Tasting the Bay
A youngster tries his first oyster. ©Kim Warner/VASG
Virginia Marine Resource Bulletin
Volume 44, Number 1, Winter 2012
Even if you’ve tried raw oysters, you may have never really tasted one. Like wine, oysters grown in different areas taste different because they take on the characteristics of their environment. Simply slurping your oysters means you miss these delicate flavors.
At the second annual Halfshell Oyster Tasting event in November, the Tidewater Oyster Gardeners Association (TOGA) helped more than 200 people learn to really taste oysters. Attendees put their taste buds to the test trying to differentiate oysters from six growers who raise oysters at different places along the Chesapeake Bay. Virginia Sea Grant (VASG) and our extension partners were proud cosponsors of this fun event.
VASG Photography Intern Kim Warner captured the salty festivities.
Check out these photos from the tasting or visit the set on flickr.
Also check out this video about TOGA’s first annual halfshell oyster tasting in 2010.
Related stories:
- Oyster Growers Learn How to Stand OutThe new buzzword in oyster marketing is "differentiation" as Virginia Sea Grant Business and Marketing Specialist Dan Kauffman explained at...
- Oyster Aquaculture on Upswing in VirginiaVirginia’s oyster aquaculture industry is poised to begin its biggest growth spurt ever, according to a report from Virginia Institute...
- Photo Intern Captures Virginia Sea Grant Fall EventsKim Warner ran all around the Hampton Roads and Tidewater areas taking photos at more than five events during her...
- A Better Way to Treat Bacteria in OystersVirginia oyster growers and researchers found that simply moving oysters to saltier waters before harvest is just as effective at...
- Improving Treatment to Reduce Oyster DiseaseIn 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a regulatory change that would require treatment of all oysters harvested...
