Whether you regard them as food of the gods, or spawn of the devil, oysters are a unique culinary experience.
It's a bracing, briny experience to knock back an oyster doused in lemon juice and a dash of Tabasco, although the popular manner in which these raw molluscs are consumed doesn't appeal to everyone. For the brave, don't be afraid to chew to release their meaty, salty flavour,.
These rather ugly bivalve molluscs have, conversely, been a symbol of love for centuries – the Greek goodess of love, Aphrodite, was 'born' from an oyster shell and the old rogue Casanova claimed to eat 50 a day. Oysters' well-known reputation as an aphrodisiac is easily explained in modern times – their nutritional content is brimming with minerals essential to healthy fertility, such as zinc, calcium, copper, iodine, selenium and magnesium.
Oysters have a chequered history – the Romans regarded them as food for the favoured few, but they fell out of favour, enjoying a revival around the 8th century before again becoming the staple of fishermen and peasants, and a means of sustenance for the Victorian lower classes. Today, after decades of over-fishing, the oyster is seen once more as a (pricey) delicacy.
Although oysters can be found throughout the year, it's better to eat them when they're not spawning. This is usually when there's an 'R' in the month (the colder months of September to April). In summer, they not only taste milky and fatty, it's also not the most ethical of moves to eat them.
Oysters should be stored in the cold (they keep for 2-3 days), though not in water, and should smell fresh, be tightly-closed and wet inside when opened (we recommend you ask your fishmonger to open them for you, but if you want to do it yourself, you'll need an oyster knife and a firm, steady hand). If they're open, don't eat them: food poisoning from an oyster is not something you would wish on a enemy. Once shucked (opened), eat quickly. Shucked oysters can also be frozen.
British and Irish oysters are fantastic, especially those from the East Anglian coast (around Aldeburgh), Whitstable in Kent, and in Helford and Galway in Ireland. Native oysters are regarded as the best – and the most expensive. Pacific or rock oysters offer smaller portions with a more subtle taste.
Oyster recipes
- Angels on horseback – oysters wrapped in bacon and baked
- Oysters Kilpatrick – oysters with diced bacon and Worcestershire sauce
- Oysters Rockefeller – oysters with spinach and breadcrumbs, grilled
- Po' Boys – an oyster sandwich from the American South.