Houston's most TV famous chef teaches the art of oyster roasting in Esquire

It's been a while since Top Chef favorite Bryan Caswell has published his well-thought-out, in-depth musings on the likes of redfish, loquats and red snapper on his blog, Wholefish. Instead the James Beard Award nominee and chef/owner of Reef and other restaurants has made his debut as a men's magazine contributor in the February issue of Esquire.

In a post that's also online, Caswell gives readers the how-to on oven roasted oysters and supplies a simple cocktail sauce recipe as well.

He also talks about his memories of downing oysters while fishing with his dad, and encourages readers to view the bivalves as a food that's more than just an accompaniment to a martini at a fancy restaurant, dropping some knowledge about the subtle differences in regional oysters:

Oysters are the most sustainable food because they truly are what they eat — right down to the mineral content, the salinity, and the temperature of the water pumped through their gills. Don't let the difference in their size and shape throw you; from Maine on down to the Gulf, all native East Coast oysters are the same species: Crassostrea virginica. What distinguishes them is their watery home. Oysters from colder water are firmer, with a flinty, mineral-like taste, perfect for eating on the half shell. But Gulf oysters are sweeter and meatier, with deep-cup shells and more liquor, so they don't dry out when you apply heat. (I like to showcase local seafood at my restaurants, and I'm especially proud of the oysters from the newly revitalized Galveston Bay. But if you can't get your hands on Texas oysters, you'll get good results from larger cold-water oysters, like bluepoints.)

Are you a fan of eating oysters at home? What do you think of Caswell's writing debut?