Oysters During the R-less Months

The old adage (only eat oysters in months with an R) was good advice in the in the days when refrigeration was unreliable, but is not as relevant today.

It still applies, however, with respect to oysters that spawn in the shell, which tend to be thin and tasteless in the months in which they spawn (directing their energies, as is wont, to reproduction rather than self), and to situations in which warm waters prevail and encourage the growth of bacteria which make oysters not good to eat raw.

At the Embarcadero, only oyster varieties from the cooler waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific are served, with California oysters available in the wintertime and southern Pacific varieties available in the summertime.. Pacific varieties are eliminated in unusually warm summers to maintain safety, and in these situations, only Atlantic varieties and cooked oysters are served.

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