When Oysters Are Green In Can

Oysters are considered low calorie, easier to digest than red meat, and high in vitamins. In general, 100 grams of oyster meat contains about 66 calories and 8.4 grams of protein, with only 1.8 grams of fat. Oysters are bivalve molluscs found near the bottom of the sea in coastal areas. The upper shell (valve) is flattish and is attached by an elastic ligament hinge to the lower, bowl-shaped shell. Oysters are versatile and can be served as appetizers, main dishes, side dishes, salads or stews. Try these oyster recipes and enjoy a mouth-watering sampling of Florida?s Apalachicola oysters.

Oysters are best served raw in their own juices with a slice of lemon. Oysters have, for many years, been considered an aphrodisiac. Oysters are sensitive to both turbidity and sedimentation. The observation that the upstream limit of producing oyster bars has shifted downstream several miles in historic times is evidence of the impact of sedimentation. Oysters are fished by simply gathering them from their beds. A variety of means are used.

Oysters are a perfect reflection of their environment. There are many different species of oysters each with its own flavour characteristics, shell structure and coloration. Oysters are caught by the mesh, raised, and released onto the flat deck of the dredge. Dredge operators are so skilled that they can collect most of the oysters from a bed even though they cannot see them, only the stakes that mark the bed boundaries. Oysters are poikilotherms, (they do not generate body heat like mammals do) and their metabolic rate is regulated by the temperature of the sea around them. In warmer water, they burn off more nutrient reserves in their tissues, and require more food to keep from losing weight.

Oysters are a nutritious as well as succulent culinary delicacy. They are a low-calorie, low-cholesterol source of protein; an exceptional source of zinc, a mineral associated with strengthening the immune system; a prime source of omega-3, a fatty-acid linked to lowering the risk of heart attack, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and of stroke. Oysters are also champion filter feeders, which means they perform a water-filtering function. A single oyster can filter 20 gallons of water each day. Oysters are good to eat all year long, but are in best condition and most tasty in the winter and early spring. No gutting or grilling is necessary to eat an oyster, the meat can be completely consumed.

Oysters are transported out of water in bags, traditional wooden tubs or polystyrene boxes. The same rule of minimising stress as in storage applies during transport. Oysters are also produced in Iwate, Miyagi, Niigata, Mie, Okayama prefectures, and elsewhere, but Hiroshima leads the pack by producing: about 60% of the national total. Oysters are processed by opening and sometimes freezing the fish in the half shell. Virtually all mussels are shipped live.

Oysters are not only delicious, they are also one of the most nutritionally balanced food available. They contain protein, lipids and carbohydrates. Oysters are filter feeders, using their extensive gills and associated hairlike cilia to trap and move tiny food particles to the mouth. In some oysters fertilization is external, both sperm and eggs being shed into the water. Oysters are nearly always eaten raw in France.

Oysters are a big one. Every year, at Christmas and New Eve, or at formal classy diners in the proper season, escaping oysters in France is Mission Impossible. Oysters are graded by size, with counts being the largest (~20/pint) and very small the smallest at 63/pint. Oysters you find in your local market or seafood store are most likely standard (38-63/pint) or select (26-38/pint). Oysters are generally harvested at the time of year when they are in peak condition, when their meat is at its "fattest". Oysters need a period in the spring to recuperate from the winter before they reach a condition ideal for the retail market.

Oysters are terrific filterers. Over a century ago, when American oysters were still profoundly abundant, these miniature vacuum cleaners were capable of filtering all of the Bay's water every 3.3 days.