Apparantly it's oyster season on the East Coast of Canada. My local
supermarket are advertising them for 99 cents each. I've no idea
whether that's a good price or not. But I was intrigued as to how
many different varieties I can choose from - five listed in the flyer,
all with the exception of Blue Point from N.Y., came from the
Maritimes.
Words to describe each variety ranged from "small & round"; " fresh,
clean, salty with a sweet aftertaste"; " "meatier & free-of-sand";
"melt-in-your-mouth, delicate texture" and "meaty yet salty interior
and and smooth creamy texture". Now how confusing is all that!!.
What the heck, I'm going to buy some and make hot oysters au gratin
from my Culina Mundi book. It gives step by step directions with
beautiful pictures. Would five be enough for one person? I'll
probably make rice & salad to accompany. e.

lainie > wrote in news:fb9b4ea8-eaaa-4e27-b13b-
:

> Apparantly it's oyster season on the East Coast of Canada. My local
> supermarket are advertising them for 99 cents each. I've no idea
> whether that's a good price or not.


That's a fair price.... so long as they are *fresh*.


> But I was intrigued as to how
> many different varieties I can choose from - five listed in the flyer,
> all with the exception of Blue Point from N.Y., came from the
> Maritimes.
> Words to describe each variety ranged from "small & round"; " fresh,
> clean, salty with a sweet aftertaste"; " "meatier & free-of-sand";
> "melt-in-your-mouth, delicate texture" and "meaty yet salty interior
> and and smooth creamy texture". Now how confusing is all that!!.


Not at all!!

Each variety of oyster has a different flavour. They are like wine,
depending on where they are grown is what they taste like.

Get yourself a mixed variety and see the difference in flavours.


> What the heck, I'm going to buy some and make hot oysters au gratin
> from my Culina Mundi book.


IMHO, cooking an oyster destroys thew delicate flavours that you can taste
when you eat it raw.

But..... it all comes down to personal preferences. A lot of people can't
eat them raw, and will only ever have them cooked..... ala "Oysters
Kilpatrick", which (once again) IMHO, is an abomination.


> It gives step by step directions with
> beautiful pictures. Would five be enough for one person? I'll
> probably make rice & salad to accompany. e.
>

Depending on what sort of appetite you have, and if you like them or
not.... 1/2 dozen would be a good starter, especially if you're having
salad with them.

Whenever I visit a certain part of Tassie (usually around my birthday), I
always get a dozen of the local oysters that have *just* been picked (you
can actually watch the guys go out, pick them, bring them back and put
them in containers for you!!) and have themn for breakfast....... raw :-)


http://s199.photobucket.com/albums/a...akfast%2023rd%
20August/


http://tinyurl.com/68phg8




--
Peter Lucas
Hobart
Tasmania

The act of feeding someone is an act of beauty,
whether it's a full Sunday roast or a jam sandwich,
but only when done with love.

Aussie wrote on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 23:37:17 GMT:

>> Apparantly it's oyster season on the East Coast of Canada.
>> My local supermarket are advertising them for 99 cents each.
>> I've no idea whether that's a good price or not.

> That's a fair price.... so long as they are *fresh*.

>> But I was intrigued as to how
>> many different varieties I can choose from - five listed in
>> the flyer, all with the exception of Blue Point from N.Y.,
>> came from the Maritimes. Words to describe each variety
>> ranged from "small & round"; " fresh, clean, salty with a
>> sweet aftertaste"; " "meatier &
>> free-of-sand"; "melt-in-your-mouth, delicate texture" and
>> "meaty yet salty interior and and smooth creamy texture".
>> Now how confusing is all that!!.

> Not at all!!

> Each variety of oyster has a different flavour. They are like
> wine, depending on where they are grown is what they taste
> like.

A dollar each is pretty cheap these days. Oh for the good old days.

"It's a wery remarkable circumstance, sir," said Sam, "that poverty and
oysters always seem to go together."- Charles Dickens, The Posthumous
Papers of the Pickwick Club.

Dr Johnson used to buy them to feed his cat; "Hodge".



--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On Oct 15, 7:37*pm, Aussie >
wrote:
> lainie > wrote in news:fb9b4ea8-eaaa-4e27-b13b-
> :
>
>
> Whenever I visit a certain part of Tassie (usually around my birthday), I
> always get a dozen of the local oysters that have *just* been picked (you
> can actually watch the guys go out, pick them, bring them back and put
> them in containers for you!!) and have themn for breakfast....... raw :-)

Sounds wonderful. I had 'fresh' oysters on a trip to Mt. Misen, Japan
in May. Also have eaten scallops just plucked from the ocean. And
that's the problem with buying from the store. Who knows how long
they've been in transit. Anyway, I did buy a mix and will make them
tonight - no oyster stout to go with them though!

