Oysters 101: The essentials

Gentlemen, the oysters will definitely be an integral part of your holiday celebrations. It is important to know how to properly open and serve them in order to enjoy your evening. Here is the oysters 101, the essentials.

Oysters 101: Material

• Oyster knife (3 to 5 inches maximum)
• Towel to protect your hand

Advice:

Before you begin gentlemen, I would like to remind you to never force the knife towards your hand without being well protected. Also, by respecting the points below and taking your time, everything will be fine.

Oysters 101: The Steps:

1. The premium oysters we sell at Oysters & Caviar are sorted and washed. It is your decision whether or not to rinse them.
2. Fold a cloth so that it is ample to protect you and comfortable to hold the bivalve.
3. Use a tray to collect the shell debris and juice (the latter may run out)
4. Position the oyster in the tea towel with the tip of it on the outside
5. Insert the end of your knife (1/4 inch maximum) between the two shells, looking for an angle of about 35 degrees. Play lightly with the tip to find the best tilt.
6. Once the tip is well placed, you will be able to lift the oyster with the knife.
7. Practice leverage with the tip to rotate your wrist. You should not force it towards your hand.
8. The two shells should separate slightly to give you enough room to enter the knife blade to sever the muscle.
9. Wipe off your tip in case dirt is visible (mud)
10. Insert the blade to a depth of 1.5 to 2 inches, scraping it against the upper shell (so as not to damage the flesh).
11.  Just before serving, cut the muscle attached at the bottom.
12.  To place the presentation, you have several choices: for my part, I use the shells as seats; otherwise, you can use crushed ice, snow, seaweed or even coarse salt. Serve with lemon or the classic mignonette. And, gentlemen, if you’re feeling a little more adventurous, try our Rockefeller Oysters recipe.

Do you want to put the advice of Oysters 101 into practice? Shop at Oysters & Caviar and it’ll be delivered right to your doorstep.

Article originally published in the Gentologie Magazine Issue. 6

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