Discussion
Just back from a week away and tried Oysters for the first time.
My understanding is that these are something of a delicacy but I cannot for the life of me understand why we eat them, let alone pay a premium to.
I will try anything once, and often look for something a little different on the menu but Oysters I just done get.
What am I missing here? Does anybody, hand on heart, love the taste of Oysters or are they just flowery nonsense in a pretty shell?
My understanding is that these are something of a delicacy but I cannot for the life of me understand why we eat them, let alone pay a premium to.
I will try anything once, and often look for something a little different on the menu but Oysters I just done get.
What am I missing here? Does anybody, hand on heart, love the taste of Oysters or are they just flowery nonsense in a pretty shell?
I think it was Oscar Wilde, a fellow irishman who said " it was a brave man who first ate an Oyster ". I had my first ones in 1975, not too imressed, twenty years passed by and I became a regular visitor to France and now am of the opinion that I love them. Raw, with either Lemon, Tabasco, Shallots chopped in Red Wine vinegar or hot under the grill with cream and cheese, all washed down by a chilled Muscadet, Sancere or Gros Plant. Some say add brown soda bread with butter and a pint of Guinness.
PS. the aphrodisiac claim is just that, never worked for me !
PS. the aphrodisiac claim is just that, never worked for me !
Love them, have been eating them for twenty-odd years, however recently it would seem they have fallen out of love with me. Last two times I ate them I was violently sick shortly after. On one occasion they were smoked and canned, on the other they were raw and also eaten by many other people with no ill effect. I will give them one more try before I write them off.
majordad said:
PS. the aphrodisiac claim is just that, never worked for me !
I think they are rich in zinc, which over time, is very good for the reproductive system. But one helping of oysters isn't going to make a blind bit of difference at the end of the evening (apart from the fact that the lady may be impressed with the amount of money you've spent!) 
Had some on the banks of Loch Fyne recently and the bloke said they had been out of the water for 45 mins and travelled about 300m before going into my mouth.
Fresh.
Tasty, but my wife didn't partake.
A she said, why do we humans feel the need to eat things like this ( group includes snails, offal, etc) My answer, because we can. There is no point being a vegetarian because evolutionarily, meat stops you from dying. Ditto snails etc...
Fresh.
Tasty, but my wife didn't partake.
A she said, why do we humans feel the need to eat things like this ( group includes snails, offal, etc) My answer, because we can. There is no point being a vegetarian because evolutionarily, meat stops you from dying. Ditto snails etc...
pad58 said:
Absolutely bloody lovely ,but then I'm biased.
Pad, give'em a bell.https://www.facebook.com/herm.oysters
Fishtigua said:
pad58 said:
Absolutely bloody lovely ,but then I'm biased.
Pad, give'em a bell.https://www.facebook.com/herm.oysters
I love them - all ways - with shallot vinegar, with lemon juice, with Tabasco...
Contrary to popular belief, you don't just down them whole, but suck until they've liquified. Heaven on Earth with a chilled glass of Chablis or pint of Guinness.
However it's said that if you get a bad one you'll never touch them again, and I'm afraid that's me.
But I can (and do) still eat them cooked. Oysters Rockefeller, or steak and oyster pie. Yummy.
Contrary to popular belief, you don't just down them whole, but suck until they've liquified. Heaven on Earth with a chilled glass of Chablis or pint of Guinness.
However it's said that if you get a bad one you'll never touch them again, and I'm afraid that's me.
But I can (and do) still eat them cooked. Oysters Rockefeller, or steak and oyster pie. Yummy.
Mobile Chicane said:
Contrary to popular belief, you don't just down them whole, but suck until they've liquified.
That's a new one to me!? You suck them out of the shell sure, but you're supposed to then chew on them to release the liquor/flavour. I would think sucking them would leave the eating process of the oyster fairly flavourless and pointless. Are you sure you didn't misunderstand the term sucking the oyster, or did someone genuinely say that's the way to eat them? I've never encountered that and I've had my fair share of oysters all over the world. Gassing Station | Food, Drink & Restaurants | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff