Sunday? Then it is oysters

The French eat oysters mostly on months that do not have an "r"; thus the hot months, May, June, July, August, are not the best to taste this sea treasure. This tradition goes back to the times when transportation was not what it is today, since oysters ought to be eaten very very fresh. But also oysters become "fat" in summer, and a lot of oyster lovers appreciate them less.

At home, Sunday is the good pretext for oysters (and sometimes Champagne). We buy them at one of our local open air markets, from a Vendee (Atlantic Ocean) producer who drives at night from his sea location to sell the oysters in two markets in Paris.

Last Sunday, I biked to the market and got a promotion of 3 dozen oysters (Fines de claire, size 3, i.e. medium) for 15 Euros ($21)! It was the first day they were back in the market after the summer break and were doing a promotion to remind regular clients that they were there!

Today, we got them for the regular price, 21 Euros ($30), i.e 7 Euros per dozen. Here they are in the plastic bag with some seaweed. Note that typically when you buy oysters in Paris, the dozen has 13 pieces, 12 to serve and one, free, for the person who opens them!We eat one dozen each and place them in special plastic plates that you put on top of the regular plate, that have 9 spaces with the shape of an oyster. It takes some talent to open them (but the seller can do it for you if you ask ahead of time). My husband is very good at that and although he insists in teaching me .. guess, I'm never available to learn! Every Christmas I buy for him the best available knife! The one he prefers is a Laguiole .

I have prepared a chopped shallot with wine vinegar, some people have them with lemon, but I prefer the rough flavor of the sea in my mouth and have them plain. They are typically presented with rye bread and butter. I am serving a wild rucola salad from my local market, aside. Today we're going to have them with a Pouilly-Fume 2005.
Bon dimanche!