Brazos Monthly

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BRAZOSMONTHLY

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Editor’s note

I

IT’S EASY TO GET caught up in the symbolism of America, wrapping ourselves in the flag, gawking at the Statue of Liberty, humming along to the national anthem.

Too often we overlook the reality that America is a mosaic of people of differing faiths, cultures and personal histories.

For this month’s issue of Brazos Monthly, we touch upon some of those unique characteristics of our country, giving voice to average people who bring their own experiences to their vision of our country. All of them somehow drift toward the same theme — American greatness is rooted in its freedoms and the men and women who have fought to preserve them.

Of course, that’s not the only

Gift package winner We drew Emily Nantkes of Angleton’s entry form as the winner of the Brazos Monthly Prize Package for the May issue.

She received a collection of promotional items from area businesses, plus a Facts beach towel, tumbler and other great items.

To enter this month’s drawing, see the entry blank on Page 5.

The winner of the drawing for the June edition of Brazos Monthly will be announced in the next issue.

part of the American quilt.

There is what we like to eat, a mix of meals borrowed from other cultures and made our own. Anna David Cooper draws from her own heritage and an iconic local restaurant to give that perspective and share some recipes.

There is the dream of home ownership, something that would not have happened for many of our neighbors without the help of Habitat for Humanity.

Photographer Prentice C. James followed the Southern Brazoria County chapter’s most recent build and share the stories through his lense.

There is nostalgia for simpler times that we didn’t know were our greatest times until long after they were over. Contributor John Lowman strolls through the past to paint a picture of how life used to be for many folks.

Take a walk with us this month through the many faces and ideas of America that transcend symbolism and draw purely from people’s hearts.

Michael Morris

Brazos Monthly editor

BRAZOS MONTHLY

Contents

24

Publisher Yvonne Mintz Editor Michael Morris Writers Erinn Callahan Anna David Cooper Nathan Hudson Valerie Jansky Holly Lopeman John Lowman Maddy McCarty Michael Morris Mary Newport Jessica Tompkins

10

Photographers Anna David Cooper Barclay Fernandez Prentice C. James Kevin Jamie Michelle Raye

42

46

Advertising director Cindy Cornette Advertising representatives Jessica Arriaga Yadi Cantu Bobbie Greer Karyn Kadera Editorial 979-237-0148 Advertising 979-237-0130 Circulation 979-265-2999 VOL. 2, NO. 12 All material herein c. 2018, Southern Newspapers Inc., dba The Brazosport Facts, 720 S. Main St. Clute, TX 77531. No material herein may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without written permission of the publisher.

Brazos Monthly is a publication of

720 South Main Street P.O. Box 549 Clute, Texas 77531 979-237-0100

34 10 Food American cuisine, like its people, is a

34 Photo essay Sweat and support make home

melting pot of cultures.

ownership a reality through Habitat.

18 Food Science There are natural options to the

42 Parenting A child with a little sass brings laughs

artificial colors used in baking.

and lessons to a parent’s life.

24 Seeing America Five people from varied backgrounds

46 Fashion How a curvy woman feels about how

share their ideas of our country.

she looks is as important as the clothes.

ON THE COVER: Kenneth Sanchez, a lieutenant colonel with the Junior ROTC program at Brazoswood High School, poses in front of a Humvee at the Brazoria County Military Museum in Clute. Photo by Prentice C. James

Win a Brazos Monthly Prize Package Find this gift box hidden in one of the ads inside this edition to enter Your Name

Phone

Address

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Drop off this completed entry at 720 S. Main St. in Clute or mail to Brazos Monthly Gift Box, c/o The Facts, PO Box 549, Clute, TX 77531.

Must be original; no copies or electronic entries accepted. One winner selected from all correct entries. Entry deadline July 27, 2018.

JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 5

Tom Collins BOTTLES UP

story by

NATHAN HUDSON

The weather is getting warmer outside, and that means lemonade will be back in season. One of the best twists on the most refreshing drink of this time of year is simple ‌ just add gin!

First written down by Jerry Thomas in 1876, the Tom Collins has been one of the go-to cocktails whenever the temperature starts rising, and it’s easy to see why. The taste of juniper matches well with the sour notes of lemon and the sweetness of sugar while the carbonated water ensures a crisp finish.

6 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

MAKING THE DRINK

INGREDIENTS 3 parts gin 2 parts freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 part sugar syrup 4 parts carbonated water to taste DIRECTIONS In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add gin, lemon juice and peel, and simple syrup; shake to combine. Pour into a Collins glass filled with ice and top with club soda.

