More Oyster Thoughts
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Talking about oysters earlier made me think ore about how I’ve not actually had some in a while. It’s high time to add them to the menu in the near future. As I mentioned, I like mine cooked. I think my first run-in with oysters was back when my family and some friends of ours used to drive from Virginia to some little town in Maryland for the town’s Firehouse fundraisers. They would serve ham and oysters as the main dishes. Maybe friend chicken, too.
They did not serve friend oysters, but writing about Virginia and oysters and friend chicken is making me think about Virginia Friend Oysters:
1. Make a batter of 4 tablespoons of sifted flour, 1 tablespoon of olive oil or melted butter, 2 well-beaten whites of eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and warm water enough to make a batter that will drop easily.
2. Sprinkle the oysters lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Dip in the batter, and fry in hot oil to a golden brown.
4. Drain and serve with lemon slices.
Since I was exposed to them at a young age, I developed a taste for them. Not raw, really. BUT, if you love raw Gulf oysters, as so many do down here in Florida, you’ll be happy that there are a growing number of oyster processors in the United States using post-harvest processes, so that they can provide raw oysters that have close to no risk of Vibrio vulnificus. The most popular method is individual quick-freezing. Low heat pasteurization and high-hydrostatic pressure are also becoming more popular. Look for companies that use these methods and you’ll know the oysters you are buying are OK to eat raw.
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