How to Buy Appalachian Oysters

Oysters can be eaten raw or cooked.

Appalachian oysters are a meaty, sweet oyster with delicate flavor. These oysters are harvested in Virginia, and the source of their special flavor is the freshwater from the Appalachian mountains that flows into the Atlantic ocean. The mix of the fresh and salty water gives these oysters a flavor that is not too salty, allowing the sweet meat of the oyster to stand out. When buying Appalachian oysters, you want to get the freshest oysters possible to ensure quality and taste. Does this Spark an idea?

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Instructions

- 1
  
  Find a seafood shop or oyster grower that carries Appalachian oysters. Many oyster lovers order their oysters online. Michael's Gourmet Delicacies is an online distributor that carries Appalachian oysters.
- 2
  
  If you order oysters online, check to be sure the grower or distributor has a policy in place that provides replacement orders if your oysters are not alive and fresh when you receive them. Oysters should not smell fishy, and their shells should be closed when you receive them.
- 3
  
  Choose oysters that are closed and stored with the cupped side of their shell down if you are purchasing oysters at a fish market. If oysters are open, lightly tap them and they should close. If they do not close, they are dead; don't buy them.
- 4
  
  Buy only as many oysters as you need. Oysters only keep for up to a week after purchase. If you are serving raw oysters, plan on each person having six to 12 oysters. If they are to be incorporated into a recipe, buy only as many as indicated in your recipe.
- 5
  
  Store oyster in the refrigerator with a wet towel over them for moisture. Do not submerge them in water; this will suffocate the oysters. Eat them as soon as possible for the freshest taste.

Tips & Warnings

Oysters that you plan to eat raw are best from September through April.
If an oyster is open, and does not shut when you tap it, discard it because it is dead.
Do not eat spoiled oysters.

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Michael's Seafood Clinic: Michael's Gourmet Delicacies

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Comments

100002649285319 Apr 20, 2012
where can I buy Appalachian oysters?

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