THE ORIGIN OF THE ADAGE OF EATING OYSTERS ONLY IN MONTHS WITH AN ‘R’ | the oyster's my world the oyster's my world ~ history of oysters and oyster cultivation Search: Dyets Dry Dinner , Henry Buttes , Lady Anne Bacon , Osias Beert , oyster unseasonable letter R Now what or who was the origin of the adage that oysters should only be eaten in months with an ‘R’? Its first known formulation has nearly always been attributed to one, William Butler (1535-1618), physician to King James I and Fellow of Clare Hall, at the University of Cambridge, who apparently uttered this pearl of wisdom in 1599, although some authors talk even of a Samuel Butler, but the only reference occasionally given is to a 16th century cookbook. However, the truth of the matter is far more intriguing than could ever be imagined.

Surprisingly, its articulation took place against a backcloth of the bitter struggle of the Reformation, a symbolically ladened depiction of which are probably the paintings, seen above, by Osias Beert, a Flemish cork-maker whose stilleven and ontbijtjes were in many ways benchmarks for Dutch and Flemish painters of his time. Across the channel in Elizabethan England, conflicts raged between the old-order monasteries and the new seats of learning, the universities. At one of the latter, Corpus Christi College in Cambridge, was an enterprising young student, one of whose ancestors (perhaps great-grandfather), Sir William Buttes (who gets a small part in Shakespeare’s Henry VIII) had been a physician to Henry VIII and whose notoriously Puritan family hailed from Norfolk. His name was Henry Buttes. Unfortunately, it seems as if his family was on the verge of ruin, as its property had fallen into the hands of some distant relation and another influential family, the Bacons.

The head of the latter family towards the end of the 16th century was the widow of Sir Nicholas Bacon, Elisabeth I’s Lord Keeper of the Great Seal – a stern, highly intellectual woman, Lady Anne Bacon, mother of the famous Francis Bacon, avid Puritan and an influential member of Queen Elisabeth’s court, as one of her lady-in-waitings. However, her eldest step-son, Nicholas (who was also knighted), by virtue of his marriage to one of Henry Buttes’ relations (also named Anne), had inherited for some quirky reason the entire family fortune and estate of his father- and uncles-in-law, leaving the poor Henry quite impecunious, apparently. In his youth, he tried a way of bringing himself to the attention of the younger Lady Anne Bacon, by writing and publishing, of al things, a cookbook in 1599, entitled Dyets Dry Dinner. So it would appear that it was rather this bizarre book, by the just as bizarre Mr. Buttes that not just offered a fascinating insight into Elizabethan eating habits but was also the source of this legendary tenet.

However, Butler’s name never gets a mention; neither under the headings Oyster and Ostreum nor anywhere else for that matter is there is any word at all regarding a William Butler, or any other Butler, so how he got into the story is a complete mystery. The book, quite a monumental piece of writing and crammed with all sorts of wonderful details and observations, seems to have been composed early in Buttes’ life, possibly with a similar amount of dry, tongue-in-cheek humour, and was dedicated to the younger Lady Anne Bacon, whose father is named in the preface as Edward Buttes Esquire, who in turn was one of the three sons of Sir William Buttes, mentioned earlier (meaning that she was possibly one of his great aunts). The author was obviously keen on ingratiating himself with her and invited her to a feast that he himself would organise and cook (“To whose frugall Table, I invite your Ladyship”)!

Up until sometime during the reign of Henry VIII, it had been a custom for the College to invite certain of the townsmen for dinner in hall, but the king had stopped this famous Corpus Christi Day procession, much to the annoyance of the local population, who no doubt viewed it as a free opportunity to make merry. He wanted to invite her to a sober affair and impress her with his temperance and no doubt Puritan views. So he presented the virtues of food which did not need the accompaniment of wine and other alcoholic beverages, lauding on the contrary the benefits of “Tabacco”, thus the title; in a surprisingly informative way, each double-spread describes a food belonging to one of “eight severall courses” of the meal – “Fruites, Hearbes, Flesh, Fish, Whitmeats, Spice, Sauce, Tabacco – with their specific origins, tastes, uses, effects, serving suggestions, on the left side and on the right hand page, under the heading “Story for Table-Talke”, tit-bits of information are mentioned about his selected food.

