Pacific Northwest Oysters: A Beginner's Guide to Ordering and Enjoying Them
Puget Sound is one of the country's great oyster regions. A few basics make the first dozen far more enjoyable.
Washington is one of the largest producers of farmed shellfish in the United States, and the inlets around Puget Sound grow oysters with a reputation well beyond the region. If you are new to them, a raw bar menu can look intimidating. It does not need to be.
The main types you will see
- Pacific oysters are the most common. Shapes and flavors vary widely by where they are grown, from clean and briny to sweet with a cucumber or melon finish.
- Kumamotos are small, deep-cupped and mild, often recommended as a first oyster.
- Olympias are the West Coast's only native oyster: tiny, with a coppery, mineral flavor. They are prized, and usually priced to match.
Why the name matters
Oysters are usually named after the bay or farm where they grow. The water's salinity, temperature and food supply shape the taste, a little like terroir in wine. Trying two or three different names side by side is the easiest way to learn what you like.
How to eat one
Check that the oyster is cut free from its shell, add a squeeze of lemon or a little mignonette if you like, and tip it in. Many people chew once or twice to get the full flavor rather than swallowing it whole. Sip the liquor in the shell too, as that is much of the taste.
A word on safety
Raw shellfish carries some risk, especially for people who are pregnant, older or have weakened immune systems or liver conditions. Order from busy, reputable spots that list where their oysters come from, and if you harvest your own, check the Washington State Department of Health shellfish safety map before you go, as beaches can close for biotoxins or pollution at any time of year.