In the summer, eating oysters is always on the agenda. Under the scorching sun, a dozen fresh oysters spread over ice and steaming are served with chilled white wine. It felt like a big wave was coming and pushing you straight to the highest point of the wave. Just think about it, it's so cool that it makes people shiver.
Eating oysters is the sexiest thing in the summer.
In the Chinese textbook, Maupassant's character eats oysters gracefully: "Holding the oysters with a small handkerchief, the head is slightly forward so as not to stain the robe; then the mouth moves quickly and slightly, and the juice is sucked in, and the oyster shell is thrown into the sea." ”
When Su Shi was exiled, after discovering the delicious taste of oysters, he wrote a letter to his son and asked him not to tell others - this is full of childish possessiveness!
Napoleon also said: "Oysters are the best weapon against enemies and women." However, soldiers are inevitably armed, whether it is taste buds or women are to be pampered, but not to deal with. Shakespeare was even more exaggerated, saying, "The world is your oyster." ("The world is my oyster," meaning "the whole world is mine.")
Image courtesy of Tourism Ireland
So, where to eat oysters? Ireland must have a name. Ireland is not only the world's top oyster producer, but also the second largest oyster producer in Europe. In 2015 alone, ireland produced nearly 9,000 tonnes of oysters, with 75% of orders coming from France. Even the gourmet French, very recognized Irish oysters, don't you come to try it?
Oysters? Or oysters?
Before we learn about Irish oysters, let's first clarify one thing: are oysters and oysters one thing?
A: Not really. Oysters, belonging to the oyster family Ostreae, are a species of oyster. It's as if cola is a carbonated drink, and carbonated drinks don't just have coke.
How to distinguish between oysters and oysters? From the shell:
(1) Oysters are larger than oysters, and large ones are generally more than 1 pound, and oysters are as long as their little thumbs.
(2) The shell of oysters is large and raised, and the oysters are small and flat. From the meat quality point of view: oyster meat, fat, and oyster spice content is 7 times that of oysters.
Why is the Irish oyster a top oyster?
The flavor of oysters depends on the waters in which it grows. Water quality, temperature, plankton, ocean currents, minerals... These are all influencing factors.
Oysters have a special skill, that is, gender changes with temperature. Usually in warm environments, oysters can become fleshy, creamy females due to the abundance of food. The warm waters on Ireland's west coast, with its excellent water quality and pollution-free waters, are an excellent place for oysters to grow. Pry open the oyster shell, gently suck, the oyster juice all into the mouth, tongue a roll, chew from the skirt to the strap, dense and fat, stick!
As mentioned above, the taste and freshness of oysters are determined by temperature, and plankton and minerals are the source of the unique flavor of oysters.
Abundant precipitation, filtered through 12,000 square kilometres of turf and swamps, brings minerals into the west coast, and is blessed by the Gulf of Mexico Current and the North Atlantic Current that surrounds the island of Ireland, creating a growing environment for plankton. Plankton is oyster's favorite ration.
In this blessed environment, Irish oysters are full of meat and delicious taste. It has a hint of sweetness in the mouth, and a hint of nuts and citrus, which makes the gourmets flock to it and name it "Hermes" among oysters.
Visit an Irish oyster farm?
"Oysters are a bit like wine, 7 points depend on the origin, 3 points look at farming." Edward Gallagher, a second-generation oyster farmer in Tragheanna Bay, Donegal, said.
Therefore, knowing where oysters are produced can only understand its true uniqueness. Want to be a 1-day oyster farmer? DK Oysters in Galway is one of the oldest oyster farms in Ireland. Dating back to 1893, it was owned by the local aristocracy at the time and was used to supply the London market.
These Irish festivals are all associated with oysters
Ireland has been raising oysters since the 13th century and has been eaten for 4,000 years. Because of its long history, Ireland's Oyster Festival also comes earlier than elsewhere. There are several more famous oyster festivals: Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival
Held since September 1954, it is the oldest oyster festival in the world. Born for the local oyster season.
Well-known travel website Rough Guide has included the festival in their "50 must-do list of life's must-dos". As a family, you can cook your own food at the festival, watch world-class oyster shells, enjoy champagne, join the parade and walk through the medieval streets of this seaside city.
Connemara Oyster Festival
Racing along the Wild Atlantic Road, the joyous coastal town of Ballyconneely gathers local chefs, oyster producers, winemakers and musicians to celebrate the Connemara Oyster Festival every July.
Carlingford Oyster Festival
It's not just the West of Ireland that pays homage to this lavish maritime gift, but in Ireland's ancient East, County Louth also hosts the Carlingford Oyster Festival every August.
And in Dublin, the cliff Townhouse and Shelburne Hotel jointly host a two-month oyster festival in St Stephen's Green Central Park each September.
Markets, liquor stores... Oysters are still haunted here
Even if you don't go to festivals and visit farms, there are still countless opportunities to taste this delicacy in Ireland.
1. Northern Ireland
St. George's Market
In Belfast, every Saturday morning at St George's Market, you can buy Killough Oysters from Patrice Bonnargent. Of course, try Mourne Seafood Bar, Belfast's most popular shellfish store.
Balmoral Exhibition Millbay oyster booth
At Ulster's annual Balmore Show, keep an eye out for Millbay's signature oysters. It stood out from more than 3,000 food products selected for Ireland's Annual Awards and became a favourite among the diet judges.
2. Ireland
Temple Bar Saturday Market Temple Bar's Saturday Food Market Oyster Stall
At Dublin's Temple Bar Saturday Market, you can mingle with a large number of local out-of-town food lovers and squeeze into oyster stalls run by marine biologist Stephen Kavanagh.
Klaw Seafood Cafe
Klaw in Dublin's Temple Bar district has an exciting oyster variety that is highly recommended for its dramatic double-hulled shells and bloody Caesar made from freshly shelled oysters.
Sligo Oyster Experience
If you love the food, hop on this Taste the Atlantic seafood tour and head along the Wild Atlantic to find passionate local suppliers like Aishling Kelly at the Sligo Oyster Experience, three local farms waiting to entertain you!
How to eat oysters?
After Amway finishes eating oysters, he must finally talk about how to eat oysters:
1. Eat it raw
The greatest respect for a fresh oyster is to eat it raw from the crowbar shell. Enjoy its most authentic flair.
The famous French chef Anthony Bourdain once said: "Pry open the oyster shell, lips against the edge of the oyster shell, gently suck, the tip of the tongue touches the oyster meat, soft and juicy, whizzing, rich and fat oyster meat into the mouth, dense like a French deep kiss, there is a suffocating urge." "It's a classic.
Note that only oysters from places with good water sources and unspoiled sources can be eaten raw. otherwise...... It can only grill oysters with garlic, stewed oyster soup, and spicy fried oysters.
2. Serve with lemon
Oysters plus lemon are also a common way to eat. But be careful with the amount of lemon juice you use, too much will mask the taste of the sea.
3. Serve with dried shallots and red wine vinegar
Dried shallots red wine vinegar sauce is a "textbook" flavoring of oysters. Add shallots to the red wine vinegar.
4. With "Jianshili" black beer Guinness
It is said that "white meat with white wine". But the most authentic way to eat oysters in Ireland is to accompany a cup of dark beer Guinness. What kind of sparks can collide with dark, mellow beer and milky, fat and sweet oysters cannot be described in words, and only if you taste it yourself.
In short, as a person who loves oysters, just bring a good appetite to Ireland. So hungry... Needless to say, find a friend to go to the oyster bureau!