Everything you need to know about oysters!

In 9 questions

9 questions to find out all about oysters!

What do we know about this little mollusc, known and appreciated since Antiquity? This exceptional product, often found on tables in the run-up to the festive season and beyond, is full of secrets. How are oysters raised? Are there any labels? Can they be cooked? Are there different seasons for eating them?

Are you wondering? Here are the answers to your questions, and find out everything you need to know about oysters!

1 - What is an oyster?

Oysters are bivalve mollusks (2 shells joined by a muscle), belonging to the Ostreidae family and living in a natural environment on the sea coast and in estuaries. The oyster feeds on plankton by filtering seawater. In the wild, oysters cling to rocks.

2 - How are oysters raised?

There are 3 main stages in oyster farming:

Spatcollection: this is the collection of spat (small oysters in the process of development) in the natural environment or via hatcheries. Oyster farmers install collectors (cups, tubes, etc.) at sea, on which the oyster larvae settle and begin to grow. After 4 to 8 months, the spat-covered collectors are brought back to the workshop to detach the small oysters (this is called de-spawning), sort them and then put them into bags. These bags are then laid out on tables in the open sea, so that the oysters can continue to develop. For your information: most oyster spat come from Charente-Maritime, where warm currents are necessary for reproduction.

Breeding : the oyster bags remain in the sea for 2 to 3 years, but each year the oyster farmers carry out different actions to ensure that the oysters develop under the right conditions. During this growth phase, the bags are regularly checked and turned over, the oysters are sorted and then transferred to larger-mesh bags to give them a regular shape.

Refining: this improves the oyster’s taste. Once they’ve reached adulthood, the oysters are placed in “claires” (shallow clay basins) for maturing, to obtain fine oysters from claires (oysters from the oyster beds).tres fines de claires (oysters with little flesh and a light mouthfeel) or spéciales de claires (oysters with plenty of flesh and less iodine in the mouth), depending on the length of immersion. It’s at this stage that the oyster develops its distinctive color and taste.

3 – What’s the best time to eat oysters?

You’ve probably heard that you shouldn’t eat oysters in the months without an “r” (May, June, July and August). In fact, they’re not inedible, but this is the period when oysters reproduce, so they produce milt and are therefore “milky or fatty”.

4 – What size oyster should I choose?

The smaller the number, the bigger the oyster: the size indicates the average weight of the oyster.

N°5 : 30 to 45 g
N°4 : 46 to 65 g
N°3 : 66 to 85 g
N°2 : 86 to 110 g
N°1 : 111 to 150 g
N°0 : over 150 g

5 – How to store them

Oysters should be kept in the refrigerator for one week after purchase, tightly packed and with the shell down. They should be opened at the last moment (one hour before consumption). On opening, the oyster should contain some water, which should be discarded, as a second, finer-tasting water is produced.

6 – What are the differences between flat and hollow oysters?

Flat oysters are bred in deep water, directly on the ground, while oysters are bred in cages on oyster beds, in pockets that move with the tides. Flat oysters are the rarest and most expensive. The size of the flat oyster differs from that of the deep oyster

N°4 : 40 g
N°3 : 50 g
N°2 : 60 g
N°1 : 70 g
N°0 : 80 g
N°00 : 90 to 100 g
N°000 : 100 to 120 g

Hollow oysters are the most widespread and cultivated on the French coast. It is generally this variety of oyster that we find on our plates. Among these oysters are the fines de claires and the spéciales. Our destination is home to many oyster producers, including :

Krystale oysters, fine oysters, open sea oysters, etc.

7 – What are the benefits of oysters?

Oysters are low in calories, rich in protein, vitamins (A, E, B12, B2 and B3), minerals (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium) and trace elements (copper, zinc, iron, etc.). They contain unsaturated fatty acids that help reduce bad cholesterol and protect against cardiovascular disease.

8 – Are there any labels?

As with many livestock products, there are labels. These labels enable us to find out a little more about production techniques.

Label rouge: recognition of quality and know-how. The reproduction cycle is respected, the oysters are not milky, packaging is flat and marketing takes place from October to May.
IGP (Indication Géographique Protégée – Protected Geographical Indication) : at least one stage in the production, processing or preparation of the product must take place in the defined geographical area.
Organic farming: organic oysters may be wild or raised in hatcheries, but in water that is subject to strict regulations. They must not have been modified in any way. A triploid oyster cannot therefore be organic.
Nature and progress: oysters must be born and raised at sea, without antibiotics or chemical treatments.

10 - How to cook them?

They are usually eaten raw, seasoned with a shallot sauce or a dash of lemon juice, accompanied by a good rye bread, salted butter and a small glass of white wine.rye bread, salted butter and a small glass of white wine, but oysters can also be cooked.