Among connoisseurs of haute cuisine, their oyster dishes hold a special place. The product is very expensive, but in this case its cost is quite justified. The fact is that oysters not only have an unusual taste, but also a number of beneficial properties that have a positive effect on human health. Ideally, they should be present in the diet of each of us.
There are about 50 species of oysters in the modern world. They live mainly in warm sea waters near the shore or the mouth of an inflowing river. However, recently they have learned to grow them artificially. The main exporters of oysters are the French, Japanese, Americans, and South Koreans. And also Norwegians, Spaniards, Portuguese, Australians. They are also found in the Russian Far East. Oysters from Norway are most prized on the European market.
Oyster meat has a jelly-like consistency and is usually drunk straight from the shell, after sprinkling a little lemon juice inside. The taste can be completely different. It depends on the time of year, the habitat of the mollusk, and its specific species. Some oysters may be sweet, others may be salty.
This is a product that will not leave anyone indifferent. There are people who simply adore oysters, and there are those who hate their taste.
Useful properties and composition of oysters
Be that as it may, this product is very useful. It's all in the composition. Oyster meat is very nutritious and in some qualities surpasses even many types of fish. It contains a lot of protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins A, D, C, PP, as well as a whole palette of minerals, starting with iodine and zinc and ending with chromium, fluorine and cobalt.
The delicate, excellent taste of oysters is provided by its unusual chemical composition. He is also responsible for the beneficial properties of this product.
- Thanks to the elements mentioned above, oysters have a calming effect on the human nervous system. This product contains almost the entire daily requirement of vitamins necessary for the human body.
- It is also worth noting that oyster meat, despite its nutritional value, has a very low calorie content (approximately 72 calories per 100 grams). This is an ideal choice for people who love to eat delicious food, but at the same time monitor their health and their appearance.
- The zinc content in oyster meat is quite high, which in turn has a positive effect on the condition of the skin, hair and nails.
- This mollusk is a natural aphrodisiac, which not only increases sexual attraction to the opposite sex, but also increases the level of testosterone in the blood of men.
- Regular consumption of oysters will be an excellent prevention of cancer.
- Also, the antioxidant substances contained in this product help rejuvenate the body.
- Iron and all kinds of mineral salts, which these mollusks are rich in, will improve the process of hematopoiesis. That is why doctors recommend eating oysters for patients who suffer from anemia.
- Sterols, which the mollusk is rich in, prevent the deposition of cholesterol. A high concentration of iodine will help avoid diseases of the thyroid system.
However, in order to preserve all the beneficial properties of this product, you need to use it correctly. Of course, oysters are delicious when seasoned with lemon juice. But you need to remember that this will not help if the oyster is not fresh. In general, it is customary to eat them practically alive. Only then will the oyster not only taste good, but also be as beneficial as possible for the human body. If the mollusk does not flinch when opening the shell, it means it is dead. If possible, replace such an oyster with a live one. Of course, you can boil, bake, or fry this product, but after heat treatment it will lose almost all of its beneficial properties.
Can oysters be harmful?
Unfortunately, some people should not consume this delicacy.
- We are talking primarily about those who are allergic to seafood or individual intolerance to certain chemical elements. In such cases, even heat treatment of oysters will not save you from negative consequences.
- Experts do not recommend abusing this shellfish for women who are in an interesting situation and for mothers who are breastfeeding their babies.
- Diseases of the stomach, pancreas and spleen can worsen due to the presence of oysters in the human diet.
How to eat oysters correctly
It is still customary to eat oysters raw, as we said above. Most often they are simply sprinkled with lemon juice. However, some gourmets go further and season this product with ground black pepper or prepare a special sauce for them, usually based on vinegar.
If you decide to try eating an oyster at home rather than in a restaurant, you'll have to open it yourself. First, the clam must be washed in cold water and the grains of sand must be removed from it. Next, place the clam on the table with the lid up, insert the tip of the knife between the flaps and carefully guide it along the entire length. There is no need for any sudden movements, otherwise our precious juice may spill. Carefully open the oyster and remove its upper shell. We run a knife under the body of the oyster to remove the meat from the shell. Now you can safely eat your delicacy by adding your preferred seasoning.
