I’m from New York City, my mother and grandmother were born in Rockville, Maryland. They always told me to never eat oysters in a month without an R (May, June, July, and August). Originally one of the most prolific oyster producing regions in the world, East coast water temperatures vary dramatically from winter to summer. I now live in Seattle, where water temperatures are always cold and people eat oysters year round, but I still hear that bit of folkloric advice from time to time even here. When it comes to food and folklore, I’ve found that folklore is usually spot on, which got me wondering if there’s more to this. My thinking was that it all had to do with modern refrigeration. Turns out the issue is more complex.

Last night I volunteered to do a bit of oyster shucking at an event for the Northwest Women’s Law Center. The oysters were provided by “Oyster Bill” Whitbeck, the market manager for Taylor Shellfish. Bill is one of the world’s leading authorities on oysters and co-author of The Joy of Oysters. Since we were about to shuck and serve 17 dozen oysters in July, I asked Bill about the whole “R” thing and offered my theory about water temperature. Bill smiled big and said “Oh that old wive’s tale! I get that question all the time.” He then went on to explain that, while refrigeration and water temperature used to be a part of the reason people didn’t eat oysters in the summer, the most important reason is because that’s when oysters spawn. In fact, a law was passed in 1762 in Connecticut prohibiting consumption during those months as a way of combatting the already declining oyster population. Today, it’s still important what type of oyster you choose to eat for each season. Last night we were shucking Pacific Oysters (crassostrea gigas) and Kumamoto (crassostrea skimea) Oysters.

Originally from the warmer waters of Japan, these two varieties are at just the right point in their breeding cycle (just before spawning) during the summer months here in Washington. During spawning, oysters use up much of their stored glycogen (a natural sugar) and lose their firmness. Still perfectly safe, they are just not as tasty. So, if you have been depriving yourself…stop it! Go get some oysters and enjoy! Do be sure to keep them very cold on ice. Also try my Yuzu Shiso Granita as a topping, it was very popular among our guests.

Oh and don’t forget the wine pairing! Jameson Fink, local wine steward and blogger at Sparkling Vouvray, brought a great set of whites for us to try. My favorite was an Austrian Grüner Veltliner.

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It’s spring and I woke up with a sore throat. You shouldn’t be able to get sick in warm months. That’s what winter is for. We suffer the cold weather and the spreading of germs, then the sun comes out and we get a reprieve from carrying tissues and sucking on lozenges. Wouldn’t it be nice if nature worked that way?

But alas, it doesn’t, because the sun is out and I am in. With a sore throat. Sipping tea like it’s the dead of winter.

If you happen to get the same little bug here’s what will fix you right up: citron honey tea.

Also called yuja-cha in Korean, citron honey tea is a marmalade-like tea, made from the citron fruit. Citron, also called yuzu, is a lemon-like fruit that is wonderfully fragrant and packed full of vitamin C.

Stir in a heaping spoonful or two into a mug of hot water and serve with a spoon. You’ll want to scoop up the bits of sweet rind that remain in your cup.

Even if you’re not under the weather it makes a delicious treat. Try mixing it with ice water for a refreshing drink, stir into plain yogurt or spread on toast as you would marmalade.

You can find citron honey tea in asian markets or even order it online from Stash Tea.

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My favorite citrus is the yuzu. I discovered this amazingly fragrant fruit while living in Japan years ago, and am happy that I am now able to find it more and more here in the States. Yuzu is a small citrus originally from China but also widely used in Japanese cuisine. Some refer to it as citron but I do not believe it is the same variety. It is smaller and a little less juicy than the average lemon but its fragrance packs a much more powerful punch. You can find it in the fall and winter months in Japanese markets. I love to zest some over fresh tofu with ponzu sauce, grilled fish, sauteed spinach, or simply use as a garnish. Also, typical in Japan this time of year, it is wonderful sliced in half and thrown into your bath for a nice long soak.

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