Do you know best oysters in New Hampshire?

“American oysters have a different brininess to them than French oysters that is lighter, and cup sizes can vary,” explains Josh Sauer, executive chef at the Long Branch, New Jersey, French restaurant Avenue. “French oysters are milkier with a metallic flavor, are flatter, and have a little cup.”

Though oysters can be eaten grilled or fried, they’re typically served on the halfshell with three tried-and-true sides: cocktail sauce, vinegar and shallot-based mignonette sauce, and fresh lemon wedges. These light, fresh dressings don’t overwhelm the natural flavors of the oysters (unless you have a heavy hand with the cocktail sauce). If you want to experience the full range of natural flavors, eat them plain and raw by wriggling the meat loose, tilting your head back, and slurping. The oyster is meant to be swallowed in one bite, but if you really want to savor the brine, give it a few chews first.

You may have heard it’s only safe to eat oysters in months with the letter “r” in the name. It’s a complete myth. Oysters farmed in clean water and harvested hygienically are safe to eat all year around. The old adage stems from believing that one should avoid eating oysters in the summer when they can spoil faster. Wild oysters also spawn in the summer, leaving the meat thin and soggy. However, most oysters raised in aquaculture don’t spawn. Some oysters taste better in certain months, however, so do they have a prime season.

The best places to find oysters are, unsurprisingly, on the coasts. These are the essential oyster-bearing regions in America, plus the best oysters to eat in each one.

On Cape Cod, Massachusetts, you’ll find an abundance of must-try oysters varieties, most notably WiAnno, Duxbury, and Wellfleet. Prime oyster season here tends to run from October to March.

Wellfleet oysters are salty with a clean finish, balanced by a touch of sweetness. Eat them plain or with a light spritz of lemon juice to cut down on the brininess. The meat of a Duxbery oyster is fatty and buttery, while WiAnno oysters are briny and sweet.

Cape Cod is home to many hidden oyster gems. Worth mentioning are farmed varieties like the creamy Cotuit, which tastes distinctly of the ocean, and the Barnstable, similarly briny with a sweet, seaweed-like finish.

There are pockets of Rhode Island where oysters grow in abundance. In Point Judith Pond, just south of Narragansett Bay, you’ll find Moonstone oysters (available between September and July), which have gleaming, marble-white shells and taste intensely salty with a “brothy umami richness,” according to one account.

Many other oysters call Narragansett Bay home, like Beaver Tail and Wild Goose oysters. The most notable variety are the Quonset Point (available all year), which have an orange-hued shell. Phytoplankton in the bay give the oysters this citrus color and fattens up the meat. The flavor is clean and light, but one warning: The shells are brittle and difficult to shuck.

Another praise-worthy Rhode Island oyster is the Ninigret, found in Ninigret Pond near Charlestown. Ninigret oysters are briny with a distinctive sweet aftertaste.

The mild flavor of Blue Point oysters make them the perfect beginner oyster, and they tend to pair well with the stronger, spicier flavors of cocktail sauce. A genuine Blue Point oyster also has a briny aftertaste. Blue Points are best enjoyed from September to July.

By 1800, the Blue Point was so popular that seafood dealers pirated the name, applying it to any oyster found near Long Island. New York tried to ban improper use of the name, but the law never really stuck. These days, Blue Island Oysters farms genuine Blue Points from the Long Island Sound.

Maine oysters are famously abundant, and there are too many variations in the state to list here. The standout varieties come from the Damariscotta river.

Glidden Point oysters are sometimes called the “gold standard” of Maine oysters. They have a rich, briny flavor and tender meat that’s best enjoyed with a spritz of lemon juice or a sprinkle of black pepper. The crisp, clean waters of the Damariscotta wash the oysters clear of any sand or silt. Mature oysters are harvested by hand by Glidden Point Oyster Farms.

Belon and Pemaquid oysters can be found in the Damariscotta, as well. Belon oysters originated from the Belon River in France, but in the 1950s, farmers began cultivating them in Maine. They have a metallic, nutty flavor, sometimes compared to a penny. Pemaquid oysters, on the other hand, are crisp and salty. Skip the cocktail sauce and dot these oysters with hot sauce and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Belon oysters are technically in season from September to June, but quantities are limited once the river freezes. Pemaquids taste best from March to December.