And it is here under the Latin heading of Ostreum and Story for Table-Talke that he wrote “[The oyster] is unseasonable and unwholesome in all monethes, that have not the letter R in their name, because it is then venerious.” i.e. spawning. It is worth noting what else he had to say about the oyster, on the left-hand page under the title of Oyster: “it hath a kinde of salt iuyce in it, that affecteth the palate more then other shell fishes: exciteth appetite, and Venus: nourisheth litle”. He recommended dressing it “with pepper, oyle, the iuyce of sowre Orenges [lemons?]: after it be roasted on the imbers”. He repeated the Aristotelian notion of the oyster’s spontaneous generation by stating “it is engendred of meere myre, or of mudde inclining to corruption:or of the sea-froth and spume…” as well as the ancient belief of the moon’s influence on its growth, “increasing and decreasing with the Moone”.

Philpots, in his huge opus on oysters (1890, 243), mentioned that in medieval times a Latin dictum, set in Leonine verse, – mensibus erratis vos ostrea manducatis – was in use, which conveyed roughly the same meaning, so the origin of this wise sentiment was probably much older. Furthermore, Henry Buttes would have been a contemporary and younger colleague of the aforesaid William Butler, as he titles himself as “Maister of Artes and Fellowe of C.C.C. in C”, a playful acronym for the College of Corpus Christi in Cambridge, one of whose greatest benefactors during the 16th century was Sir Nicholas Bacon, husband of the above-mentioned elder Lady Anne Bacon. So whether Butler and Buttes were in connivance or what the origin was of Henry Buttes’ considerable culinary erudition is beyond the pale of this blog and probably any other too. A chapter about Henry Butts (sic) from a history of the C.C.C.

noted that ”in his youth he was reckoned a man of Humour and Pleasantry….although not very delicate therein” and that his “small” book was “in truth a whimsical performance”, thus acknowledging its intention to entertain. Henry Buttes 1575?-1632 However, the fate of Master Buttes is known, for being a “Norfolkman”, he was able quite easily to become a “Fellowe” of the College in 1597 (as a number of fellowships were restricted to such requirements), and his “courteous countrymen” are mentioned in the book’s Dedicatorie. After having become ordained a preacher at the university and later a Doctor of Divinity in 1623, he was not only elected as Master of Corpus Christi in 1626, but succeeded in also being appointed the University’s Vice-Chancellor in 1629.

However, after having endured a particular fierce plague in 1630, helping the sick and afflicted in the town, “alone, a destitute and forsaken man, not a Scholler with me in the College”, this experience seemed to have had such a detrimental affect on his state of mind that, two years later he was found to have hung himself in his garters in the Master’s Lodge, when he failed to show up to preach the University Sermon at the Church of St Mary the Great on Easter Day. There followed further conjecture on the cause of his “rash and nefarious action”, that it may have been due to a “deficiency in his Circumstances” (implying some financial problem) or “unsufferable torments with the Devils” (suggesting maybe religious disputes). His terrifying apparition is said still to haunt the College premises, the last report of such a “sighting” having occurred in 1967! Thus the origin of this famous adage has a far more bewitching background and makes for a good story! The rule does, however, have a sound fundament, despite all this, which is one reason why it has survived for over 400 years!

Firstly, the warmer seasons spur the oyster to spawn and breed and up to 75% of its flesh can be sacrificed to ensure as profilic a spawning as possible. As the native oyster is larviparous, it fertilises its eggs inside the shell and incubates them for about 10 days before releasing them into the water column as minute larvae. This happens several times during the same spawning season. During this process its flesh often becomes quite milky (although this texture has its aficionados as well!). In line with this reasoning is a practicality of oyster farming, since a spawning oyster is an asset in itself and its sale prevents the possibilities of millions of fertilised eggs from growing and disturbing the oyster beds (at least in bygone times) could seriously impede settlement and growth of future generations of oysters. Secondly, warm seasons were notoriously reputed for their ill-effects on all sorts of fresh molluscs (before the days of refrigeration), so that the chances of being served a bad one were dramatically increased. Nowadays the problems are often at source in the coastal sea in which the bacterial content can also multiply and which in turn can have a detrimental effect on the oyster population.

