Oysters, once the food of the people. Now if you are interested in various different varieties you’ll be paying up to $4 in restaurants.That’s nearly $50 for a dozen and in my opinion too much.
I want to eat them but can’t afford to pay that much.So I will often will buy them at one of Melbourne’s markets (pre-shucked if I’m feeling lazy) for about $1 each. The fact is that unless you are a cashed-up hedge fund manager the best place to eat them is at home or at the market.
Oysters are not only health food with that amazing salty juice and taste, but arguably they are one of the most ethical foods you can eat. The ethicist and philosopher Peter Singer says that molluscs don’t have central nervous systems and don’t suffer like sometimes fish or mammals do which makes them a guilt free food. Out of all farmed foods they also have very little impact on the environment or negative effect on water quality.
In short if you are eating oysters, you are minimising suffering and impact on the environment. They are the ideal pre-dinner snack, requiring only a squeeze of lemon and filling enough to keep anyone away from the devils business of potato chips and salted nuts.
And so I found myself at Mountain Goat for its oyster and stout night the other Friday (which isn”t every week sadly). A dozen oysters from St Helen’s in Tasmania is a reasonably $30. Plus stout and oysters are one of those classic matches. As is a chilled glass of almost any crisp white wine.
As part of my striving to become more healthy and ethical in my eating habits, I’m converting from Pringles to oysters. Try it. It’s worth it.
Hi Ed,
Great post on the ethical value of oysters. Like yourself, I adore oysters – last week we had some at a restuarant and were savouring every drop of the freshness. We exclaimed at the same time: “mmm… yum! They taste just like the ocean!” Salty, fresh, perfect with an Asian style dressing…
PS Restuarant Assiette has a gorgeous dressing recipe on their page. I’ve premade it once and wandered down to Syd Fish Market to enjoy the best freshest oysters with the dressing. Can’t beat that!
Not sure that Peter Singer has ever seen lemon juice drizzled over a freshly shucked oyster. They may not have a central nervous system, but there is a clear reaction. My reaction is to pop it in the mouth as quickly as possible to put it out of its misery.
I often walk around and finish up my market shopping while munching on a dozen oysters. Glad to hear that I am being ethical as well as piggly.
Oysters are great.. and I am willing to eat all type of recipes with oysters the whole year! haha!