In a small saucepan combine water, white wine vinegar, sugar, 1 tablespoon salt, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer so sugar and salt dissolve, then remove from heat. Place thinly sliced fennel in a heatproof jar or bowl and pour the hot pickling liquid over it, pressing the fennel down so it's submerged. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (ideally 2 hours) before serving. Keeps up to 5 days.

Champagne vinaigrette

Make vinaigrette

In a small bowl or jar combine champagne vinegar, minced shallot, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper. Whisk or shake to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuously until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill briefly if desired. The vinaigrette should be bright and slightly tangy to complement the oysters.

Oysters

Shuck oysters

Keep oysters cold on ice until ready to shuck. Using an oyster knife and a towel or glove to protect your hand, insert the knife at the hinge and twist to pop the shell open. Slide the knife under the top shell to release the muscle and discard the top shell. Run the knife under the oyster to detach it from the bottom shell, leaving the oyster level with its liquor in the shell. Arrange a bed of crushed ice on a serving platter and nestle the shucked oysters on top to keep them stable and cold.

Dress oysters

Using a small spoon, place about 1/2 teaspoon of the champagne vinaigrette on each oyster (adjust to taste). Top each oyster with a small mound (about 1 to 1.5 teaspoons) of the pickled fennel. Add 1–2 thin radish shavings on top of each oyster and a light sprinkle of sea salt flakes. Scatter snipped chives over the platter for color.

Serve

Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side. Encourage diners to eat oysters in one bite so they enjoy the interplay of briny oyster, bright vinaigrette, crisp pickled fennel, and peppery radish. Leftover vinaigrette can be refrigerated up to 3 days.