6 Naked Oysters: Island Creeks, Ichabod Flats, Beach Points, Rocky Nooks, Chatham, and Wild Wellfleets

If you're a regular at Oyster Stew, you know that I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Island Creek Oyster Bar in Boston. (Check out my blog post here.) While I was there, co-owner and Chef Jeremy Sewall hand-picked a half-dozen raw, naked oysters for me to try.  Here's what he chose:

1. Island Creeks (Duxbury, MA)
Obviously, the Island Creeks were a star at Island Creek Oyster Bar.  Not only are they served on the half shell, Chef Jeremy uses them elsewhere on the menu: try the fried oyster sliders and Oysters Gregory.  They are briny and meaty and present.  Such a treat.

Island Creek Oysters (Duxbury, MA)

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2. Ichabod Flats (Plymouth, MA)
Oscar worthy.  Super briny.  Bold.  Perfect size.  And check out the shell.  Bring on the bling.

Ichabod Flat Oysters (Plymouth, MA)

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3. Beach Points (Barnstable, MA)
Beach Points have been grown by Mark Begley for more than 15 years in a southern harbor off Cape Cod Bay.  The oysters are tumbled, which give them deep cups, perfect for holding onto oyster liquor.  They have an elite fan base and often make the Top 10 list of ostreaphiles.  Sometimes compared to lobsters, Beach Points are less salty than their Wellfleet cousins.  I think they are great starter oysters, though oyster lovers will appreciate the nuances.

Beach Point Oysters  (Barnstable, MA)

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4. Rocky Nooks (Kingston, MA)
Co-owners Tom Taylor, Greg Parker and John Wheble are harvesting oysters in Kingston for the first time in 60 years.  We should all be thankful they dusted off the oyster industry there.  I find them similar to Beach Points.

Rocky Nook Oysters (Kingston, MA)

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5. Chatham (Chatham, MA)
Holy briny flavor.  Steven Wright grows these oysters on Chatham's Oyster Pond River.   They are a favorite among shuckers because they are easy to open.

Chatham Oysters  (Chatham, MA)

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6. Wild Wellfleets - (Wellfleet, MA)
You can taste the difference.  Wild Wellfleets, left to nature, soak up all of the sea's goodness.  While many Wellfleets are cultivated offshore by dozens of oystermen, wild Wellfleets take on the traits of the youngest child, breaking all the rules and never getting caught.  Wild Wellfleets finish with a lettucey taste.  In a good way.  The brininess tries to shine, but sea plants shine through.  I like when oysters surprise me.

Wild Wellfleet Oysters  (Wellfleet, MA)