Pages tagged Terroir
Why Some Oysters Taste Metallic
Metallic is rarely a freshness problem. The chemistry behind the note, the oysters that carry it, and how to tell a natural finish from a bad oyster.
East Coast vs West Coast
Atlantic oysters lead with salt and a firm bite; Pacific ones with sweetness and body. The species, tides, temperature, salt and plankton behind the difference.
Terroir in the Shell
A sommelier's tasting method adapted to the half shell: what the look, the first sip of liquor, the middle and the finish each tell you about where an oyster grew.
Reading the Number on the Water
A farm's salinity figure tells you more than how briny an oyster will be. Savory taste peaked near 28–29 in controlled studies, below full seawater. How to read the number.
What the Oyster Ate
The cucumber note in a Hood Canal Pacific is a real molecule, made when the oyster breaks down fatty acids from the diatoms it ate. How diet becomes aroma on the half shell.