Component 1: Banner Box: Title and Logo

Create your own variation on the Case Study banner, including the logo. Like the other case studies, you may want to begin by following this link:

http://winesur.com/wines-of-argentina/meroir-a-complex-concept

If “terruno” is what Fernando Buscema thinks will promote the terroir of Argentinian wine, what will promote your understanding of the “meroir”/“meroir” of oysters? You may create your own variation of things you find here as Amy did using Photoshop (or as Sarah did for our Canvas program logo). Or, you may design something different and specific to each of our case studies. Certainly grape/wine products come in a bottle… your assignment is to create an aesthetically appealing and intellectually accurate logo that makes visually apparent the components of meroir you think are critical to oysters (as most of you did with chocolate and grapes/wine, and coffee).

Component 2: Natural History of Oysters

This component of the Case Study assignment asks each group to create written explorations of the following disciplinary perspectives as they relate to the natural history of oysters. Your text should be at least 1000 words and include a minimum of two images that illustrates your text. Maps, graphs, and charts are encouraged. Include a caption with image attribution for each visual resource. Include at least four references, fully cited, one of which can be a program text.

You may enjoy a broad historical understanding of what natural history studies are: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_history

For our case study of oysters, at a minimum your group should focus on the oyster species known as the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas . Your discussion should address at least the following topics: life cycle and reproduction, native and cultivated geographic ranges, suitable habitat(s) for entire life cycle (include water quality parameters such as temperature, salinity, turbidity, nutrients, and toxins or pollutants), major predators, parasites or diseases, nursery propagation methods, and typical aquaculture and harvest practices, and productivity of the industry (eg. yield of oysters in specific areas or under specific conditions).   In the context of aquaculture, please include a comparison of Crassostrea gigas with the Kumamoto oyster (Crassostrea sikamea) and the native Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida).

*Note: References should be peer-reviewed journal articles when available and appropriate, then books, then websites. Link all references to your oysters Zotero bibliography.

Component 3: Field Study

3a) On your website complete the table of your group’s 3 favorite insights from oyster tastings done in class during weeks 4 (Tomales Bay, if you were in California), 6 (Taylor Shellfish), and 7 (Donedei Winery).

3b) Create a 1 (one) minute video of your group savoring oysters at location of your choice.  How would you express your experience of savoring oysters in the Pacific Northwest?  What is your experience of the meroir of oysters? What is the relationship between salt and meroir?  One minute of a video addressing some aspect of at least one of these questions MUST be excerpted and posted to your website.

3c) Create a post of the most memorable oyster-related thing you tasted.  Describe the experience in detail. Next, describe WHY this was your favorite or most memorable taste.  To build on Proust’s “The Madeleine” and Zuzuki’s “Zen and the Art of Tea” in The Taste Culture Reader as well as M.F.K. Fisher’s Consider the Oyster as examples, please describe as precisely as possible where you tasted what, how it tasted, and why it was your favorite or most memorable taste of oysters.  Fisher, Proust, and Zuzuki’s pieces of highly crafted “tasting” demonstrate possibilities for writing that makes present a key component of taste: the objectivities of human subjectivity (foibles and all). In addition to our seminar texts, here are some electronic resources for learning to taste and to describe the taste of oysters:

3d) The Multi-Cultural History and Contemporary Business of Oysters:  In this component provide images and text that demonstrate what you learned during your Olympia oysters tasting and seminar work regarding the relationship between Native American oyster culture, historical Euro-American oyster exploitation, and contemporary business aspects of oysters.  In particular, and based on your experience in relation to our seminar texts, please address how “meroir” (or components of meroir, such as oyster variety, where grown) is/are being used to increase value, establish authenticity, highlight gastronomic pleasure, and a sense of place in relationship to the business aspects of oysters within a historical and global context.

Component 4: Meroir/Terroir + _____ (oysters)

4a) What is your group’s preferred definition of “meroir”? Answer in under 50 words and cite who you borrowed ideas from. Add your references to the “oyster” zotero cumulative bibliography located in the website sidebar.

4b) Now that you have tasted different oysters, can you attribute the taste differences to meroir? Explain why or why not and do so in a way that convinces your reader. Use maps to support your argument. Your goal is to write in such a way that your reader experiences through your words the experience you had (or didn’t have) of the meroir of oysters. Again, limit your writing to 75- 125 words. 

Component 5: Oyster Case Study Cumulative Bibliography

The cumulative bibliography is where each group adds resources regarding the oysters and the meroir of oysters using zotero. See the fall quarter Case Study resources for handouts provided by Paul McMillan, one of TESC’s Librarians, during his facilitation of two zotero workshops, weeks 6 and 7 of fall quarter.

Component 6: Instagram

A gallery of your group’s Instagram photos from your field studies can be displayed on your website. However, if your images contain people, only images of people who have signed your Media Release Form or have agreed through faculty arrangement (announced of applicable) may be displayed on your website using Instagram. Remember to apply and develop the photo editing capacities of Instagram.