New harvesting techniques are creating different oysters

There's a growing emphasis on oyster awareness taking root along the Gulf Coast. While many people think of Louisiana oysters as the classic large, briny oysters fried up in seafood restaurants along the coast, new cultivation techniques have led to widely varying products.

NOLA.com's Ian McNulty points to the recent "Oyster Night" in New Orleans, featuring restaurants' showcasing of the different bivalves and the differences that can be felt and tasted in each oyster.

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"Oyster night is every night at a lot of places now. If you're an oyster lover, you can look for some of these specialty oysters at restaurants, oyster bars, and even pop-ups all around the city, even into the summertime," McNulty emphasizes.

"When we talk about Louisiana oysters and Gulf oysters, I think a lot of people picture one thing: the big, wonderful, plump beauties that usually come off the reefs. These days, the textures and contours of Louisiana oysters can be quite different because of these different growing techniques that have taken root, especially around Grand Isle," adds McNulty. He says there are now many small producers growing the same type of oysters Louisiana diners are used to, but in new and different ways that produce unique textures and flavors that can vary from grower to grower.

While folks in the know used to have to buy specialty oysters off the docks, you can now try them yourself at some of your favorite well-known restaurants in New Orleans. Acme and Drago's now serve specially cultivated oysters under the name "salty coast" oysters for those curious culinary adventurers.