oystersoystersA T L A N T I C P A C I F I C

USA EAST COAST BEAVER TAIL RHODE ISLAND 64528033 100 CT. Large, well cupped and oval, like a beaver’s tail, these oysters are farm raised in the East Passage of Narragansett Bay, RI that give these oysters a clean, briny flavor. Available spring – early winter.

BLUE POINT CONNECTICUT 64528063 100 CT. These are the “real deal” Bluepoints from specific areas in Long Island Sound where they have been harvested from natural oyster beds for hundreds of years. Mildly salty, they develop into 3 to 4“ large choice oysters, Available year round.

BROADWATER SALTS VIRGINIA 64510156 100 CT. Raised in Occohannock Creek, a Chesapeake tidal creek on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Broadwaters are mouthwateringly briny but the shells are brittle. Available year round.

CAPE SHORE SALT NEW JERSEY 64528036 100 CT. Grown in the remote regions of the lower Delaware Bay. Using the artisanal French “rack and bag” method of oyster cultivation to raise oysters from tiny seed to market size (3”). They have a salty-sweet flavor and plump meats. Available year round.

CAPE MAY SALT NEW JERSEY 64528034 100 CT. Grown in the remote regions of the lower Delaware Bay. Using the artisanal French “rack and bag” method of oyster cultivation to raise oysters from tiny seed to market size (3”). They have a salty-sweet flavor and plump meats.

CHARLES ISLAND CONNECTICUT 64510158 100 CT. Charles Island oysters (Crassostrea virginica) in the Long Island Sound off of Milford, CT. Oysters are roughly 31/4 to 31/2 “ in length and are remarkably heavy for their size. The meat is full, pleasantly firm, and possess a mild salinity. Available year round.

CHESAPEAKE BAY SALT MARYLAND 64528199 100 CT. These bottom-caged oysters are very salty. They have a heavy salinity for a true Chesapeake oyster. They taste more like the sea, because more of them are in the sea. They grow fast, reaching 3” size in just six months. Available year round.

COTUIT MASSACHUSETTES 64518131 100 CT. Grown in the waters of Cotuit Bay on Cape Cod. Cotuit oysters have beautiful shells with a distinctive jade green color plump meats with a clean, sweet, briny flavor. Available year round.

DUCK ISLAND PETIE NEW YORK 64510162 100 CT. Small, plain brown oysters from Long Island Sound. These 21/2” oysters are in the Caraquet category of nonthreatening. The shells are quite thick, meats pale and plump, flavor almost very mild.

GREAT JERSEY NEW JERSEY 64528133 100 CT. Delaware Bay Oysters offer a hearty flavored oyster meat set in very mild oyster liquor. Thick 3 to 4” shells provide for well protected meat and prove to be most flavorful during the colder months. They are harvested from a wild but cultivated stock. Available year round.

NASKETUCKET MASSACHUSETTES 64528039 100 CT. Grown in Nasketucket Bay for 2 years to reach a 3” size, their light colored, uniform shell houses a flavorful, yet salty oyster. Available year round.

1 PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

2 NEW BRUNSWICK

3 NOVA SCOTIA

4 MAINE

5 MASSACHUSSETTS/ RHODE ISLAND

6 NEW YORK/ CONNECTICUT

7 NEW JERSEY

8 CHESAPEAKE

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eastcoast

NAUTILUS ISLAND MAINE 64528215 100 CT. The 3 to 4” oysters are sourced through the brackish waters of the reversing falls of mid-coast Maine’s Bagaduce River. Meats are full, and don’t get lost inside the large shells. Salinity remains consistent. Available spring – early winter.

NEWPORT CUP RHODE ISLAND 64528208 100 CT. A farm raised oyster from Narragansett Bay, they are consistently shaped with a salty yet mild flavor. Available June – Feb.

NORTH HAVEN MAINE 64528211 100 CT. In these cold waters it takes 4 years for a North Haven to reach market size. By then, it has achieved that firm, salty crispness adored in the best Maine oysters. Available spring – early winter.

QUONSET POINT RHODE ISLAND 64510171 100 CT. Farmed year round by the tray suspension method. Oysters cultivated by the suspension method are the primadonnas of oyster. They have beautiful shells with deep cups and have brittle shells. The oyster flavor is sweet & light, with tender meats.

SADDLE ROCK CONNECTICUT 64510169 100 CT. Saddle Rock is one of New York’s famous old oyster names. They are from the Connecticut side of Long Island Sound and of medium size (5”), with medium brine. Available Sept. – July.

