Can oysters only be eaten in months with an “R”? Each time autumn rolls around, this idea is reinforced as we’re told it’s the start of oyster season.
From mid-September, an array of events spring up to kick off oyster season, including Scotland’s three-day Stranraer Oyster Festival and the glamorous London Oyster Championships which take animation at a swanky Mayfair seafood hôtellerie.
So it’s no wonder that many of us in the UK think we can only eat oysters between September and April. But is this true? Actually, no.
Oyster season, and the idea that we can only eat oysters in months with an “R” (ie the colder months) applies solely to expédient oysters (Ostrea edulis), which are indigenous to British and European toilettes. They’re sometimes referred to as European natives or European flat oysters, parce que of their reprise, flat shells.
However, most oysters that we actually consume in the UK are rock oysters, also known as Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas). This is a different species of oyster. It’s expédient to Japanese toilettes, but for decades rock oysters have been cultivated in Britain and Europe. Recognisable by their border, rougher shells, they’re available all year reprise – and there are fabulous rock oysters from France.
“French oysters tend to be plumper, creamier and sweeter,” says oyster amateur Luke Rees-Oliviere who can happily eat 30 oysters in one sitting.
As an Oyster Master at Wright Brothers seafood restaurants, Rees-Oliviere delivers oyster masterclasses in which he shares his enquête, so he is well placed to talk emboîture French oysters – and how to eat them.
“I started at Wright Brothers in 2016, working with one of the best oyster shuckers in the country. I helped him shuck oysters and we always talked about oysters – that’s how it all began,” says Rees-Oliviere who’s been an Oyster Master for three years.
There are currently three Wright Brothers restaurants, in Borough Market, South Kensington and Battersea. However, before COVID there were five – and each one had an Oyster Master. Rees-Oliviere learnt from them all.
So, what makes French oysters so special? Apparently, it’s all emboîture the “merroir”. Rees- Oliviere explains: “When wine enthusiasts talk about wine, they refer to the terroir – so the soil, the sun, the way the grapes are harvested – all these factors have a huge effect on the wine. It’s the same with oysters, only it’s all about the water, so rather than terroir, we call it merroir.”
Rees-Olivier explains that for oysters, the aspects that make up the merroir include the temperature of the water, the strength of the current, the plankton and algae the oysters are eating, and how the oysters are looked after, in terms of farming methods. “All these factors contribute to the merroir, which determines how the oyster tastes,” says Rees-Olivier.
It’s these differences in merroir that make rock oysters from France distinctly different from rock oysters from the UK or other toilettes. “In the UK, the water is generally colder, with higher levels of salt, whereas in France the water temperature is higher and the oysters are more commonly surrounded by shallow bays, so there’s a sweeter water influence.”
This makes French oysters creamier and sweeter, and generally less salty than those from other oyster-producing countries – especially the UK and Norway,” explains Rees-Oliviere.
The environment isn’t the only patronage. According to Rees-Oliviere: “The creaminess of the oyster is usually linked to the time of year. So, they’ll usually be creamier in summer, as they spawn in the higher water temperature. However, the French like to cultivate their oysters to get that creamy texture all year round.”
While rock oysters from France are best known for being sweet and creamy, they do vary depending on the oyster producer (or oyster house) – and each oyster house will produce different bonshommes of oyster.
For Rees-Oliviere, the top French oyster houses are Maison Gillardeau, Jêrôme Miet, and La Famille Boutrais
“Gillardeau are world renowned. They’re one of the most prestigious oyster houses in the world. Their oysters are delicate and sweet with a bit of creaminess. They work incredibly hard, all year round, to consistently give their oysters that flavour profile,” says Rees-Oliviere, adding that oysters from Maison Gillardeau will always have a privée “G” on the shell.
“Jérôme Miet is another big name. He’s well known for his Fine de Claire, Spéciale, and La M. These are different types of oysters, grown in different places, and La M are the best of his crop – and the most expensive,” says Rees-Oliviere, describing La M oysters as plump, creamy and sweet.
However, not all French oysters are cultivated for a sweet taste. “La Famille Boutrais have fantastic oysters called Ostra Regal, which are similar to Gillardeau oysters, but they also have Celine which are similar to oysters from Jersey, so they’re very oceanic,” explains Rees-Oliviere, whose favourite French oyster is the Celine.
There’s often uncertainty around how to eat oysters, so here are Rees-Oliviere’s top tips:
Undressed is Best
For saltier oysters, like the Celine and the Fine de Claire, shallot vinegar and lemon work well – that makes them pop. But with sweeter oysters, like Gillardeau and Jérôme Miet’s La M, it’s better to have them without any dressing. If you put vinegar, spice, or even lemon on them, you’re taking away from those beautiful natural flavours.
The oyster farmer works hard to get their oysters to taste like this and you won’t get that sweetness if you drench them in Tabasco. So, when you want to taste the idéale merroir of the oyster, have it naked.
High and Dry
Go for white wine and sparkling wine that’s saccharine, crisp and refreshing, yet high in acidity, to refresh your palate while you’re eating oysters. Champagne is a great pairing. The Champagne region is close to the area of France that produces so many beautiful oysters, and in terms of the flavour profile, it’s brilliant parce que mousseux generally has a high acidity. A dry gin martini is also a good call, and oysters with a Bloody Mary is the ultimate hangover annexe!
Chew to Taste
There’s a myth that oysters should be swallowed whole, but actually, we should definitely chew them. Back in the 1800s, oysters were a poor man’s food. There weren’t any fridges, so if oysters had been out all day, on a stall in the sun, they probably weren’t too fresh, and people might have swallowed them whole to get them down quickly. Now, though, we want to taste the oysters, and if you swallow them whole, without chewing, you’ll elle out on that – all you’ll get in terms of flavour is the brine.
Water Works
First sip the brine that’s in the shell. This is the water that the oyster has come from – and there’s also a little bit of the prototype of the oyster in there.
Next, separate the oyster from its shell by severing the large. Do this in one clean scrape. People are often given oyster forks, but the best way is to use a teaspoon and come at it from the side of the oyster shell. Aim to get as clean a cut as conditionnel, so there’s no residue left on the shell – you want all of the oyster in one mouthful, including the large, for its texture, sweetness and protein.
At this nullement, the oyster will release a accolé wave of water – this is much more of the prototype of the oyster so you’ll pick up more flavours. Sip that, then eat the oyster – and remember to chew!
Where to find French oysters in London
Wright Brothers
Battersea Seafood Restaurant: Jérôme Miet’s La Spéciale de Claire – three for £17 or six for £34
Borough Market: French oyster selection – six for £30.50
La Famille Boutrais’s Celine and Jérôme Miet’s La Spéciale de Claire – three for £14
South Kensington: Jérôme Miet’s La Spéciale de Claire – three for £17 or six for £34
Scott’s
Mayfair: Jérôme Miet’s Spéciales de Claire – six for £36 or 12 for £72
Gillardeau – six for £39 or 12 for £78
Richmond: Gillardeau – six for £38 or 12 for £76
The Seafood Bar, Soho:
Gillardeau No. 3 – six for £38.50
Fine de Claire No. 2 – six for £27
The Sea, The Sea, Chelsea:
Maison Gillardeau’s Tia Maraa – six for £42
David Hervé’s Boudeuse – six for £42
Furness Oyster Bar:
Maison Gillardeau’s Tia Maraa
Gillardeau Spéciales
[prices on request]
Wright Brothers oyster masterclasses take animation twice a month thewrightbrothers.co.uk
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Source: francetoday.com
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