Oysters

[dr greg]

a lemon

I recall hearing that apart from the flavour, the idea behind lemon juice on oysters was to see if they were freshly shucked, because they would tense up and move in reaction to the acid......once they were old and tired the juice had no effect....

 

[John in Covina]

The lemon juice is to blind them so they can't see what's coming next!

 

[LocktownDog]

......once they were old and tired the juice had no effect....

There are so many places I could that that comment.

 

[Foofoogal]

The lemon juice is to blind them so they can't see what's coming next!
__________________

:eusa_clap lol lol

 

[Boodles]

Surely, the bravest man...

I'm an oyster lover. I host oyster roasts at my house fairly frequently in the fall and winter. Over the years, many thousands of oysters have lost their lives around the big shucking table in my back yard. For example, at a single roast last November, my guests and I ate over four-hundred pounds of the little fellows. So identifying one, favorite oyster would be kinda tough. I've eaten a lot of good oysters in the last fifty years since I tried my first one.

I try to buy North Carolina or Chesapeake Bay oysters when I can. I’m not terribly fond of oysters harvested in the Gulf of Mexico, but I’ll eat them when I have no other choice. In my experience, North Carolina and Bay oysters are much saltier and more flavorful than those from the Gulf. I’m not sure why. I’m guessing it has something to do with the water. I also try to buy my oysters during dry spells. Heavy rain tends to freshen the water in the estuaries were oysters grow causing them to taste muddy and bland.

I prefer my oysters steamed. When I'm cooking oysters for myself, I generally steam them a bit dry. I often dip them in a special oyster sauce that I make….other times I just eat them sauceless. Oh, and I should mention that a few saltine crackers and a hefty glass of brown liquor goes quite well with steamed oysters on a frosty winter’s night.


AF

To be sure this will get me in trouble with the likes of Mr Finch but..Surely the bravest man who ever walked the planet was the first guy to eat an oyster. I will admit, given that I'm North Carolina stock and for more than 200 years now, my dislike of oysters puts me into a minority group of sorts. There is, I suppose, no accounting for tastes.

 

[John in Covina]

Personal taste makes for some difficulties. I can get the willies when going for quantity amounts.

(I have a hard time handling raw chicken, prepping to cook it, cooked is fine but raw sets off all of these handling warnings in my head.)

Oysters ain't pretty for those that are not on board with the concept.

 

[Atticus Finch]

To be sure this will get me in trouble with the likes of Mr Finch but..I will admit...my dislike of oysters puts me into a minority group of sorts. There is, I suppose, no accounting for tastes.

Nah. I know a fair number of local folks who don't care much for oysters---at least not raw or steamed oysters. I think it's a texture thing with them as much as it is taste. I have to admit, although I grew up on a salt marsh, even I prefer to steam my oysters a bit dry so as to avoid the slimey (snotty?) texture of raw ones. A close friend (who is as much a Downeaster as am I) once told me that she doesn't like oysters because she had to swallow the first one she tried five times before she could finally get it to stay down.

AF

 

[Boodles]

AF, I'm happy to hear that you understand.

Nah. I know a fair number of local folks who don't care much for oysters---at least not raw or steamed oysters. I think it's a texture thing with them as much as it is taste. I have to admit, although I grew up on a salt marsh, even I prefer to steam my oysters a bit dry so as to avoid the slimey (snotty?) texture of raw ones. A close friend (who is as much a Downeaster as am I) once told me that she doesn't like oysters because she had to swallow the first one she tried five times before she could finally get it to stay down.

AF

It is clear to me that, while you personally like oysters, you do really understand what my beef is with them. For myself, it's the texture for sure.
Unlike your friend, 5 times were just not enough for me. It was more a case of catch and release.

 

[John in Covina]

From above it made me recall some choice phrases from home:

Eating oysters was likened to a really bad cold just starting to break up.

From the Great South Bay off Long Island one truly superlative description was "that's slimeyer than 2 eels screwin' in a bucket of snot!" has come up for the most slimey condition.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

I've lucked out so far - no food poisoning from oysters. But for a friend's birthday, at a favorite Italian restaurant, I got pushed off my favorite (their lasagna which is made to order and takes 45-60 minutes from when you place the order) and told I should live a little and try something new. "OK, linguine and clam sauce!" "Oh, sir, an excellent choice - we just picked up the most wonderful baby clams at Pike Place this afternoon." Famous last words. It did taste wonderful, and it did look rather pretty with all the little clam shells in the dish. But...I felt a little off the next day, and started throwing up at 3 am and by 8 am, I was sure there had to be nothing left in my digestive tract and the kidneys or liver was coming up next.

