Cheers to National Oysters on the Half Shell Day! To celebrate, here are 7 shuck-worthy reasons to eat these briny bivalves during happy hour today.
B&T Oyster Bar 
1. Americans first paired oysters with spirits.
Ever tried absinthe with oysters? The mineral-y taste combined with the mint and fennel of an absinthe is a surprisingly perfect pair. Typically paired with wine or champagne by the Europeans, Americans developed a palate for spirits and oysters in taverns during the 19th century and it eventually spread to the south to New Orleans, the absinthe capital of the world.
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2. Use oyster shells for growing plants.
The mineral rich shells when crushed provide soil with nutrients and make the pH less acidic. Your tasty tomatoes will be bright red with happiness.
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3. Every 1 in 10,000 oysters contains a pearl.
That’s quite a long ways to go to almost chip your tooth on a calcified foreign object aged in a mollusk. The possibility of it happening definitely keeps us excited about eating them.
Sydney Morning Herald
4. 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 Italian lover Casanova also used to start each day eating 12 dozen oysters. Greek mythology aside, oysters contain high levels of zinc, which helps boost energy and physical growth. No argument that both can be essential to affectionate activity…
gourmetecetera.com
5. There are hundreds of oyster species, and they are usually named after the body of water they grow in.
That makes plenty of sense! Know where your oysters by the dozen have captured their unique flavors.
Feastmagazine.com
6. West coast oysters are sweeter, east coast oysters are saltier.
East coast oysters tend to have a higher salinity (saltiness), higher brininess, and more mineral notes than their Western counterparts. On the flip side, the West coast oysters will range in salinity and brininess from high to low and will tend to have more notes of seaweed, fresh cut grass, cucumber, watermelon and overall, more sweetness.
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7. How to easily shuck an oyster
Learn how to showoff your oyster unlocking skills with this how-to video Tips & Tricks: Best Way to Shuck an Oyster
