Shuck, suck and...
 

As I sit here with a hole in my hand (left, fortunately), and a 12 oysters down my neck, I wondered how many people..

slurp em..

chew em...

avoid them...

PS: Looks really cool on a date when..

"does it hurt?"

"nah, this tea towel will compensate for stitches"

"Wow, your so brave!"

hehe, now I know why they are an aphrodisiac.

Sorry but I swallow..

PS: And I wish I'd got the title of the poll right, but its hard typing with one hand.

I usually order oyster shooters, served in a large shotglass with cocktail sauce and fresh horseraddish. Depending on my mood, I'll sometimes ask for a shot of vodka in the glass as well.

Slurp them chew them it doesn't matter EXCEPT Now is not oyster season.... Only months that end in "r" Wouldn't eat one now unless you fry it!!

How do restaurants manage to sell them during the summer? It all depends what the water is like where you pick them. If you're down South in warmer water I wouldn't eat them raw, but if your up North picking in cold clear water, it's no big deal. Always check for red tide first, no matter what time of year.

I eat em' any way, but I prefer raw in the shell. I haven't paid for oysters in years, now that I found some great places to pick them. The first thing I do when I arrive is shuck a couple, squeeze some fresh lemon and a drop or two of tobasco and enjoy.
Here's a pic from one of the places I go.
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[img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0TwDHAsMXa7t0KoA4dhD2GToQF6l6!kIZWyfkdYCmKnjbaUwFgS!JVWaMtD2VI8I!ZtTYMHBliwZiY5*R*epsd81gHCypZjVo3n92OyuadEbj1R0P1f88sA/oyster%20in%20the%20bay.jpg?dc=4675427270455775311[/img]

I slurp, but as with anythings that I don't chew, I press them with my tongue against the roof of my mouth to release all of the juices that differentiate one oyster from another.

Fried or steamed are best IMO.

Tried an oyster shooter a few weeks ago...almost gagged it up...probably didn't help that the oyster in it was a friggen monster...

It was a brave man...He who ate the first oyster.

Clams or oysters that are put in ice or the freezer for 5 or 10 minutes open easily(relaxes the mussels that keep the shell closed)

slurp or chew it doesn´t matter to me!!
i think oyters are the GREATEST food on earth!!

i can never, ever get enough of them!!

oysters rule. all ways, but i like them best raw and tobasco is crucial.

The whole thing with oysters only being good in months ending in 'r' went out when refrigeration and shipping came in. Don't let the time of the year influence your oyster experience!

It's Happy Hour! Abita Beer for $1 and oysters on the half-shell for twenty cents each...

twenty cents!!
OMG

thats great... i used to work in a bar where oysters where sold at $3 each (thats about $1.60 US).

can someone please explain why you should only eat oysters in the cold months, and what is the 'red tide'?

red tide is a toxic algae that blooms under certain water conditions - the algae is actually a living body that can make humans very sick if not kill them - mollusks - such as oysters - clams - mussels etc - are more susceptible to carrying the toxins due to their feeding methods - they filter the water for the nutrients they feed upon. those toxins can stay in the shellfish for varying lengths of time - so to assure safety many harvest areas become closed to prevent the mollusks from reaching market.

as for only eating oysters in months with an "R" - it's a wives tale - those months are considered safe because the months w/o an "R", May, June, July & August, are high "bloom" months when red tide is more prevelent.

THE OTHER RED TIDE!!! & MORE!!!