OK, a question regarding our little bivalve friends - I've had fresh oysters on the half-shell three or four times. The first time, Bite of Seattle on a dare and tossed down five or six just to shut up the naysayers . The question that I still have is one supposed to, well, toss them down whole, give them a couple light chews or vigorously chew. I never seem to get a straight answer on that one.

 

[John in Covina]

The question that I still have is one supposed to, well, toss them down whole, give them a couple light chews or vigorously chew. I never seem to get a straight answer on that one.

***************
If they are on the smaller side you could toss them down whole I suppose, but they should be chewed at least a little bit to release their own flavors. Maybe 6 to 10 chomps?

 

[Boodles]

Gees Mr Mike, why would anyone...

OK, a question regarding our little bivalve friends - I've had fresh oysters on the half-shell three or four times. The first time, Bite of Seattle on a dare and tossed down five or six just to shut up the naysayers . The question that I still have is one supposed to, well, toss them down whole, give them a couple light chews or vigorously chew. I never seem to get a straight answer on that one.

I just cannot imagine willing eating something which I find so unpalatable that I'm forced to slam it back in the hope that the offending morsel will not come in contact with my taste receptors. I find myself fronting this same arguement with my friends who are prone to slam that rotgut Jagermeister (Or, for that matter, my viking friends and their extra ginger schnapps). As for those people like my wife, the supertaster, who is someone that really loves oysters, especially those fancy presentations at restaurants, please help yourself to my share of the harvest. Hummm...I wonder if one can clean a hat with that extra ginger schnapps?

 

[Atticus Finch]

I just cannot imagine willing eating something which I find so unpalatable that I'm forced to slam it back in the hope that the offending morsel will not come in contact with my taste receptors. I find myself fronting this same arguement with my friends who are prone to slam that rotgut Jagermeister (Or, for that matter, my viking friends and their extra ginger schnapps). As for those people like my wife, the supertaster, who is someone that really loves oysters, especially those fancy presentations at restaurants, please help yourself to my share of the harvest. Hummm...I wonder if one can clean a hat with that extra ginger schnapps?

I agree. One of the great advantages of adulthood is having the ability to say "no, thank you" to foods that you don't like....even if those foods are cultural icons. For example, many people here in New Bern say that they like boiled chitlins. And those folks seem to believe that to be a true Southerner, one must like boiled chitlins. But the truth is that no one actually likes boiled chitlins. No one. And if adults would stop telling children that Southerners like chitlins, chitlin consumption would stop immediately and forever.

AF

 

[rkwilker]

Atticus...as a fellow North Carolina resident I must say......you are correct sir.

 

[John in Covina]

I agree. One of the great advantages of adulthood is having the ability to say "no, thank you" to foods that you don't like....even if those foods are cultural icons. For example, many people here in New Bern say that they like boiled chitlins. And those folks seem to believe that to be a true Southerner, one must like boiled chitlins. But the truth is that no one actually likes boiled chitlins. No one. And if adults would stop telling children that Southerners like chitlins, chitlin consumption would stop immediately and forever. AF

It's like college fraternity hazing - if I had to go thru this, well then damn it, so do you.

 

[Spitfire]

On a wall in Stuttgart, Germany.
("The Art to swallow life like an oyster" - roughly translated)

 

[rumblefish]

I find when people say they like oysters they almost always like them better than clams; that’s me. Then there are a few who enjoy raw clams but won’t touch a raw oyster. These folks will say that oysters are too slimy. I find the taste of oysters to be so delicately briny and so slightly metallic that I can’t enjoy raw clams after I’ve eaten raw oysters. The clams almost have an “off” taste after the oysters.

The ones I collect are Blue Points named after a town on the south shore of Long Island (or vice versa), and these are my favorite, although I’m sure I’m biased. As I understand it, almost all edible oysters in the east are the same Virginia oyster. They each get their names from areas where they were taken and take up some of their own characteristics; in shape, shell or flesh color, and taste.

