Beach cultured oysters are raised on tidal beaches with sandy or rocky bottoms. They are accustomed to fighting the tides, clamping tightly shut during low tides to preserve their “liquor” and to protect themselves against predators. Because of this “tough” life, beach raised oysters are hearty. They have hard, sturdy shells which shuckers like to work with. And their ability to close tightly, coupled with their hard shells, gives them a longer shelf life.

Olympia oysters are the smallest oyster species in North America and only reach a maximum size of about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. They are the original species of the West Coast and were an important part of tribal. Huge Olympia oyster middens which would have taken thousands of years to accumulate were found in San Francisco Bay. And they were also abundant in the waters of Willapa Bay and Puget Sound. However, during the gold rush era of the 1850’s these oyster populations were exploited and over-harvested almost to the point of extinction. Today, the Olympia Oyster is hard to find and although efforts to restore its populations are underway, there are only a few places where they are grown, including Totten Inlet and Little Skookum Inlet in South Puget Sound, Washington.

Don’t let the small size of these oysters dissuade you from trying them! Although they are small, they hit you with more intense flavors than your typical Pacific or Atlantic Oyster.