October 20: Colchester Oyster1) Feast2)



For nearly two thousand years，people have been cultivating the common British oyster in the lower reaches of England' s Colne River－－ever since the town now known as Colchester was a Roman fortress．The Romans exported boatloads of oysters to Italy．

Colchester' s oyster harvest is still a big event．On opening day in late September，the mayor and city council members don3) ceremonial regalia4) and travel via fishing boat to the "oyster－fattening beds．"There the mayor dredges the season' s first oysters and immediately eats one．As is customary in this rite，he chases that with gin5) and ginerbread，toasting the queen's health．

The second oyster ceremony，the Colchester Oyster Feast，has been an institution since before the seventeenth century－－and always on October ２０，which was a major occasion for trade fairs．Originally the oyster f east was a literal free－for－all，with everyone hauling bucketfuls of oysters from the river．Today the feast is a genteel6)，controlled function at the Colchester Moot Hall．At the formal evening banquet，some four hundred diners，often including a Royal or two，consume upwards of twelve thousand oysters．

１０月２０日：科尔切斯特牡蛎宴节



近２０００年来，自从现名为科尔切斯特的这个镇子成为古罗马的要塞时起，那里的人一直都在英格兰的科恩河下游养殖这种普通的英国牡蛎。古罗马人将大量的牡蛎出口到意大利。

在科尔切斯特，收获牡蛎仍然是一件大事。９月下旬，在开始收获的那一天，市长和市政会的官员们身穿庆典盛装，乘渔船来到牡蛎养肥场。市长捞上当季的首批牡蛎并立即品尝一个。按习俗，他吃了牡蛎之后要接着喝杜松子酒，吃姜饼，并为女王的健康举杯祝酒。

第二个牡蛎庆典，即科尔切斯特牡蛎节，在１７世纪之前就已成为一种习俗---而且总是在１０月２０日。过去那曾是集市贸易的重大日子。起初，牡蛎节完全是自由参加的，人人都可以从河里一桶桶地打捞牡蛎。如今这个节日成了仅限于上流社会人士在科尔切斯特民会会堂参加的活动。在正式的晚宴上，有４００名左右的就餐者，常常还有一两位王室成员，共享１２０００多只牡蛎。



NOTE 注释：

1. oyster n. [动]牡蛎, 蚝

2. feast n. 节日, 盛宴, 筵席

3. don vt. 穿上

4. regalia n.（表示职位的）服饰, 王权标识

5. gin n. 杜松子酒

6. genteel adj. 上流社会的
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