From Sea to Table: Visiting Pacific Northwest’s Oyster Obsession

And, why oyster farmers are badass

Whether you love or refuse to eat oysters, there’s no denying they are a culinary trend that continues to climb.  

Like wine, the flavor profiles and descriptions can become a near comical stretch. With wine, there are those connoisseurs who may truly taste the notes of an overly ripe pear or pick up a scent of leather in their glass.  These may be the same folks who say an oyster has a briny cucumber finish. The commonality between wine and oysters makes sense because the natural juices in the shell are sometimes referred to as the oysters’ “liquor”.

The waters of the Pacific Northwest are some of the most inviting beds for these mollusks to grow and thrive.  The seas are key to their flavor profile since they are essentially a water filter, taking on the nutrients and brine of its home, or surrounding body of water.  West Coast oysters are generally regarded as a choice for more experienced palates because of the higher brine points than East Coast oysters, which tend to be milder and sweeter.  

Hungry yet?  If you’ve ordered your fill in restaurants and crave the next level experience, it may be time to pull out (or buy) some rubber boots and visit an oyster farm. The scenic and diverse elements of Aquaculture are worth discovering. Farm to table gets elevated to a waterfront setting.

Hobbyist farmers are still few and far between, mainly because of the daunting infrastructure needed.  More than a patch of good dirt, a hobbyist oyster farmer needs access to the right kind of waterfront, equipment for protection and must work during low tides (which tends to be dark early morning or late night hours).  In areas where coastline real estate can be incredibly expensive and as uninvitingly jagged as the oyster shell itself, it’s not a hobby for the uncommitted.

You could try networking to find a new oyster farmer friend. The Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association (PCSGA) hosts an annual Oysterfest event as well as a rich calendar of festivals, conferences and tradeshows.

Like all farming and sought after food commodities, the oyster is not without historical or current controversy. Tinkering with nature to provide ideal conditions and bountiful aqua harvests can create a new set of challenges. In Washington, the state legislature is involved in the battle of the oyster versus native shrimp, a topic PCC Market wrote about recently.

So, you want to just do a quick field trip? Your best bet is going to be a commercial farm.

Oyster Farms in Western Washington

Willapa Oysters is located on Washington State’s Long Beach tucked onto the opposite side of the Pacific Ocean on Willapa Bay in, of course, Oysterville, Washington.  The bay has been billed as the cleanest estuary in the United States. This family owned business has opened an artisan kitchen which cooks up rave reviews for it’s oyster stew and dungeness crab mac and cheese.  They’ve also cultivated a robust shipping business with next day delivery of oysters that are harvested at low tide.

Taylor Shellfish has a large wholesale and retail presence in Western Washington with it’s own oyster bars around Seattle and Bellevue.  The farms are located in Bow and Shelton, Washington. The latter is home of their headquarters with a more casual market feel. Employees sell the shellfish straight from the beach processing areas to take with you or shuck at an outdoor picnic area.  The Bow location (called Samish Oyster Bar & Shellfish Market) is on the water accessed by an incredibly scenic drive. Of course, events reflect the cold adventuresome spirit of a true Pacific Northwesterner. Check into the Night Tide Oyster Soirees, an all you can eat slurping experience under the moon.  Wear your heaviest, waterproof coat. Or, do a daytime event with bottomless paella, live music, beer pairing and, of course, raw and grilled oysters.

On a beach on Samish Island (driveable without a ferry) the Blau Oyster Company is busy shucking fresh oysters almost every weekday and Saturday of the year.  They are experts, since they’ve been shucking for the last sixty years. Locals swear by their oysters with comments like: the fattest ones I’ve ever seen…fresh as the ocean…the only place to buy oysters.  The beach is a restful spot with views of Mount Baker and the San Juan Islands reflecting in the bay.

Minterbrook Oyster Company makes its home around the bend from the quaint waterfront town of Gig Harbor where two inlets, Rocky and Minter Bays lie opposite on the north area of the Key Peninsula.   Their oysters tend to be mild and sweet because of their fresher water development and nutritious feed. Open everyday except Sunday, they welcome visitors with an arrow pointing to their fresh oysters.  As the third family to own this farm, they have collected kudos from the community and visitors who mention their friendliness and willingness to educate on the joys and challenges of oyster farming.

For a complete list visit the comprehensive list of growers and details at Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association.

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