We are blessed to have a great oyster house in Dover DE in the casino.
They usually have about 13 - 16 different oysters on the menu all the
time. We love to go in for 'buck a shuck' between 4 & 6 most evenings.
It is amazing the differences in the flavors, amount of salt,
sweetness, sizes, and the looks of them. Thank Goodness for a sister
in love who made us try them raw for the first time about 8 years ago.
MMMMMMMMM. And we don't have to shuck them.
McGrogans has seminars too. The first one we went to I won a $25.
gift certificate, which we promptly used for dinner. Right around
Christmas last year they sold gift certificate for 50 cents on the
dollar. That was a good deal, and we gave daughter & son in love
gifts from there.
Enjoy the fresh oysters.

On Sat, 16 Oct 2010 08:51:31 -0400, "James Silverton"
> wrote:

> A dollar each is pretty cheap these days. Oh for the good old days.

I'd also like to see oxtails at less than $4+ a pound... and short
ribs (the list goes on about items that should be cheap sold at steak
prices).

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

On Sat, 16 Oct 2010 09:36:52 -0700 (PDT), Nan >
wrote:

> They usually have about 13 - 16 different oysters on the menu all the
> time.

Wow, that's quite a selection! I can't recall seeing anywhere near
that in any store.

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

sf wrote on Sat, 16 Oct 2010 10:16:54 -0700:

>> They usually have about 13 - 16 different oysters on the menu
>> all the time.

> Wow, that's quite a selection! I can't recall seeing anywhere
> near that in any store.

I have not seen much more than six varieties of oysters in restaurants.
Even two of the best that I know: Anchor and Hope and the Hog Island
Oyster bar, both in San Francisco, seem to have about that number.
Incidentally, Hog Island's own named variety is very good.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On Oct 16, 1:03*pm, sf > wrote:
> On Sat, 16 Oct 2010 08:51:31 -0400, "James Silverton"
>
>>
> I'd also like to see oxtails at less than $4+ a pound...

I've often wondered about the price of oxtails. Could it be we're
running out of oxes? Where the heck do they live anyway?
Growing up in Scotland, I remember having great oxtail soup.

On Sat, 16 Oct 2010 13:43:51 -0400, "James Silverton"
> wrote:

> Incidentally, Hog Island's own named variety is very good.

It's fun to go up to Hog Island and buy them there.

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

On Oct 16, 2:41*pm, sf > wrote:
> On Sat, 16 Oct 2010 13:43:51 -0400, "James Silverton"
>
> > wrote:
> > Incidentally, Hog Island's own named variety is very good.
>
> It's fun to go up to Hog Island and buy them there.

What a shucking disaster. Rice and salad ready and I can't get the
damn oysters open. e.

On Sat, 16 Oct 2010 13:22:29 -0700 (PDT), lainie >
wrote:

> On Oct 16, 2:41*pm, sf > wrote:
> > On Sat, 16 Oct 2010 13:43:51 -0400, "James Silverton"
> >
> > > wrote:
> > > Incidentally, Hog Island's own named variety is very good.
> >
> > It's fun to go up to Hog Island and buy them there.
>
> What a shucking disaster. Rice and salad ready and I can't get the
> damn oysters open. e.

Did you use this method? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5DXV1pdGtU
All you need is a screwdriver, you don't need a fancy oyster knife.

If you did try it that way and failed - heat them just a little (put
them in a cast iron pan and turn up the heat - covered, if you wish).
If you are careful, they won't cook inside but they will pop open just
a hair and then you'll be able to open them up from the other end.

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

lainie > wrote in news:6f1b3a56-02f8-4ebb-ae7a-
:

> On Oct 16, 2:41*pm, sf > wrote:
>> On Sat, 16 Oct 2010 13:43:51 -0400, "James Silverton"
>>
>> > wrote:
>> > Incidentally, Hog Island's own named variety is very good.
>>
>> It's fun to go up to Hog Island and buy them there.
>
> What a shucking disaster. Rice and salad ready and I can't get the
> damn oysters open. e.
>


This may be a bit late, but..........

http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...k+oysters&aq=f




--
Peter Lucas
Hobart
Tasmania

The act of feeding someone is an act of beauty,
whether it's a full Sunday roast or a jam sandwich,
but only when done with love.

On Oct 16, 5:33*pm, Aussie >
wrote:
> lainie > wrote in news:6f1b3a56-02f8-4ebb-ae7a-
> :
>
> > On Oct 16, 2:41*pm, sf > wrote:
> >> On Sat, 16 Oct 2010 13:43:51 -0400, "James Silverton"
>
> >> > wrote:
> >> > Incidentally, Hog Island's own named variety is very good.
>
> >> It's fun to go up to Hog Island and buy them there.
>
> > What a shucking disaster. *Rice and salad ready and I can't get the
> > damn oysters open. *e.
>
> This may be a bit late, but..........

Yes....late. I microwaved them. Two out of the six didn't open, but
I persisted. Goodbye

On 2010-10-18, Alan S > wrote:

> They're still cheap on this side of the world. $5 will buy 2Kg; that's
> about US$1.15 /lb.

We pay about $1.80 lb, but they used to be about $.50 lb. That was
until practically every restaurant in the US discovered they were the
ultimate appetizer. Cheap, easy to prepare, high profit margin, and
sells like illegal drugs.

nb