In his book The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell
(Random House, 2007), Mark Kurlansky writes that the “don’t eat oysters
in months without R’s in them” rule was true for a while, in part
because it was hard to keep them from spoiling in hot weather before
modern refrigeration was invented. But, he adds, oyster-lovers also
noticed that oysters tasted best in cooler months because spawning,
which takes place in May, June, July, and August, makes oysters
translucent, thin, and less tasty. That still holds true today, although
modern oyster-farming techniques are starting to work around flavor
issues.
Bottom line: Enjoy oysters whatever month you’re in, but expect peak flavor outside of spring and summer.
No comments:
Post a Comment