The old saying goes, only eat oysters in months with an r, and though it dates. Mar 27, 2011 raw, fried, baked, stuffed or made into a sandwich, oysters are always satisfying. It was once assumed that oysters were only safe to eat in months with the letter r in their english and french names. I want oysters but theres no r in may or june, or july. Sep 12, 20 roman oysters probably were not totally safe in the warmest of the non r months, as they have a fairly balmy climate by european standards. Experts in the field say thats because the safest time to. Nov 05, 2018 the proverb of consuming oysters solely in r goes back to at least 1599 in the english cookbook dyets dry dinner. For years people have believed oysters are unsafe to eat in may, june, july and august. Commercially harvested oysters are fine to consume.
Also, oysters spawn during those months, shooting their sperm and eggs out into the water. If you consider this adage true, december is your lucky month though youve only got a few days left to indulge in delicious shellfish. Anyone who indulges in wild oysters has surely heard the advice. This reference widely refers to belons, european flat oysters ostrea edulis, whose larvae brood inside the shell unlike pacific. The idea of not eating oysters during months without an r comes from the fact that the summer months are the prime breeding time for red tides, or large blooms of algae that grow along the. Common lore states that we should only be eating shellfish, especially oysters, in months with the letter r. Sep 02, 2015 theres always been this oftrecited piece of advice about oysters. For hundreds of years, the rule of thumb was simple. If you think about it, the months without an r fall during the summer in the northern hemisphere, and the truth is that if you eat raw oysters in the summer you do run the risk of getting violently sick. If you are a fan of oysters, you may have heard that you should only eat them in months that are spelled with r.
That old saying about only eating oysters during months with r in them was never about the safety of eating them before electrical. Why its safer to eat shellfish in months with a letter r november 15, 20 1. You may adhere to the old adage, only eat oysters during a month containing the letter r. One is to individually quick freeze iqf oysters during the peak winter season, so they can be thawed and served raw in the summer months. Most of us were taught that oysters and other shellfish should only be eaten in months with names that include the letter r. May 05, 2017 the adage of eating oysters only in r months goes back at least to 1599, when it appeared in an english cookbook, dyets dry dinner. Should you really not eat oysters in months without an r. Of course not there are plenty of ways to enjoy the flavors of the summer season. Its basically a way of remembering not to eat oysters from may to august. Dont eat oysters in months that lack the letter r in their names.
Turns out, its safe to eat oysters yearround, and you can guess how. The recreational harvest of oysters in maryland is open to any resident during the season. Its actually safe to eat oysters yearround, according to. Second, the summer months mark spawning season for oysters. This little pearl of folk wisdom carries more truth than you might expect since the months without the letter r in their names coincide with summer in. Jul 22, 2010 can you eat oysters in months without an r.
Foodie tradition dictates only eating wild oysters in months with the letter r from september to aprilto avoid watery shellfish, or worse, a nasty bout of food poisoning. The adage of eating oysters only in r months goes back at least to 1599, when it appeared in an english cookbook, dyets dry dinner. First, in the days before refrigeration, shellfish were more likely to spoil in the heat. Some oysters can have a rank flavor in the summer, which is their mating season. The rule allowed wild oysters the chance to spawn so that they could repopulate. Now, a new study suggests people have been following this practice for at least 4,000 years. I have heard that it is only safe to eat oysters in nola in months that contain the letter r ie.
One only ate oysters in months that had an r in them september to april. Oct 02, 2017 marylands 20172018 public oyster harvest season kicks off oct. This little pearl of folk wisdom carries more truth than you might expect, since the months without the letter r in their names may through august. The idea of not eating oysters during months without an r comes from the fact that the summer months are the prime breeding time for red tides, or large blooms of. This leaves out the months of may through august some of the hottest months of the year in oysterrich regions. Nov 15, 20 why its safer to eat shellfish in months with a letter r november 15, 20 1. What about only eating oysters in months with an r in their name. Oysters are traditionally eaten in months spelled with an r. Oysters, despite what youve heard, are always in season.
Its the equivalent of eating tomatoes and artichokes when theyre in. When water temperatures get colder at the end of the summer, oysters begin storing a carbohydrate compound called glycogen, he writes. Jun 24, 20 10 thoughts on eating oysters in months without r sybaritica june 24, 20 at 11. Its first known formulation has nearly always been attributed to one, william butler 15351618, physician to king james i and fellow of clare hall, at the university of cambridge, who apparently uttered this pearl.
Aug 30, 2009 mussels and clams are empty and small and oysters appear very milky. American indians are said to have introduced this warning centuries ago to early settlers, and nowadays the saying is applied to the months without an r. But oysters are no longer the preserve of tweedy gentlemen. Perhaps the best reason to only buy oysters during the fall, winter, and springthe r monthsis related to the creatures reproductive cycle. Native oysters are illegal to harvest in months without an r. Jun 24, 2010 the r rule originally just applied to oysters, but gradually came to encompass all shellfish. This is where that oftrepeated rule of thumb of only eating oysters in months that have the letter r in them comes from. The opening month is reserved for divers and watermen using patent and shaft tongs, as well as recreational oystering. Only eat oysters in months that contain the letter r in the name. The old rule was to only eat them in r months, which amounts to not eating them mayaugust.
