Best type of oysters to eat raw

A person used to be able to simply order a dozen oysters. No more. Raw bars present patrons with lists of dozens of oysters to choose from. Wellfleets are prized in New England, New Yorkers love their Blue Points, and Kumamotos rule on the West Coast.

There are just five species of oysters harvested in the U.S.; all other differences come from where they live, the water they filter, and how they're handled.

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  Pacific oysters are small and sweet and the world's most cultivated oyster. They are growing in popularity in both Europe and the West Coast, where they are starting to over-run the native Olympia. Pacific oysters used to be used to describe all small Pacific oysters like Kumamotos and Miyagis. Kumamotos, however, were found to be their own species. Pacifics have a distinctly more fluted, sharply pointed shell than Atlantics or European flats.

  Pacifics are usually named after where they are grown, such as Totten Inlet and Fanny Bay, but some are trade names such as the justly well-known Sweetwater oyster from Hog Island Oyster Company.

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  Kumamotos are small, sweet, almost nutty oysters characterized by their deep, almost bowl-shaped shell. Like Pacifics, they have deeply fluted, sharp, pointy shells. They spawn later and in warmer water than other oysters, so they remain firm and sweet well into summer months. Kumamotos are widely cultivated in Japan and the West Coast. The name Kumamoto is so valued that Kumamotos are always labeled as such, although some places will also specify where they are from.

  Kumamotos used to be lumped in with Pacific oysters, but it ends up they are their own species.

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  Many people are shocked to learn that Bluepoints and Wellfleets, Malpeques and Beausoleils are all Crassostrea virginicas, as are some 85% of oysters harvested in the U.S., including most of those in the Gulf of Mexico.

  True bluepoints are raised in Long Island's Great South Bay where they were first found. Today, "bluepoint oyster" is often used as a general term for any Atlantic oyster served on the half-shell, i.e. "New Jersey bluepoints" and "Virginia bluepoints" that can be found at ​local shops and farmers markets in these respective areas.

  Wellfleet oysters are grown in Wellfleet Harbor in the northeastern part of Cape Cod. Enthusiasts correctly detect many differences between oysters grown in different parts of the harbor.

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  European flats are often called Belons. While Belons are European flats, not all European flats are Belons; Belons must be grown in the Brittany region of France. Once the most common oyster in Europe, Europeans are increasingly appreciative of Pacific oysters while Maine and Washington state oyster farms are increasingly charmed by European flats.

  European flats are characterized by their smooth flat shell and lovely seaweed and sharp mineral taste. They have a meaty texture and, for those used to different kinds of oysters, almost a crunch to them.

  Continue to 5 of 5 below.

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  Olympias make the tiny Kumamotos look like giants, often coming in about the size of a quarter. They are the only oyster native to the West Coast of the U.S. Their popularity in San Francisco during the Gold Rush almost wiped them out, and they were believed to be extinct for decades. Wild populations still exist and are strictly protected. Olympias at the market and in restaurants are cultivated, mostly in the Puget Sound and British Columbia.

  Olympias are sweet, coppery, and metallic.

Thank you, modern oyster farmer, for learning how to grow and ship deliciously shootable species that don't taste gross in warm weather. “Instead of only having three or four oysters in the summer, I now have 25 varieties,” says Sandy Ingber of New York City's legendary Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant. “And there's a whole lot more than that.” But these five favorites of his will get you shelled for now.

Pemaquid | Maine
Oysters start to spawn in warm water, and while procreating oysters are safe to eat, they can have a chalky flavor, says Ingber. Chilly year-round waters keep Pemaquids from getting too randy in early summer, so they stay crisp and briny. They're up there with L.L.Bean duck boots as perfect products of Maine.

Bluepoint | Long Island Sound
You'll find Bluepoints in any worthy East Coast oyster bar—Ingber calls them “the beginner's oyster” because they're generally pretty mild in flavor. If Bluepoints are getting their spawn on, we recommend their wild cousin from deeper waters, the Naked Cowboy.

Malpeque | Prince Edward Island
Oysters near Prince Edward Island spend the winter under ice—that's why in January you won't see many Canadian oysters on menus. But one man's frigid, unpleasant winter is another, non-Canadian man's succulent, bracingly salty summer oyster.

Kumamoto | West Coast
Ingber says the flavors of West Coast oysters can blend together, but the Kumamoto stands out. The tiny morsel inside comes with “a little hint of cucumber and a little hint of melon,” he says. “There's no oyster that's like a Kumamoto.”

Coromandel | New Zealand
If you find Coromandels on the menu, then you've found yourself a grade-A oyster joint. Our summer is New Zealand's winter, so instead of chalkiness you get a kind of sweet-and-salty blend. Shoot them one of two ways: with a good stout (to complement the brine) or with a citrusy cocktail (to highlight the sweetness).

Two Easy, Summery Sauces To Replace The Usual Mignonette

The Double Shellfish
First, from Mike Lata, the brains behind Charleston oyster bar The Ordinary, an extraordinary oyster topping.

"This dish was inspired by a cocktail tower I ate at Balthazar years ago. It came with a crab salad, and as I was eating a dozen raw oysters I thought, hell, I bet the crab salad would be delicious on the oyster. And damned if I wasn’t onto something. Makes enough that you’ll have some leftovers to spread on toast or simply eat off a fork. No judgments here."

Makes enough

• 1 can Peekytoe or Lump crab meat
• 1 cup Duke’s mayonnaise
• Juice of 2 limes (about 2 tbsp.)
• Zest of 2 limes
• 1 medium jalapeño, minced (about 1 tbsp.)
• Small diced red meat radish (about 1 tbsp., with a little for a garnish)
• Salt, to taste
• Healthy pinch of freshly snipped chives

Mix together all ingredients until the crab meat and veggies are dressed to your liking. Add a dollop on top of each oyster and garnish with a few diced pieces of radish, for a little extra color.

The Sweet-N-Spicy Relish
And from Giuseppe Tentori—the “GT” of Chicago’s GT Fish & Oyster—a fresh, spicy relish to take your oysters to the next level.

Makes enough for two dozen oysters and can be prepared up to four hours before serving.

• 2 cups seedless watermelon, finely diced
• 1 whole jalapeño, finely chopped, no seeds
• 15 grams cilantro, finely chopped
• 4 grams sea salt
• Zest and juice of 1 lime – 10g juice

1. Stir chopped jalapeño into finely diced watermelon (make sure you keep the watermelon chilled)
2. Mix in chopped cilantro and season with sea salt, lime juice and zest
3. Reserve on ice, or cover it and put it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it

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