Portrait of an Oyster

A beautifully illustrated celebration of the biology, culture, art, and taste of oysters?a perfect gift for the foodie or the artist in your life.Everyone recalls eating their first oyster, just like they remember their first kiss ...Portrait of an Oyster delves beyond the shucked shell to reveal the rich and surprising world of the oyster and the artists, philosophers, explorers, and chefs the mollusk has inspired across the centuries. Illustrated with full-color paintings, vintage advertisements, line drawings, and archival photographs, Portrait of an Oyster shares intriguing insights into the biology and cultivation of oysters as the author embarks on an expedition across Europe and North America to taste some of the world's best.Did you know that oysters shift their gender several times over the course of their lifetimes? They have one muscle that serves to keep their two shells clamped firmly shut, and a heart and basic circ