16 replies to this topic

[mitchells]

I understand the rule (guideline) is that we should only eat oysters in months that contain an "R." I was in Rhode Island this weekend and had a local oyster sampler at the Providence Oyster Bar. These were 12 of the most delicious oysters I have ever had on the East Coast. How come they were so good in June?

[mongo_jones]

I understand the rule (guideline) is that we should only eat oysters in months that contain an "R." I was in Rhode Island this weekend and had a local oyster sampler at the Providence Oyster Bar. These were 12 of the most delicious oysters I have ever had on the East Coast. How come they were so good in June?

well, it usually takes 4 days for the symptoms of fatal oyster poisoning to manifest themselves. the good news is the first symptom is violent, explosive, bleeding diarrhea, so you won't have to wonder if you have it.

[Lippy]

You can get violently ill from oysters any time of year, but in the non-R month, those from southern waters are subject to "red tides" and northern and southern oysters are usually thin, watery and less palatable than they are in cold weather -- something to do with the breeding cycle. It sounds as if the oysters you had somehow came from a pocket of cold water.

[Daisy]

Oysters spawn in the summer and spawning oysters taste nasty.

[Orik]

Aren't they extra delicious just before they spawn, which is, like, now-ish?

[Lippy]

Aren't they extra delicious just before they spawn, which is, like, now-ish?

I don't know, but that would explain why I've had good oysters in Wellfleet in June.

[Daisy]

Aren't they extra delicious just before they spawn, which is, like, now-ish?

Yes, they get really fat. Whilst spawning they taste icky, afterwards just sort of washed out.

[mitchells]

So I guess we can file the "R" month rule in the circular file?

[Suzanne F]

This is just a guess that I haven' researched, but it's based on history: When oysters were poor-people's food, they were shipped all over the country by train in barrels. If any ice that kept them cool melted, as was likely May through August, they'd be really dangerous. Now that shipping has improved, that worry is gone. But the spawning consideration could still hold, as might the red-tide worry.

All that said, I have no doubt that if mitchells says he had delicious oysters, he had delicious oysters.

Me, I'm always willing to try an oyster. And fried, they take on flavor to make up for whatever they may lack. So I never have to give them up!

[Orik]

I always thought it was a French thing.

[yvonne johnson]

It's a bit like, "you should never eat fish on a Monday".

Where do all the fish go between Sunday and Tuesday??

[Orik]

School!

[yvonne johnson]

School!

In fish-speak it's shoal.

[tighe]

I grew up with the 'no oysters in months without a r' rule pounded into my head. As an adult, I started eating oysters year-round, though agree they're rarely as good in July and August as they are in the deep of winter. A couple years ago however I went back to the old rule after quite a few people in the Seattle area got severely ill from bacteria in oysters they ate. Unusually low tides + unusually hot weather = rapid bacteria growth.

[Sneakeater]

I understand the rule (guideline) is that we should only eat oysters in months that contain an "R." I was in Rhode Island this weekend and had a local oyster sampler at the Providence Oyster Bar. These were 12 of the most delicious oysters I have ever had on the East Coast. How come they were so good in June?

Maybe there's an exception if you're in a state with an "R" in its name.