NATIONAL OYSTER DAY | AUGUST 5

National Day Calendar ^ | August 5, 2024 | Staff

[Red Badger]

NATIONAL OYSTER DAY | AUGUST 5

Get slurping on August 5th with National Oyster Day! Oysters are enjoyed as seafood in many parts of the world.

#NATIONALOYSTERDAY

Did you know there are over 100 different species of oysters? Interestingly, oysters tend to take on the characteristics of the water in which they live. Because of this, they’re typically named after the body of water in which they grow.

While many people enjoy fresh oysters raw, the shellfish can also be savored in multiple other ways. As a side dish, oysters add immense flavor to Thanksgiving dressing. They also make delicious stews, soups, and chowders. Other recipes will bake, grill or broil the oysters with or without the shell.

These mollusks provide valuable nutrients whether eaten cooked or raw. Since oysters supply a high amount of vitamins B12 and A, they may benefit heart, skin, and brain health. These vitamins also support lung and kidney function. Additionally, oysters benefit the environment since their valves are capable of cleansing an ecosystem of pollutants.

Here are some other exciting oyster facts:

The Chesapeake Bay produces more oysters in the world than any other body of water. The world loves oysters! We consume almost two billion pounds of oysters each year around the world. Illustrating how the body of water influences the flavor of the oysters, the east and west coast U.S. oysters taste very different from each other. On the east coast, oysters tend to be smaller, milder and saltier. However, west coast oysters take on a creamy texture and a sweet flavor. Only one out of every 10,000 oysters will produce a pearl.

HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL OYSTER DAY

Make or order a dish that uses oysters as one of its main ingredients. Try this Grilled Oyster recipe or share a recipe with us. You can celebrate in other ways, too.

Read up on oysters. We suggest The Essential Oyster: A Salty Appreciation of Taste and Texture by Rowan Jacobsen or Appreciating Oysters: An Eater's Guide to Craft Oysters from Tide to Table by Dana Deskiewicz.

Watch the documentary The Oyster Divers by Erin DeJesus.

Explore the world of cooking with oysters.

Use #NationalOysterDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL OYSTER DAY HISTORY

The origins of National Oyster Day have not been determined.

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August 5th Celebrated History

1858

Cyrus W. Field's idea to lay a telegraph cable across the Atlantic Ocean comes to fruition. On this day, the final section of the cable was laid.

1861

Congress enacts the Revenue Act and it is signed by President Abraham Lincoln. The act allows the collection of income tax for the first time in the United States.

1914

Cleveland, OH installs the first electric traffic light at Doan's Corner. Today, the intersection is East 105th Street and Euclid Avenue.

1921

Major League Baseball broadcasts its first game over the radio. The Pittsburgh Pirates shut out the Philadelphia Phillies.

1924

Cartoonist Harold Gray publishes "Little Orphan Annie" in the New York Daily News.

1926

Magician and escape artist Harry Houdini attempts his most challenging escape. However, after spending 91 minutes in a casket underwater, he signals to his assistant to release him.

1957

American Bandstand broadcasts nationally for the first time. Hosted by Dick Clark, bands would lipsynch their music to a dancing crowd of teenagers.

1954

At the 27th Academy Awards, From Here to Eternity wins Best Picture.

1962

South African police arrest Nelson Mandela on charges of conspiracy to overthrow the government.

1962

Actress and singer Marilyn Monroe dies. Monroe was known for film hits such as Some Like It Hot, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and The Seven Year Itch.

1969

Launched on March 27, 1969, Mariner 7 flies past the planet Mars. While the spacecraft was the second craft to fly by Mars, it used information from the first flyby to cataloged additional information scientists were seeking.

1974

Joan Jett forms the first all-girl hard rock band, the Runaways.

1984

Marathon runner, Joan Benoit, wins gold in Los Angeles at the first Olympic marathon for women.

1998

The U.S. version of the improvisational comedy show "Whose Line Is It Anyway" debuts on ABC.

