This French Farmer Found A Way To Make Oysters Even More Romantic

Oysters have been hailed an aphrodisiac for centuries — all the way back to the Roman Empire according to Smithsonian Magazine. While the mollusks do contain amino acids that have been scientifically linked to doing what aphrodisiacs do best, they might not be the most romantic food for some to slurp down. According to a survey done by BBC Good Food, 40% of respondents named oysters their "most hated" food, with digital editor Hannah Williams telling the Belfast Telegraph "If you've not done oysters before [for Valentine's Day] then the message is don't." But there's one French oyster farmer who has worked hard for a decade to change that, shared The Local.

The inspiration behind Christophe Guinaut's oyster cultivation was quite literally a labor of love. It all started with a very rare and special oyster that Guinaut's wife presented to him. "One day my beloved gave me an oyster in the form of a heart. I was very touched by this oyster which had taken that shape by chance," he said. And thus an idea was born. Ginaut then decided to recreate what might have been the most special oyster he had ever received by cultivating some of his own oysters in the same shape of a heart. Though he had to try several different methods before perfecting his technique, he did eventually succeed.

To this day, oyster farmer Christophe Guinaut's special method of growing heart-shaped oysters remains a secret, according to The Local – but that doesn't mean you can't have any. His oysters have been known to grace the menus of the very best restaurants across the south of France. Just be aware they are in relatively short supply, as he only grows a small amount of the special oysters each year for Valentine's Day.

Growing so few is not about creating demand or desire for the exclusive oysters, though. "I sell them for the same price as the others even though they are three times more work," Guinaut said. "I don't do it for the money." Instead, it's all about the memory of the gift his wife gave to him. "It's the continuation of a beautiful romance. I love to think that the people who order them have the same emotion as I did when my wife gave me that heart-shaped oyster," Guinaut explained. So if you'd like to find the heart-shaped oysters, you might need to plan ahead to book a table at one of the restaurants he sells — and buy a plane ticket.