Chef’s Notes
Mason Bostwick · Executive Chef
Eastern oyster
Totten Inlet — Totten Inlet — Strong minerality — clean and versatile. A solid farmed olympia oyster.
Flavor chart
Chef palate read
Shuckability
Shell & line performance
When I buy it
Look for Totten Inlet Oysters in peak season when conditions are optimal.
How I serve it
Raw on the half shell or briefly grilled with compound butter.
What to watch for
Mild salinity with creamy finish. Reject any with broken shells or milky liquor.
My read
Strong minerality — clean and versatile. A solid farmed olympia oyster.
What Are Totten Inlet Oysters?
Totten Inlet oysters are farmed Eastern cups from South Puget Sound in Washington State. Taylor Shellfish Farms raises Crassostrea virginica on beaches in Totten Inlet near Olympia. Beach cultivation runs roughly twenty-four months before harvest at about three inches. The line ships year-round to raw bars and retail markets across the Pacific Northwest.
On the half shell Totten Inlet opens with medium brine and creamy, plump meats. Seaweed and melon notes build a bright, clean cup with signature watermelon finish. Salinity near twenty-eight parts per thousand shapes a full ocean-in-shell profile. Chefs prize the balance of brine, cream, and subtle sweetness on West Coast lists.
Ridged, fluted shells reflect beach-grown heritage in Totten Inlet tidelands. Medium to deep cups in white, gray, and green hues signal generous meat yield. Hard shells and deep cups make shucking reliable during busy raw-bar service. The virginica line also appears as Totten Inlet Virginica on distributor tags nationwide.
How Did Totten Inlet Oysters Get Their Name?
Totten Inlet oysters take their trade name from Totten Inlet in South Puget Sound. The inlet lies south of Olympia in Washington State within Taylor Shellfish tideland leases. Buyers read Totten Inlet on tags when sourcing this Taylor Shellfish beach-grown line.
The geographic label signals South Puget Sound provenance rather than a separate species. Taylor Shellfish has farmed shellfish in these waters since family operations began in 1890. Today distributors and chefs use the Totten Inlet name for this Eastern virginica program.
About Taylor Shellfish Farms
Taylor Shellfish Farms cultivates Totten Inlet oysters across South Puget Sound tidelands. The family began shellfish farming in 1890 with Olympia oysters in Totten Inlet. Brothers Edwin and Justin Taylor formed Taylor United in 1969 to grow the modern company. Bill and Paul Taylor plus Jeff Pearson now lead over five hundred employees coastwide.
The company farms more than eleven thousand acres along Washington and British Columbia coasts. Operations span geoduck, mussels, and multiple half-shell oyster brands beyond Totten Inlet. Taylor Shellfish ranks as the largest farmed shellfish producer in the United States. Water-quality advocacy and beach cultivation innovation define their Pacific Northwest growing model.
Visit taylorshellfishfarms.com for farm updates, shellfish market hours, and direct oyster sales. Taylor Shellfish also shares news on Instagram, X, Facebook, and Pinterest for buyers. The farm supports local aquaculture communities protecting the waters where shellfish thrive.
Totten Inlet Oysters Information
Eastern oyster
If you like Totten Inlet Oysters, then check out these similar varieties!
Location
Taylor Shellfish grows Totten Inlet oysters in the waters of Totten Inlet near Olympia. The inlet sits in South Puget Sound within Thurston County, Washington State. Beach culture uses intertidal flats where strong tidal exchange feeds phytoplankton year-round.
Totten Inlet connects to broader Taylor operations across Hood Canal, Samish Bay, and Willapa Bay. South Sound salinity typically holds near twenty-eight parts per thousand through much of the season. That mineral-rich brine supports plump meats and the line’s signature seaweed-melon cup.
Beach cultivation promotes hard shells and deep cups through natural tidal tumbling. Growers grade and harvest on roughly twenty-four-month cycles before icing for distribution. Clean Washington State water quality standards protect these farm sites from industrial runoff.
Proximity to Seattle and Portland distribution lanes keeps Totten Inlet oysters on West Coast raw bars. Refrigerated handling from tide flat to distributor preserves texture and brine on wholesale sheets. The inlet’s sheltered geography limits heavy swell while maintaining full saltwater exchange daily.
Suggested Beverage Pairings
Domaine William Fèvre Champs Royaux Chablis adds crisp acidity and mineral notes beside Totten Inlet medium brine. Bright citrus highlights the cup’s watermelon finish without masking seaweed character. Serve very cold alongside freshly shucked South Sound cups.
Pascal Jolivet Sancerre brings high Loire acidity and citrus beside creamy Totten Inlet meats. Minerality complements seaweed notes while crispness cuts through plump virginica texture. The wine suits guests preferring Sauvignon Blanc at the raw bar.
Guinness Draught Stout offers creamy roasted malt beside Totten Inlet brine and sweet melon finish. Coffee notes add depth without overpowering beach-grown Eastern cup character. The beer pairs reliably with West Coast virginica service lines.
A Hendricks gin martini adds cucumber and rose petal notes beside Totten Inlet melon accents. Dry botanicals refresh the palate between shells and highlight twenty-eight ppt salinity. Serve ice-cold for a bold half-shell pairing program.
Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut adds effervescence and acidity beside creamy Totten Inlet meats. Yeasty notes complement oceanic brine while bubbles cleanse the palate between cups. The pairing elevates Taylor Shellfish beach-grown cups on special menus.
Where Can I Buy Totten Inlet Oysters?
- Taylor Shellfish Farms – Taylor Shellfish Farms sells Totten Inlet Virginica oysters online with crisp texture and heavy briny flavors direct from the grower.
- Seafoods of the World – Seafoods of the World lists fresh Totten Inlet oysters among its online shellfish catalog for home delivery when inventory allows.
- Cali Crab Feeds – Cali Crab Feeds sells Totten oysters highlighting clean, crisp taste and plump meaty texture for West Coast buyers.
- Taylor Shellfish Shellfish Markets – Taylor Shellfish retail markets across Puget Sound stock Totten Inlet oysters fresh from tide flat to counter when season supply is available.
References
- Taylor Shellfish Farms. Web. Accessed 30 May 2026. https://buy.taylorshellfishfarms.com/cocktail-totten-inlet-virginica-oysters-30-pcs/
- Seafoods of the World. Web. Accessed 30 May 2026. https://www.seafoodsoftheworld.com/product/fresh-totten-inlet-oysters/
- Cali Crab Feeds. Web. Accessed 30 May 2026. https://calicrabfeedsinc.com/product/totten-oysters/
Discover more from The Oyster Encyclopedia
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.