I’m not sure if oysters really make you fall in love, or even lust, but the possibility is certainly a fun concept.  The last two times he’s been to the Farmer’s Market my husband has come home with fresh oysters. Hmmm…  ‘Oysters have always been linked with love. When Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of  love, sprang forth from the sea on an oyster shell and promptly gave birth to  Eros, the word “aphrodisiac” was born. The dashing lover Casanova also used to  start a meal eating 12 dozen oysters.” (www.globalgourmet.com)  Regardless of their effect on our love lives, oysters are at the very least  nutrient rich and low in fat and calories (57 for 6 medium for those counting).  High in protein and low in fat, oysters are an excellent source of vitamins A, B1(thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), C and D. Four or five medium size oysters supply your daily allowance of iron, copper, iodine, magnesium, calcium, manganese and phosphorus. Oysters also provide large amounts of zinc;  a mineral which boosts prostate health, so maybe there is a germ of truth to the folklore.  (Nutritional Data from www.hogislandoysters.com)

We bought two kinds of oysters from the Santa Rosa Seafood Company at the Marin Country Mart Farmer’s Market on Saturday.  Kusshi ( meaning precious in Japanese) is a West Coast oyster, grown in Deep Bay, British Columbia.  They are small, sweet and very clean tasting so we decided to serve them raw with a tasty jalapeno mignonette called “Hog Wash” by the Hog Island Oyster Company.  My husband has become quite an expert shucker, armed with an oyster knife and oven mitts to protect his hands from the sharp shells.  I would not suggest trying to shuck your own oysters without the proper tools.  Click here for a video on how to shuck oysters: http://hogislandoysters.com/kitchen/shucking-oysters

The other oysters, local Drake’s Bay, are very large and meaty, more than bite size, so we just popped them on the grill whole. Once you hear them ‘pop’, you can pry the top shell off and top them with barbecue sauce.   We used the rest of the yummy Chipotle Butter (also a  Hog Island recipe) left over from the  last time we made them. Since I have already posted that recipe I won’t repeat it.   To see that original post with complete recipe and directions click here:  https://goodmotherdiet.com/2013/12/21/grilled-oysters-with-garlic-chipotle-butter/