Portuguese Oysters

In Earnest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast, he waxes poetic about a certain oyster, the Crassostrea angulata, or Portuguese oyster. This is the early 1920s and Hemingway is availing himself of a pleasure many have experienced; the sheer joy of freshly-shucked raw oysters on the half-shell, accompanied with an austere white wine, preferably a Chablis or Sancerre. This was Hemingway’s take on the subject:

I closed up the story in a notebook and put it in my inside pocket and I asked the waiter for a dozen portugaises and a half-carat of the dry white wine they had there. After writing a story I was always empty and both sad and happy, as though I had made love, and I was sure this was a very good story although I would not know truly how good until I read it over the next day.

As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans.

Sadly, this is difficult to replicate now for one very important reason: In 1969, an iridoviral disease decimated the C. agulata oyster, which had been extensively cultivated in both French and Portuguese estuaries. The Pacific oyster — C. gigas — was introduced to those seawaters as it was more resilient against diseases, becoming the more prevalent offering. Indeed, many European native oysters (the Ostrea edulis being a favorite of mine) have suffered similar fates of decimation due to loss of habitat and disease outbreaks, and there is a growing force in the food and aquaculture industry to reintroduce “natives” to their respective seas through conservation efforts and attempts to restore oyster populations in these affected areas. Oddly, the Portuguese oyster is seeing a slight resurgence, but in Taiwan where it is being cultured commercially.

And what did Aleister Crowley think of oysters? Well there may be an entire chapter on this particular delicacy alone! Writing as G.H. Frater O.’.M.’. in his magickal retirement diary, John St. John, written in 1909 while residing in Paris, in the same neighborhood where Hemingway would ultimately reside.

12:10. I have ordered 12 oysters and coffee and bread and butter.

O oysters! be ye unto me strength that I formulate the 12 rays of the Crown of HVA! I conjure ye, and very potently command.
Even by Him who rulers Life from the Throne of Tahuti unto the Abyss of Amennti, even by Ptah the swathed one, that unwrapped the mortal from the immortal, even by Amount the giver of Life, and by Khem the mighty, whose Phallus is like the Pillar in Karnak! Even by myself and my male power do I conjure ye.

12.20. I was getting sleepy when the oysters came. I now eat them in a Yogin and ceremonial manner.

12.45. I have eaten my oysters, chewing them every one; also some bread and butter in the same manner, giving praise to Priapus the Lord of the oyster, to Demeter the Lady of corn, and to Isis the Queen of the Cow. Further, I pray symbolically in this meal for Virtue, and Strength, and Gladness; as is appropriate to these symbols. But I find it very difficult to keep the mantra going, even in tune with jaws; perhaps it is that this peculiar method of eating (25 minutes for what could be done normally in 3; demands the whole attention.

1.30. Drifted into a nap. Well! we shall try what Brother Body really wants.

I am confident this is not the last time I will delve into the world of these magical bivalves and hope you enjoy the journey as well!