August 5th Celebrated Birthdays

Deodoro Da Fonseca - 1827

The first president of Brazil, Fonseca was a military leader who led a coup to end the Empire and establish a republic on November 18, 1889. The coup took place after the Empress, Princess Isabell abolished slavery in 1888. However, Fonseca served less than a year, making him the first Brazilian president to resign.

Neil Armstrong - 1930

The astronaut is known for being the first human to step foot on the moon. On July 20, 1969, Armstrong and fellow astronaut, Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon. Their feat was broadcast around the world.

Herb Brooks - 1937

The American hockey player and coach is best known for leading the U.S. Olympic hockey team to gold. Known as the "Miracle on Ice," the team upset the Soviets during the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY.

Loni Anderson - 1945

Best known for her role as Jennifer Marlowe on the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, Anderson was also married to actor Burt Reynolds. The WKRP character was the AM radio station's receptionist.

Patrick Ewing - 1962

Now the head coach for Georgetown University's men's basketball team, Ewing began his professional career as a first-round pick in the NBA draft. He played the majority of his career with the New York Knicks. In 1992, he also played as a member of the U.S. Olympic Dream Team.

Reid Hoffman - 1967

Hoffman launched the internet's largest professional network, LinkedIn, in 2002. Since then, the social media network has grown to 575 million users.

[Red Badger]

No ‘R’ in August?.......................

[Magnum44]

I used to love raw oysters on the half shell, then I got sick...

Havent been able to touch one since!

[V_TWIN]

“Get slurping...”

As I understand it, raw has been proven to be not such a good idea anymore.

Steamed is my favorite, with just a little drawn butter and lemon juice......saltine cracker is optional. 👌

[Red Badger]

I ate raw oysters ONE TIME.

Didn’t much care for them.

Would rather have them fried or in a stew..........

[Red Badger]

There is always a risk of that no matter what month it is................

[V_TWIN]

Got a neighbor that was a marine biology major at UF......he won’t go near ‘em.......said if I knew what he knew about ‘em, I wouldn’t either.

Sometimes ignorance truly IS bliss. Lol!

[Red Badger]

When I first enrolled at FJC after HS, I was studying to be a Marine Biologist.

Wound up being a Marine...................

[V_TWIN]

You got half way! 😁

[GeorgiaDawg32]

I learned long ago never to eat oysters unless they were fresh and the month had a R in it..

[GeorgiaDawg32]

I don’t like them raw. I much prefer fried which, IMO, gives them a whole different flavor..

[Red Badger]

Damn recruiters!.....................

[Red Badger]

As the old saying goes:

Brave was he who first ate an oyster!.............

[V_TWIN]

Military recruiters are the most underrated salesman in the history of the world. 😂

[suthener]

“Military recruiters are the most underrated salesman in the history of the world.”

I was a Navy recruiter. I wasn’t very good at it and only lasted 16 years (after a 4 year sea duty tour). Pitiful Navy career; all 16 years in my home state, 12 years in my hometown. It was a dirty job, but someone had to do it. Now I tell people I was a SEAL recon special ops sniper recruiter.

[Daveinyork]

I once ate a dozen oysters, and only six of them worked.😎

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Not raw, thanks. But I make a nice Oyster Stew when this land-locked Yankee can get her hands on some decent Oysters.

Ingredients

1 16 ounce container of fresh raw oysters in liquid
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 stick (1/2 cup) of butter
Water
2 cups whole milk

Instructions

Add the oysters and their juice to a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Add water until the oysters are just covered.
Place the pan on the stove and cook until the oysters get curly around their edges. (this will take less than 15 minutes)
Add in the stick of butter and the milk. Cook until the butter melts. Take care not to cook it too high, you don’t want to scald the milk.
When the butter melts, the stew is done. Taste and add more salt and pepper or butter if needed.
Serve hot with oyster crackers or slices of crusty bread.

https://anaffairfromtheheart.com/oyster-stew/#recipe

[Liz]

Ready to dig in.

[Hot Tabasco]

I like oysters but they are now too expensive.

With that being said, I can eat oysters and clams with no problems. But eating mussels makes me violently ill.......