Best rules for oyster eating
Think you've been eating oysters? Well, you may be wrong. The oyster eating culture has been around for years. But unfortunately, not everyone follows the rules. Yes, there are rules. There are a number of tips you need to have before gorging down those beauties, and failing to do so simply curtails your experience. Here are some rules that you need to follow.
Know the oceans
Oysters from different oceans taste different because they normally get their flavour from their environment. The Atlantic and Pacific oysters vary greatly when it comes to their tastes. Atlantic oysters are brinier and have a savoury finish. However, they aren't sweet. You can identify them by their smooth shell ridges and curvy shape.
Pacific oysters, on the other hand, have sweet vegetable flavours. You can easily identify them from their pointed shells with jagged and rough ridges.
Enjoy the oyster juice too
If you are planning to eat the oyster raw, then don't drain away the oyster juice. This is the liquid inside the oyster that keeps it alive when it's fished out. The fluid could also tell you whether the oyster you're having is fine and fresh. It shouldn't be cloudy or coloured. A clear fluid tastes great. Some even call it liquor.
Get the fresh ones
If you're looking for the sweetest oysters, pay more attention to the time they've spent out of the water. One of the best ways to do this is to order them directly from the oyster growers. Once they send them to you, you can be assured that they are less than two days old. You need to keep them alive when storing them. Covering them with a wet towel keeps them hydrated. Remember; don't shuck the oysters if you're not planning to eat them immediately. Once their shell is opened, they die.
Don't go for skinny oysters
Getting a skinny oyster means one thing--the oyster was caught immediately after its hibernation. Normally, oysters stuff themselves in the late fall to survive through the winter. So fishing them out in early spring gives you emaciated oysters and that's not the kind you'll want to go for. Such oysters have used up all their food deposits and have no glycogen or fats. They don't even taste any better than seawater. A good oyster needs to fill up the shell. That way you'll get all the nutrients and flavour.