Kissing Oysters
My family lived in Hawaii from January 1991 through October 1993. Spending those years on Oahu, encompassing sixth and seventh grade, was a significant experience for me in a relatively short amount of time. Today it is snowing here in Missouri, so it is Hawaii I am homesick for even though I have not set foot on the islands in the years since we moved away.
The only surviving souvenirs from my time in Hawaii are several pieces of jewelry. I have tiny handmade clay Gecko earrings and puka shell necklaces. I pull those items out for tropical themed dress days, but they don't hold a place in my day-to-day wardrobe.
What I do wear are pearls. I have a necklace made from five or six strands of fresh water pearls and some earrings.
I also have one pearl on a little pendant made from a pearl in an oyster I picked. It is a popular souvenir business at nearly every tourist attraction in the islands. They have seeded oysters guaranteed to hold at least one pearl picked for a set price. Whatever is inside is yours, then they sell you the settings. It is possible to get multiple pearls or unusual colors with higher value. Mom got a good sized black pearl when she'd gone to Hawaii to visit Dad when his Sub was there for a week before we were stationed on the island. She had it set in a gold whale's tail pendant.
My oyster held a plain white pearl which is set on a simple pendant. I don't remember where we were when I did it. It was soon after he arrived on island. I was only eleven. We did plenty of tourist stuff in the first few months before we were assigned housing. Living in a hotel and not going to school was like an extended vacation, even if Dad had to work. I don't have to tell anyone who was ever an eleven year old girl how special that tiny round orb was to me. I put it back in the little protective pouch after each wearing like it was royal jewels, not discount tourist stuff.
When I hear about Gulf oysters, I must confess I don't think of eating them. I think of the prize that could be inside.
Since I am less impressed by jewelry than I was as an adolescent girl, I was wondering about the possibility of other items being seeded in an oyster instead of pearls.
On the Be Oyster Aware website, I learned about the many health benefits of eating oysters. Omega-3 fatty acids and B-12 are the darlings of the vitamin supplement industry, but oysters provide them along with need protein in a low calorie food. You can't get that in a pill.
I admit, I'm not a seafood person. Nor a very adventurous eater. I've never been at a table with oysters on it, let alone eaten them. I need something beside a recipe to inspire me to give the mollusk a change.
I've figured out something that the oyster industry can use to entice skeptics.
How about inside every oyster is a individually wrapped chocolate candy?
Something like this:
No need to send money for the idea when it helps oyster sales sky-rocket to unprecedented heights. It's all for the good of encouraging proper nutrition for the people.
Just link to my blog, okay?
i'm not a fan of eatting oysters, lucky you can get the same good Omega-3 fatty acids from most sea living things, particular salmon (which i would much rather eat!). Given where you live now i'd be afaird to eat most any seafood that far from the ... well sea LOL
also FYI, i dont know if your a vitamin poper but Omega-3 fatty acids supplements are a waste of money
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I used to eat Tuna, but with cats in the house it isn't worth the hassle.
As for vitamins, I take a good women's multi. It's one of those things in life that if you are going to bother, you might as well pay a little more for one that dissolves. The cheap ones just get pooped out on the other end.
When I worked at the OB/GYN office, I got free samples of the prenatal vitamins. Some of those had the Omega-3 capsules along with. I did find they helped with my dry skin. So did coconut oil when I took it a few years back.
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