Thirdly, since prices and consumption are higher in the winter months, farmers want to preserve their stock and boost their supplies to the markets then. There are good reasons why, for example, the French have traditionally eaten a huge proportion of their oysters around December, at the height of winter and at Christmas. Not only are oysters considered a winter delicacy, but also they are at their prime in the months following a summer of hectic spawning and breeding and their taste attains the meridian of their perfection. However, in these days of modern oyster cultivation, sterile triploid oysters, aka in France as “quatre saisons”, can be eaten raw every week of the year. But generally, were the oyster to choose for itself, it would no doubt decide that ‘thou shalt not touch me at all and especially not in those months without an ‘r’ when there are more important things to think about and do’! Philpots, J. (1890): Oysters and All About Them. London:John Richardson. Masters, R. (1753): The History of the College of Corpus Christi and the B. Virgin Mary. Cambridge: J Bentham.

Share this: Why You Shouldn't Eat Oysters in the Summer Why You Shouldn't Eat Oysters in the Summer May 8, 2015 | 1:28 pm By Photo Sasabune Omakase Modified: Flickr/ erin / CC 4.0 Research says we shouldn't be eating oysters in the warm summer months. Well, it looks like we were doing August all wrong: Instead of going out and getting a French 75 cocktail with some oysters on the half-shell, we should've stuck with something more plebian like shrimp cocktail , as health officials warn against eating oysters in the summer. The Huffington Post reports that officials in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Washington state have reported an unusually high number of vibriosis cases . According to the report, 113 cases of vibriosis had been reported in the three states by the middle of August; in recent years, there were only 55 cases of vibriosis per year, The Huffington Post notes. In King County alone, there were 13 cases in July, compared to the average of four for the month of July, the King County's website says.

In Massachusetts, the DPH Bureau of Environmental Health Food Protection Program received 50 reports of confirmed vibriosis since May 31, 2013; that's almost twice the number of cases from the same time frame the year before. The illnesses, which refers to two different foodborne illnesses caused by bacterial infection, are usually very rare. Past reports note that an average American is 100 times more likely to find a pearl in an oyster than they are to contract vibriosis. In response, officials have shut down some commercial oyster beds until further notice, which might mean a depletion of oysters until the colder months. Vibriosis has traditionally been linked to warm waters, where bacteria can breed, which oftentimes leads oyster enthusiasts to only eat raw oysters in months that contain the letter "R." Originally published 9/5/13 New Orleans Old-Line Restaurants • Antoine's Established in 1840 by Antoine Alciatore, Antoine's is New Orleans' oldest restaurant and, having remained in the same family over 17 decades, also holds the title of the oldest family-run restaurant in the United States.

The 14 themed dining rooms have hosted Presidents, Popes, and celebrities of all kinds, and are available for both private parties and public dining. You'll likely be seated in the front room (you can request otherwise if you make a reservation, though it may not be possible), but your server will generally suggest that you have a tour of some of the unused rooms after dinner, where there's an impressive collection of New Orleans and show business memorabilia. While you're touring, keep an eye out for ghosts -- those in the know swear that they're there. What to order: Antoine's is famous for inventing several classics of American fine cuisine, including Oysters Rockefeller , which should absolutely be your starter. For your mains, try the Trout Meunière or the Pompano Pontchartrain, or go all-out with the Chateaubriand for Two. For dessert, order one of the flambéed presentation dishes, Baked Alaska or Cherries Jubilee, and the house special flaming spiced coffee, Café Brulôt Diabolique. If you'd like to sample the menu without the full commitment, Hermes Bar (a separate entrance next door) serves an extensive bar menu from the same kitchen and good cocktails.

713 Saint Louis St. / (504) 581-4422 / antoines.com More » continue reading below our video America's Best Foodie Cities • Arnaud's Arnaud's was founded in 1918 by Arnaud Cazenave, known as Count Arnaud, and has remained a French Quarter staple ever since. Legend has it that Arnaud's is haunted -- ask your server and he or she will almost certainly regale you with one or more spine-chilling stories. Most evenings, a Dixieland jazz trio entertains guests, which can sometimes lead to a louder ambience than some of the other restaurants you'll find on this list, but that's not necessarily such a bad thing. There's a small but engaging Mardi Gras museum upstairs that's worth a peek. What to order: Shrimp Arnaud is a house favorite, as are a variety of classic Creole seafood dishes, but if Chef Tommy DiGiovanni offers up some specials that evening, those are often an excellent choice, as they're a bit more forward-thinking than many of the classics, which are good, but are certainly not unique to Arnaud's.