Video: benefits of oysters
In the European tradition, it is customary to eat oysters in those months whose names contain the letter “r”. It's September, which means the very beginning of oyster season.
Classics of the genre
“I ate oysters that smelled strongly of the sea, cold white wine washed away the slight metallic taste, and then all that was left was the taste of the sea and the feeling of a juicy mass in the mouth...” - this is what Hemingway wrote about oysters. And they conquered not only him with their taste: many famous writers dedicated their lines to the delicacy, including Lewis Carroll with a rhyming recipe in “Alice in Wonderland,” and even Anna Akhmatova could not resist: “The fresh and pungent smell of the sea, oysters on ice in a dish..." And from the light hand of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, everyone knows the phrase from his story: "Adults take it and eat it alive... And it squeaks and tries to bite the lip..."
Fashionable delicacy: history and geography
Eating shellfish began approximately 2000 years ago in Rome. And in Ancient Greece, oysters, or rather their shells, served as voting ballots: the names of politicians against whom a vote was cast were written on them. They say this is where the term “ostracism” comes from, that is, “exile, persecution.” Then it was the turn to taste the oysters of England and France, where they were successfully imported. Just think: in these countries, until the beginning of the 19th century, they were considered the food of the poor! “Oysters and poverty always seem to be,” wrote Charles Dickens.
However, uncontrolled fishing has resulted in the food of the poor becoming a delicacy.
In Russia, they learned about oysters under Peter I (in the middle of the century before last, about 700-750 tons of live oysters were delivered to St. Petersburg alone each year), and since then they have been considered a gourmet food. And if previously only the Russian aristocracy could treat themselves to them, today mere mortals can also try Catherine II’s favorite dish: the cost of an oyster ranges from 200-250 rubles per piece, depending on the type.
Andrey Fedorin
co-owner of the restaurant LESARTISTS
There are many types of oysters found in nature - more than 50, but only 10-12 are popular in gastronomy. What is their difference? In the habitat and growing characteristics. The most popular oysters are from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is believed that warm seas do not improve the taste of shellfish. Oysters differ in shape - depending on the appearance of the shell, they can be divided into two groups: flat, slightly rounded (for example, Marin-Oleron, Belon, Bouzigues, Gravette), and deep (Fin, Spezial, Creuse, Brittany, etc.) .d.). And of course, to taste. Yes, they all have the taste of the sea, but it, like the taste of wine, depends on the place of birth. Oysters can be fatty and salty, with a metallic or iodine flavor and even hints of melon.
By the way, gourmets prefer wild oysters. They are smaller in size than farm-grown ones, but have a richer flavor. And, of course, they cost more.
What explains the “roaring season” rule? Some people generally think that this is stupidity, while others put forward the following hypothesis: from May and all summer long, mollusks have a breeding season. At this time, the body of the oysters softens, and milk forms inside the shell, giving the meat a bitter taste.
How to select and open?
Most often, oysters are served in restaurants; they are eaten less often at home - due to the fact that, firstly, you need to know where to buy them and how to choose the right one, and secondly, special equipment is needed to open and eat oysters. If this doesn’t bother you, then first we’ll tell you how to choose shellfish.
Today, oysters are sold in markets, shops, and restaurants. A live oyster should be tightly sealed and heavy in water weight. The smell is only of the sea, and when tapped it should not feel empty. You can determine the freshness of an oyster this way: shake it near your ear - a live mollusk clings well to the walls and does not make any sounds.
If the seller considers it possible to open the shell for you, then pay attention to its appearance: the oyster should look, as they say, well-fed. It’s better to return the skinny one right away.
This is the time to look at special accessories for opening and eating oysters.
So, in order to carefully (and without hurting yourself) open an oyster, there is a special chain mail glove and a knife with a limiter. True, you should only buy them if you are a real lover of oysters and buy them often, otherwise these accessories are too expensive a toy: they cost from 8,000 rubles (each). Otherwise, an ordinary knife with a wide and short, but not flexible blade may be suitable for opening an oyster.
The mollusk is taken in the left hand, which is wearing a glove, and held so that the flat flap is on top. The knife is inserted into the place where the doors are connected and turned like a lever until a click occurs. After this, they pass the blade in the center of the oyster from above and cut the muscle that “holds” the valves. Then, without turning the oyster so that its juice does not leak out, the shell is opened. If shell pieces get inside, they need to be removed with a knife. The oyster is not washed.
