But now oysters are being brought into the United States from new sources, such as the Southern Hemisphere, where June through August is winter, and remote areas in Alaska and Canada, which only thaw out in the summer. Oyster farmers have been seeking out these locations for oyster beds, so they can offer consumers new taste options. Just like fine wine, oysters have their own sort of terroir, and those from the Gulf of Mexico taste different than oysters from Maine or Canada. Types of Oysters Also much like grape varieties, native species of oysters are often brought elsewhere to be farmed, making oyster nomenclature a bit confusing. The shape of its shell ranges from round and flat in the Atlantic Ocean to oblong and deep-cupped in the Gulf.
Eastern oysters are somewhat fatty, with a sealike flavor that ranges from mildly to very salty.
Plump and juicy, the European oyster has a flinty or metallic flavor, with less briny tang than its Atlantic cousins. The best known example is the Belon of Brittany, also called a European Flat. It has a meaty texture, but those farmed in the Northwest tend to be milder than those from California. Some examples include Hog Island, Hama Hama, Samish Bay and Totten. A subspecies of the Pacific oyster, the Kumamoto's small size and sweet flavor make it one of the most popular oysters today.