Oysters for Christmas Day - help me MN's

[BeaLola]

So I have guests for Christmas Day lunch and 3 of them adore oysters

• neither I or DH do

So I would like to buy some either by mail order or at a supermarket (I have no good fish places near me)

Any recommendations please or reversely companies to avoid - I really want to treat these people

(For full disclosure the other guests eg ne & DH will have salmon and prawn starters so are not missing out)

Thank you MN

Honestly, I wouldn't. Apart from anything you don't have to cater to everyone's absolute favourites. They are a bitch to open if you've never done it before, you'll either mangle them or injure yourself, or both.

I'd get really decent salmon and prawns and do the same thing for everyone, you can treat them without going all out on oysters.

I can’t stand raw oysters but do like them baked so that could be an option (a bit like mussels).

There’s a few places that do online delivery, Fish for Thought is one I’ve used in the past. However, as PP states, there is a knack to opening them, strong knife required and they are a bit of a safety hazard!

Waitrose sometimes have them on their seafood counter but it’ll be a bit hit and miss at Christmas as to whether you can just turn up and get them in store.

I am pretty sure I saw Oysters Rockefeller (baked with a crumb topping) on Morrisons Christmas food to order.

As it’s only 3 of your guests who’ll be eating them, and you and DH don’t like them, I’d stick to giving them the same as you. I’m sure they’d appreciate the effort you went to but don’t send yourself on a wild goose chase for a starter.

Like PP said, I just wouldn't.
If your guests adore oysters they may also be a bit picky with them, and the buying and prepping will be a struggle.
If you really want to treat them, Waitrose normally individual luxury seafood/shellfish shells or platters to share at Christmas. Not over the counter but packed, and will last a few days in the fridge. Really special and festive, and zero faff.

I wouldn't unless you live by the sea

I buy through Simply Oysters. Shucking them is an arse though so unless your guests are up for the challenge I wouldn't bother.

I really wouldn’t. If you’ve never prepared them before a combination of a sharp knife and the stress of doing Christmas lunch will see you ending up at best, having your hand sutured in A&E or worse on a plastics ward for microsurgery to repair your tendons and blood vessels. Give them the salmon and prawns. It’s a far safer option. I speak from experience, not as the injured party but as the ‘sewer- upper’!

I order them online from Loch Fyne
Shucking them takes a bit of practice, look at a youtube video. I rest the oyster on an oven glove so it doesn't slide around

I wouldn’t if you’re not doing them for everyone – starters at Christmas is fancy enough! And as pp said, are you by the sea? Too many things to go round and oysters are most impressive as a big centrepiece on ice, not split across some for them, prawns for that person, this and that.

I’d do salmon and prawns for everyone so it’s simpler. But after pudding when the chocolates come out, have something like these as well: www.yumbles.com/rococo-chocolates/a-bed-of-oysters.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiAvqGcBhCJARIsAFQ5ke4DsdRAHb5dAuKEkfZbDLqGyK_Rm8m-IQ3baQVzxztviNK6P9C_RqoaAohHEALw_wcB

Like a little nod to their love for oysters. Or general chocolate seashells/sea things – they get oysters, you get prawns!

Lovely of you to think of what your guests like, but I wouldn't bother and I adore oysters. I tried once to do them at home having had some by post and never again. They are dangerous to open unless you have the knack (and the right knife), they need to be really really fresh, and it's not as much fun unless everyone's having them I think.

Your starter sounds fab, just stick to that and let them have an oyster fest another time without you!!

Thank you all for taking the time to reply - really appreciate the insights /comments

DH would do the shucking and not me - I definitely would end up in A&E as I'm cack-handed at the best of times.

I have reconsidered and we're adding lobster instead and I've booked a 2023 lunch for them at an oyster place

DH still has the scar from buying oysters to impress me. Knife went straight through his hand.

Lobster sounds good

Ha - just came on to say lovely choice but don't waste your money unless you know you can open them.

DH and I had a right palaver Valentine's Day 2020 with a dozen oysters, youtube and a shucking knife.

Don't serve them raw, more than half of Oysters in the UK contain Norovirus!

Lobster sounds like a much better idea- no-one wants to be throwing up on the 26/27th!

🤢

Lobster and a dinner at an oyster restaurant, lovely of you OP! Can we be friends.....?

What a wonderful Christmas party game ice breaker! Let’s play “Normal or noro?”

Good choice for plan 2. I'd be really worried about delivery delays around Christmas and that they will have to be delivered ahead of time because of the weekend and bank holiday.

Welll as you seem to be a fellow Archers fan we could be

@Rosesandstars I work in the industry, and what you are posting is simply not true. There are obviously strict controls in place, please don't spread damaging nonsense!

There are lots of research papers and articles supporting it, I didn't make it up.

Aka Vomit-roulette!