The History

Oysters, best known for their reputed aphrodisiac powers, have been a favorite of food lovers throughout the centuries, beginning with the Roman emperors who paid for them by their weight in gold.

 

Oysters have always been linked with love. When Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, sprang forth from the sea on an oyster shell and promptly gave birth to Eros, the word "aphrodisiac" was born. The dashing lover Casanova also used to start a meal eating 12 dozen oysters.

 

Oysters have been an important food since the Neolithic period and were cultivated long before the Christian era. The Greeks served them with wine and the Romans were so enthusiastic about these marvelous mollusks that they sent thousands of slaves to the shores of the English channel to gather them.

 

Oysters breathe much like fish, using both gills and mantle. The mantle is lined with many small, thin-walled blood vessels which extract oxygen from the water and expel carbon dioxide. A small, three-chambered heart, lying under the abductor muscle, pumps colorless blood, with its supply of oxygen, to all parts of the body. At the same time a pair of kidneys located on the underside of the muscle purify the blood of any waste products it has collected.

 

There is no way of telling male oysters from females by examining their shells. While oysters have separate sexes, they may change sex one or more times during their life span. The gonads, organs responsible for producing both eggs and sperm, surround the digestive organs and are made up of sex cells, branching tubules and connective tissue.

It is a species of crab (Pinnotheres ostreum) that has evolved to live harmoniously inside an oyster's shell. These dime-sized crabs, much sought after by gourmands, are not abundant.

An oyster produces a pearl when foreign material becomes trapped inside the shell. The oyster responds to the irritation by producing nacre, a combination of calcium and protein. The nacre coats the foreign material and over time produces a pearl.

Folklore says that oysters should be eaten only in months with "r's" in them -- September, October, etc. At Maestro S.V.P. we have been trying to educate people that oysters can be eaten 12 months a year. The notion that oysters should not be eaten in "r"-less months -- that is, months that occur during warm weather -- may have started in the days when oysters where shipped without adequate refrigeration and could spoil. But today all that has changed and we can enjoy oysters twelve months a year.

Oysters are not only delicious, but they're also one of the most nutritionally well balanced of foods, containing protein, carbohydrates and lipids. The National Heart and Lung Institute suggest oysters as an ideal food for inclusion in low-cholesterol diets. Oysters are an excellent source of vitamins A, B1(thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), C ( ascorbic acid) and D (calciferol). Four or five medium size oysters supply the recommended daily allowance of iron, copper, iodine, magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese and phosphorus.

Because raw foods including oysters may carry bacteria, persons with chronic liver disease, impaired immune systems or cancer should avoid eating raw oysters.

There are three broad classifications: Pacific, Olympia and Atlantic. Each grouping is then further broken down to the very shore from which they are harvested.

 

Originally from Japan, the Pacific Oyster is the most widely cultured oyster in the world. They are sold under a variety of names, usually denoting their race or growing area. I tend to think of a Pacific oyster as a creamier oyster, a mineral type of ocean taste, versus an Atlantic oyster where you can taste the saltiness of the ocean. Kumamoto is one example. In 1568, Job Hortop set down in the Gulf of Mexico and wrote of "oysters growing on trees."

 

The story goes on that spat (baby oysters) clung in bunches to trees on the water's edge. The oysters were alternately covered in water or left high and dry, with the tide, thus encouraging them to grow well. That is why they are believed to be so small. This oyster has a buttery finish, it is one of the best sellers at the restaurant because it is considered a beginner's oyster due its small size and mild taste.

Another Pacific oyster is a Samish Bay with a crisp full taste and lots of meat because of its full cup. Others include Steamboats, Pearl Bay, Malaspina, Royal Myagi, each with a different finish from very creamy to metallic to just a hint of salt or nuts.

 

Native to the Pacific coast is it found primarily in Washington's Sound, it is a very small oyster seldom exceeding 2 inches. This oyster has a very full flavor with a distinct aftertaste.

There are many varieties of Atlantic oysters, such as Malpeque, Caraquet, Blue Point, Pine Island, Pugwash, and more. Each oyster has its own degree of salt. Some customers prefer the Malpeque to a Caraquet just because it is a saltier oyster. Some like the Pine Island because it has a fruity finish, and some prefer a Pemequid because of its almond finish.