Dodge Cove
Crassostrea virginica
A Maine institution from the Damariscotta River. One of Maine's first farmed oysters, featuring a distinctive sweet-and-sour citrus flavor with bright lemon notes, restrained brine, and rare dappled pastel shells.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Clean, lemony, refreshing
Expert Notes
Dodge Cove oysters are a Maine institution, produced by one of the state's first oyster farms with over thirty years of experience. Grown in the renowned Damariscotta River where fresh and salt water meet, these oysters showcase a remarkable sweet-and-sour-citrus flavor with restrained brine and bright lemon notes. The shells display a rare and lovely dappled pastel coloration uncommon in Maine oysters. While summer harvest oysters can be slightly watery and translucent, they maintain their distinctive citrus character that has made them a staple of Maine's oyster culture. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea virginica
- Native to
- USA
- Grown in
- Damariscotta River, Maine
- Size
- Medium (2.5-3.5 inches)
- Shell Color
- Dappled pastels with interesting color variations
- Meat Color
- Translucent to light gray
What Experts Say
Across 8 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: sweet and sour, lemony, tannic finish, sharp, powerful brine
"A Maine institution, Dodge Cove was one of the first oyster farms in Maine and has been going strong for more than thirty years. Another Damariscotta River oyster, the summer Dodge Coves had surprisingly light salinity for a Damariscotta River oyster, with intriguingly tangy flavor."
tangylight salinity
"Deep, clean and meaty with a powerful brine."
deepcleanmeatypowerful brine
"Muscongus Bay oysters are characterized by a deliciously light, citrus flavor with restrained brine and a sweet clean finish."
lightcitrusrestrained brinesweetclean finish
"Good sized meat, briny and sharp. Very nice. Another rating noted: Plump, firm, clean, mild, deep cup, medium salt. Lovely shell."
brinysharpplumpfirmclean
"They deliver a distinctive sweet and sour tanginess. These are characterized by their briny, lemony flavor."
sweet and sourtangybrinylemony
"The flavor of its tender meat is slightly briny with a hint of sweetness and a tannic finish."
slightly brinysweettannic finishtender
About the Farm
Dodge Cove Marine Farm / Muscongus Bay Aquaculture
Est. 1977Dodge Cove Marine Farm, led by Tonie Simmons (known as the queen of Maine aquaculture), is one of Maine's oldest working oyster farms. Muscongus Bay Aquaculture comprises a hatchery, nursery, and farming operation on their 30-acre property, reliably supplying high-quality oysters to farmers and consumers.
- Cultivation Method
- floating bags
History & Background
Dodge Cove was one of the first oyster farms in Maine, established in 1977, and has been operating for over 30 years. The farm started out raising European oysters on lantern-shaped nets before transitioning to Eastern oysters. The Damariscotta River area has a rich oyster history dating back over 2,000 years, evidenced by the Glidden Midden, a 30-foot high mound of oyster shells.
Dodge Cove is considered a Maine institution and a flagship producer in the Damariscotta River, which is known as the Northeast's premier oyster-growing region. Tonie Simmons serves as a seed source for many beloved East Coast oyster brands.
Did You Know?
- Claims to be the oldest working oyster farm in Maine
- Tonie Simmons is known as the 'queen of Maine aquaculture'
- The farm's oysters are sometimes called 'Cupid's Arrow' because they're grown near an arrow-shaped point that has been Maine's version of lover's lane for generations
- Dodge Cove offers unique 'Oyster Lover's Tasting' experiences in the fall where visitors can sample oysters at different stages of maturity
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 8 sources.
- Maine Oyster Roundup — The Oyster Guide
- Dodge Cove Oyster — Oysterology Online — Pangea Shellfish
- Dodge Cove Marine Farm - Damariscotta River Oysters — Oysters of the Damariscotta
- Dodge Cove Oyster — Oysterater
- Dodge Cove Oysters — The Oyster Encyclopedia
- Dodge Cove Oysters from Edgecomb, ME — Island Creek Oysters
- Oyster farming thrives on the Damariscotta River — Working Waterfront Archives
- Exploring Oyster Farms in Boothbay, Maine: A Fall Adventure — Five Gables Inn
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