In my mind, in the fall and winter, hunting season, rockfish season, even the season to be jolly take second fiddle to oyster season.
The traditional oyster harvest in Virginia occurs from September through March, the coldest months of the year. It’s during these months when we find oysters from Virginia’s coastal waters being sold in pint and quart size mayonnaise jars in many small grocery stores throughout the state. At one time all of these seasonal oysters were harvested from the Chesapeake Bay, then shucked, packed, sold and shipped to retailers by small seafood businesses throughout the state. Out on Interstate 64 you’ll still see the pick up trucks with the refrigerator box headed west.

Today most of the oysters come from the Eastern Shore of Virginia, oceanside, but the bay is making a comeback. The oysters packed with a red and white lid are called “Specials.” They are usually larger than the blue and white lid “Standards.” Specials are preferred for frying or preparing dishes, such as scalloped oysters while Standards are best for making oyster stew. But, there’s no reason you can’t use Specials for stew as long as you have a big spoon.

It is said that oysters are more likely to carry bacteria and could make you sick during the warmer months. I suspect this legend dates back to the days before refrigeration, but there’s no doubt it still applies today. Even still, nobody has explained to me why oysters are sold year round, raw on the half shell, in seafood restaurants. I was even more puzzled when I visited a Red Lobster restaurant in Hampton last February and they said oysters were out of season. The fact is that oysters can carry many types of germs like vibrio vulnificus, e coli and viral hepatitis. Red Lobster, and probably a lot of other restaurants, is now using Ameripure oysters that are harvested in the Gulf of Mexico off Louisiana, pressure washed, graded and then pasteurized. The process is so effective that Louisiana no longer requires restaurants to post warnings about consuming oysters if the restaurant serves Ameripure oysters.

Here in Virginia the best oysters I’ve had in a long time came from Lynnhaven Inlet, which is at the northern end of Virginia Beach just south of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. They were salty sweet, tender and plump with a beautiful transparent gray color which attests to the cleanliness of the water they came from. Lynnhaven Inlet is still technically in the Chesapeake according to the Virginia fishing regulations, but according to the U.S. Coast Guard’s rules of navigation, Lynnhaven Inlet feeds into the Atlantic Ocean.

The condition of the water is the determining factor when it comes to oysters. Those coming from far upstream where the water is brackish or even fresh are going to taste like fresh water, whereas oysters coming from near the ocean are going to be salty. If the water is muddy they’ll taste like mud. If the water’s polluted they’ll taste like the pollutants and it’s probably best to avoid them.

Oysters are served in a variety of ways. Raw on the half shell is the most risky when it comes to germs. Some folks smother raw oysters in cocktail sauce, lemon juice or horseradish. Others just eat them straight out of the shell with no seasoning. These same recipes apply to steamed oysters.

Recipes for oyster casseroles, such as scalloped oysters and oyster stuffing for the Thanksgiving turkey, are numerous. In most cases they are family recipes passed down through the generations. I’ve found a good source of oyster recipes to be the cookbooks offered by churches. Members of the church donate their recipes, a recipe book is published and the proceeds go toward the church. If your church has such a book, pick one up by all means.

As for oyster stew, I believe the simplest is best. I use a quart of half and half, a pint of oysters with all the liquid in the jar, salt and pepper and a pat of butter. Nothing else. Heat slowly until the oysters curl and be sure not to let the milk curdle. If you want to give it a little Chesapeake Bay flair add some Old Bay Seasoning. I’ve seen stew made with vegetables, such as celery, onion and potatoes, seasoned with bacon or garlic, too. All these do is take away from the flavor of the oyster in my opinion and are better suited for the North Carolina clear broth type of oyster stew that does not call for milk.

On Thanksgiving I will once again be enjoying Mother Wibourn’s oyster dressing. She saves the heels from loaves of bread in the freezer all year. The bread is thawed, broken into small pieces and put in a large mixing bowl. Oysters are added with some chopped celery, onion and about a cup of chicken broth. I think she pours in about half of the oyster liquor too. The entire concoction is mixed together and spread out into a two inch deep baking dish. Then it’s baked at 350 degrees until the top is brown. She doesn’t stuff the turkey with it, but you can if you want to and it’s especially good smothered in giblet gravy!