Oysters

It all began with the book French Women Don't Get Fat. Actually with the book on CD. Emily and I listened to it on the way home from me picking her up from school at Christmas. Emily is thin and choosy about her food. I'm fluffy and love pretty much everything edible.

The author and narrator, Mireille Guiliano, is a delight. Perhaps because I love the French language, I find it is so entertaining to listen to her. She speaks with a heavy accent and throws in sweet French phrases here and there.

Two items appear to be tres importante to the French woman: champagne and oysters. Being the ridiculously impressionable person that I am, champagne and oysters became a focus.

The holidays provided much occasion for champagne in our home. We found a delightful bottle at Trader Joes - no idea what it was called. It was about $8 a bottle and it was not sweet like cheaper ones can be. A bit of the bubbly was enjoyed by all. There truly is something celebratory in it. Out of the ordinary.

Oysters presented more of a challenge. I had no idea how to eat them or where to eat them. I doubted that anyone in our family was going to be excited to join me on this adventure. I knew that before going to Paris in April I had to know how to eat them and if I liked them. French Women...they know a thing or two about oysters.

Last night I had my opportunity. A business dinner took me to Mitchell's Fish Market. One colleague accompanied me, and we planned to meet a woman there who neither of us knew. Within minutes we were fast friends, and I was comfortable inquiring about oysters. Inquiring is likely too dainty a word. Grilling. I grilled the waitress. What is the difference between the four different options? Are they cooked? How do you eat them? Is there lemon? Sauce? Can I try just one? Do you chew? Do you just slide it right off the shell? Thankfully Danielle was patient and knowledgeable and eager to help. And the restaurant was not busy.

I ordered a sampler - four different oysters - three east coast and one west. They were arranged on the plate from mild to ...gritty and stronger flavored.

I liked them. Yes indeed. There was a ginger sauce and a shrimp sauce, along with lemon and crackers on my plate. I squeezed lemon over all, and then touched the first one with shrimp sauce. To be honest...I only tasted the sauce. But I lived through it. It slid right down. I liked all four. Even the gritty stronger tasting one. The ginger sauce was amazing.

Perhaps I was too shy with my new business contact, or perhaps I had oyster nerves, or perhaps I was just hungry...for whatever reason I took no photos at that point.

But after a delightful dinner I did ask Danielle to explain how to open the shell. After attempting to explain what the shucking tool looked like, and how the oyster had to be fully closed...well...Danielle offered to show us. And out came the camera.

Voila ... the oyster.

Closed and waiting.
The shucking tool is very sturdy - no wimpy tools would handle the prying.

You dive in to that little white area - see it? That's where you poke in between the top and bottom shell. The oyster is attached to both sides...so you loosen it from both sides once the shell opens.

Poor Danielle chose a VERY obstinate little oyster...it took A LOT of work to get it open, and the shell broke which is bad news in oyster serving. In fact she could not let us eat it due to shell fragments.

A little bit of "stuff" is left on the shell where the oyster was attached. You don't eat that part.

The edible part is the big blob on the left shell.

So... my plan is to purchase them SHUCKED. That was WORK. Although perhaps that is why French women don't get fat...they do oyster shucking work outs.

Mitchell's sells oysters to go - closed or shucked. And they come with ginger sauce! Who knew?

I'll be checking at the local grocers too. Or maybe my next plate full will be in Paris. Now that I know what I'm doing...

In retrospect, I just googled "How to shuck an oyster." Of course youtube has plenty of learning videos. Here is one here, and he makes it look SO simple. Practice makes perfect!

Bon Appetit!