The oyster must be removed from the shell with a special three-pronged fork - it is small in size and convex in shape. An oyster dish is not a very necessary serving item, but you can purchase one for a complete set.
The shells should be placed on ice. If you are not going to eat them right away, you should cover them with a towel and store them in the refrigerator. Shelf life - no more than five days. However, if possible, oysters are best eaten immediately after purchase.
How to order and eat correctly
Usually oysters are taken by the dozen, but this is just tradition. In addition, doctors do not recommend taking more shellfish: not every stomach can withstand such a powerful protein attack. It’s not bad if in a restaurant they open the oysters in front of you, but if they brought them open (this is what they do most often), pay attention to how they lie in the shell, you need to smell them: do they smell like the sea? So it's fresh.
Fresh oyster reacts to acid. After opening, it is customary to drip a little lemon juice into it. Observe how the oyster reacts to it. A live mollusk wrinkles a little from the acid.
Oysters are served on a round dish in the center of which is vinegar or wine essence, lemon wedges, the chef's signature sauce, sour or spicy Tabasco, and sometimes black bread toast. Ideally, the “seafood” will lie in ice.
In different countries, oysters can be served in their own way, but regardless of geography, lemon is always served with them. It disinfects and balances the taste.
But the sauces offered may well correspond to the gastronomic mentality of the country or region: for example, in Florida, many restaurants serve oysters with ketchup and mustard, purely American style. They might also bring you French fries.
Eating the delicacy requires using a special fork or spoon (and there is also a fork-spoon - two in one) to separate the shellfish from the shell. Separated? Now sprinkle the oyster with lemon, bring it to your lips and suck out all the contents of the shell. Try to do this silently. Then swallow - without chewing. The juice contained in the shell is also drunk.
What is the right way to drink oysters?
Oysters are supposed to be washed down with champagne (preferably brut or prosecco), soft white wine (any kind), and in winter vodka is not forbidden. Don't believe your ears? This is true. At the famous oyster bar in London's Harrods, oysters are served with champagne and vodka. So, if you don't like dry white wine, you don't have to follow etiquette, which doesn't exist!
Natural aphrodisiac
In the 18th century, Giacomo Casanova glorified oysters as a natural aphrodisiac. In his notes, the legendary lover told the world that he ate a dozen oysters for breakfast, and this gave him masculine strength throughout the night. This may be why for many years it was believed that eating oysters increases libido.
And not so long ago, a team of American and Italian scientists proved that oysters contain rare amino acids that increase the content of sexual hormones. This is precisely what explains their effect as an aphrodisiac.
In addition, oysters are rich in zinc. This is especially important when you consider that men lose between one and three milligrams of this important micronutrient with each ejaculation. By the way, the concentration of nutrients in oysters is highest in the spring, before the start of the mating season.
It is believed that 4-5 medium-sized oysters contain the daily value of iron, copper, iodine, magnesium, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, as well as vitamins A, B, C and D.
Oysters are a dietary product; they shine due to the large amount of glucose. Moreover, their calorie content is no more than 60 calories per 100 grams. In France, many nutritionists prescribe the so-called oyster diet for women. So we remind girls who are watching their figure: oyster season is your season!
I don’t eat this kind of seafood very often, and mostly for entertainment, rather than for a hearty meal. But once I even visited a place where, in general, the only food available was “sea reptiles.” Left hungry...
But actually how to eat oysters...
Nowadays, science knows about 50 species of oysters (lat. Ostreidae) - mollusks from the bivalve family. Most of them live in relatively warm seas. However, several species of oysters are known to live in the cool waters of the northern seas. Oysters can live in colonies or alone. Their settlements can be found at depths from 1 to 70 m, both close to the shore and at a considerable distance from it (oyster banks). Oysters can exist in seawater of varying degrees of salinity (minimum 12 ppm). The degree of salinity of the water affects the growth time of oysters and the taste of their meat. The best are considered to be mollusks that developed and collected at a water salinity of 20-30 ppm. If the water is saltier (about 35 ppm), the oysters grow quickly, but their meat becomes tough.
