If you like raw oysters, can you explain why?

Why not?

The taste..when oysters are good, they’re delicious. There is a small risk of getting sick with Hepatitis A, which is nowhere near fatal…it just sucks (fever, abdominal pain, nausea, etc.) But so far, so good.

Yes, @KhiaKarma, why not?

I like them because they make me feel like I’m swallowing the ocean, only without drowning.
MMM. So delicious. I love the barely-textural texture. So delicate. I like the process of opening and lemoning and lifting the shell up and tipping the beautiful oyster into my
mouth and chewing it three times and swallowing. I like the sharing of oysters with other oyster lovers. “Have another Kumamoto?” “What, are the Virginicuses all gone?!?!?”
“Yeah but look, here are five little Olys.” “Hand em over.”

@lilikoi & @susanc I was just wondering what people found appealing about them since they seem to be so popular. I did not grow up with them, but they are deeply embedded in the culture here in N’awlins. I love ‘em fried and they are so yummy chargrilled, but raw? I can’t even get myself to try it because it looks like it would just feel like a loogie in my mouth.

You guys make them sound really nice, though!

Everything has a slight risk….ever eat raw cookie dough??!!
Oysters….yum!

I can’t explain why. But they rule.

Being French though, I eat anything so…Trails off.

@KhiaKarma I think they taste good. That’s all. Dip them in shoyu and tabasco. Yum. I eat raw fish all the time. I’ve eaten raw eggs. Even raw beef. Just try it and see for yourself.

I like ‘em BBQ’d.

@davidbetterman You mean in the shell right?

They taste good. I’ve eaten many and never been sick from it.
The same cannot be said of more conventional meats.

As davidbetterman has mentioned they are great bbq’d. You cook them until the shell opens.

Not for the squeamish but life is pretty boring if you never break out of your comfort zone.

@lilikoi Yes, in the shell. The big ones. Toss ‘em on the Barb Q, when they pop open, they’re done…add some hot sauce and slurp ‘em on down…Yuuummmmy!

@susanc you also just taught me why they are considered an aphrodisiac by some, gulp.

Love them!

Raw oysters are one of the few things I like to eat with Tabasco.

There’s a slight risk my bathtub could kill me. There’s a considerable risk my motor vehicle could kill me. Doesn’t mean I’m never going to drive or shower again.

@susanc If you think oysters taste like the sea, you should try sea urchin sushi…Uni…also considered an aphrodisiac.

@davidbetterman Yep, I like them that way, too.

Why do I like oysters? (An excerpt from a letter I wrote, 2003)

“Max, you will be remembered by me for many things, not the least of which was your conspiratorial involvement in an unforgettable early evening feast, late afternoon sun, oysters on the seaward deck, before the other guests arrived! I was privileged. Thankyou.”

For me, eating raw oysters is all about context. They’re one of those foods that are nice on their own, but pair them with other things and they are sublime. Like @susanc says, they have a flavor that is a lot like the ocean. It’s not just salt, but everything that makes the ocean so great. They have a very light and delicate texture but pack so much flavor. They’re great with Tabasco, horseradish, and lemon, followed by vodka or tequila shots. The shots and the oysters somehow go together in such a way that they take the edge off each other. Eating an oyster will make you want some alcohol, and then the show will make you want an oyster. It’s a delicious cycle. I did this once with my boyfriend at the beach, and we felt like evil villains in a Bond movie.

@Haleth Eating an oyster will make you want some alcohol, and then the show will make you want an oyster. It’s a delicious cycle. I did this once with my boyfriend at the beach, and we felt like evil villains in a Bond movie.
Nice :)

Four or five medium size oysters supply the recommended daily allowance of iron, copper, iodine, magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese and phosphorus. They are also rich in Omega-3 and high in protein.

There is no explaining taste. risk of Hepatitis A? I would quit ASAP.