Does it? I believe you, although I know I've been told the opposite. But somehow anything animal-related that bt says I will always believe.

Looking on Wikipedia, oyster sauce was first mass produced by Lee Kum Kee (which is the brand I'm most familiar with), and was made from oysters. There is a vegetarian variant, which uses oyster mushrooms (or shiitakes), but the shellfish version is the original recipe, so to speak.

A couple of other comments:

There's a rather good, and disturbing, novel set in the Australian outback called Oyster: [link]

"Oyster" now looks weird to me. Oyster oyster oyster oyster. Freaky.

Why is a bus pass in the UK called an Oyster card? I've been meaning to ask that for ages.

Anything called "oyster" should be fried. Possibly on a po-boy. Or broiled, with some butter and parmesan cheese.

Why is a bus pass in the UK called an Oyster card? I've been meaning to ask that for ages.

According to Wikipedia:

The Oyster brand name was agreed after a lengthy period of research managed by TranSys, the company contracted to deliver the ticketing system, and agreed by TfL. Several names were considered, and Oyster was chosen as a fresh approach that was not directly linked to transport, ticketing or London. According to Andrew McCrum, now of Appella brand name consultants, who was brought in to find a name by Saatchi and Saatchi Design (in turn contracted by TranSys), Oyster was conceived and promoted because of the metaphorical implications of security and value in the component meanings of the hard bivalve shell and the concealed pearl; the association of London and the River Thames with oysters, and the well-known travel-related idiom "the world is your oyster".

So basically they're called Oyster cards because the name has nothing to do with the card's purpose or geographical location.

Thank you for Googling that for me, billytea. I feel validated in my belief that it's a dumb name.

Unless you're going by that weird article that came out a year or so ago that argued that oysters should count as vegan. No other shellfish, just oysters. I don't remember the reasoning.

Because oyster so delicious? Also, Dana is wrong! Fried oyster is good but raw oyster is divine!

Aims, you should totally do a blog of Emeline's Proj Runway comments!!!

Oh, man, Strix, tickets are about $165 for that weekend. ::whimpers::

SMONSTER, OH THAT IS SO NOT FAIR!

Why are we both broke? I would feed you and pick you up from the airport and buy your booze (I'm making my kick-ass vat o' sangria) and you could sleep in a private room (albeit a kids room.)

DAMMIT UNIVERSE!!

Because oyster so delicious? Also, Dana is wrong! Fried oyster is good but raw oyster is divine!

I have had oysters and champagne with lisah and I endorse this message!

Indeed!