The main commercial species is the edible oyster (lat. Ostrea edulis). They can be found off the coast of Europe, in the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Edible oysters are rock (O. sublamellosa), Black Sea (O. taurica), Adriatic (O. adriatica), Portuguese (Crassostrea angulata). In addition, “giant” oysters (Crassostrea gigas) are known - they are now the so-called “basic” breed of oysters grown off the coast of France. Oysters have shell shapes that are flat or concave. The latter are most popular in Europe today. Although flat oysters are not forgotten either.
There is also a classification of oysters by size. These clams can be sizes No. 00, No. 0, No. 1, No. 2 and then up to No. 5. Oysters No. 00 are the largest. In addition, they are distinguished by the method of cultivation. There are oysters of the “full sea” - those that were born and grew in the sea before being harvested. There are also known “refined” oysters - refined ones, which spent part of their life in “greenhouse” conditions created by man.
Next, let's focus on the rules of eating oysters. The classic is to serve oysters on a tray of ice, arranged in a circle, for example, with lemon slices in the center. The number of oysters must be a multiple of six. Usually this is a dozen (12 pieces) or half a dozen (6 pieces). But options are possible: a lot depends on the size of the oysters, the size of the dish or tray, and the number of participants in the meal. Wine for oysters is always served white and dry. It can also be Brut champagne. Neither wine nor champagne should be too expensive - their task is to emphasize the taste of oysters.
Did you admire the blissful picture? Now it's time to destroy the oyster-ice beauty. Take the clam with your left hand and turn it towards you with the pointed end. In your right hand you should have a special knife, which should always be served with oysters. You insert it between the doors and push them apart. You will see a film in the middle of the sink; it needs to be removed. Carefully, in a circle, cut it with the same knife, pry it up and place it on the edge of the plate. Next, put the knife aside, take a slice of lemon and squeeze the juice directly into the sink with your fingers. By the way, this is done not only “for taste”.
The tradition originated in those days when oysters were still transported in tubs or barrels, and not in special chambers; transport was slow, and the shellfish could spoil on the road. If when lemon juice hits an oyster it shrinks, it is still alive and can be eaten. If nothing happens, the oyster is dead and there is no need to eat it. Actually, even today this method of determining the freshness of oysters can be useful. You can also season the oyster with freshly ground black pepper and dip it in vinegar sauce seasoned with shallots. Seasoned? Now quietly, without smacking, suck out the contents of the shell with your mouth. That, in fact, is the whole simple science of eating oysters.
By the way, in restaurants, so that customers do not bother themselves, in order to avoid funny and not very incidents, oysters, as a rule, are served already open, with the “attachment” muscle trimmed. So simply sprinkle with lemon juice and pop the oyster into your mouth; for even greater convenience, it can be served with a special two-pronged oyster fork.
If oysters are served cooked (and you can cook a lot of things from them), then they are eaten only with cutlery. Cold oysters are used as dessert utensils, and warm or hot ones are used as tableware.
There is a widespread belief that you should only enjoy oysters in the months whose names contain the letter “r” (September to April). Actually, this is true and not true at the same time. The fact is that at one time in France, in order to avoid uncontrolled fishing of oysters, which threatened their extinction, a law was passed prohibiting the fishing of shellfish during their breeding season. And oysters reproduce from late spring through summer.
In addition, during reproduction, the oyster produces milk inside its shell. When opened, it pours out, giving the meat a bitter taste. However, technologies for breeding oysters are now known, using which the mollusks do not reproduce. Experts have also learned to shift the breeding season of oysters by several months, so that in the summer they still do not taste bitter. And in general - when it’s summer in Europe, for example, winter in Australia - the oysters there don’t even think about reproducing.
Speaking about oysters, one cannot help but recall Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. He has a whole story called “Oysters.” It was the famous writer who can perhaps be considered the author of the legend that oysters squeak when they are poured with lemon juice before being eaten (in reality, nothing like that happens, of course). This is what he writes in his work:
“So that’s what oysters mean! I imagine an animal that looks like a frog. The frog sits in the shell, looks out from there with large sparkling eyes and plays with its disgusting jaws. I imagine how they bring this animal from the market in a shell, with claws, shiny eyes and slimy skin... The children all hide, and the cook, wincing with disgust, takes the animal by the claw, puts it on a plate and carries it to the dining room. Adults take it and eat it... eat it alive, with eyes, teeth, and paws! And it squeaks and tries to bite the lip...”