Inland from the Atlantic Ocean and running through Virginia and Maryland, Chesapeake Bay is so hospitable to oysters that it once seemed as though there were as many oysters there as stars in the sky. However, aggressive over-harvesting has lead to serious depletion of many oyster stocks in the bay, and the majority of high-quality oysters you’ll find in the area are farmed.

Here, you’ll find exceptionally sweet oysters like the tender Rappahannock, the more balanced Stingray, and tongue-puckeringly briny Olde Salt, grown by Rappahannock Oyster Co. Whitecap oysters are grown in cages where the Potomac merges with Chesapeake Bay and have a sweeter, creamier flavor. The best time for Chesapeake Bay oysters is from September to July.

Virginia has a vibrant oyster culture that extends far beyond Chesapeake Bay to the state’s eastern shore and Atlantic coast.

Shigoku oysters, a variety of Pacific oysters, thrive in the waters of the coast of northern Washington. In Japanese, shigoku means “ultimate,” an apt name for this well-balanced oyster. The meat is briny and firm with just a touch of light sweetness and a flavor often favorably compared to cucumber. Taylor Shellfish Farms introduced the Shigoku to Washington in 2009, and they can be ordered all year around.

Shigoku oysters are suspension grown, a farming method in which the oysters are raised in bags suspended in the water that move with the currents. The result is an extra clean flavor, and because the bags follow the natural movement of the water when the tide goes in and out, the oysters move too. This movement allows the oyster meat to firm up and the shells to “chip,” a process that helps them grow deeper instead of wider.

Olympia oysters, also called Oly oysters, are the only oyster species native to Puget Sound waters. Found mostly in Totten Inlet in the Puget Sound, Olympias are also farmed in the nearby Eld Inlet (where the meat of the beach-grown oysters is buttery and tastes like watermelon rind to some) by Olympia-based Chelsea Farms.

Though Olys are delicate in size (they rarely grow larger than a 50-cent coin), this oyster is a survivor. Pollution and overharvesting drove them to extinction in nearly every other part of Puget Sound, but they live on. Their flavor is bold and intense, perhaps best described as earthy, with a lingering, smoky aftertaste. Olys are highly briny, so be prepared to taste ocean.

Another popular variety from Totten Inlet is the Kumamoto oyster, which is originally from Japan. This oyster gained a following for its sweet taste, reminiscent of fresh honeydew melon, and a mild brininess. Oyster-eating amateurs will love Kumamotos alongside a splash of lemon juice or vinegary mignonette sauce.

“Nothing beats a Kumamoto,” Sauer says, “which has a deep cup, mild brine, and a creamy texture.” At nearby Hammersley Inlet, oysters are plump with a clean, light cucumber flavor that pairs well with the typical accoutrements of an oyster side dish: fresh lemons and cocktail sauce.

Oysters are so plentiful in Hood Canal that you can pick them up by the handful on the beaches. A friend with a cabin on Hood Canal tells me that “oysters out number rocks” in the area. Among the varieties that grow here are the super briny Summerstone and the smooth-shelled, crisp Blue Pool oyster, both grown and sold by the Hama Hama Company.

Hama Hama oysters are one of Hood Canal’s most celebrated varieties and have a cucumber aftertaste and a pleasant saltiness. They’re beach grown and accustomed to moving with the tides and shifting currents. The Hamma Hamma River (yes, it’s spelled differently than the oyster) provides millions of these oysters at a time, also harvested by Hama Hama Company. Though (like most other oysters) Hama Hamas are available all year around, they are sweeter in the spring and have a brinier finish in the fall and winter.

There are surprisingly few places to grow oysters in California. The state simply doesn’t have enough bays where oysters can thrive (San Francisco Bay grew millions of oysters in the mid-1800s, but it’s now far too polluted).

Yet tucked away in Marin County is an anomaly: Tomales Bay, home to Hog Island Oyster Co. Here, you’ll find the Hog Island Sweetwater, the bay’s signature oyster that’s farmed year-round. As the name suggests, these oysters are sweet with a smoky, metallic finish and mild brininess. At Hog Island (where you can plan a “shuck your own oyster picnic” at the nearby beach) you’ll also find French Hog oysters, which have a strong seaweed flavor, and Kumamotos like those from Totten Inlet.

