Since the time I was old enough to order wine in a restaurant, I’ve been captivated by this beverage. I immersed myself in the complexities of wine growing and the delicate art and science of vinification. I delved into the great wines of Burgundy and discovered the concept of terroir—the unique interplay of soil, climate, topography, and viticultural practices that shapes the flavor and character of a wine.
Just as terroir defines the unique flavors of wine based on soil and climate, merroir captures the essence of the sea’s influence in an oyster. The salinity, currents, temperature, and marine ecosystem all shape the taste and texture of an oyster.
I’ve always enjoyed seafood dishes from the Southeast—everything from Low-country shrimp and grits to the gumbo and jambalaya of Louisiana, often traveling to experience the real thing. It wasn’t until a visit last year that the oyster farmers of Mobile Bay, Alabama, opened my eyes to what premium oysters can truly be.
The incredibly biodiverse Mobile River-Tensaw Delta has been dubbed “America’s Amazon.” Five freshwater rivers converge in this lush delta, feeding Mobile Bay with nutrients and freshwater. This unique ecosystem creates an ideal environment for oysters, allowing them to thrive in the lower reaches of the bay, where the brackish water from the Upper Bay converge with the salty currents from the Gulf to mix a cocktail of water with the ideal salinity range to produce exceptional oysters – oysters with a perfect balance that delivers a briny burst of flavor along with the rich vitamins and minerals. It’s here where Admiral Shellfish and Navy Cove oysters thrive in the pristine waters of Lower Mobile Bay.
Eric Ricciardone, co-owner of Admiral Shellfish, explains that their choice of location—a Lower Mobile Bay site with a sandy substrate and shallow, flat bottom—was intentional, placing them within driving distance of great restaurants from Atlanta to Houston. It paid off. Their oysters now grace the menus of 15 different James Beard award-winning restaurants, a testament to the quality and care behind every harvest.
Just fifteen years ago, oyster farming was nonexistent in Mobile Bay. Today, despite the success of these farms, the industry remains small—but its impact on the region’s culinary scene continues to grow. Alabama is now home to around twenty oyster farming operations, though only eight to ten have scaled up to produce premium oysters at a level that ensures long-term profitability.
It seems an idyllic place to grow oysters. “Our neighbors are bald eagles and dolphins, and we can grow a five-month oyster down here,” says Ricciardone. Thanks to nutrient-rich waters, oysters reach their sweet spot for size – a 2-1/2- to 3-inch shell in just 5 to 8 months. In contrast, cold-water farms take years—Prince Edward Island oysters need about four years to mature, while Alaskan oysters can take up to seven.
The Admiral Shellfish and Navy Cove oyster farms cultivate triploid oysters—sterile oysters that don’t reproduce. This provides oysters that are available year-round, free from the seasonal changes in texture and flavor that affect wild oysters. The result is an oyster with a firm texture and balanced brininess, ready to be enjoyed in any season.
Riccardione explains that an Admiral oyster is defined by its anatomy, salinity, and freshness. He explains that oyster farmers spend an extraordinary amount of time manipulating the oyster to produce a flat top and a deep cup, through shaking and selective chipping of the outside of the oyster shell while it is young to form the desired shape. “We invest a lot of time in custom-crafting the shell, so you get a flatter top and a deeper cup,” says Ricciardone. “They’re easier to shuck, and the deep cup holds the liquor better. It’s just a nice, neat package.” In addition, constant tidal movement near the mouth of the Gulf, combined with Admiral’s practice of tumbling the growing containers weekly, helps shape the oysters and strengthen the shells.