Well, is everything right? Or are you eating wrong?
sources
If two people who are far from haute cuisine come to a restaurant for dinner and order oysters for the first time, a memorable evening is guaranteed. But not for the gourmets sitting next to you. While inexperienced eaters try to scoop the slippery substance into a teaspoon, while simultaneously dipping the toast into oyster juice, the subtle natures of aesthetes contemplate all this in a semi-fainting state. This article will clearly explain the basics of oyster etiquette.
How to eat oysters?
When a dish with a delicacy is already on the table, you should remember that oysters do not like cutlery. True connoisseurs swallow them straight from the sink without any forks or spoons. Why then does the waiter present a tiny fork to restaurant visitors? In the case of oysters, it is only an aid to determine whether the meat has separated from the outer shell. You can also use a fork to move the shallots from the mignonette sauce into the shell, as is the European tradition. This allows you to enjoy pure, undiluted flavors, leaving the spices and seasonings for snacking. If oysters without accompaniment do not cause appetite, you should proceed step by step: sprinkle the pulp with lemon juice, a drop of cocktail sauce and add a little fresh horseradish.
Typically, oysters in restaurants should be eaten like this:
- Stir the oyster meat in the liquid-filled shell.
- Put down the fork, bring the shell to your mouth and tilt it with its wide edges so that its contents gently go towards the taste buds.
- Chew the oyster a couple of times and swallow.
- Sip the remaining juice to finish your meal with a deep, rich finish.
If you get to know the delicacy at home, it is important to know a few nuances in order to facilitate and speed up the preparation process.
A freshly opened oyster has a concentrated sweet-salty flavor, which is quickly lost if the shell is opened prematurely. There's no point in picking up a knife if the oysters are still waiting their turn.
Before opening, each oyster must be cleaned and rinsed under running cold water.
Protect your palm with a towel or oven mitt. Place the oyster on a flat surface and secure with your hand. Insert the end of the oyster knife into the slot and move it up and down, as if prying up a shell.
Carefully trim the muscle by sliding the knife horizontally between the valves and open the shell. Run a knife under the oyster meat, separating it from the bottom. Using a clean finger, remove any loose shell pieces.
To experience the true taste, lightly stir the pulp in the juice and serve immediately.
Tips for those who want to taste quality oysters in an establishment:
How to determine the quality of an oyster
Too light, shiny flesh indicates insufficient nutrition of the oyster during its growth.
Most of the shell should be filled with meat. If it looks a little empty, the flesh is thin, too salty and smells bad, it is better to refrain from such food.
A restaurant's good reputation is an important indicator, but does not necessarily indicate the quality of the oysters it serves. Sometimes after a couple of questions to the cook who opened them and put them on ice, a lot becomes clear. The client has the right to express his doubts about the order and return it back.
Question and answer about oysters
Some people turn the shells into ice after finishing their meal. It is necessary?
No. You can perform this gesture to express gratitude and show politeness to the waiter. This way he knows that the meal is complete.
If you are having dinner in the company of culinary aesthetes and you want to find the right words to describe your feelings, what is the best way to do this?
Words that describe the taste of oysters: salty, sweet, melon-flavored, buttery, metallic. Words to describe texture: hard, springy, dense, sticky.
Is it true that the taste of oysters varies depending on the season?
Without a doubt. In the spring they eat algae, which usually begins to bloom at the first sign of rising temperatures; In the summer, oysters reproduce, become passive in the fall, and freeze in the winter, hibernating. In cold weather they have nothing to eat, so in the fall they stock up on the necessary elements. The flesh of the oysters becomes large and sweet in taste. By early spring they are almost completely exhausted. Conclusion: the most delicious oysters are those caught between November and January. Northern species, forced to survive for a longer period of time, are in the thick of it at Christmas.
Are there any oysters that are impossible to eat without additional seasoning?
Not all specimens are suitable for a raw food diet in their pure form. For example, tasting large, slimy New Orleans oysters without sauce will be disappointing and disgusting. Horseradish in large quantities would be appropriate here.