In the cold, salty waters of Morro Bay, Pacific Gold oysters prosper. These fresh, bright oysters have a flavor that’s often compared to lemongrass or the green rind of a melon. Pacific Gold are the same variety as Hama Hama oysters, but the waters in Morro Bay make for a sweeter, saltier oyster once its mature. Though they can be eaten raw, Morro Bay Oyster Co., where they’re farmed, recommends grilling Pacific Gold oysters.

Another farmed oyster you’ll find in Morro Bay is the Grassy Bar, said to taste like fresh watermelon and sea water.

Oysters found in this part of Louisiana are bigger than those found anywhere else in America. Caminda Bay is home to a wealth of oysters — not just the Caminda Bay but the Triple N and the Beauregard Island. They’re grown in floating cages, where they’re safe from predators and can tumble along with the tides and currents. The result is a meaty, rich oyster that stands out for its bold saltiness. The meat stays plump and juicy throughout the summer because the oysters don’t spawn.

This region is still considered up-and-coming compared to some of the long-standing oyster regions on this list. Its oysters hit mainstream markets in 2015.

Salty and rich, Alabama oysters are among the most beloved in the country. In fact, the state was once the number one oyster producer in America. Like Louisiana oysters, Alabama oysters are triploids, so a farmed oyster like Isle Dauphin stays fat throughout the year. The deliciously buttery and salty Murder Point are another Alabama favorite.

However, oyster stocks have hit historic lows in Alabama in recent years. In 2018, the state halted the public sale of its oysters, citing a dire shortage. The ban has been lifted in some areas of the state while it works to restore the once thriving oyster population.

Off the coast of Charleston, near Capers Island, a succulent and powerfully briny oyster called the Capers Blade grows in clusters. Clammer Dave, aka Dave Belanger, harvests them by hand, and they’re on the menu at one of Charleston’s most prestigious restaurants, Husk.

Meanwhile, in Beaufort County, South Carolina, Lady Island Oysters farms another favorite: the Single Lady oyster, which is known for its crisp, briny flavor and sweet finish.

Oysters are the perfect way to start a meal or simply satisfy a desire for something perfectly fresh, infinitely interesting and salty as the sea. It’s that taste of brine, snap of raw meat and variety of subtle flavors that makes them so addictive. Besides, they are a healthy mouthful too, with fewer than 100 calories per dozen and loads of zinc, other minerals and omega 3s. With local offerings now available, they seem somehow less exotic.

Oyster bars are hot on the scene. With Row 34 coming to Portsmouth offering their prized Island Creek oysters, and Jay McSharry and Matt Louis opening Franklin Oyster House, also in Portsmouth, the some-like-it-raw crowd has never been happier. Both houses offer fried versions and other options for dining, but the heart of the menu is devoted to ice-cold fresh oysters, craft draught beers and creative cocktail pairings.

The real beauty of a plate of oysters is the range of flavors discernible — flavor influenced simply by their growing environment.

Oysters are named for the places they are grown and it’s that terroir (or merroir, meaning from the sea) that influences their characteristic flavors. Salinity of water, of course, directly influences their brine as does the varieties of plankton that they filter feed. Nothing is totally predictable, as the flavor can also change with water temperature and the seasons. Skip Bennett, founder of Island Creek Oysters, found that simple elevation exposed those oysters to different plankton, giving them a unique flavor profile and delicate texture. Those racks are situated in the 34th row of his nursery and are offered when available at the eponymous Boston and Portsmouth restaurants named Row 34.

Much like grape varietals, tastes are influenced by their location, and oysters are a joy to explore and savor. East Coast varieties are all the same species: Crassostrea virginica. They are brinier than their West Coast cousins, but there are exceptions. Their shells have smooth ridges, are uniform in color and have a teardrop shape. East Coast varieties are grown in the Pacific too, but their flavor profiles are influenced by differences in water temperature.

Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) are native to the pacific coast of Asia. They have rough shells  with ruffled edges, are creamy and can finish with a fruity flavor. They are sweeter and less briny than their East Coast cousins.

Kumamoto are their own species, originally from Japan, and are the sweetest of all. They are small, have a deep cup and are considered a delicacy.

In general, oysters from the warm waters of the Gulf are large, plump and mostly used for frying or stew — still a good thing. It’s the cold waters of New England that produce crisp and flavorful oysters enjoyed best raw so, especially in the summer, look for varieties from the north.