If you'd like the ambience but without the large dinner check, consider stopping in for a French 75 at the adjacent bar that bears its name (try some of the other tasty cocktails it offers, too), and order snacks from the tempting bar menu. 813 Rue Bienville / (504) 524-5433 / arnaudsrestaurant.com More » Broussard's Restaurant. Image Provided by Broussard's • Broussard's Joseph Broussard and his bride, Rosalie Borrello, opened their restaurant in the Borrello family mansion in 1920, serving fine-dining Creole cuisine from the get-go. The main dining room, The Napoleon Room, is lovely, and the adjacent dining rooms have plenty of charm, as well. The real highlight, though, is the gorgeous courtyard. Make reservations well in advance for a courtyard table, if possible, and if there's a choice to wait for a table out there, wait. Truly, it's stunning. What to order: You can't go wrong with any of the classics on the menu, particularly the fish dishes with their exceptionally rich sauces. The crab cakes are among the best in town.

819 Rue Conti / (504) 581-3866 / broussards.com More » • Commander's Palace Situated well away from the French Quarter, in the tony Garden District , the giant turquoise building that houses Commander's Palace was initially built as a tavern and saloon in 1880, but quickly became a restaurant of international renown. Celebrity chefs like Emeril Lagasse and Paul Prudhomme have come up through the venerable kitchen here, and the food itself is generally the best of any of the offerings on this list, with a menu that actually changes regularly (based on classic Creole preparations) in the hands of Chef Tory McPhail. What to order: Try classics like turtle soup and the house gumbo, but don't be afraid to dig into the more unique parts of the menu: antelope, quail, escargot, and suckling pig have all graced the menu recently.

If you're nearby (the Lafayette Cemetery #1 is directly across the street), the lunch special -- two courses for under $20, plus 25-cent martinis (yes, you read that right) -- is one of the best gourmet restaurant deals in the world. Finish any meal up with the bread pudding soufflé, possibly the best you'll ever have. 1403 Washington Ave / (504) 899-8221 / commanderspalace.com More » A Scene from Galatoire's. © Will Tung , Creative Commons via Flickr • Galatoire's Smack in the middle of the hubbub of Bourbon Street , Galatoire's stands out as an echo of an earlier era (it was established in 1905, on the site of a restaurant that had existed since 1830) amongst a row of strip clubs and tourist-heavy bars. Still, it's an institution, and the food and decor are emblematic of high-class French Creole cuisine. Galatoire's is the place to be for lunch on Fridays (you'll need a reservation, if you're lucky enough to get one) -- be prepared to dine and people-watch for several hours.

What to order: The souffléd potatoes are crispy little puffs of deliciousness, and the Poisson Meunière Amandine combines two classics of New Orleans cuisine into one decadent preparation. Crabmeat Sardou and Chicken Clemenceau are also tasty. For dessert, the banana bread pudding is the way to go. 209 Bourbon St. / (504) 525-2021 / galatoires.com More » Tujague's. © Chad Kainz , Creative Commons via Flickr • Tujague's The second-oldest restaurant in New Orleans, Tujague's (pronounced "two-jacks") opened in 1856 as a saloon and restaurant that served simple food like shrimp remoulade and beef brisket to the dockworkers and market-people from the French Market , another landmark which is found just across Decatur Street. Over the years, it changed hands and moved further and further upscale. Its location makes it a little bit of a tourist trap, but its history makes it a worthwhile stop, nonetheless.

What to order: Tujague's offers a daily six-course table d'hôte menu (if you don't wish to partake in the full service, you can order smaller portions and some alternative dishes, including a noteworthy brisket po-boy, at the excellent bar). The menu costs around $50 per person, and offers limited but tasty choices of classic dishes, always starting with the house classic shrimp remoulade and offering the famous brisket as the main course. Drink a grasshopper if you like them; they were invented here. 823 Decatur St. / (504) 525-8676 / tujaguesrestaurant.com Sunday Food: Shellfish in Months that have an 'R' - Shadowproof Oysters (Picture courtesy of Jeffrey Bary at flickr.com.) Most of us have been told at some time during our lives that we only should eat shellfish, most particularly oysters, during months that have an ‘R’ in their names. This being April, it traditionally is the last month of the warm part of the year that we consume shellfish safely .

