Author Topic: Will oysters kill me?  (Read 4103 times)

Will oysters kill me?
« on: 17 July, 2009, 03:53:47 pm »
I've never eaten oysters but always fancied them - and might have some tonight.

But reading some of the stuff on the web has be convinced I'll end up sick or dead! I don't, as far as I know, have liver disease, but I read things saying that if you have a couple of drinks a day, you could be compromised enough...

Also, other things say not to drink much. if I have a beer and then half a bottle of wine, should I avoid the oysters/ have them cooked?

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #1 on: 17 July, 2009, 03:57:10 pm »
Depends how much you want to risk to eat fishy snot.
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Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #2 on: 17 July, 2009, 03:57:49 pm »
Oh, i do!

toekneep

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Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #3 on: 17 July, 2009, 04:05:34 pm »
Don't have them as a starter, they might spoil your dinner.  ;D

Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #4 on: 17 July, 2009, 04:07:37 pm »
Oh well, i'm going to try -- I'll report back. Or not...

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #5 on: 17 July, 2009, 04:15:44 pm »
The chances are they won't kill you.
You might not like them, who knows? They're worth a try.
I tried one a couple of years ago. I thought it was nothing special.
My partner nearly threw up...

Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #6 on: 17 July, 2009, 04:20:34 pm »
I love oysters when I lived in Oz I was living with a very nice couple who were oysters farmers so there were on the menu 3-4 times a week.
I don't know if this applies in the UK, but in Oz the saying was never eat them if there is an "R" in the month

Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #7 on: 17 July, 2009, 04:22:33 pm »
presumably the opposite would apply!

andygates

  • Peroxide Viking
Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #8 on: 17 July, 2009, 04:24:12 pm »
Why would they kill you?  They're delicious tasty creatures! 
It takes blood and guts to be this cool but I'm still just a cliché.
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clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #9 on: 17 July, 2009, 04:25:20 pm »
Not that i ever eat shellfish (hated it even when I ate meat, and that was more than 25 years ago), but I was curious about this point.  

This is what the Food Standards Agency say

Quote from: FSA
Oysters are nutritious – they contain minerals such as calcium and iron, and vitamins – and they're low in cholesterol too. Of course, they're also famed for their supposed aphrodisiac properties, which could be why a lot of oysters are eaten around Valentine's Day.

But eating raw oysters could cause food poisoning or hepatitis. This is because oysters filter large volumes of water to get their food and any bacteria and viruses that may be in the water could build up in the oysters.

If you're worried, you could cook your oysters – they will still taste delicious. There's also no reason to think that cooking will reduce any aphrodisiac properties!

If you want to eat oysters safely, follow these tips:


Choosing – Fresh oysters should have tightly closed shells. Don't choose any oysters if the shell is open and it doesn't close when you tap it.
Chilling – Oysters can be kept in the fridge for up to one week. Always throw away any oysters if their shells aren't tightly closed because this means they're already dead or dying. Store them with the 'cupped' side of the shell down and the flatter side up. Put them on a plate and cover with a clean damp cloth – never keep them in water. When you're ready to use them, first rinse them in cold water.
Freezing – You can keep oysters in a freezer for up to three months. Because freezing kills them, once you've thawed them they will be easier to open than fresh ones. Before freezing, wash them well, scrub the hinge end and throw away any that aren't tightly closed, then freeze. Eat them as soon as possible after you've thawed and cooked them.

Cooking – If you choose to cook your oysters there are several ways to do this, but one of the simplest is grilling. Heat the grill for ten minutes. Check that the oysters are still tightly closed then carefully open and lay them in their half shells, open side up, on top of a piece of foil. Dot a little butter or olive oil on them and grill for two minutes.
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nicknack

  • Hornblower
Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #10 on: 17 July, 2009, 04:28:29 pm »
Whitstable Oyster Festival tomorrow!

