T he hard, rough, gray shell of this bivalve contains a meat that can vary in color from creamy beige to pale gray, in flavor from salty to bland and in texture from tender to firm.
Fresh oysters are available year-round.
Today s widespread refrigeration keeps them cool during hot weather, debunking the old myth of not eating oysters during months spelled without an r. However, oysters are at their best during fall and winter because they spawn during the summer months and become soft and fatty. Oysters harvested during the summer months are also more apt to carry the bacterium Vibrio vulnificus . There are both natural and cultivated oyster beds through the world. Each species is sold under different names depending on where they re harvested.