Jim Burnicle holds a freshly opened oyster at the Black Pearl Oyster Bar & Grille in downtown Galveston. Photo by Stuart Villanueva

As we worked on this issue, I was trying to remember the first time I ate oysters.

Laura Elder

I couldn’t. It was like trying to remember the first time I drank water. For coastal Texans, the two are about the same. Oysters are a way of life in these parts and in these pages we take a close look at the vital industry.

Through droughts, flooding and natural disasters, the industry carries on, as writer Valerie Wells reports. And when man-made threats surface, business owners band together like a tight-knit family, as you’ll read in these pages.

On the cover: A freshly shucked oyster with cocktail sauce on a bed of rock salt. Photo by Jennifer Reynolds

Few foods evoke more passionate views than oysters. When we asked on Facebook about the best way and best places to eat oysters, the response was overwhelming and a lot of fun. Sure, some of you thought oysters were best left in the bay, a sentiment that bordered on blasphemy by many a bivalve fan. But a great many of you helped us compile a list, though not comprehensive, of restaurants where oysters are done right, served on shimmering beds of ice and properly accompanied by Tabasco and crackers. If we’ve left out a favorite, let us know.

As we begin a new year, we plan to refresh the pages with new features and improve upon the existing ones. We welcome all feedback and suggestions at editor@coastmonthly.com. Coast Monthly continues to grow, its reach extending to Houston and beyond. We thank you for sharing in that growth.

Happy New Year!