Oyster Etiquette

Does oyster etiquette exist? Is there a proper way to eat oysters? How do you hold an oyster? Do you chew or swallow? Can I of dispose of the liquid?

Nowadays, oysters are extremely popular. You can't open a cooking magazine without seeing a trendy oyster recipe. There are also plenty of restaurants with raw oysters on the menu, but what if you've never eaten them? How do you know if you like them, let alone know how to eat them? Don't worry! We've listed the most important things you need to know about oyster etiquette.

Eating oysters; it's an acquired taste
Can you remember when you took your first sip of wine? It was unlike any other beverage you have had before, due to its unique taste. Its uniqueness caused you to be surprised by the taste, and maybe even reject it at first. With oysters, you naturally have the same reaction. The taste is so unique that it alienates you. Especially due to the taste of the salty sea, but as you chew sweet aromas come out. Jonathan Swift described the first ever man who ate an oyster: "He was a bold man that first ate an oyster.”.
Although you might not like the oyster and its unique taste at first, we encourage you to eat another one. When trying your first oyster, the oyster opens your taste buds wide. This results in your mouth recognizing the flavors. As you eat multiple oysters, you begin to appreciate the taste. The English call this an 'acquired taste'.

Not a morsel of snot, but the versatility of a perfume.
Comparing oysters to a morsel of snot, will certainly not increase your popularity with oyster lovers. It disqualifies you, since it indicates that you are unaware of the etiquette. According to the etiquette, if you don't like oysters or think they look like snot, you're not supposed to vocally express that. It is not very classy to state that food is dirty, especially in the case of oysters. Although I admit I am not entirely objective, oysters and their taste have many poetic terms.
What you smell on an oyster, you can taste. The taste of oysters has as much depth to it as perfume. They can be fresh, buttery, milky, spicy, coppery, metallic, or even lavender like. Soft, firm, or have a good bite. They can taste like melon, cucumber, earthy, salty or sweet. The trick is to name what you taste, such as: “the salt makes your tongue curl up, then the taste becomes earthy and the bite is firm, then brings out sweet notes.” Your dinner companions will nod in agreement, at least... if they agree!

Please do smell; it is allowed
With wine, you speak about a terroir. With oysters you speak about a merroir. The flavor comes from the elements that influence the oyster, such as the number of sun hours, the location in the sea (deep or shallow), the salinity of the water, the type of algae in the water, and the currents. Just like when drinking a glass of wine, use your nose to pick up the aroma of the oyster. It will not come as a surprise when you smell the sea, but the more you do it, the better you'll recognize the difference between oyster varieties.
A second reason you may smell an oyster is to determine if the oyster is healthy. A very rare occasion may occur when the oyster is no longer alive and therefore spoiled. Do not be afraid that you will eat it, because you will smell it immediately. If you are in a restaurant, call the waiter and have him take the oyster away. That way your appetite remains intact to savor the other oysters!

Slurping is allowed 
Most restaurants serve raw oysters with a small fork, but don’t be afraid to pick up the oyster by hand and slurp it down. As long as you do not make any distasteful noises, as if you were gargling with mouthwash, that's fine. If you feel more comfortable using a fork, just do.

To chew or not to chew: that’s not a question!
Chewing is a must. This is one oyster etiquette you must observe. Slapping the oyster back in one go, as you see in movies with a glass of whiskey—I can understand that, because it is strong, but when eating oysters, it is a mortal sin. By chewing a few times, you taste the full aroma of the oyster and discover the versatility of the taste. Almost always it is briny only to become surprisingly sweet in your mouth. If you advise someone to do that, you will often hear the exclamation "Mmmm, how delicious that is". Conversely, if someone swallows the oyster right away and says "yummy," you may wonder what was delicious?

Drink with…Champagne
The right choice of wine can enhance both the flavor of the wine and the oyster. A white Burgundy goes great with a flat oyster; the chalky freshness of the Burgundy is accentuated by its natural aroma. Other classics that go well with oysters are Muscadet and, of course, Champagne.
Oysters & Champagne have a long history and are considered the ultimate seal of a marriage. The sparkling effect of the bubbles gives the oyster an extra 'kick' so that the flavor comes out even better. In addition, they also give the guests an extra 'boost', because there is a cheerfulness in the company that increases the atmosphere and who is not happy with that!

Fresh lemon and black pepper: allowed!
Raw oysters on the half shell are often served with Tabasco, mignonette (raspberry vinegar or red wine vinegar with shallots), or a cocktail sauce. It is not a resounding etiquette rule, but it is not meant to be. Now suppose it's your first oyster, try it with a few drops of fresh lemon juice or a little black pepper. That way you'll give the oyster something of a twinkle without overshadowing the flavor of the oyster. If you like that, then you can go to the next step and eat the oyster pure (or naked as some people will say). You'll be surprised how delicious that is.

Feel free to throw some oyster liquor out of the shell
The opinions are divided on this subject and there is no prescribed etiquette. If you think there is too much oyster liquor in the shell, feel free to throw some out. Especially during the oyster season when the oysters have had a lot of feeding, and there is a lot of moisture in the shell. Be sure to leave a little in there, because the salty flavor is in the liquid. You can think of it as a bouillon cube from the sea.
When traveling to faraway places, it is customary to rinse the oysters with water and then put them back in the shell. Well, every country has its own custom!

Turn over the empty shell
Again, there is no prescribed oyster etiquette for this. You can turn the shell if you want, but you don't have to. If you are savoring a large bowl of 24 oysters with friends, it is useful to turn the empty shell, that way the others can see at a glance which shell is still full. When all 24 are upside down, it's time for the next round!

​I hope that I have been able to introduce you to the oyster etiquette. It's not that strict. The times are past when people looked down on not knowing exactly how it 'should' be done. That too is subjective. The most important thing is that you enjoy oysters and preferably with others, because enjoying oysters with your family and friends is one of the most beautiful pleasures in life.​

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Angelique van der Made is co-owner of Red Oyster USA, which she founded with her 2 business partners in 2017. Red Oyster is the daughter of Oestercompagnie which started in 2000 in Europe. Also known as the inventors of Oystertainment®, they operate in a number of European countries and in the US. They are a boutique oyster catering company famous for their mobile raw oyster bar with the best oyster shuckers. Please contact us if you would like information for an upcoming party info@red-oyster.com or go to the website: www. red-oyster.com.