A Quick Primer For The Next Time You Order Oysters
Christian Storm/Business Insider
Unless you grew up dining on bivalves, you could stare at a menu all night long and still not know what the heck you're eating. But with a little bit of knowledge, you can begin to understand and appreciate the seriously immense world of oysters (or at least not sound like an idiot in front of your date).
We sat down with James Kim, the Executive Chef of the new Grand Banks Oyster Bar (which is located on a historic ship in the Hudson River), to get a crash course in oyster-ology, complete with a tasting. Kim has been working with oysters for many years, and when speaking with him, you can really tell how much he loves these little grey and white blobs.
Christian Storm / Business Insider
The most important factor in an oyster's flavor, known as its "terroir," is the water it lives in.
Kim tells us that oysters are filter feeders, meaning they get their food by straining it out of the surrounding water through a filter in their body.
And because different locations have different types of water, every oyster tastes distinct.
Christian Storm/Business Insider
This, Kim says, is why, when you eat oysters from areas with warmer waters such as New Orleans, the oysters are usually cooked or fried.
Christian Storm/Business Insider
Chef Kim suggested new omers start as oyster purists, forgoing the condiments in an effort to truly taste and understand the flavors and textures of the various oysters.
Christian Storm/Business Insider
East coast oysters tend to be springy, briny, juicy, and clean, with more savory flavors, while West coast oysters are sweeter and less briny, with a plump and creamy texture and flavors of cucumber or melon. West coast oyster shells are rougher and fluted, while east coast oysters have smoother, ridged shells.
Christian Storm/Business Insider
Christian Storm/Business Insider
Christian Storm / Business Insider
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