Oysters

The habitat of an oyster is crucial, for unlike other shellfish the flavor depends less on the species than on where they are grown. Of the two main types of oyster now grown in Europe, the more highly regarded is the round, flat European or common oyster. This fine “native”, usually eaten raw, is differentiated by the names of the places where it flourishes—Colchester and Whitstable (England), belon, gravette d’Arcachon, bouzigue (France). Different names for the same oyster may seem confusing, but there is sense in the system since the habitat is what gives flavor. Some “natives” are not as fine as the less regarded Pacific oyster—for instance, the French Marennes—if it comes from favored waters.