Fresh oysters - Stock photos

Oysters vary widely in their appearance and taste based on numerous factors including geographical location, tidal flows and lunar cycle. They abound in almost every waterway and ocean around the world.

You can enjoy Australian oysters fresh, any time of the year.

You should look for plump full-bodied flesh with a firm texture. The oyster should appear glossy with fresh looking highlights. The oyster should have a clean fresh smell of the ocean.

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Several of these images have been used on websites, in magazines and on book covers.

Readily available Australian oysters include the well known native Sydney Rock oyster and the introduced Pacific Oyster.

Generally the Pacific oysters are considerably larger in size. Depending on the type of oyster and the region there is a great variety of flavour and size available.

Sydney Fish markets recently estimated that they were selling 1000 oysters per minute in their recent run up to the Christmas holidays.

Sydney certainly does have an appetite for oysters around Christmas and throughout the year generally. Is there a similar spike around Valentines day for these purported aphrodisiacs?

Best enjoyed with lemon and pepper and some fresh crusty bread.