Raw Oysters – Worth the Risk
Our family vacations for a week at Bethany Beach every year. It’s a tradition that my wife enjoyed during her childhood and one we are continuing for our own children. As I write this, we are experiencing our one (and inevitable) rainy day and discussing what we are going to do with ourselves. It usually means a trip over to Rehoboth Funland to play some games and maybe ride some rides if the rain lets up. Possibly more importantly for the adults, it also means a stop at Dogfish Head Brewery for a late lunch and beer afterward.
Sunny days mean trips to the beach. Our townhouse is about 3 blocks from the ocean, so we can walk or ride bikes if we aren’t too loaded down with stuff. One of the adults usually drives a car loaded with all of the necessities that 3 young children require. The walk (or bike ride) takes us right by a raw oyster bar that has quickly become one of my and my mom’s favorites. They have happy hours with $1 oysters from all over the east coast as well as some local picks.
I have found that raw oysters and oysters in general are a very polarizing food. You either love them or you hate them. And, if you’re like my lovely wife, you can’t even stand to look at them! You have probably already guessed that I am in the “love them” camp, but I do acknowledge that there are some health risks with consuming raw shellfish. For me, the relatively small risk of getting sick is far outweighed by the deliciousness that a freshly shucked oyster offers. This picture is for Melissa:
Bourbon Creek, VA raw oysters at Bethany Oyster House (Yum!)
If the above picture grossed you out and you are in the “hate them” camp, then eating raw oysters may be akin to how many of us feel about investing in European stocks in the current environment. However, completely ignoring the opportunities that investing in Europe can offer could result in your portfolio getting “sick” from time to time. Making sure your investments are spread across different geographies as well as companies can improve performance and actually reduce risk. Here’s a chart from Vanguard showing how different sectors in Europe have outperformed their counterparts in the US.
Click on the image to enlarge.
Take a look at how your investments are mixed to make sure you are taking the right amount of risk for your required return. And, don’t be afraid to give a fresh raw oyster a try!