Calm Cove oyster illustration
Beginner Friendly US West Coast Researched

Calm Cove

Crassostrea gigas

Beach-grown Pacific oyster from Washington's Totten Inlet and Hood Canal. Sweet and creamy with balanced brininess and a clean mineral finish. Cultivated by the Fagergren Family since 1946 in the nutrient-rich waters of South Puget Sound.

Brininess
Shell deep cupped

Flavor Profile

Brininess 3/5
Sweetness 4/5
Minerality 3/5
Creaminess 4/5

Primary Flavors

Secondary Notes

Finish

Mineral, clean, lingering

Expert Notes

Calm Cove oysters are grown by the Fagergren Family, who have been farming the rich waters of Totten Inlet since 1946. These beach-grown Pacifics are bag-started and beach-finished, developing thick, hard shells from their intertidal cultivation. The incredibly productive waters of South Puget Sound impart a sweet, creamy character balanced with moderate brininess and a distinctive mineral finish. Plump, well-formed meats deliver a full, rich flavor that showcases the terroir of Hood Canal's pristine waters.

Origin & Characteristics

Species
Crassostrea gigas
Native to
Japan
Grown in
Hood Canal, Washington, Totten Inlet, South Puget Sound, Washington
Size
Medium to Large (3-4.5 inches)
Shell Color
White with fluted ridges
Meat Color
Cream to light gray

Perfect Pairings

Best Seasons: Fall, Winter, Spring

What Experts Say

Across 6 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:

Unique notes: melon, earthy, balanced minerality

"Beach-grown Pacifics from the famed shores of Totten Inlet, in South Puget Sound, an incredibly rich and productive body of water known for sweet, creamy oysters with a balanced minerality."

sweetcreamymineralbalanced

"Beach-grown oyster from the southern, less marine, more earthy end of Hood Canal. It has an initial brine that doesn't linger but gives way to a high minerality and subtle cucumber notes."

brinymineralcucumberearthy

"Typical cucumber west coast profile, very nice."

cucumber

"The oysters taste mildly salty and the meats tend to have a higher fat content, and are both plump and sweet."

mildly saltysweetplump

"The oysters tend to have moderate initial salt, followed by a bit of sweetness and finish with a hint of melon or cucumber."

moderate saltsweetmeloncucumber

About the Farm

Calm Cove Oyster Company, LLC (Fagergren Family)

Est. 1946

The Fagergren Family has been farming oysters in the same location in Totten Inlet since 1946. They carefully watch oyster condition and harvest at peak season.

Cultivation Method
bag to beach
Visit Farm Website →

History & Background

Calm Cove oysters have been cultivated by the Fagergren Family on historic tidelands in Totten Inlet since 1946, representing nearly 80 years of continuous family farming in the same location.

These oysters are grown in Totten Inlet, part of South Puget Sound, which is recognized as an incredibly rich and productive body of water that produces distinctive oysters characteristic of the Pacific Northwest.

Did You Know?

  • Totten Inlet is known as the 'famed shores' for producing sweet, creamy oysters with balanced minerality
  • The oysters are bag started then beach finished, developing thick shells characteristic of beach-grown oysters
  • Also listed as grown in Hammersley Inlet, which connects to Totten Inlet in South Puget Sound

Sources & References

This information was compiled from 6 sources.

  1. Calm Cove Oyster Flavor Profile — Hama Hama Oysters
  2. Calm Cove Oyster — Oysterater
  3. Oyster Varieties Guide — The Seafood Merchants
  4. USA Pacific Northwest Oysters — ETAK
  5. Calm Cove Oyster Co. — Calm Cove Oysters
  6. Oyster Merroir of Puget Sound and Hood Canal — Hama Hama Oysters