Oysters

Method

These androgynous aphrodisiacs, once the staple diet of poor apprentices, are now the currency of credibility for the Gucci-shoed executive who also swallows big deals as he sips a glass of Chablis in the dim blue-suited bars.

It is unthinkable to cook oysters, but Americans do: Oysters Rockefeller, raped, to my mind, with a stuffing of spinach, cream and Pernod, are supposed to be great. Even a culinary giant such as Paul Bocuse proposes that we should grill oysters with breadcrumbs and herbs. But no. No. A good oyster needs only a hint of lemon juice, good company and a hearty appetite. For fun.