Oyster primer
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Photograph: Jolie Ruben
SILO
Mermaid Coves
(Prince Edward Island, Canada)
The Malpeques that you often see on happy-hour oyster menus around the city are a lower-grade variety of these coveted bivalves---only the star specimens of each crop get the Mermaid Cove designation. Although some East Coast shells can be powerfully briny, these beauties are balanced, with a slight minerality and clean finish. $3.
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Photograph: Jolie Ruben
hogisland
Hog Island Sweetwaters
(Tomales Bay, CA)
True to their name, these creamy mollusks are lusciously sweet, with a touch of salinity and a lettucey finish. Their popularity has made them the signature variety of Hog Island---the well-regarded Pacific oyster company---but they are in limited supply on the East Coast. $3.
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Photograph: Jolie Ruben
shimbumi
Shibumis
(Puget Sound, WA)
These sweet-salty little gems finish with a wisp of smoke. They have the distinct creaminess of West Coast varieties, and their small size and mild flavor make them a good gateway shell for the uninitiated. $3.
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Photograph: Jolie Ruben
bay
Peconic Bays
(Greenport, L.I.)
Though it's been damaged by the effects of tourism, the Peconic Bay has recently returned to prominence as a prime oyster-growing area. Its namesake shells offer a vivid articulation of what East Coast bivalves are all about: delicate flesh with a surge of sea water brine up front and on the finish. $3.
