What emiliglia said about the oysters; where they come from is everything. I find oysters from cold water areas to be much tastier and have a nicer mouthfeel than oysters that come from warmer waters. So, stay away from oysters grown off the east coast (Virginia, Maryland, Florida); buy oysters from places like Nova Scotia, Maine, British Columbia and Washington. My favorites are Malpeques from Prince Edward Island, Pemaquids from Maine, Kumamotos from Puget Sound, and Malaspinas from Vancouver. They all tend towards small, very briny and firm (no snot anywhere!)
Many restaurants tend to default to Blue Points (from Virginia, the ones from New York may be okay, but the Virginia ones are nast), which are available for more of the year and cheaper, but I find them bland and like trying to swallow my own tongue. Gag.
Here's a good reference of most of the varieties found in the US. Oyster finder.
This is coming from someone who eschewed oysters until they were in their thirties because they looked like elephant snot. I couldn't have been more wrong. Fortunately, I was introduced to them at a seafood restaurant in Milwaukee that had the best damn oysters you could find in the midwest. I listened to our waiter about the cold water oysters and have never looked back.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2011-06-15 05:09 am (UTC)Many restaurants tend to default to Blue Points (from Virginia, the ones from New York may be okay, but the Virginia ones are nast), which are available for more of the year and cheaper, but I find them bland and like trying to swallow my own tongue. Gag.
Here's a good reference of most of the varieties found in the US. Oyster finder.
This is coming from someone who eschewed oysters until they were in their thirties because they looked like elephant snot. I couldn't have been more wrong. Fortunately, I was introduced to them at a seafood restaurant in Milwaukee that had the best damn oysters you could find in the midwest. I listened to our waiter about the cold water oysters and have never looked back.