tiny but mighty: meet the Olympia!

Key Takeaways:

• Olympia Oysters Are West Coast Natives: More well-known species like the Pacific and Kumamoto were introduced in the early 20th century.  
• Our Olys Are Grown From Seed, Not Harvested Wild: You can eat them without worrying about depleting wild populations. 
• Olympias are metallic and coppery tasting, with notes of celery salt: These flavors surprise people who are expecting something mild. Think of them like caviar: small, luxurious, and intensely flavorful.

What's the fuss about Olys?

Olympia oysters are the only native oyster to the West Coast, and they have a long and colorful history. Their original habitat extended from southern British Columbia all the way down to Baja California. For millennia they were an important food source for Native American tribes living along the west coast. And they were a big hit during the California gold rush that began in the mid 1800s, which meant that California's supply of oysters was depleted soon after gold was discovered. Industrious oystermen turned their gaze northward for an oyster resupply, and found a honey-hole in Shoalwater Bay (now called Willapa Bay), and pretty soon had depleted that oyster population, too.

Fortunately, the oyster populations of Puget Sound were spared a similar fate because the journey by sea down to San Francisco was just a bit too long for the oysters to survive. So, once all the gold rush dust had settled, the only remaining viable populations of native oysters were found near Olympia, Washington and the name "Olympia oysters" was born.

Olympia oysters don't really like being fully exposed by the outgoing tide... in the winter they freeze in the cold night air, and in the summer they bake in the sun... so they do better in sloughs or on the underside of pacific oyster shells. 

The above photo, which was taken in 1910 by Asahel Curtis (brother of Edward Curtis) shows early attempts to farm Olympia oysters in South Puget Sound. The farmers in this photo have built small barriers on the tideflats to retain water as the tide receded, thereby increasing the amount of habitat suitable for Olympias. 

These oysters are rare but not officially endangered, and they grow wild throughout much of their original range, including our beach. That said, their population is much diminished and there are lots of good folks working really hard to restore native oyster populations... one such group that we work really closely with is the Puget Sound Restoration Foundation. 

The Olympia oysters we sell online are grown from seed, which means they're sustainable (we're not harvesting wild olympias). The oysters are pretty small, as you can see in the photo below, and they're known for a coppery, metallic flavor, with notes of citrus or celery-salt. To shuck them, use the same technique as you'd use on a Pacific species, but do it more gently and carefully.

What It Takes to Farm Olympias Today

Farming Olympias isn’t easy. Seed is scarce and expensive, and the oysters themselves grow incredibly slowly.  Where a Pacific oyster can reach market size in one to three years, an Olympia needs at least four, sometimes more, depending on the season and growing location. They're also picky about habitat. Too much sun exposure at low tide and they bake, but too much cold air in winter and they freeze. Add in the fact that they only survive a few days post-harvest, and you start to understand why they're expensive, why supply is unpredictable, and why the restaurants that carry them sell out fast. When we have them, we're pretty pleased with ourselves. 

Final Thoughts

Olympia oysters are the kind of thing that rewards patience, yours and ours. They take years to grow, sell out quickly, and taste like nothing else on the menu. The history alone is worth knowing: these are the oysters that fed Indigenous communities for millennia, fueled a gold rush frenzy, and nearly disappeared entirely before a handful of farmers and restoration groups decided that wasn't an acceptable outcome. If you've been curious about Olys and haven't tried them yet, give them a try when we have them in stock. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How do Olympia oysters taste compared to the Pacific oysters I'm used to?

Pretty different, and that's kind of the point. Where Pacifics tend toward sweet, fruity, and briny depending on where they're grown, Olympias are coppery and metallic, with a flavor that can dry your mouth out a little. Sometimes a lovely lemony note comes through, which is one of our favorite things about an Olympia oysters taste. They often get compared to celery salt. They have a lot of “body” - in the same way that wine can have body - but lack the satisfying chew of a Pacific. The best comparison we’ve heard is that they’re like caviar… small, luxurious umami-bombs. We'd recommend trying them side by side with a Pacific, if you can, which we occasionally set up at our farm tastings.

Why are Olympia oysters so much more expensive than Pacific oysters?

A Pacific oyster can reach market size in one to three years, but an Olympia needs at least four. They're also harder to farm, habitat-specific, vulnerable to predators, and prone to high seed mortality, which contributes to the Olympia oysters price being remarkably higher. When you're paying more for an Oly, you're paying for years of careful farming and a product that won't be around next week. In our experience, people who understand that context don't mind the price.

Can I try Olympia oysters in person?

We typically harvest Olympias in the fall and winter, and sell them online and in our Oyster Saloon. If you see some for sale online and want to pick them up in the Farm Store, go ahead and email us to setup a pickup order. 

How do I shuck an Olympia oyster? They look a lot harder to open than a Pacific.

Same basic technique as a Pacific: hinge entry and cut the adductor, but gentler.  Olympias are smaller, and their shells are thinner, so you don't need to apply the same pressure you might use on a larger Pacific. Their thinner shells are also easier to accidentally crack or chip, so be sure you’re using a high quality, thinned-tip oyster knife.