Garnish with a cherry.

Flip Flop Lager

Galveston Island Brewing Co. Galveston Don’t let the name fool you; this beer is more like an IPA than a lager. It pours like a lager with a bright amber hue and foamy head, and it even smells like a lager.

The first taste gives away its deception, however. Overt bitter tastes found in IPAs dominate the main taste, which can be surprising and overbearing. A good beer for a surprise, but not great outside of its novelty.

Tart Peach Kölsch

Sidewinder

Revolver Brewing Company Granbury This foamy and pale ale pours out great and smells amazing due to all of the spices in it. The first taste has a lot of wheat and agave, none of the bitter hops that typically permeate a pale ale are here. It also goes down easy and pairs well with just about everything, making this the perfect summer beer.

Ballast Point Brewing Company Escondido, California Sweet and sour combine for a slice of peachy heaven in this beer. Barely any head and a cloudy orange center that exactly matches the color of peaches give off sharp and deep notes of delicious peaches. The taste doesn’t disappoint either. Sweet and sour combine to extract all the best flavors of the peach without having to dispose of the pit. An excellent and enjoyable beer for any peach, sour or general fruit beer fans. beer reviews by NATHAN HUDSON

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Beginner Figure Painting with Saralene Tapley

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Intermediate Watercolor Workshop With Robert Ruhmann With Robert Ruhmann Saturday, July 14, 9am-3pm, $75 per person.

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JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 7

WINE LIST

A

AFTER TAKING LAST month’s wine review outside of the box by trying canned wine, I decided to see what else was available in innovative packaging for glass-free summer activities.

The Lake Jackson Kroger has a wide selection of canned, boxed and Tetra Pak wines. You might be wondering what the difference is between Tetra Pak and oldfashioned boxed wine. They look the same on the outside, but essentially, old fashioned boxed wine is essentially a bag-in-a-box.

Substantial amounts of sulfur are added to boxed wines to reduce the oxygen exchange that results from the porous, plastic packaging inside of the box, thus minimizing all the things we love the most about wine: flavor and smell.

Unlike boxed wine, Tetra Paks are made from 75 percent paper and each Tetra Pak liter weighs less than 1 pound, so they can be easily thrown into a backpack for a hike or bike ride picnic. They have a resealable lid and come in 1 liter and 500 milliliter containers.

Our county’s waste management doesn’t provide glass recycling, so the sustainable and economical packaging of the Tetra Pak is a bonus for those wishing to help preserve the environment.

Bandit

Pinot Grigio California I tried this one straight out of the Tetra Pak. It’s dry and crisp with bright green apple flavors and good acidity. Wine Spectator recently rated 44 bag-in-a box and Tetra Pak wines and this wine was rated “very good” at 87 points. It also has taken home numerous silver medals at the San Francisco Wine Competition and won Wine Enthusiast’s Best of the Year in 2010. If you’re going to give Tetra Pak wines a try, I suggest you start with this one, as you won’t be disappointed!

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Provisions

Cabernet Sauvignon Central Valley, Chile I haven’t had the best experiences with red wines in nontraditional packaging so I decided to pour this one from the packaging into the glass so I could examine its color and aromas. It smelled great and paired perfectly with my pizza. It was bright cherry colored and easy to drink with lots of blackberry. It is a Chilean wine, so I was expecting it to be heavy on the oak, but instead I discovered very mild tannins and spice. Worth a try and I would buy again if I needed a glass-free red wine. reviews by Insured and bonded for your protection

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FOOD

add cultures and

Mix Well 10 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

Like its people, American cuisine is blend of many

I

I’VE THOUGHT A LOT about American food lately, trying to decipher what it really is. Images of hot dogs, hamburgers and apple pie flood the internet when searched, but at least one of those dishes is influenced by another cuisine from around the world.

We seem to be at an inspiring point in food culture where so many of the things we eat, like the society we live in, are influenced by multiple backgrounds. I dare to say fusion-food is the American cuisine.

“So much of what we think of as ‘traditional’ American cuisine is being challenged.

We are witnessing a reshaping of the food landscape, and it is thrilling to some, story, recipes obscene to others and photos by and that is when it ANNA DAVID becomes interesting COOPER to me — when the tension between two vastly different cultures creates something new,” writes Chef Edward Lee in his latest book, “Buttermilk Graffiti.”

Lee states American cuisine is one of transformation. And, it is. Our nation’s food mimics its history and culture: always adapting and always persevering.