Common lore states that we should only be eating shellfish, especially oysters, in months with the letter “R.” So we can help ourselves to all the oysters, mussels , and clams we can eat from September through April, but put the brakes on come May. What about year-round oyster bars? Or fried clam po’boys in the summer? The “R” rule originally just applied to oysters, but gradually came to encompass all shellfish. There are a few theories about where it came from and what it means for all of us shellfish lovers. The first and most compelling argument is that Red Tide most often occurs during summer months. This refers to high concentrations of an algae that is toxic to humans. If we eat shellfish that have absorbed this toxin, we can get pretty darn sick. The condition is known as “paralytic shellfish poisoning,” or PSP. However, red tide levels are closely monitored these days and harvesting is banned during those times. Shellfish are also regularly inspected and tested for toxin levels. It’s not very likely that any shellfish reaching the market would contain harmful levels of the toxin.

Many shellfish, especially oysters and mussels, are also now farmed instead of harvested from the wild, further decreasing the chance of contamination. The other argument for the “R” rule is that shellfish usually spawn during the summer months. A rest is needed to let the shellfish repopulate. Spawning shellfish also taste different than at other times of the year, and they have a flavor and texture that many people find off-putting. In our opinion, it’s best to talk to your fishmonger or restaurant server whenever buying shellfish that you plan on eating raw. They can tell you whether the shellfish were farmed or from the wild, whether they’re spawning, and answer concerns about food safety. When we follow the folk wisdom of when to eat shellfish, we are staying safe in eating habits we’ve observed since early times. The picture above is called a ‘raw bar’ in my experience, and is a favorite way to have raw oysters around the docks. Original Eating | Oysters | Paleo Diet Tricks & Tips Oysters Paleo Oysters Oysters are a mollusk that have been consumed by humans since prehistoric times. Shells have been found in middens, which are prehistoric dumps for domestic waste.

There would be huge middens of just shells, which archaeologists believe were areas where the oysters were processed directly after a harvest before being brought to the village. The shells are high in calcium carbonate which makes the middens alkaline. Interestingly, this allows the rate of decay to be very slow leaving a higher than normal proportion of organic material available for archaeologists to find. This has very little to do with the actual eating of oysters, but I thought it was darned interesting and wanted to share! Traditionally, oysters are believed to be an aphrodisiac. This theory is based in truth because a team of researchers from Italy and the United States analyzed bivalves and found that they are rich in amino acids that trigger sex hormones levels to increase. Also, testosterone levels increase with the aid of the extra zinc content found in oysters. Oysters are considered most nutritious when eaten raw. Health Benefits of Oysters Availability of Oysters It was once taught that oysters should only be consumed during months without the letter “r” in the name of the month.

This means the winter months in the Northern Hemisphere are ideal, which makes perfect sense being that May, June, July, and August are summer months when the oysters were more likely to spoil. Paleo oysters are available canned, frozen, and raw, both farmed and collected from the wild. Choose the Best Oyster Tap the shell of the oyster to see if it will snap shut, if it does it is alive and a good oyster. All oysters must be sold alive when in the shell, just like all bivalves. The oyster’s flavor is best when consumed within the next day. If you are looking at oysters on the half shell look for the “liquor” which is the sea water in the shell with the oyster. It should be clear and not cloudy. If you don’t see any water with the oyster you might not be getting a super fresh oyster. Prepare Oysters Paleo Oysters by Kian Lam Kho It’s recommended to try at least one Paleo oyster without any lemon , sauce, or other condiments to really enjoy the unique flavor of the oyster.

Oyster tasting is akin to fine wine tasting, it will have distinct flavors based on a number of factors and should be savored. If you feel you’d like to try condiments, they can be eaten with lemon, horseradish, cocktail sauce, mignonette, butter , and even Tabasco sauce. When you’re ready to take your first take grasp the oyster on two sides near the thickest part of the shell. Using a small fork or your finger, wiggle the oyster loose from the shell. Do not puncture the oyster with the fork! While doing this you will notice the oyster’s liquor which is extremely flavorful sea water that accompanies the oyster. Do not spill this water as you definitely want to consume this liquor along with the oyster, either before or after the oyster itself. Take a small sip of the liquor, then sip the oyster into your mouth. Chew it thoroughly taking time to enjoy the flavors of the oyster, then sip any remaining liquor. Store Oysters Keep your live oysters in their shells in a mesh bag or opened container with a moist towel in the refrigerator for up to five days. Keep in mind that the longer they’re kept, the lower the quality.

