Five Tips for Tasting Connecticut Oysters

“You eat with your eyes first.” Take a look at your oyster - does it look appetizing? Is it well-shucked, clean, and presented in an appealing fashion? The body of the oyster should be intact, the cup should be free of sediment and bits of shell, and it should be loosened from the bottom shell and glisten with liquor (we’ll cover “liquor” in a minute). Your oysters should be chilled and arranged in an appealing fashion that invites you to dig in.

It’s perfectly normal to sniff your ‘ster! Does the smell remind you of an ocean breeze? It may be almost odorless, but any smell should be faint and clean, perhaps with hints of fresh seaweed. It should definitely not have any low tide or sulfuric smell.

Sip a small amount of the oyster “liquor,” the juices that the meat sits in (when presented to you, the oyster should still contain this liquor - it’s up to you if you want to dump it out). Is there a pop of bright brine, or do you taste more of a mellow, deep salinity? This liquor tells the story of the waters from which the oyster came.

There’s a lot to pay attention to when it comes to actually eating and tasting the oyster. The texture of the oyster will play an important part of your flavor perception: is the meat plump and pillowy, perhaps with a bit of springiness, or is it more light and delicate, silky and smooth?

Any oyster lover will tell you the only way to truly taste an oyster is to chew it, which allows flavors from different parts of the oyster to be released. An oyster taste could be described as simply “briny with a sweet finish,” or vice versa, but if you pay attention, there really are a number of other flavors present: nutty, earthy, minerality, vegetal notes, fruity, and so much more.

And lastly, once you swallow the oyster, notice what it leaves behind. Is there a lingering minerality, maybe a latent sweetness? Or is there a very defined clean finish, leaving you ready to taste your next oyster?

There are no “right” or “wrong” ways that an oyster should taste - everyone’s palate is different and taste is a highly subjective experience. If you truly want to assess your tasting skill set, you’ll want to avoid heavy alcohols or drinks with strong flavors, cleanse with water and perhaps a bite of bread in between each oyster, and refrain from smoking. When it comes to Connecticut oysters, if you pay attention to our oyster tasting tips, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to see noticeable differences in oysters from across our state.

Bon appetit!