Oyster Varietals

Published on Tuesday, August 19, 2008, by CHOW Video Team / Edit Post

Oyster Varietals

John Finger, co-owner of Hog Island Oyster Company, describes the flavor of three major oyster species: Pacific, Atlantic, and Kumamoto. If you know what you like, ordering at restaurants is easy.

CHOW Tips are the shared wisdom of our community. If you’ve figured out some piece of food, drink, or cooking wisdom that you’d like to share on video (and you can be in San Francisco), email Meredith Arthur and tell us what you’ve got in mind.

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POST A COMMENT |4 Comments

COMMENT

  • I terrified a server at a restaurant when I asked what kind of oysters they were or where they were from. He didn't know there were different kinds. I decided to get a grilled cheese sandwich instead.

  • Editors: "Varietal" is an adjective. Variety or varieties would be the noun form.

  • I just had the pleasure of enjoying a couple of dozen oysters at Hog Island in San Francisco last week. Their oyster farm is located in the northern area of the bay, so it makes sense that they profiled the species they grow there.

    Where I'm from, gulf oysters are the most commonly served. They tend to be pretty bland. The lower salinity and warm water found in the gulf allows for a year long...+READ

    I just had the pleasure of enjoying a couple of dozen oysters at Hog Island in San Francisco last week. Their oyster farm is located in the northern area of the bay, so it makes sense that they profiled the species they grow there.

    Where I'm from, gulf oysters are the most commonly served. They tend to be pretty bland. The lower salinity and warm water found in the gulf allows for a year long harvest. Gulf oysters are always in season, mild in flavor and just not as interesting as a penn cove select or fanny bay oyster.-COLLAPSE

  • I would love to know more about oysters and I noticed that this chow tip didn't include Gulf Oysters (from say New Orleans or Florida). I find them to be very different than all others (at least Northeast Atlantic or ones I've had in Paris or Seattle).

    Why the big difference and what is that big difference with Gulf Oysters??