Oyster Varieties
Oyster variety makes a difference, but the flavor of oysters can also vary widely depending on their growing environment. Factors such as salinity of the water, diet, mineral content of the water and water temperature all affect the flavor.Generally, those from the coldest waters are considered to be better than those from warmer waters for eating raw. However, there are southern oyster advocates who would say the opposite. For cooked oysters, the difference between Northern-bred and Southern-bred oysters is barely noticable.
Oyster shells range from two to six inches long, not nearly as large as the one-footers found by early European explorers.
There are four major species of oysters:
Crassostrea virginica (Eastern or Atlantic): Found in coastal waters from the Canadian Maritimes to the Mexican border and from the North Atlantic to the Gulf of Mexico. Common names originating from geographical location include Blue Point, Apalachicola, Chincoteague, Malpeque, Pemaquid, Cotuit, Wellfleet, and others. The shells are usually two to four inches in length.
Crassostrea Gigas (Pacific or Japanese): Found in Pacific Ocean waters. When grown off US coasts, these are known as Yakima Bay, Golden Mantle, Kumamoto, Penn Cove, and more. These are usually too large to be served raw on the half-shell and are usually cut up for stews or fried.
Ostrea lurida (Olympia): The only oyster native to the West Coast, this tiny variety is related to the European flat oyster. They are small, usually no more than 1-1/2 inches in width. The majority of Olympias on the market now are farmed in Puget Sound.
Ostrea edulis (European flat): Found in European waters. These are often called belons. However, in France, an oyster may only be called a "belon" if it is grown in a specific part of Brittany. The Bretons declare their belons to be the best in the world and charge upwards of $80 per dozen for them. Other French oysters are called Portugaise (Portuguese) and are closely related to Eastern and Pacific oysters. In actuality, the Portugaise is an extinct variety which used to be abundant in Europe. In America, these belons are farm-grown and sold as Westcott European flat oysters. Other European varieties are Galway, Marennes, Colchester, Helford, and Whitstable.
More about Oysters:
• Oyster Cooking Tips• Why only eat oysters in months with the letter "r"? FAQ
• Oyster Varieties
• Oyster Selection and Storage
• Why do oysters grow pearls? FAQ
• Oyster History
• Oyster Measures and Equivalents
• Oysters and Health
• Oyster Recipes
Oyster Photo © 2008 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Cookbooks
| • | Fish & Shellfish |
| • | The New Legal Sea Foods Cookbook |
| • | The New York Times Seafood Cookbook |
| • | The New England Clam Shack Cookbook |
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