SEWANSECOTT VIRGINIA 64528035 100 CT. Grown in Hog Island Bay which is on the Atlantic side of the Eastern Shore, in the pristine, ocean salt waters of the Atlantic. They have a meaty texture; the taste is a briny burst of flavor mellowing to a sweet, delicate finish. Available year round.

UMAMI RHODE ISLAND 64508084 100 Ct. Umami literally means “taste sensation”. These oysters are intensely savory and sweet with a creamy texture and pleasant saltiness. Available Sept. –July.

WELLFLEET MASSACHUSETTES 64519104 100 CT. The quality of this oyster, combined with its relatively limited production has made it one of the most highly sought after oysters in the world. They have plump meats with a mild, sweet flavor, high brininess and a crisp, clean finish. Available Sept. – July.

CANADA EAST COASTBEAUSOLEIL NEW BRUNSWICK 64528092 120 CT. Beausoleils takes four years to reach 21/2”. They have consistently shaped, petite shells with deep cups and firm meats. Their flavor profile is delicate with a mild brininess. Available year round.

CANADA CUP PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND 64528195 100 CT. A round, 3 to 31/2” medium choice, farm-raised consistent size and well-formed cups define this oyster. A mild to strong salinity is followed by a mild creamy flavor. Available spring – early winter.

DAISEY BAY PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND 64528221 100 CT. Farm raised near the village of Rustico. 3 to 31/2” in length, deeply cupped and smack of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, theyhave a bright salinity yielding to a sweet finish. Available spring – early winter.

FRENCH KISS NEW BRUNSWICK 64528090 100 CT. The French Kiss oysters are farm-raised from Neguac, New Brunswick. They are deeply cupped, and are that perfect paisley shape and the meats themselves lead with a profound salinity. Available year round.

IRISH POINT PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND 64510174 100 CT. Farm-raised on the North Shore, classified as “cocktail” grade oysters (+/- 2.75”), and characterized by their exceptionally clean, strong, shells and full meats. Irish Point oysters have a volley of brine which yields to a crisp finish. Available spring – early winter.

LOVERS CREEK NEW BRUNSWICK 64510176 100 CT. Harvested to 3 to 31/2” in size, mild flavor, mild to moderate texture and available year round. Available spring – early winter.

LUCKY LIME PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND 64510178 100 CT. Lucky Limes get their name and color from the green algae waters of the northern New London Bay. Salt water influenced by the Gulf of St. Lawrence, they develop a unique organic flavor and a bright green shell. They are 2-3” long. Available spring – early winter.

MALPEQUE PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND 64528152 100 CT. The smallest of any Malpeque will start around 23/4” with the largest culled grades reaching 5-6”. Culled from the glacial depths of Malpeque Bay. Available spring – early winter.

NORTHUMBERLAND PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND 64510167 100 CT. The Northumberland Straits separate PEI from the mainland of New Brunswick. Very mild in flavor, long and skinny and much bigger than other New Brunswicks, usually hitting at least 4”. Available spring – early winter.

PICKLE POINT PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND 64528183 100 CT. These 3 to 31/2” small choice oysters are raked as seed from P.E.I.’s remote icy waters and transferred to Pickle Point in New London Bay for finishing will deliver the firm, salty taste. Availability is strong year round.

RASBERRY POINT PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND 64528203 100 CT. Grown in the most northern oyster beds of North America. Due to the cold water it takes 6-7 years to reach market size. They grow out to about 3”. They have a high brininess, clean and sweet flavor. Available May to Nov.

SALT AIRE PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND 64510169 100 CT. A small yet exceptionally deep cupped oyster is 23/4 to 31/2 “ sweet, plump, and juicy. Available May – mid Jan.

SHINEY SEA PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND 64528206 100 CT. This New London Bay oyster presents itself on the half shell well for the delicate oyster slurper. 21/2 to 3”, the cups are full with plump meats and have a salty taste but sweet flavor. Availability is strong year round.

TATAMAGOUCHE NOVA SCOTIA 64510230 100 CT. One of the most well known oysters on the market today. Farmed to a nice 31/4 to 33/4” with a rich salty flavor of the northern coast of Nova Scotia. Available late April – mid-winter.

