Group Definition of Merroir: 

Merroir, formulated after the term Terroir or taste of the land, is a term encompassing the story of foods derived from the ocean. Merroir is altered and identified by the ever changing currents of the ocean and how these diverse inlets, bays and shores all create intricate flavor profiles within seafood.

Photo of and by Emily Dunn Wilder from the Lip Smackin’ Crusade blog.

Our Merroir experience: 

Merroir was beautifully exemplified within our oyster tasting experience. At first glance, the outward appearance varies dues to growing conditions, placement on the beach, water salinity and flow. As Pictured below, these are all pacific oysters grown in different inlets of the Puget Sounds. Each shell has a different color, shape, size.

Photo by Don Rhothaus of varying pacific oyster shells.

The taste varied largely based on growing conditions. One oyster we tried was the  Kumamoto, originally from the area of Kyushu, Japan. Now grown in the salish sea, this very slow growing oyster is small in size (1.5 – 2 in) with a very deep cup. The Kumamoto has a firm texture, rich in flavor, creamy and slightly salty. The finish is buttery-sweet, mildly fruity, with a hint of metallic flavor.