Lovers of mollusks are aware that it is possible to eat an oyster in a matter of seconds, but to open its shell it can take much longer. Quickly open the sash you can only a special knife for oysters. At the same time, for each type of oyster he is his own.
Varieties of oyster knives
The largest and heaviest is the galveston knife, designed for large mollusks. In some countries, it is even equated with cold weapons and is forbidden to wear
.
The average knife for cutting oysters, called the Kypikskiy, is the most common and suitable for oysters of medium size. It was they who were once set a world record - 33 open oysters per minute.
French and Boston knives for opening oysters, so named for their origin, have a wedge-shaped and pear-shaped blade. They are specially made for small oysters. Sharp blade is very convenient to podevat small valves of shells and turn to open the oyster. A short and wide blade combined with a large and comfortable handle makes these blades very effective.
Rules for using an oyster knife
If you ever tried to open shells with ordinary knives and other devices, you are aware of what it can cost. The time spent pouring out juice in the process, the risk of cuts - all this can completely kill the pleasure of the immediate process of eating. But it's worth buying a special knife and learning how to use it, how things will turn out differently.
So, having an oyster knife and, in fact, oysters at hand, you need to hold the sink with one hand, insert the tip of the knife into a small hole between its flaps and make several rotational movements so that they slightly parted.
Further, continuing to hold the shell, you need to hold a knife along the entire upper leaf, thus cutting the muscle that keeps the shutters closed. After that, we pinch the lower leaf between the fingers and conduct a knife along the shell towards ourselves, but already under the oyster to cut the muscle to which it is attached to the sink.
After opening the shell, the meat from the upper leaf is scraped - it does not fit for eating. But the body of the oyster in the lower leaf is quite ready for use.
To prevent injuries while working with slippery shells, we recommend the use of protective gloves. In the process of opening oysters do not need to hurry, especially if you are new to this business. With time, in the process of training, you will master this art and be able to "extract" oyster meat quickly and dexterously.