A dozen oysters usually conjures visions of a warm breeze, a cold glass of Champagne and lazy summer days. But those in the know will tell you that if you want oysters at their peak, you’ll need to wait for the cooler months. 

Like many of us, winter is a time when oysters plump up to conserve energy. When an oyster is plump, it becomes especially salty and flavourful, making winter oysters brinier and creamier than their summer counterparts.

In Australia, most oysters consumed are either Sydney rock or Pacific. Warmer weather over the summer months – and the increased water temperatures that ensue – trigger both species to spawn, leaving them a bit worse for wear and in need of some downtime to recover. This means that during summer, they’re perhaps not quite as outstanding to eat. 

In an oyster-shell, the colder the weather – and the water – becomes, the more the oyster will store its fat reserves, plumping those little bivalves up. So while Australia’s pristine waters mean you can always get great oysters year-round, if you’re holding out for the most luxurious of oysters, winter is prime time. 

After the Sydney rock and the Pacific, there is also a growing demand for the lesser-known native angasi oyster, sometimes known as the flat oyster, which is widely considered to be one of the most rewarding to eat due to its firm, meaty flesh and intense, rich ocean flavour. The angasi oyster usually spawns from November through March – during which they’re gritty and borderline inedible – but when that spawn is over, you are in for a treat. 

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