Historically and ecologically, oysters are important to the health of Great Bay’s estuary. After all, Native Americans named a feeding water source the Oyster River. As filter feeders, a single oyster can cleanse 30 gallons of water a day. The Nature Conservancy and the University of New Hampshire, together with other partners, are rebuilding the degraded oyster reef habitat. Three and a half million oysters have been added to the system since 2009 while the restored reefs help maintain fish nurseries and eelgrass beds.

Although oyster seed is inexpensive, the trip to the raw bar is fraught with predation, disease and hard work, but the economics look appealing to aspiring farmers of the sea. Several commercial oyster farmers are working with the project and selling their oysters to local seafood restaurants, including Surf Seafood and Franklin Oyster House. Fat Dog was established in 2011 and began retailing in 2013 and are offered at Row 34 and Franklin Oyster House. Fox Point Oysters is operated by Laura Ward. Her oysters are offered at the Carriage House in Rye and Newick’s of Dover. Goat Island Oyster Company has relationships with Surf and Jumpin’ Jay’s Fish Cafe. Other farmers include Moose Cove, Wagon Hill and Little Grizzlies, all available at Franklin.

With Great Bay offerings in the mix and top-rated oysters from up and down the East Coast, it’s time to savor the sea and support your local oyster farmer.

Discovering oysters for the uninitiated is a challenge that generally needs to be bolstered by peer pressure and a classic gin martini. It’s a pretty simple technique. With the oyster fork, check to see that, indeed, the shucker has loosened the meat from the shell. After giving a thankful nod to a living creature, delicately lift the half shell from the bed of ice, being careful not to lose the creature’s liquid pooling in the shell.

Have the smooth edge of the shell facing you and lift to your nose and inhale. The aroma should transport you to the sea. Open your mouth and let the meat slide in. Give it two or three chews. Savor the brine. Is it too salty? Some people enjoy the salt while others prefer milder varieties. Swallow.

For beginners, it is recommended to start with a small oyster and have the first one naked. That’s the only way to experience its real flavor before it is masked by a mignonette (light sauce made with shallots, champagne vinegar and dry white wine) or worse, Tabasco sauce. The beauty of the oyster bar is that the server can offer suggestions based on preferences. Select at least two each of the varieties, and start mild and finish with the most briny. Eventually, you will eschew all condiments. Naked is best.

Island Creek Oyster farmers let their best oysters spawn under warm water conditions, after choosing  those with the best genetics — a disease-resistant fast-grower with a deep cup to hold a meaty oyster. While spawning, the oysters spew out gametes or larvae that start the process of creating an oyster. It takes several tank changes in controlled conditions before the simple organisms start to set their shells. Some oyster farmers cast the seed at this point into the ocean for wild harvesting while others purchase seed oysters, growing them out in cages of various sizes while they develop larger shells. If you look at an oyster shell carefully, you can see the first hard shell the oyster produced at the tip of the shell.

The perfect oyster shape is teardrop with a deep cup. Some farmers chip off the ends of the oyster to promote that shape. In all, it can take one and a half to three years for an oyster to mature. Looking again closely at the shell, you can see the growth rings as the oyster grows more in summer and less in the winter.

Atlantic Grill Rye, theatlanticgrill.com Oysters on the half shell ($2.50, 12 for $24) Raw bar also includes clams, shrimp, king crab and a seafood tower.

Bedford Village Inn* Bedford, bedfordvillageinn.com Buck-a-Shuck Monday through Wednesday

Burtons Grill* Nashua, burtonsgrill.com Wednesdays, starting at 4 p.m. until supplies last $1 oysters and cocktail shrimp

The Centennial Concord, thecentennialhotel.com Oysters on the half shell, market price

Demeters Steakhouse Portsmouth, demeterssteakhouse.com Oysters on the half shell ($3) Shellfish tower ($56)

Dinnerhorn Seafood Restaurant & Oyster Bar Portsmouth, dinnerhorn.com Six Blue Point oysters on the half shell ($12.95)

The Dolphin Striker Portsmouth, dolphinstriker.com Oysters 6 for $12, 12 for $20

Epoch Restaurant Exeter, epochrestaurant.com Oysters on the half shell ($3)

Franklin Oyster House* Portsmouth, franklinoysterhouse.com Operated by Matt Louis, co-owner of Moxy Eight or more oyster selections, with at least four from Great Bay daily Look for $1.25 oyster specials at happy hour. The $.25 will go to reclamation projects in Great Bay.

