It is said that you may eat oysters only when the month has an ‘r’ in it. This is because the summer months are the breeding season when the oysters are not good to eat. Now it is open season again. We’ve noticed the reappearance of the man with the stall in Cluny who is doing a roaring trade every evening.
At the Fête des Huîtres
Today was the Cortambert oyster festival, an opportunity to try oysters from different places along the coast of France. I am told that there is a difference in taste, and that the ones from the south are more salty. However this is only hearsay as I couldn’t bring myself to try even one today. Loving oysters must be a man thing as several of the ladies did not partake.
Chris enjoying his oysters
The oysters are gulped down with a squeeze of lemon juice, bread and butter and a glass of white wine.
Perhaps you have to start young to acquire a taste for them? These youngsters fell upon their oysters with evident enjoyment.
The boys tucking in
It seems to us that French children are brought up to eat very well and the little ones eat the same food as adults both at home and in restaurants. And the school dinners are legendary. I read that even from pre-school age the children are used to sitting down to several courses, perhaps an appetizer, salad, main course, cheese and dessert. It is all part of the French culture which seems to produce children who have perfect manners and are sociable, hardworking and capable.
