Experiencing Meroir

After trying a wide variety of oysters, I would absolutely say I have experienced meroir.   At our visit to Taylor Shellfish, we tried Pacific oysters from three different areas: Hood Canal, North Shore, and Eld Inlet. All with distinct flavors, I remember the Hood Canal oyster having a very power taste of melon rind, which lingered in my mouth long after it was swallowed. A few weeks later I attended shellfish club and ate Pacific oysters straight out of Puget Sound. I did not experience a melon taste in these oysters; instead they had a very thick briny taste to them. Even though these oysters grew up in the same state, not too far from each other, they had extremely different flavor profiles and I remember this as my first experience of meroir.

Map showing relation to the geographical proximity of Hood Canal and Puget Sound Pacific Oysters. http://www.pacificgoldseafood.com/oysters.html

Written By: Gabe Needham