Our Own Little Oyster Party

If I were stuck on an island and I had no choice but to eat one thing forever, it would be oysters. It is most certainly one of the things I prefer in life. Those juicy molluscs  are simply amazing to me! You can find them all year round at your favourite fish store but the best time to have them, the year’s high season, is in October, November and December.

For the past 2 oyster seasons I’ve been pregnant. And with being pregnant comes a big warning: do not eat any live bate. Which means, no raw oysters while you’re pregnant. So for the past 2 years I’ve been missing out on one of my favourite things in the world, which totally sucks. Ok, I’ve got 2 amazing kids but still… it’s really hard not to eat something you love for such a long time. Think about it… if you couldn’t eat chocolate for 2 years, how would you feel?

The other day my husband and I caught up with lost time and had our own little oyster party. It was a real mollusc fiesta, the best party ever!! We bought 5 different kinds of oysters and just ate them with fresh lemon juice, our favourite way to eat the small beast. Of course, you can eat oysters all sorts of way but to us, lemon stays the best.

Atlantic oysters tend to be briny and crisp on the tongue, you can taste the saltiness of the ocean. Pacific oysters are less salty in flavour and have a creamier, mineral type of taste; they can be fruity and a bit sweet! Kumamoto oysters resemble the Pacific oyster, but are more complex and quite mild, with a creamy texture and buttery finish. Try all types and see the difference!!

The oysters we ate are all Atlantic oysters. To be more specific, they all come from Prince Edward Island.

Cavendish: very close to the malpèque; mildly salty and sweet.

Giant Malpèque: classic oyster, easiest to eat; light in flavour with a mild finish. 

J’adore: chewy, filled with juice and delicate in taste. 

Lucky Limes: mildly salty and sweet. 

Raspberry point: very salty and sweet; very tender.

As for facts, did you know that 4 medium-size oysters provide the recommended daily allowance of selenium, iron, manganese, phosphorus, zinc and vitamin B12?

Plus, with only 10 calories per oyster, you can eat a whole lot of them without feeling guilty!

If you’ve never had any oysters before, please do me a favour and try at least one. Ask your fish guy to show you how to open one and then try it yourself. If you’re opened to new tastes, this is a taste you might get hooked to!!