70% of California’s Oysters come from Humboldt Bay on the north coast, about a hundred miles from the Oregon border. The Arcata Bay Oyster Festival (Arcata Bay is the north end of Humboldt Bay) was held last weekend, and attending reminded me that I have not said enough about oysters. Famous chef James Beard said his two favorite foods were raw apples and raw oysters, and that is a tip to the rest of us. There is much to be said.

Barbecued oysters are the favorite style on the North Coast, Pacific oysters are heated on the grill and dabbed with sauce. These are from the Tides Wharf Restaurant in Bodega Bay, down the coast.

The two main varieties of oysters produced in California are the very large Pacific oysters and the small Kumamoto oysters. Both were introduced from east Asia. The Pacific oyster is now grown in many places around the world. The Kumamoto oyster originated from Kyushu, the southern island of Japan, but problems with pollution and the expense of growing it led to its extinction in Japan. So now Humboldt Bay and the Northwest coast are the prime source.

The sweet flavor and firm texture of Kumamotos lend themselves to consumption raw. Restaurants in the area serve up oysters in many ways. Oyster shooters were great at the Cafe Marina on Woodley Island in the the Bay.

Kumamoto oysters served up as shooters. The sauce is best hot with horse radish, but not too sweet.

The Oyster Festival is pretty much a local affair, for people who know their oysters. The principle of barbecued oysters, oysters warmed on the grill and served with sauce, was extended with exotic sauce varieties. My sampler plate featured Kumamotos with three varieties of sauce: wasabi fish roe and mango, caviar and cream, and a well-spiced savory sauce.

There were oysters fried, tempura, stewed, and raw. Local writer Bob Doran gives a careful rundown of the main oyster attractions in his column for a local paper.

Still, it’s fair to say that barbecued oysters prevailed.

Actually there were no cows, eels, or prairie
involved in their barbecued oysters at this stand.

Are raw oysters the best, as chef Beard suggested? Possibly, but there is no reason to be narrowminded about it. One must try them all.