Never keep oysters in a sealed container or under water, they’ll suffocate and die. Make sure to re-moisten the towel and check your oysters often. Freshly-shelled oysters will keep in their liquor for a maximum of two days, but they’re of highest quality immediately upon shucking. Never freeze oysters while in their shells. Shucked raw oysters may be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator then use them for cooking. Once your oysters are cooked, they do not freeze well- unless you like eating rubber. Cooked oyster left-overs may be kept for up to 3 days. Cook Oysters Oysters can be grilled, steamed, fried, and roasted. I enjoy grilling because you can just toss the entire oyster on the grill and allow it to cook in its own liquor which is really delicious. Grilled Oysters Bring your grill to a medium high heat. Lay the oysters flat side down onto the grill. When the oysters pop their shells open it’s meal time! Any oysters that fail to open you must discard.

That means the oyster was dead before you grilled it which could be harboring bacteria and other things you don’t want to eat. Alternatives to Oysters Try mussels, scallops , or clams as good substitutes to oysters. Nutrition facts of Oysters Paleo Oysters by Michael Bauer Six medium (84g) wild raw oysters have 57 calories and 6g of protein. The caloric ratio is 23% carbs, 33% fats, and 44% protein. They have an estimated glycemic load of 3 and are strongly anti-inflammatory with an inflammation factor of 308. This Paleo food is a good source of Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Protein, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Iron, Zinc, Copper, Manganese and Selenium. This Paleo food is high in Sodium, and very high in Cholesterol. Wow you read this far? You, my friend, truly ROCK! Now that you've read all this you're probably wondering how you can use this to improve your health, and even speed up weight loss without stressing out or going hungry.....

My finest gem is Quick Fit , my 30-day program for busy people to lose weight without the pain. All while cooking ~5 hours per week! You can also subscribe for updates and get A Free Gift! (Please only get this if you are willing to cook delicious food including chocolate desserts.) Download this free survival kit to learn how to organize, save time, and get dinner on the table without the stress. I'll even give you a sneak peak at the desserts that are in my Quick Fit program. name Creole Cooking: Scalloped oysters Posted March 8, 2012 12:18 am - Updated March 8, 2012 12:21 am By Creole Cuisine Creole Cooking: Scalloped oysters Each month of our calendar year offers a special theme. March, without exception, gives us the Ides of March. The word “Ides” comes from the Latin word “Idus,” and means “half division,” especially in relation to a month. It was widely used in the Roman calendar as the 15th day of March, a festive month dedicated to the god Mars.

In modern times the term is best known as the date on which Julius Caesar was killed in 44 B.C. Caesar was stabbed 23 times to death in the Roman Senate by a group of conspirators led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus. (Just thought you might like to know.) Can we now concentrate on something tasty and worthwhile? I shall now turn our thoughts to oysters. The word “oyster” is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve mollusks which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified. They can be eaten cooked or raw and are considered an aphrodisia. There are 50 types of oysters that are edible throughout the oceans. Oysters are an excellent source of zinc, iron, calcium, selenium, as well as vitamins A and B12. They are considered the healthiest when eaten raw on the half shell. Unlike most shellfish, oysters can have a farily long shelf life. However their taste becomes less pleasant as they age. Oysters should be refrigerated out of water, not frozen, and in 100 percent humidity.

Oysters stored in water under refrigeration will open, consume available oxygen and die. Oysters must be eaten alive or cooked alive. Traditionally oysters were considered to be an aphrodisiac after a team of American and Italian researchers analyzed bivalves and found they were rich in amino acids that trigger increased levels of sex hormones. Their high zinc content aids the production of testosterone. Oysters can be eaten on the half shell, raw, smoked, boiled, baked, fried, roasted, stewed, canned, pickled, steamed, broiled or used in variety of drinks. Like fine wine raw oysters have complex flavors that vary greatly among varieties and regions — sweet, salty, earthy or even melon. The texture is soft and fleshy, but crisp on the palate. North American varieties include: Yaquina Bay from Oregon State, Malpeque from Prince Edward Island, Canada; Blue Point from Long Island, New York; and Cape May oysters from New Jersey. Salinity, mineral and nutrient variations in the water that nurtures them influence their flavor profiles. Oysters, it was once assumed, were only safe to eat in the months with the letter “r” in their English and French names. This is a myth.

