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Samish Bay

Crassostrea gigas

Beach-cultured Pacific oyster from historic Samish Bay in Northern Puget Sound. Firm, plump meats with medium brininess, mild sweetness, and a distinctive refreshing cucumber finish. Rustic lichen-green shells.

Brininess

Size Small to Medium

Shell deep cupped

Flavor Profile

Primary Flavors

Secondary Notes

Plump Clean Vegetable notes Refreshing

Finish

Clean, sweet, with subtle cucumber notes

Expert Notes

Samish Bay oysters are beach-cultured Pacific oysters with a distinctive character shaped by the historic bay where Pacific oysters first took root in 1919. These hearty oysters develop firm, plump meats from their intertidal life fighting the tides on sandy beaches. They offer medium brininess balanced with mild sweetness and a unique subtle cucumber note that reflects the bay's terroir. Often compared to Penn Cove Selects, they present a less refined, more rustic appearance with rough, lichen-green shells that belie their clean, refreshing flavor.

Origin & Characteristics

Species: Crassostrea gigas
Native to: Japan
Grown in: Samish Bay, Northern Puget Sound, Washington
Size: Small to Medium (2-3 inches)
Shell Color: Rough, lichen-green with mossy patterns
Meat Color: Plump, cream to light gray

Perfect Pairings

Best Seasons: Fall, Winter, Spring

What Experts Say

Across 8 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:

cucumber sweet mild briny firm

Unique notes: lichen-green shells, crisp, plump, crunchy freshness

"Rough, lichen-green shells, medium salt, and plump, sweet, mild meats."

The Oyster Guide — Rowan Jacobsen

sweetmildplumpmedium salt

"Full, firm meats with delicate cucumber notes and a crisp salty brine."

Pangea Shellfish Company

cucumberfirmcrispsaltybriny

"Mild, sweet flavor with medium brininess. Firm, plump meat."

Chefs Resources

mildsweetmedium brininessfirmplump

"Rich nutrients and algae from Samish Bay environment, making this location a perfect area to raise shellfish."

Penn Cove Shellfish

richnutrient-forward

"Beach-cultured in Samish Bay oysters have the crunchy freshness of a salted cucumber."

The Oyster Guide - Penn Cove Select — Rowan Jacobsen

cucumbercrunchyfreshsalted

"One of a kind flavor profile, distinguished by a subtle, refreshing hint of cucumber."

Pacific Seafood

cucumbersubtlerefreshing

About the Farm

Samish Bay is home to numerous oyster growers, including some of the biggest in the Pacific Northwest. The bay's shallow, firm-bottomed shores are ideal for beach culture oyster farming.

Cultivation Method: bottom culture

History & Background

Samish Bay was where the first Pacific oysters grew in 1919 after being tossed from their cargo ship. The first commercially viable transplant of oysters from Miyagi Prefecture to Samish Bay took place in 1919, brought by J. Emy Tsukimato and Joe Miyagi, two Japanese men who founded the Pearl Oyster Company.

Samish Bay has been a center of Pacific oyster cultivation for over 100 years and represents the birthplace of the Pacific oyster industry in Washington State.

Did You Know?

First Pacific oysters in Washington grew here in 1919 after being tossed from a cargo ship
The bay has been 'chock-full' of oysters ever since that first introduction
Known for producing oysters with distinctive rustic lichen-green shells

Sources & References

This information was compiled from 8 sources.

Samish Bay - Northern Puget Sound — The Oyster Guide
Samish Bay Oyster — Oysterology Online — Pangea Shellfish Company
Samish Bay Oysters — Chefs Resources
Oyster Farming in Washington, Part 1 — HistoryLink.org
Posts from the Pier: Trevor Vick at Hama Hama Oyster Company — Oyster South
Our Farms — Penn Cove Shellfish
Learn where your favorite oyster is grown — Pacific Seafood Facebook
Snow Creek Oyster — Marinelli Shellfish

Learn More

Biology & Species

Samish Bay