Diana's Seafood Delight: Oysters

We were craving for oysters but didn’t feel like paying a premium for them at places like Rodney’s Oyster House or Oyster Boy. We opted to go buy it fresh from Diana’s Seafood Delight located on Lawrence, between Birchmount and Warden. They sell a wide variety of fresh seafood ranging from oysters, clams, lobsters, abalone, sea urchin, fish and more. They also carried an abundance of Greek products such as feta, frozen pastries encased in phyllo, olives, etc.

The manager at Diana’s shared with us some interesting information. He told us they usually get their oyster shipments on Thursday and sea urchin season is upon us. He even threw in a few clever Chinese phrases and had impeccable pronunciation for a non-chinese. Initially, we were leaning towards our personal favorites, Kushis and Kumomotos, but he persuaded us that Ireland Jagas were extremely fresh and popular.

Live oysters at Diana's. Kushis are $16.99/dozen and Kumomotos are $18.99/dozen.

We paid $18.99 for a dozen of Ireland Jagas.

Remember to rinse the oysters thoroughly under cold water before you start. Shucking oysters can be a difficult and strenuous task if you don’t know how to do it or if you’re weakling like me. It’s important to purchase a shucking knife made of stainless steel with a study handle.

Find the opening at the narrower end of the oysters and wedge the knife in between the two shells. This is probably the most difficult and dangerous step. Use a clean cloth to protect your hands.

Once the tip of the knife penetrates through the shell, slowly turn the knife to open the oyster shell. Next, gently scrape the top and bottom of the oyster to sever it from the shell. Be careful not to spill any of the tasty oyster juice! You’re done. Now wasn’t that easy?

While shucking the Jagas, any accidental punctures to the oyster would cause this milky white substance to ooze out. I later realize this white substance that gave this Ireland native a distinctive creamy taste. Although the Jagas was good, I prefer the sweetness of Kumomotos. If you enjoy eating oysters with a strong creaminess and a tinge of saltiness, this is the one for you.

To conclude this entry, here are a few interesting facts about oysters:

1) Oysters are aphrodisiacs. If you’re feeling a bit frisky after or there's a bit of tension below then belt, then you know the culprit. Of course I’ve never felt the effects of this so called aphrodisiac....at least I don't think so.

2) Oysters are distinctly male or female, but they can change their sex one or more times during its lifespan. Imagine how cool that would be if humans had that option. On second thought, it may cause widespread gender confusion.

3) Oysters tend to be tastier during months with an "R" because the cooler water temperatures causes the flesh to be thicker.