“He was a bold man that ate the first oyster.”
Jonathan Swift
Raw oysters. There is usually no middle ground on these salt-water bivalve mollusks. You are either a fan or not. Humans have been enjoying oysters since the pre-historic times. Nomadic tribes would find a consistent food source in the warmer coastal areas with oysters. Romans were some of the first merchants to cultivate oysters as a major industry, and the French settlers in Louisiana started harvesting coastal oysters in the South.
So what do you sip while slurping? Wildcatter’s Network thinks anything you enjoy drinking pairs well with oysters. Many swear by Champagne, stout beers, gin cocktails, Chablis, or you can try the new en vogue oyster pairing which is absinthe.
Fun Facts
- Louisiana controls 1/3 of the oyster industry.
- About 12 million oysters are harvested annually.
- Oysters have a reputation for being an aphrodisiac because of the association with the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, who emerged from the sea in an oyster shell.
- Not all oysters produce pearls.
- Oysters contain high levels of zinc, calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, and B-12.