Basic Profile

Origin
Town Cove, Nauset Harbor and the Cape Cod Bay flats, Eastham, Massachusetts, USA
Species
Crassostrea virginica (Eastern Oyster)
Classification
Farmed on town-licensed grants
Farming Method
Small grants on tidal flats and in Town Cove
Producer
Eastham's licensed growers, including Collins Cove Oyster Farm
Visual Signature
Eastern oyster shell

In August 2019 Eastham had 26 aquaculture licenses and a waiting list of more than 40 applicants. Five years earlier it had 17 licenses and no list at all.1

First Encounter Beach at Eastham, on Cape Cod Bay
First Encounter Beach at Eastham, on Cape Cod Bay. Photo: Marco Nürnberger / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

A Grant From 1928

Jared Collins of Collins Cove Oyster Farm works three small grants in Town Cove, one of them the first ever issued in Eastham, in 1928. He grows 300,000 to 400,000 oysters. Other growers work one-acre plots on the Cape Cod Bay side.1

The state counts Eastham and Orleans together. In 2018 the two towns landed 1.84 million oysters worth $1.04 million, after a 300% rise in harvest since 2014.1

The Name Problem

One grower who left the business in 2018 after a decade at First Encounter Beach put it plainly: Eastham oysters lack the Wellfleet legacy, which makes them harder to sell once the summer crowds leave after Labor Day.1

Flavor Breakdown

Bay side
The Cape Cod Bay flats are the same water as Wellfleet, a few miles south. Our scores put brine and minerality high and sweetness low.
Town Cove
The cove opens to the Atlantic through Nauset Harbor, so it is ocean-fed as well. Either way, expect salt first.

What Makes Eastham Unique

Eastham grows oysters in water much like Wellfleet's and sells them for less recognition. Its numbers are small and rising fast.1

If you like Wellfleets, try these beside them. The difference on the plate is smaller than the difference in fame.

Should You Add Lemon?

No

Salty and firm. Try it plain or with mignonette.

Pairing Guide

1
Chablis

Stone and acid for a salty oyster.

2
Blanc de blancs

Works for the same reason, with bubbles.

OptimalPlain
AcceptableMignonette
AvoidCocktail sauce

Who Is This For?

Will love it
  • Wellfleet fans looking for the next town over
  • People who like to buy from very small farms
Sources
  1. Gallagher, T. (16 August 2019). "The Eastham Oyster Demands Attention." The Provincetown Independent. provincetownindependent.org
Tasting notes & flavor profile in the Oysterminds app →