One of the more wellknown, but less understood, rules about oysters says that they should be eaten only during months that have an r, so from may to august, they should be off the menu. After all, i avoid fresh tomatoes at all costs in the. Summer oysters, like winter tomatoes, are outofseason foods. Apr 11, 2007 according to the oystersrinseason theory, this is the last good month for oysters until september.
This practice, for example, is noted on the fanny bay oysters website. Here in missouri, i just make a meal from saltines, whip up some egg, dip the oysters in the egg and then the cracker meal and fry to nice and brown. Its not a safety issue as many assume just one of quality. In the fall and winter months, oysters, clams, and mussels store sweettasting glycogen formed from their diet of. We are surrounded by seafoodrich waters, yet most of us are really only in tune with the local salmon and crab seasons. Longtime coastal southerners have likely heard the adage about when to eat oysters during months that contain the letter r. Eating oysters in months without an r general discussion. Sure wish the fresh oysters would start showing up in the local grocery stores allen.
All you need to know about oysters food the guardian. Why its safer to eat shellfish in months with a letter r. The first and most compelling argument is that red tide most often occurs during summer months. The r month is mostly a fairy tale nowadays because there are so many different oyster varieties available now in the united states and canada that when one oyster. There are a few theories about where it came from and what it means for all of us shellfish lovers. Warm months, historically, made for bad or even toxic oysters for a number of reasons.
Nov 20, 2019 eating oysters only in r months dates back to at least 1599 when the adage appears in the english cookbook dyets dry dinner. This of course takes the summer months from may to august off the table, which. However, as evidenced by the masses of working folk who. Theres an old adage that you should only buy oysters in months that end with r as in september, october, november and december.
Oysters spawn in the warm summer months, usually may through august, although in the gulf of mexico, oysters spawn yearround because of the warm water. Although this recommendation is not as relevant in todays modern food environment, it follows common sense. Jun 02, 2003 read the oysters and r months discussion from the chowhound general discussion, oysters food community. But changes to the oyster industry have made the rules a bit. Its been codified since 1599 that you should only eat oysters in months that have an r in their name. This myth is based in truth, in that in the northern hemisphere, oysters are much more likely to spoil in the warmer months of may, june, july, and august. A definitive season for virginia oysters the roanoke star news. But if this is true, how do millions of restaurants sell them yearround. But if this is true, how do millions of restaurants sell them yearround to people who seem just fine after eating them. Now what or who was the origin of the adage that oysters should only be eaten in months with an r. Aug 30, 2017 oyster eating is a yearround affair thanks to modern day food preservation.
Sep 07, 2011 t he r in september means one thing to gourmands. So we can help ourselves to all the oysters, mussels, and clams we can eat from september through april, but put the brakes on come may. Aug 01, 2016 the idea of not eating oysters during months without an r comes from the fact that the summer months are the prime breeding time for red tides, or large blooms of algae that grow along the. The bivalves are available all year, but theyre best eaten in the colder months from september to april. But today that is less true, so dont shy away from them. Jul 28, 2015 basically, it says we shouldnt expect fresh oysters during months that do not contain the letter r.
The rmonth rule simply pointed out when the shellfish were at their peak quality. With the beginning of the string of r months upon us, its practically a holiday on long island. Hot, summer months may, june, july and august included no r and thus, no oysters. Oysters in the months of oysters rockefeller at antoines in new orleans are great wish i had some now. These were the coldest months of the year, when chesapeake oysters were slowly fattening in their mottled, frigid beds. Should you eat raw oysters only in months with an r still. But oysters are no longer the preserve of tweedy gentlemen and flashy champagne bars. Thankfully for oysterlovers, this rule is false or at least outdated. While a longstanding myth says oysters should not be eaten during months that do not contain an r may through august, oysters generally are thin in the summer because they devote their energy to. Jan 23, 2014 in your many years of oyster eating you may have heard that you should only eat oysters in months that end in the letter r. F oodie tradition dictates only eating wild oysters in months with the letter r from september to april to avoid watery shellfish, or worse, a nasty bout of food poisoning. This gives you eight months from september to april, but doesnt explain what to do when you visit an oyster region outside of that period. Foodie tradition dictates only eating wild oysters in months with the letter r from september to april to avoid watery shellfish, or worse, a nasty bout of food poisoning.
The enticing oyster, in months with r or not the new york. I sometimes cant resist ordering oysters even during the r month breeding season but, the truth is, they are often quite pallid tasting and lacking in texture. When eating raw oysters during the summer, you should ask whether the oysters being served have been previously frozen. People have been eating oysters long before refrigeration existed and fresh shellfish spoil very quickly in the summer. Oysters are great all year long but did you know theyre considered in peak season in the fall all along the chesapeake bay. Nov 25, 2019 anyone who indulges in wild oysters has surely heard the advice. If weve been eating oysters all summer, have we been. So for us it is the reason of quality everything has a best season for reasons of taste and texture and when out of season an alternative treat will be in season. Theres always been this oftrecited piece of advice about oysters.
But if this were truly a fact, how do millions of restaurants serve up oysters yearround with no public health repercussions. Foodie tradition dictates only eating wild oysters in months with the letter rfrom september to aprilto avoid watery shellfish, or worse, a nasty bout of food poisoning. But thats actually a myth that arose from the fact that those months are the hottest in the northern hemisphere and, thus, the months in which oysters are most likely to spoil. The r rule came in to play because the warmer non r months are typically when oysters spawn. Aug 04, 2017 the logic behind this is that if you eat oysters during these months, you could get sick.
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