WELLFLEET MASSACHUSETTES

BLUE POINT CONNECTICUT

MALPEQUE PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

east coastA T L A N T I C O Y S T E R S

QUONSET POINT RHODE ISLAND

CAPE MAY SALT NEW JERSEY

BELON BRITISH COLUMBIA

HAMA HAMA WASHINGTON STATE

CHEF CREEK BRITISH COLUMBIA

west coastP A C I F I C O Y S T E R S

KUMAMOTO MEXICO

DEER CREEK WASHINGTON STATE

USA WEST COAST CRANBERRY CREEK WASHINGTON STATE 64602190 120 CT. From the South Puget Sound, Cranberry Creeks are 3” and have a very bold brininess flavor, followed by a slight honeydew flavor and a long, lingering finish. Available Sept. – July.

DABOB BAY WASHINGTON STATE 64603103 120 CT. Dabob Bay forms the hood in Hood Canal’s cobra shape. Hundreds of feet deep, surrounded by steep, dark, unbroken evergreen forest. With limited food, oysters grow slowly, staying light and crisp and salty. They have a briny, light and clean flavor. Available September – July.

DEER CREEK WASHINGTON STATE 64603106 120 CT. A South Puget Sound oyster raised on the cobble beaches of South Hood Canal, these 3” oysters have hard, sturdy shells, are deep-cupped with full meats, a crisp brininess and clean flavor. Available Sept. – July.

FISH POINT WASHINGTON STATE 64605165 120 CT. From North Puget Sound, these beach cultured oysters are raised on tidal beaches with sandy or rocky bottoms. These 3” oysters have firm meats with a medium brininess and a sweet finish. Available Sept. – July.

HAMA HAMA WASHINGTON STATE 64607120 120 CT. From a delta of the central Hood Canal, a mixture of wild and culture-stock oysters. The flavor is clean, crisp, frequently mineral and fruity and can grow up to 3”. Available Sept. – July.

HUNTER POINT WASHINGTON STATE 64607126 120 CT. This beach grown oyster is cultured in the inlets of the Southern Puget Sound. Firm textured meats with a mild brininess and sweet finish and grow to 4” in length. Available Sept. – July.

MIDNIGHT BAY WASHINGTON STATE 64612173 120 CT. This is a 4” oyster with a nice shape, great shell strength and meat content. Grown in Hood Canal, this oyster is fantastic on the half shell or the perfect size for grilling. Available Sept. – May.

MIRADA WASHINGTON STATE 64612182 120 CT. This oyster is grown in Southern Hood Canal on pristine beaches and has a thick hardy shell. Mirada oysters are nice sized with a medium briny taste and a sweet finish. Grows to 31/2”. Available Sept. – July.

OLYMPIA WASHINGTON STATE 64614133 120 CT. The native oyster species of the US Pacific Coast. This oyster is very small...even full grown, the shell is approximately the size of a 50 cent piece (2 - 2 1/2 “). A bite size plump meat with intense smoky flavor. Available Sept. – May.

PENN COVE SELECT WASHINGTON STATE 64615215 120 CT. One of the quintessential Northwest oysters, eternally popular. Beach cultivated in Samish Bay, then bag suspened, they always have nice 4” gray-green shells and the crunchy freshness of a salted cucumber. Available Sept. – July.

RAINER WASHINGTON STATE 64617213 120 CT. This large oyster is beach grown on the Puget Sound’s south most beaches in view of majestic Mt. Rainier. Perfect for baking or grilling, or putting in a stew, the meat is full and firm. Has a briny, sea fresh taste. Grows to 4” in length. Available Sept. – July.

REACH ISLAND WASHINGTON STATE 64617225 120 CT. Reach Island Oysters are a wild beach raised oyster from Case Inlet in Southern Puget Sound. They have plump meats with a high brininess and a sweet taste. and grow to 31/2” in length. Available Sept. – May.

SHIGOKU WASHINGTON STATE 64618163 120 CT. A small, dense, cornucopia of an oyster. Shigoku Oysters have smooth shells with deep cups and firm meats. They have a briny bite, a clean, sweet flavor with a hint of cucumber and melon finish. Grows to 3” in length. Available Oct. – Feb..

SISTER POINT WASHINGTON STATE 64618210 120 CT. An oyster from southern Hood Canal, right at the “Great Bend”. Bag-started, beach-finished, and thick-shelled in the standard Hood Canal fashion. Sister Points taste mostly of salt with a bit of cucumber at the finish. Grows to 3” in length. Available from Sept. to July.

SNOW CREEK WASHINGTON STATE 64618324 120 CT. beach-finished, they are tended regularly. They have a nice deep cup with a firm, meaty body and briny flavor with a sweet finish. Grows to 3” in length. Available Sept. – July.

