• Kylie Kwong's steamed Sydney rock oysters with ginger, spring onion and coriander

How long can I keep oysters out of the water? M. Kearny

In the good old days before kids and mortgages, we'd drive along the NSW coast from Wonboyn near the Victorian border to the Tweed in the north of the state. We'd buy Sydney rock oysters directly from the growers – burly blokes with gravel voices, big bear hands, and skin leathered by the sun. The oysters were dropped one by one into a hessian sack, which the grower hosed down with fresh water. We'd put the oysters in an Esky with a little ice, find a beach, crack a tinnie and shuck the oysters on the lid of the Esky. Kept damp in the sack and somewhere between 10C and 20C, the oysters could last a week if we weren't greedy. Oysters live naturally on rocks around the intertidal mark. They have evolved to spend time out of the water, using their adductor muscles to seal their shells tightly. Shane Buckley from Wapengo Rocks oyster farm reckons that kept damp in a cool laundry sink, a Sydney rock oyster will still be fresh and plump after 10 days. Pacific oysters are a different beast. They prefer cooler temperatures between 5C and 10C so they can be stored in the fridge or in a very cool place, such as a wine fridge or a chilly cellar, for about a week. Once opened, oysters should be eaten within two hours or covered and stored in the fridge and consumed within a few days.

When are apples in season? M. Russo

Apples are available year-round thanks to controlled atmosphere technology. This sees apples stored in great coolrooms, where the percentage of oxygen is dropped from the normal 21 per cent to about 2 per cent, replaced instead with mostly nitrogen. This slows down the natural deterioration of the apples and allows fruit picked in autumn to be sold in summer the following year. These apples are still flavoursome but lack the crunch, juiciness, and sharp tang of a freshly picked apple. Different apple varieties have been bred to spread the harvest from mid-summer to late autumn. The season is just starting, and the first apples off the trees are the old-fashioned Gravensteins and a more recent variety, Royal Gala. Next month Golden Delicious and the new Smitten variety come off the trees. It can take a few weeks before the new season's apples hit the shops, so if you're desperate for a juicy piece of fruit, head to a farmer's market or farm gate. As children, we would scrump for apples from a neighbour's orchard. As that is a form of theft, I have been advised, however, not to suggest trespass and larceny as a means of getting your new season's apple fix.

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