The hard, rough, gray shell 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. There are both natural and cultivated oyster beds throughout the world. Each species is sold under different names depending on where they're harvested.
Fresh oysters are available year-round.
Shipping costs generally prohibit movement of oysters far from their beds, limiting the abundant supply to local varieties. Live oysters are best as fresh as possible and therefore should be purchased from a store with good turnover. Reject those that do not have tightly closed shells or that don't snap shut when tapped. Fresh, shucked oysters are also available and should be plump, uniform in size, have good color, smell fresh and be packaged in clear, not cloudy oyster liquor. The sooner they're used the better they'll taste.