California sea food markets offer a vast variety of oysters. In addition to prevailing Pacific oysters, there are also eastern and Olympia oysters. The greatest demand for these sea delicacies is observed from September through April. Summer time is marked with a considerable decrease of oysters’ purchases. This is mainly due to the so-called “R” superstition, which says that oysters should not be bought in the months which do not contain letter “r” in their names as if they were poisonous then. In fact, there is a more logical explanation why people should restrain from buying oysters during summer. Actually, this period is recognized as oysters’ spawning season, so many shellfish are found either filled with eggs and sperm or thin and watery after recent spawning. Moreover, they are more prone to spoilage in high temperatures. So oysters are mostly available in the fall and winter months. The best occasions to eat them are Thanksgiving Day, Christmas holidays, and the Lenten season.