I don't think they've ever killed me.
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bloomers100

  • ACME's Head of Sexual Health and Family Planning
Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #11 on: 17 July, 2009, 04:28:54 pm »
I have them loads of times with no ill effects, they are without question my favourite treat. Must be ice cold and enjoyed with a flinty white wine, white burgundy like chablis for example.

mmmmmmmmm yum.

Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #12 on: 17 July, 2009, 04:30:19 pm »
I love oysters when I lived in Oz I was living with a very nice couple who were oysters farmers so there were on the menu 3-4 times a week.
I don't know if this applies in the UK, but in Oz the saying was never eat them if there is an "R" in the month
According to RiverCottage.net it does apply in the UK

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #13 on: 17 July, 2009, 04:37:45 pm »
Whitstable Oyster Festival tomorrow!

I don't think they've ever killed me.

Are you sure?
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Tiger

Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #14 on: 17 July, 2009, 06:55:42 pm »
Oysters are are well known aphrodisiac. This is because once you have eaten oysters you have demontrated that you are ready to put anything into your mouth and swallow.

valkyrie

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Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #15 on: 17 July, 2009, 07:23:38 pm »
I love oysters! Never done me any harm. Where are you eating them? Dakota at South Queensferry does a brilliant seafood platter, best in the Edinburgh area.
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border-rider

Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #16 on: 17 July, 2009, 07:26:24 pm »
As a young (10 yo) Volio, I was poisoned by a mussel

I could never eat them again.

At  24 I was poisoned by a surfeit of Bells, and to this day I can't stomach Scotch

nicknack

  • Hornblower
Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #17 on: 17 July, 2009, 07:27:01 pm »
Whitstable Oyster Festival tomorrow!

I don't think they've ever killed me.

Are you sure?

I think so. I get accused of being seriously laid-back but not actually dead.
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Regulator

  • That's Councillor Regulator to you...
Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #18 on: 17 July, 2009, 07:27:56 pm »
Oysters are lovely.  I have two favourite ways of eating them...

The first is 'off the rock'.  They should be picked off the rock (or in the UK off the chain or rope), cracked open, rinsed in salt water, squeeze of lemon and then into your mouth.  Chew a few times, swallow and repeat.

The second is deep fried in batter.  Sounds daft but oysters cook very well.  One of my abiding memories of childhood in NZ was when we lived in Westport, which is a large oyster fishery area.  We played basketball after school on a Thursday.  Mum would pick us up in the evening, we'd go to the chippy and get oysters and chips, and then get home in time to watch Daktari on TV as we nommed...
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Rhys W

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Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #19 on: 17 July, 2009, 09:01:32 pm »
They say that oysters are an aphrodisiac, but I don't believe it. I ate 12 last night and 4 of them didn't work.

Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #20 on: 18 July, 2009, 10:01:02 am »
Alive! And yum!

They really were good. I tried the first one plain, and wow, it's just such an amazing flavour. Flavours. And then I tried with lemon and Tabasco, and that was even better: I was grinning like a madwoman by the end.

So I think we can count that experiment as a success.

andygates

  • Peroxide Viking
Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #21 on: 18 July, 2009, 11:35:10 am »
 :thumbsup:
It takes blood and guts to be this cool but I'm still just a cliché.
OpenStreetMap UK & IRL Streetmap & Topo: ravenfamily.org/andyg/maps updates weekly.

toekneep

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Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #22 on: 18 July, 2009, 11:41:02 am »
Phew, we've all been so worried about you. Gill and I had to resort to ordering a new bike just to distract ourselves. Glad you enjoyed them.

Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #23 on: 18 July, 2009, 11:48:41 am »
I love oysters! Never done me any harm. Where are you eating them? Dakota at South Queensferry does a brilliant seafood platter, best in the Edinburgh area.

I'll try that sometime. We were at the Mussel and Steak bar in the Grassmarket - it's really good.

Re: Will oysters kill me?
« Reply #24 on: 18 July, 2009, 11:49:37 am »
Phew, we've all been so worried about you. Gill and I had to resort to ordering a new bike just to distract ourselves. Glad you enjoyed them.

Sorry, I must have cost you a fair bit of money, then! The bike sounds great.