Ichabod Flat
Crassostrea virginica
Hand-harvested intertidal oyster from Plymouth's historic mudflats in Cape Cod Bay. Meaty and briny with a buttery, bisque-like richness. Thick shells and firm texture from cold Massachusetts waters.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Clean, rich, lingering butter
Expert Notes
Ichabod Flat oysters are classic Cape Cod Bay oysters with a distinctly meaty, savory character. Harvested from the historic mudflats of Plymouth where the Pilgrims once dug clams, these hand-harvested oysters develop thick shells and firm texture from the cold waters of Cape Cod Bay. They showcase a pronounced briny profile balanced with buttery richness, often compared to seafood bisque, making them robust and satisfying. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea virginica
- Native to
- USA
- Grown in
- Plymouth, Massachusetts, Kingston Bay, Cape Cod Bay
- Size
- Medium to Large (3-4 inches)
- Shell Color
- Gray-white with thick, gnarly shells
- Meat Color
- Cream to light gray
What Experts Say
Across 6 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: bisque-like, seafood bisque
"Classic Cape Cod Bay oyster profile: Briny, buttery, and rich, like seafood bisque. Really good. Nice size and shell shape."
brinybutteryrichbisque-like
"A med/large sized, briny oyster, they have a very clean taste as do most decent Northeastern oysters. They have a medium firmness within the spectrum of the more-firm Northeastern oyster. Beyond their clean brine, there's not much else going on in terms of flavor."
brinycleanmedium firmness
"Pretty briny, a little buttery. Not particularly complex but available year round and you know what you're gonna get."
brinybuttery
"They tend significantly toward the meaty, savory end of the spectrum especially in comparison to the Island Creeks. They have a nice buttery taste while still taking advantage of the crisp texture (and thick shells) that the cold waters of CCB (Cape Cod Bay) lends its shellfish."
meatysavorybutterycrisp texture
"Ichabod Flat Oysters are grown and harvested in Plymouth Bay by farmer Don Wilkinson, one of the original farmers in the State. Ichabods are renowned for their quality and consistency."
qualityconsistent
About the Farm
Ichabod Flat Oysters
Est. 2010Founded by Don Wilkinson and brothers Sean & Michael Withington as the first oyster farms in Plymouth's rapidly-growing aquaculture program. Don Wilkinson was a legend from the 1980s musseling days when Plymouth Bay was known for abundant wild mussels rather than oysters.
- Cultivation Method
- bags-to-beach
History & Background
Plymouth Bay wasn't famous for oysters until the 2010s - in fact, no oysters grew there at all in the 1980s. The bay was known for its succulent wild mussels that occurred in such abundance that fortunes were made year in and year out. By law they had to be dug by hand, sometimes up to 4,000 lbs per man per day. Don Wilkinson was one of the legendary mussel diggers before transitioning to oyster farming.
Ichabod Flat oysters are harvested from the very mud where the Pilgrims used to dig clams. They are grown right in between the Island Creeks, Rocky Nooks, and Howland's Landings in historic Plymouth Bay. These oysters have been spotted on menus up and down the eastern seaboard, from Boston to Key West.
Did You Know?
- Harvested from the same mudflats where Pilgrims dug clams
- Grown in the same waters that once produced fortunes in wild mussels
- All hand-harvested which gives them maximum shelf-life
- Seals have been known to hang out near the growing areas
- Named after Ichabod Flat, a historic area in Plymouth Bay
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 6 sources.
- Ichabod Flat Oyster - Oysterater — Oysterater
- Ichabod Flat Oysters from Plymouth, MA — Island Creek Oysters
- About - Ichabod Flat Oysters — Ichabod Flat Oysters
- Don Wilkinson & Co-op Cohorts. Ichabod Flats Oysters, Plymouth MA — Edible South Shore
- Island Creek Oysters, Duxbury MA — Edible South Shore
- Ichabod Flat Oysters | Plymouth MA — Duxbury Oyster Company
You Might Also Like
38 Degrees North
US East CoastA balanced Chesapeake Bay oyster. Mild, slightly sweet with refined brine and a clean finish. Firm and meaty from floating cage cultivation.
Apalachicola
US Gulf CoastWild-harvested Gulf Coast oyster from Florida's legendary Apalachicola Bay. Small, intensely briny, and robust with a distinctive flavor that earned global recognition as the pinnacle of oyster quality.
Bagaduce
US East CoastA distinctive Maine oyster from the Bagaduce River. Medium briny with clean sweetness, pronounced umami, and savory smoky notes. Sun-grown in floating bags with gnarly shells and full meats.
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)
Read article → Biology & SpeciesThe Atlantic Oyster (C. virginica): From Maritime Brine to Gulf Sweetness
Deep dive into America's indigenous East Coast oyster - flavor profiles, regional variations, and famous varieties
Read article → Merroir & EnvironmentWhat is Merroir? The Science of How Environment Shapes Oyster Flavor
Understanding merroir - the marine equivalent of terroir - and how water chemistry creates flavor
Read article →