Practical Information on French Oysters

In France, they're usually eaten on the half-shell.

The French rank among the largest oyster consumers in the world, and are the largest in Europe, eating 125,000 tons annually. But, though eating oysters is a year-round job in France, nearly half are eaten around the Christmas holiday.

Types of Oysters

For centuries, the French consumed what is commonly called the European Oyster, also known as the flat, or Belon, oyster. Production of the European Oyster peaked in 1961 at 30,000 tons worldwide, according to the U.N. The decline is largely attributable to diseases, which decimated stocks. Annual production now hovers around 6,000 to 7,000 tons. You are much more likely to find the Pacific Oyster today, which is sometimes referred to as "creuses."

Paired with Wine

The French commonly eat oysters with dry white wine or champagne. M.F. Fisher, in 1941, said the "safest" pairings of oysters and champagne were the driest varieties of champagne, a chablis or pouilly feuisse.

Method of Eating

Both are typically consumed raw, on the half-shell, with a mignonette sauce. A mignonette sauce is usually made of white wine, shallots and sherry vinegar. But oysters are also part of the haute cuisine that is a passion for the French. A 2005 article in France Magazine describes an oyster dish that involves a puréed oyster in a half shell, topped with a whole oyster, then covered with a jelly made from pure oyster juice along with sorrel, lemon juice and pepper.

Selection

French marketers use a "Label Rouge" (red label) as an indicator of superior oyster quality. According to Globefish, two dozen Label Rouge oysters sold for about 15 euros in 2008. A pack containing two dozen similar oysters, lacking the red label, were 13.9 euros. Oysters are also more expensive when one gets farther from the coast.

Seasonality

Many experts believe that oysters should not be eaten in months that don't contain the letter "r." That means May, June, July and August. Oysters are edible in summer months, but they reproduce during these months, giving them a flaccid, skinny look. Avoiding oysters in summer gives them the chance to reproduce, thus ensuring that oysters will live for another season.

References

• Globefish.org: Oysters May 2008
• U.N. Food and Agriculture Program; Ostrea Edulis
• Oysters.us; Oysters of France
• Oyster Education Pairing Wine Gayot
• France Magazine 76: Delices & Saveurs