SUN HOLLOW WASHINGTON STATE 64618467 120 CT. This oyster is grown low in the tidal zone and therefore grows fast which gives it a nice fat meat for those who like a slightly briny, yet sweet oyster meat, typical taste of the Puget Sound region. They have sweet, plump meats with a light brininess to 5” in length. Available Sept. – July.

SUNSET BEACH WASHINGTON STATE 64618457 120 CT. A perfectly shaped beach- raised pacific oyster from the Hood Canal, Sunset Beach Oysters have full, plump meats with a medium brininess and sweet flavor. Grows to 4” in length. Available Sept. – July.

TOTTEN INLET WASHINGTON STATE 64619242 120 CT. Totten Inlet in southern Puget Sound is one of Washington’s most productive areas for growing oysters. These oysters have an absolutely intense, sophisticated full flavor. A medium shell size by most standards, these will produce a large creamy oyster. Available nearly year round.

CANADA WEST COAST

BAYNES SOUND BRITISH COLUMBIA 64601105 120 CT. Also known as Komo Gway Oysters. A Pacific Northwest oyster beach raised on Vancouver Isle. The oysters have a delicate texture, salty flavor and grow to 4”. Available Sept. – July.

BELON BRITISH COLUMBIA 64601116 120 CT. Belon Oysters have a world famous name and reputation. They are the European Flat species (Ostrea edulis) grow to 3-5”. They have a mild brininess, a potent coppery taste and a crisp bite to the plump meats. Available Sept. – Nov..

CHEF CREEK BRITISH COLUMBIA 64602185 120 CT. Raised near Chef Creek of Baynes Sound, this oyster is tray grown to approximately 3”, has a shallow cup with ivory meat and a dark black mantle. They are creamy with a medium brininess and sweet flavor. Available spring – early winter.

EFFINGHAM BRITISH COLUMBIA 64604105 120 CT. Tray raised in the deep waters of Effingham Inlet on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. This oyster has plump, cream colored meat with a briny flavor and smooth lettuce finish. Uniform in size, deep cup, and a clean hard shell. Available spring – early winter.

EMERALD COVE BRITISH COLUMBIA 64604113 120 CT. An oyster with a wonderfully pearlescent exterior shell, grown off of Denman Island. Inside you get the mild, creamed cucumber flavor common to this area. Available spring – early winter.

EVENING COVE BRITISH COLUMBIA 64604119 120 CT. Grown in the rich waters off Denman Island, this oyster is for those who like a full bite of oyster. After harvest, these oysters are held in wet storage until sold. This fast growing oyster has a clean, mild fresh flavor. Grows to 4”. Available Sept. – July.

FANNY BAY BRITISH COLUMBIA 64605106 120 CT. This 2-5” tray-cultured oyster is chipped throughout the growth process and yields a perfectly ridged, plump meat. Has a sweet citrus flavor followed by a slightly metallic aftertaste. The aroma is often compared to watermelon. Available nearly year round.

GIGA MOTO BRITISH COLUMBIA 64606107 120 CT. Out of Deep Bay, this delicate Giga Moto is a small 11/2-2”. A nice midpoint between the amazingly small Japanese Kumamoto and your ordinary Pacific Coast. A slightly smoky vegetable like finish make it an excellent choice. Available nearly year round.

GOLDEN MANTLE BRITISH COLUMBIA 64606115 120 CT. These oysters are tray raised in the pristine waters of British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast, just north of the Powell River. The 3” shell is deeply cupped with a golden hue, and the meat is full with a noticeably sweet, melon like finish. Available Sept. – July.

KUSSHI BRITISH COLUMBIA 64610136 120 CT. Kusshis are all the rage out West, due to their small size and ultra-clean flavor. Just over 2” the unusual cornucopia shape and stunning smooth purple-black shell are due to the tumbling. Available year round.

MALASPINA BRITISH COLUMBIA 64612143 120 CT. This hardy oyster is beach grown on the gravel shores Malaspina Inlet of Vancouver Island, Canada. The results of the rich waters there are a 3 1/2” plump, dark mantled oyster with a semi-sweet finish. Available Sept. – July.

PACIFIC ORCHARD BRITISH COLUMBIA 64615103 120 CT. This 2 to 3” oyster from Stranges Bay, British Columbia is mildly salty with a delicate watermelon finish. The shells have deep, beautiful, clean cups that are full of the unmistakable Pacific coast liquor. Available Sept. – July.

ROYAL MIRYAGI BRITISH COLUMBIA 64617307 120 CT. An oyster raised near Vancouver Island. Put into the beach cultured environment during their last 6 months before harvesting to harden the shell. have smooth textured meats with a mild brininess and kiwi-like finish. Grows to 4” Available Sept. – July.