Hooked Seafood Restaurant Manchester, hookedonignite.com Full raw bar with market price oysters on the half shell

Hanover Street Chophouse Manchester, hanoverstreetchophouse.com Raw bar includes oysters on the half shell, $16/$30

Jumpin’ Jay’s Fish Café* Portsmouth, jumpinjays.com Oysters $3, Buck-a-Shuck in the fall on Tuesdays Raw bar also includes, shrimp cocktail, snow crab claws and littleneck clams

Library Restaurant at the Rockingham House Portsmouth, libraryrestaurant.com Oysters on the half shell ($2.50)

Latitudes at Wentworth New Castle, wentworth.com Local oysters are part of the chilled seafood platter. ($39) Terrific views

Martingale Wharf Portsmouth, martingalewharf.com Oysters on the half shell ($2.50)

Not Your Average Joe’s* Nashua, notyouraveragejoes.com Buck-a-Shuck on Mondays evenings, Nashua location only

The Oar House Portsmouth, portsmouthoarhouse.com Oysters on the half shell ($2.50)

110 Grill* Nashua, 110grill.com Happy hour, Sunday through Thursday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. $1 oysters and shrimp cocktail, 1/2 off select drafts and signature cocktails.

Pearl Restaurant & Oyster Bar Peterborough, pearl-peterborough.com Choice of six oysters ($2.75)

The Restaurant at Burdick’s Walpole, 47mainwalpole.com Oysters on the half shell are part of their French bistro tradition.

Row 34 Portsmouth, row34nh.com Second location for Boston’s Row 34 is in trendy Portwalk Place across from the British Beer Company. Ownership is also involved with Island Creek Oyster Bar that supplies their own oysters from Island Creek. Row 34 refers to oysters that are racked and bagged and kept off the bottom for a delicate shell and meat. Not always available, but if they are on the oyster list, order them. ($2.50 to $3)

Surf Seafood* Nashua and Portsmouth, surfseafood.com Buck-a-Shuck the last Wednesday of the month, Nashua location only Wednesday, 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Two-Fifty Market Sheraton Hotel, Portsmouth, 250market.com Oysters on the half shell (6 for $15)

The rhythmic motion of an oyster shucker can be mesmerizing. With a flick of the wrist, they pop open stubborn shells, and before you know it, a dozen glistening oysters are laid upon an icy bed, ready to take the tongue on an exquisite culinary adventure.

Many visitors to New England seafood houses feel obligated to order steamy lobsters or creamy clam chowders. But once they get a good look at a tray of just-shucked oysters, they often break from tradition, reject the plastic bib and explore local bivalves.

What makes New England oysters so special? They along with every oyster on the planet have a unique merroir, which means their taste reflects the environment where they're grown. The body of water, salinity level, temperature, movement of waves, season, rainfall, food source, and method of how they were raised all play a role.

Northeastern oysters enjoy colder waters than their southern counterparts in the Chesapeake Bay or Gulf of Mexico, which makes them a special treat in the spring and summer. And the Atlantic's salty waves infuse a distinct briny flavor that stands out with just a spritz of lemon and pairs splendidly with a crisp white wine.

New England raw bars present a diverse experience in oyster merroir thanks to the region's wide variety of places where local bivalves are raised. You find aquafarms and wild oyster beds splashed by the Atlantic's salty waves, and oysters thriving in salt ponds, freshwater tributary rivers and creeks, and protective coves and inlets that allow them to grow firm and plump.

Maine's year-round chilly waters yield oysters that take longer to mature, often three to four years, but they develop spectacular texture and flavor profiles. The Damariscotta River estuary, known for its cold deep waters, creates an oyster utopia for the multitude of aquafarmers who harvest award-winning bivalves from the river's nutrient-rich shoreline.

Wellfleets, named after the harbor where they reside, have been the standard bearer of Massachusetts oysters for centuries, with their plump meat and high salinity. But oysters from neighboring bodies of water are now vying for attention, including Buzzards Bay, Narragansett Bay and the salt ponds of Rhode Island. And a New England oyster menu would not be complete without Blue Points on the list, as they are Long Island Sound's salty darling of the bivalve world.

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The abundance of choices for sampling New England oysters can be overwhelming. To narrow down your options, first consider your taste preferences. Are you a fan of robust salty flavors or do you prefer sweet buttery undertones? And be sure to ask the shucker or your server which oysters came into the restaurant this morning, so you can sample the freshest local bivalves in the house.

