Despite its perfectly reasonable desire to protect its fleshy treasure, an oyster is nothing short of shuckable in the right hands. Just coax apart the shell and the oyster presents itself, damp and salty, resting in a pool of its own briny nectar ("liquor") and smelling delicately of the water that bore it. An oyster's flavor and texture are a direct result of the mineral content, salinity, and temperature of the gallons of water it filters through its gills every hour, which is why different origins create very different tastes. The next time a waiter reels off a list of the day's raw-bar offerings, let this be your guide. But before we dive in...
Four Things You Should Know About Oysters
Learn more about this tasty (and provocative) bivalve.
1. Oysters, found in estuaries where seawater mixes with freshwater, are shelled invertebrates (or cold-blooded, soft-bodied animals without backbones, like snails) classified as bivalves. While oysters have separate sexes, they may change sex one or more times during their life span, and there is no way of telling by examining their shells.
2. It isn't as relevant with today's cultivated oysters, but warm-water months without an r (May, June, July, and August) traditionally make up the spawning season, during which oysters tend to be thinner and less tasty, as energy is directed to reproduction. (The heat during these summer months also impacts safety and shipping.)
3. An oyster holds itself together with about 22 pounds of pressure (for protection and to prevent dehydrating during low tide). The more frequently an oyster opens, the stronger the muscle and the tighter the seal, producing a better shelf life when it leaves the water.
4. When Aphrodite bestowed her aphrodisiacal qualities on oysters, it was more than myth. In addition to their provocative appearance, oysters are loaded with zinc (which controls progesterone levels, linked to increased libido), iron, and other stamina-inducing nutrients.