I don’t eat oysters, but I find their place in history fascinating. I read Mark Kurlansky’s book on the topic a while back and really enjoyed it.
I was doing some research on Pipes Cove Oysters yesterday (because Palmer Vineyard’s is making a 2007 chardonnay to pair specifically with them) and stumbled upon The Oyster Guide by Rowan Jacobsen, a terrific website for anyone who is interested in this famously raw bivalve.
When it comes to terroir, we usually think about wine or maybe cheese or even produce, but it’s just as important to oysters apparently. According to the site:
"…oysters owe much of their flavor to terroir, the specific environment
in which they grow—indeed, oysters are the food that tastes most like
the sea. Today, there are at least two hundred unique oyster
appellations in North America, each producing oysters with a distinct
and often dazzling flavor."
I know that I, for one, had never thought much about appellations for oysters, but it does make perfect sense. And, as the winter oyster season approaches here on Long Island, I thought some of you might find this site a good read.
Jacobsen also has his own book on oysters that came out a couple months ago. I need to see if I can get my hands on a copy.