It is the months of May, June, July and August that oysters are much more likely to spoil. Now then, with fresh, live oysters on hand, on to the kitchen to make Scalloped Oysters. Your family and friends will like the way your oysters taste. Like inopportune months to eat oysters • Mordo Crosswords - Crossword Puzzle Answers Answers, Clues and Solutions for all the Puzzles We think that knowledge should pass freely. This time, we got the following crossword puzzle clue: Like inopportune months to eat oysters that also known as Like inopportune months to eat oysters dictionary. First, we gonna look for more hints to the Like inopportune months to eat oysters crossword puzzle. Then we will collect all the required information and for solving Like inopportune months to eat oysters crossword . In the final, we get all the possible answers for this crossword puzzle definition. Sponsored Links Here are more similar Crossword Clues: Like the spelling of oyster-abstaining months. Like the Boston-accented pronunciation of many words. Like speech in New England?.

Like non-oyster months, supposedly; Try this 5 letters Solution : RLESS Do you have other crossword puzzle solution? Please write us in the comment box. Did we help you ? Please click Like and Share. Oyster-ology - Coastal Virginia Magazine - August-September 2015 - Virginia Beach, VA Oyster-ology By Patrick Evans-Hylton Accoutrements – raw oysters are often served with various pairings to accent their flavor, including a mignonette sauce ( here's a recipe ), cocktail sauce, vinegar (usually a flavored vinegar), lemon wedges for squeezing juice on the bivalves and/or grated horseradish. With fried oysters, cocktail sauce and/or tartar sauce are common. Adductor – the muscle that an oyster uses to open and close its shell; it is sliced through to free the meat when shucked. Aphrodisiac – oysters have long been considered a food that increases sexual desire—at first due to their resemblance of female sex organs and later, after researchers found that amino acids and zinc in the oysters increase sex hormones.

Bayside – in the case of Virginia, oysters that are grown along the Chesapeake Bay, in particular the Bay side of the Eastern Shore, and are not as salty as seasides due to the Bay not having as high of salinity levels. Bivalve – not just an oyster, but any marine or fresh water mollusk that has two shells, such as a clam or scallop. Crassostrea virginica – the scientific name for the principal commercial oyster on the East Coast. Also known as the Atlantic or Virginia oyster. Cup – the bowl-shaped part of the oyster shell (the other valve is typically flat) which is used for presenting an oyster on the half shell (which includes the liquor) or in a Rockefeller preparation. See “valve,” “half shell,” liquor” and “Rockefeller.” Deadrise – also known as the Chesapeake Bay deadrise or the deadrise workboat is the official boat of the commonwealth of Virginia and is used extensively in fishing. The “V” hulled boat is traditionally wooden and features a sharp bow that gradually tapers. A small cabin accents the boat, which features a large working area aft.

The design of this powered boat evolved from the sailing skipjacks. It has been a staple of watermen in the region since the early 20th century. Ethics – oysters lack a central nervous system, and some ethicists say they are similar to eating from the Plant Kingdom, making them acceptable for someone who otherwise has ethical concerns of eating animals. (On the) half shell – an oyster that is presented for consumption shucked and resting in one half of its shell, usually the cupped side (see definition above) , and typically in its own liquor. They are usually presented on a lipped tray filled with ice or rock salt with accouterments. Hinge – the large, blunt end of the oyster shell where the valves connect. Huitre – the French name for oysters, often seen on menus at fine dining restaurants. Lip – the rounded, flattened part of the oyster shell, opposite the hinge. Liquor – the briny liquid that surrounds the meat of the oyster within its shell. Merroir – a combination of place and environment which serves to impart specific flavor characteristics to oysters, particularly through water alkalinity, minerality and salinity.

