willapa Bay early in the 20th century.

Chet is a denizen of the Oysterville community. Now closing in on age 75, he remains animated when discussing Northwest history. The bay is forever his passion.

Chet knows the stories of this isolated part of the world well. He can shuck the dogged mollusks with dexterity, no easy task. He contributed this oyster stew recipe without fanfare, as is his way, not bashful, not closemouthed, but a good listener.

I studied art with Chet in New York City at the end of the 1960s and learned to appreciate his calm demeanor and thoughtful personality. He is a natural storyteller and the master of a subtle joke. But the smartest thing he ever did was marrying his high school sweetheart, Carol, and retiring to this lovely bayside community.

Their smartly refurbished home is just south of the Oysterville Schoolhouse and next to the infamous Pacific County courthouse.

Chet is related to Cory Schreiber, a James Beard award winner and Northwest favorite son and chef. Most likely, Schreiber modified the family recipe. This recipe comes from his cookbook, Wildwood.

Chet tells how the stock from the original stew was saved after the chefs at Dan and Louis Oyster Bar poached and then reserved the oysters before concocting the stew.

Oysterville oyster stew

Ingredients

• One pint shucked oysters and their juice

• 8 cups milk

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 3/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Preparation

In an enamel pot, combine the milk and cream and heat until small bubbles form around the edges. Stir in the butter, salt, and pepper.

Gently add the oysters and their juices and simmer for a few minutes or until the oysters are firm and tender. Serve immediately. The oysters should now be plump but not overcooked. My wife, Laurie, likes to chop and saute pecans and add those to the chowder along with baby spinach. I sometimes add some fresh pesto.

The Chinook people lowered the bivalve into tight reed baskets already boiling softly with bay water and with the addition of red hot stones.

The natural saltiness of this preparation can preclude the need for any added salt, so be cautious about adding before tasting. Slurp, savor and enjoy.