Basic Profile

Origin
Offshore from the Îles de la Madeleine, Gulf of St. Lawrence, Quebec, Canada
Species
Crassostrea virginica (Eastern Oyster)
Classification
Farmed offshore; single-producer brand
Farming Method
Raised 21 metres deep in the open gulf for two to three years
Producer
Les Cultures du large (Christian Vigneau)
Visual Signature
Eastern oyster shell

Nearly every farmed oyster grows in a bay, a lagoon or an estuary. Christian Vigneau's grow in the open sea. His company, Les Cultures du large, raises its Trésor du large oysters 21 metres down in the Gulf of St. Lawrence off the Magdalen Islands. The seed comes from New Brunswick and spends two to three years there.1

L'Étang-du-Nord on Cap-aux-Meules island, Îles de la Madeleine, Quebec
L'Étang-du-Nord on Cap-aux-Meules island, Îles de la Madeleine, Quebec. Photo: Guerinf / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Only One in the East

A local food guide describes them as the only oysters raised on the high seas in eastern Canada. The company also grows mussels and handles lobster and scallops, and has a plant with a sales kiosk at Pointe-Basse, an interpretation centre and an excursion boat, the Memquit. The oysters are sold in the islands' four main grocery stores.2

Flavor Breakdown

The tourism board's note
The flesh is "charnue, croquante et un peu plus salée": meaty, crunchy and a little saltier than the lagoon-grown oyster from the same islands. It also reports that they are easy to open.1
Why
Deep, cold, full-strength sea water. There is no river anywhere near, and no warm shallows to soften the oyster.

What Makes Trésor du large Unique

It answers a question few farms ask: what does an Eastern oyster taste like if it never sees an estuary?12

A firm, salty oyster from the middle of a gulf. Look for it in Quebec.

Should You Add Lemon?

Cautiously

A few drops. It is salty and crisp already.

Pairing Guide

1
Muscadet sur lie

Lean and saline.

2
Quebec craft lager

Local, and cold.

OptimalPlain
AcceptableMignonette
AvoidHeavy cocktail sauce

Who Is This For?

Will love it
  • People who like firm, salty Eastern oysters
  • Visitors to the Magdalen Islands
Sources
  1. Le Québec maritime. "Au large des Îles de la Madeleine... une mer de saveurs!" quebecmaritime.ca
  2. Le bon goût frais des Îles (10 August 2021). "Découvrir nos Îles : Les Cultures du Large." lebongoutfraisdesiles.com
Tasting notes & flavor profile in the Oysterminds app →