Cape Blue
Crassostrea virginica
Hand-grown Cape Cod Bay oyster from Barnstable Harbor. Medium-sized with distinctive white-and-black shells, highly briny with firm texture and a slightly nutty finish. Rich New England clambake flavor.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Slightly nutty, clean brine
Expert Notes
Cape Blue oysters from Barnstable Harbor exemplify the bold character of Cape Cod Bay oysters. Hand-grown in the nutrient-rich, high-salinity waters that benefit from strong tidal flows twice daily, these oysters develop a distinctive ocean-in-a-shell flavor with pronounced brininess and minerality. Their firm, meaty texture and slightly nutty finish recall the classic New England clambake experience - sweet corn, shellfish, and salt - making them a favorite among experienced oyster enthusiasts who appreciate a robust, briny profile. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea virginica
- Native to
- USA
- Grown in
- Barnstable Harbor, Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts
- Size
- Medium (3-4 inches)
- Shell Color
- White and black
- Meat Color
- Cream to light gray
What Experts Say
Across 5 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: layered seaweed, Camden sea captain salty
"Cape Blues definitely delivered on the brininess, but they weren't as firm as, say, a Pemaquid or a Glidden Point. Flavor: 6 | Salinity: 8 | Sweetness: 3 | Umami: 2 | Texture: Slightly chewy, soft. Straightforward brininess but lack depth in flavor."
brinysaltysoftchewy
"The complex, layered seaweed and mineral notes of the Cape Blue oysters from the Damariscotta River are wonderful."
seaweedmineralcomplexlayered
"Cape Blue is a Hog Island is a Damariscotta. Grown in the Damariscotta River, known for cold water growing conditions that produce distinctly Maine oysters that are salty as a Camden sea captain."
saltybriny
About the Farm
Hog Island Shellfish
A small aquaculture firm located at Hog Island point in the Damariscotta River. They market their oysters as 'Cape Blue' to avoid confusion with California's famous Hog Island Oyster Company.
- Cultivation Method
- bottom culture
History & Background
The Damariscotta River has been ground zero for oyster lovers for thousands of years, with the Glidden Midden - an enormous 30-foot-high hill of oyster shells dating back over 2,000 years - sitting high up the estuary.
Cape Blue oysters are part of Maine's rich oyster renaissance, grown in the same Damariscotta River that hosts other prominent oyster farms like Glidden Point and Pemaquid. The river is considered the Northeast's Cote D'Or for oyster production.
Did You Know?
- Named 'Cape Blue' specifically to avoid confusion with California's Hog Island Oyster Company
- Grown in the same waters where Native Americans harvested oysters over 2,000 years ago
- The Damariscotta River runs cold, foggy, wide and deep fifteen miles inland, providing ideal growing conditions
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 5 sources.
- Cape Blue - Maine - The Oyster Guide — oysterguide.com
- A Week in the Life of an Oysterholic — inahalfshell.com
- New Oyster Cult - Portland Magazine — portlandmonthly.com
- Blazing the Maine Oyster Trail — inahalfshell.com
- Maine - The Oyster Guide — oysterguide.com
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Learn More
The Big Five: A Complete Guide to Commercial Oyster Species
Comprehensive guide to C. virginica (Atlantic), C. gigas (Pacific), C. sikamea (Kumamoto), O. lurida (Olympia), and O. edulis (European Flat)
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