The Small but Mighty Oyster

Why does the oyster — amorphous, slimy, hidden in a shell that’s craggier and stranger than that of a scallop or a clam — capture so many food-lovers’ hearts? What exactly is an oyster? Why are most of the oysters we eat farmed? And why, unlike other farmed seafood, are they considered such a benefit to their environment? In this episode, we head to the farm — the oyster farm — and talk to various experts to understand more about this beloved and very sustainable bivalve.

This episode features Rowan Jacobsen, author of A Geography of Oysters: The Connoisseur's Guide to Oyster Eating in North America and The Essential Oyster: A Salty Appreciation of Taste and Temptation, Dr. Christopher Gobler, professor at Stony Brook University's School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, plus a visit to Hog Island Oyster Co. in Marshall, California. 

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