Kinds of Oysters

The oyster is a favorite gourmet delicacy all over the world, whether eaten smoked, fried or raw on the half shell. However, it can be hard for anyone but a connoisseur to choose from the hundreds of unique oyster varieties available. An oyster's flavor depends not only on its species, but also on its location and the conditions of its habitat. Water salinity, temperature and nutrient content all play important roles in creating an oyster's taste. Depending on where it's from, an oyster can be briny, sweet, buttery or creamy, with any number of subtle and surprising overtones.

Atlantic

Atlantic oysters---also known as Eastern oysters---live all along the eastern coast of the United States and in parts of the Canadian and Mexican coasts. According to Forbes writer Charles Dubow, Atlantic oysters account for 85 percent of American-farmed oysters. They come in many varieties and vary drastically in taste, but are generally saltier than oysters from other regions. Some well-known varieties are the Prince Edward Island or Malpeque oyster, the Chesapeake Bay oyster and the Blue Point oyster.

Pacific

The Pacific oyster originated in Japan, and is therefore often called the Japanese oyster. Now, the highly adaptable Pacific oyster lives all over the world, and is very common on the United States west coast. These oysters can grow up to a foot long, but are better eaten raw when still small. Flavors are extremely variable, but Pacific oysters tend to have a sweeter, creamier taste, as opposed to the briny taste characteristic of Atlantic oysters.

Kumamoto

This small, mild Pacific oyster hails from Kumamoto Bay in Japan. Kumamoto oysters have a smooth texture and a sweet, buttery flavor and are known as "the best variety of oyster on the West Coast," according to Dubow's feature on oysters. Because of its unintimidating size and mild taste, the Kumamoto oyster is a perfect choice for people new to eating oysters. This variety pairs well with sweet white wines like sauvignon blanc.

Olympia

The Olympia oyster is native to Puget Sound in the Pacific Northwest, but due to pollution and overharvesting, are now found only in the Olympia area. It's a very small and delicate variety, only ever growing to 2 inches across. Rowan Jacobsen, oyster connoisseur and author of "A Geography of Oysters," writes that the Olympia oyster has an "unmistakable sweet, metallic, celery-salt flavor."

Flat

Also known as European oysters, flat oysters are native to Europe's southwestern coasts, though they have been largely depleted there. Now, farms in Maine and the Pacific Northwest are the primary cultivators of flat oyster varieties. Flats are medium-sized oysters and often have a slightly metallic or nutty flavor. One very popular type of flat oyster is the citrusy Westcott Bay Belon oyster, farmed off Washington's San Juan Island.

References

• Forbes.com: An Oyster by Any Other Name
• OysterGuide.com