Tonight, I made oyster stew. I used fresh oysters from Puget Sound [they aren't the native ones; those were wiped out during the gold rush in the Yukon]. The ones they have now were imported from Japan, grow well in the sound, and are the best.

But that is an aside. My grandmother taught me to make this stuff when I was but a very small oyster eater. That would be more that 40 y ago. As a first step, you take the oysters and sautee them in butter until they curl. I took her word for it, but I never saw them curl. Later, my mother went through the same process. I never saw them curl. The stuff I made tonight was really great, served with fresh olive and cheese bread. But I never saw the suckers curl.

Have you ever seen an oyster curl. ;o))))

Best Wishes,,,,,

Z

-- ZiX4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), December 20, 2001

Answers

Yeah I've seen 'em but they look pretty silly. The ones runnin the broom aren't nearly as funny as the ones trying to push the stone. Little suckers freeze up. Not enough legs I guess.

-- Carlos (riffraff@cybertime.net), December 20, 2001.

Only a really fresh oyster will curl, Z. I once lived next to Puget Sound. One afternoon, a local Native American gave me some oysters he had just picked that day. They were still in a bucket of sea water when he gave them to me. I shucked them about 1 hour later. I suppose cin will cringe, but the chances are good the oysters were still alive when I cooked them that night.

Yup, they did curl a bit... like they were contracting their muscles. Fresh oysters == damn good oysters.

-- Little Nipper (canis@minor.net), December 20, 2001.

LN:

You are more sensitive to these things than me. My remaining family all live in Puget sound or north in the Islands. I have a lot of projects there. Betwixt the two I spend a lot of time in the PNW. We have collected these things ourselves [long time ago] or purchased them from the boat or now the farm. I have never seen one curl. Must be a cultural thing or you are my grandmother. ;o)))

Best Wishes,,,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), December 20, 2001.

LN is correct. Your oysters didn't curl because they weren't very fresh.

-- (seafood@connoiseur.), December 20, 2001.

OK; seafood:

How more fresh can you get that collecting them, bringing them home, shucking them, and sauteeing them. Have you done that? My grandmother said that they curled. I didn't see that. What does curling mean? This a question that has haunted me. ;o))))

Now I knows how to make wonderful dishes from these little devils, but I have never seen one curl. Just my experience.

Best Wishes,,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), December 20, 2001.

Sorry.

Best Wishes,,,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), December 20, 2001.

Don't get pissed Z. I'm just telling you from experience, your oysters weren't fresh enough. Trust me, I know.

-- (seafood@connoisseur.), December 20, 2001.

I didn't curl because you DIDN'T SAY YOU LOVE ME!

-- Oyster (unkeeD@yahoo.com), December 21, 2001.