Bottom line
The owners of oyster farms say that everyone is free to eat this product at their own discretion, but only within the framework of inviolable, long-established rules. The freedom of choice is small, but still there: eat “clean” oysters or seasoned, with wine or martini, chewing or immediately swallowing. The main thing is to manipulate only those cutlery that the waiter brought, and there may be only two of them: a knife and an oyster fork.
Oysters are one of the most famous delicacies that everyone loves and hates at the same time. This is a product that has acquired a lot of metaphors, myths and legends. However, if taste is an individual matter, then the rule of consumption is the same for everyone. Let's figure out how to eat oysters: how to open an oyster at home and how to properly eat oysters in a restaurant.
Hemingway and Anna Akhmatova even enlightened the lines of their works with this product. Ernest Hemingway wrote: “I ate oysters that tasted strongly of the sea, cold white wine washed away the slight metallic taste, and then only the taste of the sea and the feeling of a juicy mass in the mouth remained.” Akhmatova’s lines were more poetic and soft, they smack of romance so much that you want to bother your man right now and go eat oysters with him: “The sea smelled fresh and sharp, On a platter there were oysters in ice...”.
However, as long as the sea doesn’t smell and the wine doesn’t wash away the metallic taste, you can and should learn the theory of how to properly eat oysters in a restaurant or just in the company of friends.
How to open an oyster?
It’s no secret that you need to be able to open real oysters, do it with special ease and grace, and not struggle with the “opener”, splashing shell fragments on the table and, God forbid, pieces of your finger.
In order to properly open an oyster, you need to learn special accessories for this noble activity. There is a special chainmail glove and a knife with a limiter. They are needed in order to easily open the oyster and not injure your hand on the shell in the process. This is quite expensive equipment and only the most inveterate gourmets will need it for home use. But it’s worth knowing that this exists.
In “field” conditions, a simple knife is also suitable, but with a wide, short and flexible blade so that you can open the oyster.
The clam should be taken in your left hand and held with the flat flap facing up. Place the knife where the shell flaps meet and turn it like a lever. Until the shell clicked. After clicking, we draw the blade in the center and cut the muscle that holds the shell flaps.
We remove the oyster from the shell using a fork with three prongs - small in size and with a convex shape. The shells should lie on ice; if they are not going to be eaten immediately, then cover the oysters with a towel.
How to eat oysters in a restaurant
If the story about how to properly open oysters is a skill necessary for general development, but rarely applicable in the life of a high society person, then how to correctly order and how to eat oysters in a restaurant is a mandatory “skill.”
A restaurant usually orders a dozen oysters. However, according to doctors, it is not recommended to consume such a quantity of oysters at one time - a rare stomach can withstand such a dose of protein (do not forget that shellfish are protein in its pure form).
Often the waiter opens the oysters right in front of the client and serves them open. If the oysters on your plate smell like the sea, then they are fresh.
And now an important point regarding how to eat oysters alive. After the oysters have been opened, they are usually flavored with lemon juice - a few drops from a lemon wedge. A live, fresh shellfish reacts to the acid and wrinkles slightly - this is the most common test for the freshness and authenticity of an oyster. What can I say, aristocrats know a lot about perversions.
According to etiquette, oysters are served on a round dish, in the center of which vinegar or wine essence, lemon slices and chef’s sauce are placed. The sauce can be sour or spicy (the sauce depends on the mentality of the country in which you are going to eat the oyster). Sometimes black bread toast is added to the serving.
How oysters are served in a restaurant
According to the standard, oysters are washed down with champagne - ideally it should be Brut or Prosecco. You can also sip a soft white wine, and in winter, drink a glass of vodka.
By the way, in the famous oyster bar Harrods (London) you will be served both champagne and vodka with your oysters. So the rules here are vague.
Some facts
It's no secret that oysters are a very healthy product. They are rich in zinc, which is very important for men. Did you know that men lose up to three milligrams of zinc (that's a lot!) during ejaculation? And they lose.
In addition, it is believed that 5 medium-sized oysters contain the daily requirement of iron, iodine, calcium, phosphorus and copper. There is also vitamin C, vitamins A, D and B.
Oysters are a very dietary product, containing 60 calories per 100 grams. But this does not mean that you can resist losing weight on them, but you are always welcome to arrange aristocratic evenings for yourself.
How to eat oysters in a restaurant video
Also watch our educational videos, which will show and tell you in detail how to eat oysters correctly.