As you cruise up the New England coast this spring, keep the following oyster chart at hand for guidance about what to order. Marinalife's 20 favorite oysters are likely to appear on a seafood house chalk board or menu, and you can use them as a starting point for a delicious oyster feast.

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Beaver Trail - Rhode Island - Large, cupped oyster; unique beaver tail shape; grown in suspended trays beneath East Passage of Narragansett Bay; briny flavor.

‍Belon - Harpswell, ME - Also known as European Flats; transported from France in the 1950s and flourish in Casco Bay; best eaten with a pinch of lemon.

‍Blue Point - New York/Connecticut - Many oysters from Long Island Sound are called Bluepoint and most come from the Connecticut side; very popular, mild flavor.

Chatham - West Chatham, MA - Farmed on Cape Cod's southeastern rim in a salt pond; firm meat, sturdy shell, very salty flavor that's enhanced with a lemon spritz.

Copps Island - Norwalk, CT - Aquafarmed by a family since the 1940s off the shores of Norwalk and Westport, CT; plump meats with a sweet briny taste.

Cotuit - Village of Cotuit, Cape Cod, MA - Since 1857 grown in a cove with eelgrass and algae that turns the shells green; moderate salinity with a sweet finish.

Cuttyhunk - Cuttyhunk, MA - Grown in pristine waters of Cuttyhunk Island's West End Pond and live on natural phytoplankton; bold briny flavor.

Duxbury - Duxbury, MA - The meats are plump and firm, but the shells may be irregularly shaped; sweet and buttery with a crisp brine.

Glidden Point - Edgecomb, ME - Slow grown for at least four years in the deep cold waters of the Damariscotta River creates a deep cup; hefty weight; crisp taste.

Island Creek - Duxbury, MA - Grown in Duxbury Bay on the coast south of Boston; perfect combo of buttery and briny, best slurped with a local craft lager.

Katama Bay - Martha's Vineyard, MA - Considered one of New England's best oysters and sometimes called Sweet Petites; expect high salinity with a creamy sweet finish.

‍Moonstone - Point Judith, RI - Grown in Point Judith Pond around the corner from Narragansett Bay; known for its pearly white shells, deep cup and robust brine.

Mystic - Mystic, CT - Raised in sandy beds where Noank River converges with the currents of Long Island and Block Island Sounds; intense salinity.

‍Pemaquid Point - Maine - Grown in the Damariscotta River by Dodge Cove Oysters, one of Maine's first oyster farms; briny, lemony and clean flavor.

‍Quonset Point - Rhode Island - Orange tinted shells with a deep cup, farmed on Narragansett Bay; less salty than many Atlantic oysters with a sweet creamy finish.

‍Riptide - Westport, MA - Unique flavor from nearby salt pond and freshwater creeks; moderate brine and earthy finish; perfect with crisp, dry white wines.

‍Taunton Bay - Taunton Bay, ME - Raised near Acadia National Park; one of Maine's northernmost oysters; deep cup and silky firm meat; high salinity and sweet finish.

Watch Hill - Watch Hill, RI - Grown in Winnapaug Pond and protected by a barrier beach; mild saltiness finished with a mellow buttery flavor.

Wellfleet - Wellfleet, MA - Likely the most popular and famous New England oyster; from protected intertidal flats of Wellfleet Harbor; light body, heavy salinity.

Deep cups, with a fruity, almost berry-like finish. The Indian name means “fast water.”

White to brown in coloring, with medium cups and light and clean brininess; somewhat sweet.

Medium to large size; silky-smooth meat, with a clean and lingering ocean essence.

Big boys from the Damariscotta River, with a slightly briny, crisp, and clean ocean flavor.

Large shells with small meat; sweet and slightly nutty in flavor.

Often power washed to produce pearl-white shells; silky-smooth meat with a full-bodied, rich saltiness.

Very plump, with a crisp, cold-water richness.

Deep cups filled with plump meats; mild saltiness and a sweet finish.

Medium size, with a creamy, nutlike taste at first and a clean, briny finish.

Wild samples vary from very good to excellent; deep cups brimming with strong brininess and a sweet seaweed flavor. Farmed Wellfleets are also consistently good, with a similar sweet and briny taste and a coppery finish.

This New England oyster guide was written in 2008 thanks in part to chef Gregg Reeves, B&G Oysters, Ltd., 550 Tremont St., Boston, MA; 617-423-0550.bandgoysters.com