Cold Creek
Crassostrea gigas
Cultivated Pacific oyster from Southern Puget Sound with plump, sweet meat and midsized white-and-black shells. Balanced brininess with a distinctive salty-melon finish reminiscent of a New England clambake.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Salty-melon with a delicate sweetness
Expert Notes
Cold Creek oysters are cultivated in the pristine cold waters of Southern Puget Sound, where they develop plump, sweet meat with a balanced salinity. The flavor profile evokes a New England clambake with notes of sweet corn, shellfish, and salt, finishing with a distinctive salty-melon character. Their midsized white-and-black shells house firm, briny meat that delivers a delicate yet rich taste experience. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea gigas
- Native to
- Japan
- Grown in
- Southern Puget Sound, Washington
- Size
- Medium (2-3 inches)
- Shell Color
- White and black mottled
- Meat Color
- Cream to light gray
What Experts Say
"Grown near Dabob Bay, the upper end of Hood Canal, these take on a good brine."
briny
"Grown near Dabob Bay, the upper end of Hood Canal, these Cold Creek oysters take on a good brine with a melon finish."
brinymelon
"Cold Creek oysters are Pacific oysters from Hood Canal, Washington, known for briny flavor and melon notes."
brinymelon
History & Background
Cold Creek oysters are grown near Dabob Bay at the upper end of Hood Canal, Washington. Hood Canal is one of the only fjords in the continental United States, characterized by steep mountains, deep waters, and glacier-carved terrain with gravelly substrate ideal for oyster cultivation.
Hood Canal is recognized as oyster nirvana in the Pacific Northwest, where Pacific oysters grow wild and are farmed throughout the length of the canal. The area features ideal hard-packed gravel bars formed where countless Olympic Peninsula rivers pour into Hood Canal.
Did You Know?
- Hood Canal is one of the only fjords in the continental United States
- Pacific oysters grow wild throughout Hood Canal in addition to being farmed
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 5 sources.
- Cold Creek Oyster — OysteRater.com
- Hog Island Oyster Co @ Napa — Live2Makan
- OysterFinder — The Oyster Guide
- Hood Canal and Southern Puget Sound — The Oyster Guide
- Inland Bays Shellfish Branding — University of Delaware
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Learn More
The Big Five: A Complete Guide to Commercial Oyster Species
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