Oyster

An oyster is a bivalve mollusk with a rough, fluted shell and a deep-cupped half that holds the meat and its clear liquor. The meat is briny and slightly sweet with a silky, yielding bite; it is eaten raw on the half shell, quickly grilled or broiled in the shell, or lightly fried. Common retail forms include live in shell and shucked in their liquor, along with smoked or pre-breaded products.\n\nOysters have been harvested and farmed along temperate coasts worldwide, with major production in North America, Europe, and East Asia. They are signature foods in French, Japanese, Gulf Coast, and Pacific Northwest cuisines, with modern aquaculture relying on hatchery-raised seed and managed beds.