Oysters

Description

Fresh Oysters

Did you know? The humble oyster’s blood has no apparent colour. It also has kidneys and a beating heart. They are hermaphrodites, meaning that in their early years, they are male, but then develop into females that produce eggs. Once the eggs are fertilised the oyster incubates them for up to 10 days before expelling them into the open waters. How many eggs can a female make? Well, they can produce going on for a million of those little suckers. The kind of oysters that produce pearls are not the same as the ones which you would consume. With this type, the pearl begins as an irritant like a piece of sand. This is then coated with a solution made up of calcium & protein called nacre, this is also known by a more popular name ‘Mother of Pearl’. This process is repeated many times eventually producing a pearl.

Are oysters good for you? Eaten fresh they are a really good source of vitamins such as A, B1, B2, B3, C &D. They also contain healthy amounts of other minerals such as phosphorus, manganese, zinc, calcium, magnesium, iodine, copper & iron. They have been in existence for upwards of 180 million years and in that time have never evolved, well if you’re perfect, why change? In times past the oyster shell was often used for various things. For instance, the Greeks used the shells as ballots to vote with. The word ‘ostracise’ is derived from the Astrakeon Greek for oyster shell, this is because Athenian Greeks used the shells to vote to banish people that were unpopular.

Where do oysters grow? Well, there are many locations around the world where they grow both in the wild and also in oyster farms. The ones from around the English coast have been held in high esteem for centuries, it is reported that the Romans used to import them from England and that in Rome it is reckoned that they were worth their weight in gold. Fortunately, they don’t cost that much anymore and if you’d like to try some fresh, then order from here and we will get them delivered to you using our chilled seafood delivery to your door service. Not sure how to eat oysters. Eating them couldn’t be easier, since they are eaten life & do not require cooking.

If you are an oyster lover, you may also be interested in two of our different hampers: Deluxe or Luxury Seafood Hamper.

Want to know how to open them? Well below is a video of how to shuck oysters. The shuck is a special knife designed especially for opening these tasty critters.