Flavor Profile
Finish
Powerful, coppery, with tannic accent
Expert Notes
The European Flat delivers a powerful, shocking flavor that is distinctly different from Pacific and Atlantic species. It offers a mild to moderate brininess with potent coppery and tannic notes, along with a subtle yeasty quality reminiscent of good Champagne. The plump meats have a crisp bite and tender yet firm texture. Not for beginners—this oyster will be either loved or hated by those who try it. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Ostrea edulis
- Native to
- Europe
- Grown in
- Brittany, France, Yerseke, Netherlands, Maine, USA (introduced)
- Size
- Medium (2.5-3 inches)
- Shell Color
- White with black crescent
- Meat Color
- Gray-green
What Experts Say
Across 13 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: caviar, hazelnut, gamey, smoky, zinc, steel, brassy
"Medium, Metallic with a trace of caviar and hazelnut. This has the loudest flavor of the bunch. The wine equivalent would be a super Tannic Barolo. Complex."
metalliccaviarhazelnuttanniccomplex
"The taste people get from the Belon oysters are a metallic flavor, but the buttery softening does wonders for this oyster."
metallicbuttery
"Sweet and briny with a distinct metallic bite"
sweetbrinymetallic
"A punch of copper-zinc-steel flavors will linger in the back of your throat until you take a few gulps (maybe a whole glass) of water."
copperzincsteelmetalliclingering
"It is brassy, in every sense of the word. Brassy because it tastes like metal, and because it is shamelessly bold, and because when it hits your tongue it slaps you awake like the opening blast of a bugler's reveille."
brassymetallicboldpowerful
"They have a large, plump texture that hits you with coppery, metallic notes, finishing with a strong, gamey flavor that lingers for many minutes."
copperymetallicgameyplumplingering
"Complex, smoky flavor with hints of sweetness and nuttiness, and a powerful, lingering finish."
complexsmokysweetnuttypowerful
About the Farm
The European Flat oyster is native to European waters and was introduced to North America in the 1950s. It is primarily wild-harvested or cultivated using traditional methods including spat collectors with mussel shells.
- Cultivation Method
- wild harvest
History & Background
The European Flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) is the native oyster of Europe with a cultivation history dating back centuries. Once ubiquitous in European waters, it was nearly wiped out due to overfishing, pollution, and disease in the early 20th century. In the 1950s, it was introduced to the United States, particularly Maine, where it became known as the Belon oyster after the famous French river.
The European Flat is considered by many to be the 'Cadillac of oysters' and represents the pinnacle of oyster cultivation in European tradition. In places like Yerseke, Netherlands, and Mali Ston, Croatia, these oysters were historically cultivated on rooftiles in practices dating back centuries. The oyster has deep cultural significance in France, Ireland, and the UK.
Did You Know?
- Also known as Belon after the famous river in Brittany, France
- Related to the Olympia oyster but much larger with an even stronger flavor
- Described as '150% bigger than the biggest Belons' when referring to Irish native flats
- Called the 'gregarious, bodybuilding uncle of the Belon' by oyster experts
- Considered so challenging that oyster experts describe it as 'your Everest'
- The only oyster species scientifically classified as Ostrea edulis, distinct from the more common Crassostrea genus
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 13 sources.
- A Word From White Stone: North American Flavor 101 — White Stone Oysters
- Best Oysters in the Pacific Northwest — The Oyster Bar
- European Flat Oyster - Monterey Fish Market Seafood Index — Monterey Fish Market
- Best Oysters to Travel the World For — In A Half Shell
- CHOW Oyster Guide — Oyster Guide
- Belon - Maine — Oyster Guide
- European Flat Oysters (Ostrea edulis): The Comprehensive Guide — Oyster Encyclopedia
- Belon Oysters - Maine — Chefs Resources
- European Flat Species Oysters — Oysterater
- Ostrea edulis — Wikipedia
- Exploring the World of Oysters: The European Flat Oyster — Made for Oysters
- The European Flat oyster, back from (never?) being gone? — Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
- How to Farm European Flat Oyster — The Fish Site
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