Freshness checks on oyster always start with a tightly closed shell. Then when opened, should have no odor other than of the water it came from, and be sitting in a nice puddle of water (liquor). When I collect oysters I eat them through out a week and very rarely are there any that have gone bad. I do notice that if any get frozen, they don’t necessarily die (I leave the bag of them in my garage). They tend to give up all their water and become dry, but even these will have tightly closed shells. Maybe that’s something to consider when ordering from a restaurant.

I collect oysters from October to March. Boat traffic is at a minimum and they definitely won’t be spawning. John is absolutely right about the “R” months for harvesting oysters. Depending on water temperatures they are breeding and this usually falls in July. When this happens they no longer taste delicate and briny, they taste murky and fatty. Occasionally after a period of heavy rain I won’t take oysters for a few days. This doesn’t usually happen during oyster season, it’s more of a spring/summer thing when I’m clamming.

I open from the back at the hinge, some like to knock off a portion of the front, rounded part of the shells and cut the muscle there- this, I find, is messy. By using an oyster knife (pointed and flat, but not sharp) go at the top half (the flatter shell) of the hinge and push down slightly while wiggling the knife until it’s in. Then turn the knife to open for enough room to slide the knife forward and cut the one large muscle at the front (Clams have two muscles on each end- oysters have one) on the top or flatter shell. Discard the top shell, cut the muscle holding the oyster to the bottom shell, clean of the oyster at the back (where there may be some shell) with the tip of the knife and serve. Mine I like with a drop of Tabasco and/or a drop of lime or lemon. Never cocktail sauce- that’s for clams. To drink I almost always have a Martini, but sometimes a Gimlet. I had them once with Osetra caviar, neither one complimented the other very well.

For the folks who feel they ought to be eating oysters even if they don’t like them- I’ll have out the shrimp cocktail. While opening some for guests once, a friend said to another, “Just swallow it whole, and wash it down with a beer”. There are a few things I don’t like, but I’m not likely to swallow a piece of liver whole and wash it down with a beer.

Here I am where I collect oysters and clams.

A sack of oysters and clams.

Rinsing off- oysters in the sack on the right and clams on the left.

And check out the oysters these guys have available, some good stuff to learn here too. http://www.jpshellfish.com/oysters.php

 

[rumblefish]

Ain't that pretty? The oyster not me.

Oh, and don't let anyone tell you that you shouldn't drink hard liquor with raw clams or oysters because they knot up in your stomach.

 

[Boodles]

Barrister Finch

I agree. One of the great advantages of adulthood is having the ability to say "no, thank you" to foods that you don't like....even if those foods are cultural icons. For example, many people here in New Bern say that they like boiled chitlins. And those folks seem to believe that to be a true Southerner, one must like boiled chitlins. But the truth is that no one actually likes boiled chitlins. No one. And if adults would stop telling children that Southerners like chitlins, chitlin consumption would stop immediately and forever.

AF

I'm with you on the chitterlings/chitlins. Over my 60+ years in and around Charlotte I've known a few mental midgets who seemed to enjoy fried chitlins but boiled! Woo wee. Boiled chitlins I would group with boiled calamari if there is such a thing. Even fried, a woman I know refers to calamari as fried...well...o rings, in a manner of speaking. While I'm on a roll trying to disgust anyone else reading this thread, I'll see your boiled chitlins and raise you a fried pigs ear sandwhich, on a bun of course. Poor Mr Squeal. With him or her, it's a bit like they say about Africa and nothing being wasted, not much escapes someones table.

Back on the rites of passage to be a true southerner..methinks, as you remind us, and for that matter as Gen. Lee used to say-more or less-as he received new students, we have but one rule, and that is to be a gentleman. That trait is about lost. Chitlins won't do it.

Mr Rumblefish - I should have expected my poo pooing oysters would get a rise out of the man from Long Island. Touche, my friend. Enjoy "them" things. My hat is off to any man who gathers his own food.

 

[Viola]

Here's something off-topic but I must know: What exactly is a chitlin? Is it a pork product or a collard-like green? I don't eat pork AND I don't know what chitlins are but I don't know if those are connected except in my head.

I don't eat oysters either, I should show myself out of this thread. But is there an oyster analogue like the faux krabmeat for crabs, that's really pollack?