How to open oysters
This can be a dangerous operation so be careful even if you're using a special knife with a guard - it's advisable to wrap the hand holding the oyster with a folded towel, in order to prevent hurting yourself, if your knife slips.
It's also a good idea to rinse the oysters before you open them - it reduces the likelihood of getting bits of grit and ground shell into the flesh.
Hold the oyster in your hand with the cup-shaped part downwards, the pointed hinge end nearest you. Slip your knife into the join between the lid and the cup. You may have to twist it a little to get access, but be careful not to grind too hard as you'll get flaky bits of shell in the oyster. Once your knife blade is in, slide it down towards the hinge and cut the hinge. The oyster will then open.
Pacific or rock oysters are more difficult to open than native oysters because of their corrugated edges. You may have to stick the point of your knife in where the hinge is, and force it, before you can slide the blade down.
When you've got the oyster open, slice the muscle attached to the oyster on the top part of the shell, and brush off any broken pieces of shell from around the edges.
Keep each oyster balanced horizontally to retain as much of the juice as possible. Serving on a bed of ice or seaweed is good for this.
Different kinds of oysters and other basic oyster information
Native oysters are the smoother, rounder kind (known in France as the "huitre plate" or "belon"). Pacific or rock oysters are the more rugged-looking, encrusted, irregular, kind (called "huitres creuses" in France). There are also the green "Marennes" oysters, which are less often encountered.
Pacific oysters are available all year round; native oysters are traditionally eaten only in months with an "r" (i.e. from September to April) as during the summer they're reproducing and their flesh becomes milkier.
In France you will be offered "fines de claires" which have thinner meat (obviously also dependent on size); the "speciales" are the really fat, tasty ones.
Oysters must be live when you buy them; dead oysters quickly become toxic to the human body: a live oyster will be tightly shut, or shut itself when tapped.
Ways to serve oysters
You can serve raw oysters with wedges of lemon, pepper, tabasco, or a sauce made from red wine vinegar flavoured with chopped shallots.
Brown bread and butter is the classic accompaniment.
Click here for a delicious way of serving oysters hot!
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