Little Shemogue
Crassostrea virginica
A premium cultured oyster from Southeast New Brunswick's Tormentine Peninsula. Small and plump with medium-high brininess, mineral richness, and a clean, sweet finish. Fresh biscuit aroma makes it an ideal starter oyster.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Clean, sweet, refreshing
Expert Notes
Little Shemogue oysters are cultured in the pristine, cool waters of Southeast New Brunswick, where sparsely populated shorelines ensure crystal-clear growing conditions. These small oysters are prized for their plump, firm meats and medium-high salinity balanced with a clean, sweet finish. Known for their fresh biscuit aroma and delicate flavor, they make ideal starter oysters while delivering the mineral-rich character of the cold Atlantic currents of the Northumberland Strait. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea virginica
- Native to
- North America
- Grown in
- Little Shemogue Bay, Tormentine Peninsula, Southeast New Brunswick, Northumberland Strait
- Size
- Small (2.5-3 inches)
- Shell Color
- Black-and-white
- Meat Color
- Plump, cream
What Experts Say
Across 12 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: crisp meats
"Little Shemogue has a medium-high salt content and clean, sweet finish. This is a top cultured oyster with plump, firm meat."
medium-high saltcleansweetplumpfirm
"Little Shemogue - Little Shemogue has a medium-high salt content and clean, sweet finish. This is a top cultured oyster with plump, firm meat."
medium-high saltcleansweetplumpfirm
"These Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) are raised in the Little Shemogue Bay of New Brunswick, where they bathe in a rich mixture of minerals and Atlantic salinity. They've modernized the operation a bit, but the oysters still retain the quintessential New Brunswick hallmarks of crisp meats, medium brine and clean, sweet finishes."
crispmedium brinecleansweetmineral
"These oysters are raised in the pristine cold waters of Shemogue Bay. Unlike the sweetness of Sun Hollow oysters, Little Shemogues have a quite high salinity and rich mineral flavor."
high salinityrich mineral
"Had at oyster bar in Philly. Small and creamy."
smallcreamy
"Harvested from the pristine waters of the Northumberland Straight in Southeast New Brunswick Canada, the Little Shemogue oysters have thick shells."
thick shells
"This premium choice oyster is available in a variety of sizes. The one featured is averaging between 2.5-3" in size and is plump with firm meat."
plumpfirm
About the Farm
Little Shemogue Oyster Company
Little Shemogue Oyster Company, affectionately known as 'Little Shem,' is a cherished three-generation family business specializing in oyster farming, processing, and sales. Founded by Wayne Williams' family, the Williams family has two water leases where oysters are grown, one in Cocagne, the other in Little Shemogue.
- Cultivation Method
- bottom culture
History & Background
Little Shemogue oysters are cultivated in Little Shemogue Bay on the west side of the Northumberland Strait in Southeast New Brunswick, Canada. The oyster farming operation has been in the Williams family for multiple generations and expanded from a hobby to a full family business about five years before 2020.
These oysters are farmed on the Tormentine Peninsula in southeast New Brunswick where shorelines are sparsely populated and the waters are cool, clear, and clean. The area is known for pristine cold water conditions.
Did You Know?
- The oyster company is affectionately known as 'Little Shem'
- Oysters started out as a hobby for the Williams family before turning into a full business
- The farm uses both top-cultured and bottom-cultured cultivation methods
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 12 sources.
- Little Shemogue — OysteRater
- Little Shemogue - Fortune Fish & Gourmet — Fortune Fish & Gourmet
- Oyster Triple Threat: Three Favorites This Winter — Element Seafood
- The Raw Truth about Oysters — Madison Patch
- Little Shemogue Oyster Company — FishChoice
- About us - Little Shem Fish and Seafood Market — Little Shem
- Meet the Oysters from the Southeast New Brunswick Coast — East Coast Mermaid
- Oyster farmers turn to locals after export market tanks — CBC News
- Dune Shadow Oysters - Chefs Resources — Chefs Resources
- Little Shemogue Oysters - Seacore Seafood Inc. — Seacore Seafood
- Live Oysters 2016 — Fortune Fish & Gourmet
- Oyster Varieties — The Seafood Merchants
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Learn More
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