It’s Oyster Time
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It’s Oyster Time
Suffering from slugs and snails in the garden? Did you know that crushed oyster shells are a great deterrent? Not only that but their high levels of calcium carbonate also help to regulate PH levels in the soil. In addition, they can improve fertilisation when used as a mulch, or can be left whole and used for drainage in the base of plant pots.
Shucking (opening) oysters is easy if you know how. You will need a tea towel and an oyster knife. These have rounded blades which reduce the risk of cutting yourself. If you don’t have one, use the most rounded knife that you have.
Place a folded tea towel on your work surface and put an oyster, curved side down, at one end. Fold the towel over it, keeping the oyster flat and securely in place. Slide the knife at a downward angle into the oyster at the thinnest end, the end with the knobbly bit.
Now for the clever part; twist the knife so that the hinge opens up. Slide the knife along the top shell to release the muscle, flick out any broken shell and then replace the lid. Now place them in the fridge, leaving the bottom muscle attached to the oyster. The French way is to serve them with the muscle attached to prove their freshness. If you want to make it really easy for your guests, just before serving slide the knife under the muscle to free the oyster at the base, making sure that you retain as much of the precious liquor as possible.
It’s oyster time – bon appetit et bon jardinage!
Oysters are useful as well as delicious
First published in the Nov/Dec issue of The Local Buzz
Images: Shutterstock
