Quadra Island
Crassostrea gigas
Small, cocktail-sized Pacific oysters from Desolation Sound, British Columbia. Tray-grown with delicate, artfully ridged shells. Light and sweet with green apple candy notes and a subtle tarragon finish.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Light, clean with subtle tarragon notes
Expert Notes
Quadra Island oysters are charming cocktail-sized Pacific oysters from the northern reaches of the Strait of Georgia. Tray-grown in the cold, glacier-fed waters of Desolation Sound and harvested at two years, they develop artsy, delicate shells with distinctive baroque ridges. The flavor is lighter than most Pacific oysters, showcasing green apple candy notes with a slight tarragon finish—a testament to their suspended cultivation in pristine northern waters. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea gigas
- Native to
- Japan
- Grown in
- Desolation Sound, Strait of Georgia, Discovery Islands, British Columbia
- Size
- Small (2-3 inches)
- Shell Color
- White with pink and brown flecks, baroque ridged horns
- Meat Color
- Light cream
What Experts Say
Across 7 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: tarragon, anise, lettuce, cucumber
"Nice little cocktail-sized Pacific oysters from the very northern end of the Strait of Georgia, in Desolation Sound. Quadra Islands have the cuteness of a Kusshi, with more flavor but less meat. Tray-grown from start to finish, and harvested at about two years of age, they have artsy, delicate white shells, flecked with pink and brown, and lots of baroque, ridged horns. The flavor hints at green apple candy, with a slight tarragon finish, but is lighter than most Pacific oysters, as you'd expect from a suspended oyster grown this far north."
green apple candytarragonlightsweetclean
"The oyster flavor profile of suspended oysters tends to be clean, sweet & light, with meats which are tender and clean-tasting. Mild flavor with a green apple accent and a hint of anise."
cleansweetlighttendergreen apple
"Black Pearl, Quadra Island with very interesting firm flesh, light brine, lettuce like finish."
firmlight brinelettuce
"A solid choice for an oyster. Dainty with a mild flavour, light salinity and metallic finish. Would recommend with fresh horse radish to balance with the tinny aftertaste."
daintymildlight salinitymetallic
"I get these amazing beach oysters from Outlandish Shellfish Guild in Harriot Bay on Quadra Island. Each oyster is the size of your hand and around 9 years old. The depth of flavor is what makes this dish work, it's an umami tsunami from the marmite, the cucumber-metallic finish of the oyster and the rich duxelle."
cucumbermetallicumamirich
About the Farm
Sawmill Bay Shellfish
Sawmill Bay Shellfish is based on beautiful Quadra Island in British Columbia, Canada with farms located in the glacier-fed ocean waters of the Discovery Islands. This family business produces oysters and clams in an environmentally sustainable and ethical manner.
- Cultivation Method
- suspended culture
History & Background
Quadra Island's oyster farming began in the 1920s when Squirrel Cove saw cultivation of clams and oysters, with Quadra Island's Heriot Bay Inn holding a lease. The region has a long history of mariculture, with First Nations cultivating clam gardens for millennia before settler arrival.
Located in Desolation Sound at the very northern end of the Strait of Georgia, Quadra Island oysters are part of British Columbia's renowned shellfish region. The Discovery Islands area, where these oysters are grown, features glacier-fed ocean waters that contribute to the oysters' clean, pristine quality.
Did You Know?
- Tray-grown oysters like Quadra Islands have brittle shells since they never had to fight for survival on the beach
- Quadra Islands are harvested at about two years of age, much younger than some beach oysters which can be 9 years old
- The oysters develop artsy, delicate white shells flecked with pink and brown, with baroque ridged horns
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 7 sources.
- Quadra Island - British Columbia — The Oyster Guide
- Quadra Island Oysters — Chefs Resources
- Introduction to Oysters overview — Industrial Plankton
- Sawmill Bay Shellfish — Sawmill Bay Shellfish
- Derek Dammann's Baked Oysters with Marmite — Andrew Zimmern
- Black Pearl Oyster — OysteRater
- The origins of Cortes Island's Shellfish Industry — Cortes Currents
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