Enjoying oyster begins by deciding which oysters to buy. Should they be small or large, should the taste be creamy and sweet or lean and juicy? If an oyster looks creamy (opaque) then it will taste creamy.

Next decision: raw or cooked? We think the best way to eat an oyster is to eat it raw. You will taste the saltiness, the texture and all of its flavours. The usual way to counter the saltiness is by adding a bit of lemon or mignonette but you could also go for something spicy like Tabasco, horseradish or perhaps wasabi. Don’t add something sweet because the oyster has its own sweetness.
In most cases cooked or steamed oysters are covered with lots of overwhelming ingredients, in an attempt to hide the taste of the oyster. Most likely the oyster will be overcooked and its structure rubbery and nasty. If you trust the chef, go for Steamed Oysters with Black Bean Sauce or for Oysters Rockefeller. Or even better: prepare our quick and easy Oysters with Tarragon, a delicious combination of warm (but not cooked) oyster and velvety anise flavours.

And finally: how to eat an oyster? Eating means chewing and tasting. Please don’t “drink” an oyster. If you do, you will only taste sea water.

Wine Pairing

When eating oysters, your wine must have some minerality. Think Chablis, Picpoul de Pinet, Sancerre or Sylvaner. We enjoyed a glass of Pommery Royal Brut champagne. The wine is elegant and uplifting, it comes with subtle notes of brioche and apple, a fine mousse and the perfect acidity with the oysters. Its freshness works very well after the intense taste of the oyster and the tarragon.

What You Need

• 6 or 12 Oysters
• Butter
• Lots of Tarragon
• White Pepper
• Lemon Juice

What You Do

1. Buy lean (not creamy) oysters, for instance the ones from the Île de Ré
2. Combine butter and finely chopped tarragon with some white pepper
3. Taste and add more tarragon
4. Store in the refrigerator
5. Scrub each oyster under cold, running water
6. Open the oyster
7. Use your knife or a spoon to detach the muscle underneath the oyster from the bottom shell
8. Remove any small bits of broken shell or sediment
9. Remove some of the liquid
10. Add one or two drops of lemon juice to every oyster
11. Top with a teaspoon of tarragon butter
12. Make sure you have everything ready (plate, tongs, wine, guests)
13. Transfer the oysters to the oven and place as close to the grill as possible
14. Set your oven to grill or broil and leave the oysters for 3 or 4 minutes in the oven
15. Transfer the oysters to a plate and serve immediately
16. 🥂Happy New Year!🥂