Kusshi Oysters by the dozen

Product Description

• Size: Small (less than 2.5 inches)
• Temperature History: held at 37 degrees F
• Delivery Presentation: live in shell
• Weight per dozen: 1.5 lbs. (used to calculate shipping weight)
• Taste: medium salinity, medium sweetness, bright cucumber finish
• Texture: meaty, creamy, delicate
• Origin: Deep Bay, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
• Aquaculture Method: off-bottom culture, tray suspension, tumbled
• Availability: year-round
• Sustainability Rating: Best Choice - Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch
• Recommended Preparation: live/raw on the half-shell with mignonette or lemon
• Pack Size: by the dozen
• Nutritional Info (serving size 1/2 dozen)  Calories 85, Fat 3.1g, Cholesterol 54mg, Sodium 118mg, Carbohydrates 4g, Fiber, 0g, Sugars 0g, Protein 8g, Selenium 74mcg, Iron 8mg, Vitamin B12 27mcg, Zinc 41mg, Manganese .5mg, Vitamin D 0 UI, Omega 3's ~ 730mg

The Kusshi oyster is tray cultivated and tumbled in Deep Bay, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The small, thick, and deep cup of the Kusshi shell is caused by the tumbling of the suspended trays, and hence the shells, as the tides roll past daily. Kusshis start off with an ocean-fresh taste of salinity, transition into sweetness, and then finish with a fruity cucumber flavor. The meat has an ivory opacity to it, the texture is creamy and plump, and the shells are free of sand and grit just like the Kumamoto.

Oyster Facts

1. Oysters are good for you and high in Iron, Selenium, Zinc, and B12
2. There are 5 main species of Oyster that we eat in the US:  the Atlantic, Olympia, Pacific, Kumamoto, and European Flats
3. Pacific oysters are sweet like cucumber with light salinity level; Atlantic oysters are more earthy and mollusk-like in flavor; Olympias and European Flats are briny with a metallic finish; Kumamotos are sweet and melon-like
4. Fresh water will kill your oyster
5. Live oysters should be well-hydrated and not dry. If they are dry, don't eat them; they are dead.
6. When pairing with wine, try to match the salinity of the oyster to the acidity of the wine. Light, crisp white wines will usually pair nicely.
7. To shuck, use an oyster knife and insert it into the knobby hinge of the oyster, twist the knife like turning a doorknob, slide the blade across the inside of the shell to cut the abductor muscle, and remove the pieces of broken shell and grit with the tip of the oyster knife. It's that simple.
8. When describing the taste of oysters, try describing the tastes as they move from (1) the upfront level of salinity to (2), the body which is typically either earthy (i.e. mushroom-like), sweet and fruity (i.e. melon-like), or vegetable-like (cucumber), and to (3), the finish (lingering taste), which is either one or more of its minerality (i.e. copper), crispness,  sweetness, metallic-ness, ocean-like characteristics, and/or crispness.