MEXICO WEST COAST

KUMAMOTO MEXICO 64610121 120 CT. A small giant among oysters. Grown in San Quintin Bay on the California Baja coastal waters they range in size from 11/2 to 2”. With its deep cupping and highly sculptured, fluted shell, this smooth, fruity oyster. Available nearly year round.

LAGUNA MANUELA MEXICO 64611107 120 CT. Farmed in San Quintin Bay in Baja, Mexico, these Pacific Oyster takes two years to mature. Cool waters and good local algae make for a good salty oysters. Available year round.

1 BRITISH COLUMBIA

2 PUGET SOUND

3 WASHINGTON STATE

4 CALIFORNIA

5 MEXICO

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westcoast

A person used to be

able to simply order

a dozen oysters.

No more. Raw bars

present patrons with

lists of dozens of

oysters to choose.

Wellfleets are prized

in New England,

New Yorkers love

their Blue Points, and

Kumamotos rule on

the West Coast. Yet

there are just five

species of oysters

harvested in the U.S.,

all other differences

come from where they

live, the water they

filter, and how they’re

handled. Names are

just that, many are

noted to create a

flare (Naked Cowboy,

French Kissed, etc.).

Rastelli Seafood, LLC, Egg Harbor City, NJSome photos via Chef Resource.com

1. PACIFIC OYSTERS (Crassostrea gigas)Pacific oysters are small and sweet and the world’s most cultivated oyster. They are growing in popularity in both Europe and the West Coast, where they are starting to over-run the native Olympia (below). Pacific oysters used to be used to describe all small Pacific oysters like Kumamotos and Miyagis. Kumamotos, however, were found to be their own species (below). Pacifics have a distinctly more fluted, sharply pointed shell than Atlantics or European flats. Today Pacifics are usually named after where they are grown, such as Totten Inlet and Fanny Bay, but some are trade names such as the justly well-known Sweetwater oyster from Hog Island Oyster Company.

2. KUMAMOTO OYSTERS (Crassostrea sikamea)Kumamotos are small, sweet, almost nutty oysters characterized by their deep, almost bowl-shaped shell. Like Pacifics, they have deeply fluted, sharp, pointy shells. They spawn later and in warmer water than other oysters, so they remain firm and sweet well into summer months. Kumamotos are widely cultivated in Japan and the West Coast. The name Kumamoto is so valued that Kumamotos are always labeled as such, although some places will also specify where they are from. Kumamotos used to be lumped in with Pacific oysters, but it ends up they are their very own species.

3. ATLANTIC OYSTERS (BLUE POINTS, WELLFLEETS, AND MORE) (Crassostrea virginicas)Many people are shocked to learn that Blue Points and Wellfleets, Malpeques and Beausoleils are all Crassostrea virginicas, as are some 85% of oysters harvested in the U.S. (including most of those in the Gulf of Mexico). True blue points are raised in Long Island’s Great South Bay where they were first found. Today “blue point oyster” is often used as a general term for any Atlantic oyster served on the half-shell (i.e. “New Jersey blue points” and “Virginia blue points”), which, if you know they are all the same species anyway, is amusingly absurd. Wellfleet oysters are grown in Wellfleet Harbor in the northeastern part of Cape Cod. Enthusiasts correctly detect many differences between oysters grown in different parts of the harbor.

4. EUROPEAN FLATS (Ostrea Edulis)European flats are often called Belons. While Belons are, indeed, European flats, not all European flats are Belons (Belons must be grown in the Brittany region of France). Once the most common oyster in Europe, Europeans are increasingly appreciative of Pacific oysters while Maine and Washington state oyster farms are increasingly charmed by European flats. European flats are characterized by their smooth flat shell (no surprise there!) and lovely seaweed and sharp mineral taste. They have a meaty texture and, for those used to different kinds of oysters, almost a crunch to them.

5. OLYMPIA OYSTERS (Ostrea lurida or Ostrea conchapila)Olympias make the tiny Kumamotos look like giants, often coming in about the size of a quarter. They are the only oyster native to the West Coast of the U.S. Their popularity in San Francisco during the Gold Rush almost wiped them out, and they were believed to be extinct for decades. Wild populations still exist, however, and are strictly protected. Olympias at the market and in restaurants are cultivated, mostly in the Puget Sound and British Columbia. Olympias are sweet, coppery, and metallic.

oysteroyster F A C T S & D E F I N I T I O N S

The key to good oysters are their handling and their taste, in the end, it’s all location.