See Virginia's 7 Oyster Growing Regions . Mignonette – an accouterment for raw oysters consisting of a vinegar base and usually minced shallots as well as herbs and spices. Get a recipe here . Mollusk – a soft, un-segmented bodied invertebrate usually enclosed in a shell. Oyster – a bivalve mollusk that grows in salt and freshwater and is harvested for food; other types are harvested for pearls and for shell. Oysters are members of the family Ostreidae. Oyster farming – the aquaculture process of oyster cultivation by oystermen, typically from spat/seed and often grown in flats and cages, as opposed to harvesting wild oysters. Oystermen – individuals who make their living specifically or principally growing and/or harvesting oysters. Oyster knife – a specially designed knife with a thick handle and short, stout blade specifically made for shucking oysters. ( Here's how to shuck an oyster in 5 easy steps .) Pea crab, oyster crab – a thumbnail-sized crab, often clear/translucent or with a reddish hue, that lives parasitically inside the shells of oysters and other bivavles.

Pea refers to the crab’s size. They are found occasionally among oysters presented on the half-shell (see definition above) and are usually alive. These are not only edible, but considered good luck and a delicacy. A report in the Nov. 9, 1913 New York Times declares them “the epicure’s delight.” Preparation – in addition to being eaten raw, oysters are typically consumed baked, boiled, broiled, canned, fried, pickled, roasted, smoked, steamed and stewed. Oysters are also served in shot glasses with alcoholic beverages, including beer and Bloody Marys, to create oyster shooters. Raw bar – a restaurant or portion of a restaurant that specializes in serving shellfish, such as oysters, clams and shrimp, raw or simply cooked, such as steamed, and served with accouterments. Here are 12 local favorites ! R Month – folklore says oysters should not be eaten in months that end with an “R,” namely May through August.

Before refrigeration and ready ice-at-hand, oysters would spoil more easily during this time, and there is some truth that in these warm weather months oysters are more susceptible to possible bacteria in the water, but oysters are available and delicious year-round, although in the summer they may not be as plump due to spawning. (Oyster) Rockefeller – a dish consisting of oysters topped with a creamy sauce made with (traditionally) spinach and seasonings along with a gratin mixture and baked or broiled on the half shell. It was created in 1899 at Antoine’s restaurant in New Orleans and the rich dish was named after the richest man in the country at the time, John D. Rockefeller. Another popular dish is Oysters Bingo . Seaside – in the case of Virginia, oysters grown on the Atlantic Ocean side of the Eastern Shore, making them saltier due to the high salinity of the sea water. See “bayside.” Shellfish – various species of mollusks, crustaceans (like crab) and echinoderms (like sea urchin) that are harvested from salt and freshwater for consumption. Shuck, shucking – the act of opening an oyster shell for consumption.

( Here's a simple, 5 step guide to shucking oysters. ) Spat/seed – the oyster at its larval stage of growth. Spawn, spawning – the breeding season for oysters, which occurs when water temperatures are warm and males release sperm and females release eggs, typically in summer months. Sustainable, sustainability – the practice, in this case with seafood, of avoiding species that are either over-fished or caught or farmed in ways that may harm other sea life or the environment. The Virginia Aquarium operates the Sensible Seafood Program that offers guidelines for best choices of seafood in markets and restaurants based on sustainability. Tastes – oysters vary greatly in taste depending on where they are grown (see “merroir”) and flavors often range from briny, buttery, fruity, metallic and salty. See Virginia's 7 Oyster Growing Regions . Tongs – a traditional tool in harvesting oysters, tongs are a pair of long wooden handles with rakes/baskets at the end used to scoop up and gather oysters. Today tongs may still be used in the harvest of wild oysters (see definition below), but most oysters today are farmed (see definition above) in trays/cages.

Valves – the oyster’s two shells. Watermen – individuals who make their living harvesting fish and shellfish. Wild oysters – oysters that are not cultivated by an oysterman and grow, usually in beds, often clumped together. Because of this, dredging is often a harvesting method, where a large scoop/rake is dragged along the sea bottom. Because of this often invasive harvesting method and other environmental issues, oyster farming is the preferred method of growing/harvesting oysters for sustainability. In fact, 95 percent of the oysters we eat are farm raised.

Question: Traditionally, oysters should be eaten when which letter of the alphabet is in the month?
Answer: R