When it comes to oyster eating in the Pacific Northwest, there are a few things that you need to know. You need to know things like the types of oysters followed by what the oyster names mean, and when is the best time to eat oysters. In turn, you will have a better understanding of oyster eating near The Oyster Bar south of Bellingham, Washington.
Oyster Types
In the Northern Hemisphere, there are basically five types of oysters.
- European flat oyster,
- Pacific oyster,
- Kumamoto oyster,
- Eastern oyster, and
- Olympia oyster.
The Oyster Bar specializes in the Pacific and Olympia oysters, but they also have other raw oyster choices from around the United States and Canada. No matter what local flavor you choose, know that raw oysters come on a half shell, served with a spruce tip mignonette, as well as grapefruit.
Name Meanings
The names of oysters come from different profiles of flavor. This trend started in New York involving the Blue Point oyster. Since Blue Point was a Long Island bay, the name became synonymous with the oyster. In the same way, oyster names come from the area they hail.
When To Eat Oysters
If you were eating oysters in the 1870s, you would only want to have oysters in the months that end with “R.” But, today, with proper refrigeration, oysters are eaten year-round. There are even triploid hatcheries to spawn more oysters than usual.
Still, the United States Department of Agriculture will shut down triploids if they do not manage correct water temperatures. When procedures are lacking, food-borne illnesses like vibrio can form from under-cooked seafood dishes, with oysters involved in the process.
Ultimately, you want to eat oysters when they are at their freshest. Oysters need to have a lot of liquid to them, making them extra plump and fat. The longer oysters are out of the water, the less of it there will be to enjoy.