From it’s colonial birth, the United States has been a nation of one immigrant group after another taking what has existed and modifying it to fit their needs to survive and thrive. The country’s history as an ever-changing melting pot is deeply rooted to its conception and it’s seen most in the food.

JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 11

El Toro Mexican Restaurants Vice President John Mayes discusses the company’s history in his office, which is adorned with the menus El Toro has used through its almost 60-year history.

Native Americans, who likely immigrated to North America from Asia, thrived on wild game like buffalo and bison, freshly caught fish and farm crops such as maize (corn); much of this is still prevalent in our current cuisine.

When the European settlers came over, they adopted the cooking styles of the Native Americans but brought new plants and animals from their home countries, such as bananas, wheat and cows. As native foods depleted and became overhunted by the settlers, new adaptations were made to survive.

The first fusion of food soon began and Americans haven’t stopped blending culture and cuisine since.

In modern times, our national cuisine is less of a superior food

12 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

The original menu for El Toro Mexican Restaurant in Clute in 1960 included fewer than a dozen dinner combinations, a la carte Tex-Mex favorites and a selection of American foods, including cheeseburgers and sandwiches.

made for survival and more of the best kind of every food made to celebrate our diverse world.

Many dishes some might claim as American can be traced back to an international origin, because fortunately any foreign cuisine that hits our border is immediately written into the great American cookbook, slightly preserved but also slightly modified. Like the colonists before us, we continuously fuse together multiple ethnic and regional approaches to make new and exciting cooking styles.

Living in Texas, no fusion food is more prevalent than that of the beloved Tex-Mex; my own personal heritage is shaped by this union of cultures. One of my great-grandfathers immigrated to Texas from Mexico in the early 1900s for work and a better life. Starting as a farm laborer, he soon became a self-employed farmer and eventually, my granny recalls, a real estate agent of sorts. Meals including freshly farmed corn tortillas were a means of cultural tradition and survival.

My life, and the lives of my father and my granny, have overflowed with tortillas, both corn and flour, for as long as any of us can remember.

Could tortillas be considered American food? You would likely be fooled by all of the taco trucks serving Westernized sous-vide pork belly and fireroasted vegetables inside those elevated and herbgarnished tortillas, wouldn’t you? To me, they are.

Around the same time my great-grandfather took up labor farming in South Texas, another local’s great-grandparents made the migration from Mexico to Texas; Moses, Roland, Erick and Alice (Chandler) Ybarra, the current owners of El Toro Mexican Restaurants, continue their late father Eugene Ybarra’s 60-year tradition of serving up “the best Tex-Mex around through superior standards and service excellence.”

I spoke with El Toro Vice President of Operations John Mayes on behalf of the Ybarra family to discuss how El Toro is a shining example of the cultural hybrid that is most food in America.

According to Mayes, and like most people we know living in America, Eugene Ybarra didn’t come from wealth and he wanted to create something that could support his then-growing family. As a second-generation Texan, he worked in his uncle’s Mexican restaurant before branching off on his own and buying the small restaurant that would soon become El Toro Mexican Restaurant in Clute.

The year was 1960.

Tex-Mex, as a cuisine, is thought to have started

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in the home kitchens of Tejanos (Texans of Mexican descent) in San Antonio in the late 1800s after Texas declared its independence from Mexico and became a part of the United States. At that time, new spices and foods such as cheddar cheese, beef, wheat and cumin became more readily available and were introduced into traditional Mexican recipes.

beans and more. A section for American-styled dishes such as sandwiches, hamburgers, steaks and fried chicken also was included. All of the recipes on that original 1960s menu were conceived and created by Eugene and his chef, “Mr. John,” Mayes fondly recalled during our conversation. When asked about the style of food featured on the menu, Mayes responded

The original El Toro Restaurant building on Commerce Street in Clute came down in June 2016 to make way for additional parking when the current building underwent expansion. The old restaurant, which opened in 1960, had been used for storage in its later years.

The cuisine term “Tex-Mex” was officially published and popularized in a cookbook in the early 1970s, but by this time, the Ybarras already were more than a decade into publicly sharing their Tex-Mex food and the El Toro love.

The original two-page El Toro menu consisted of less than 10 Tex-Mex dinner-style plates and a list of a-la-carte burritos, chile con queso, egg dishes, rice,

14 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

it was simply, “Tex-Mex, what they knew.”

While the menu has since rid itself of the “American Style” section of fried chicken and sandwiches, the most popular menu item, the El Dorado, proves the love for fusing Texas and Mexican cuisine is alive and well. It consists of sliced chicken breast topped with shrimp, crawfish, mushrooms and red bell peppers with a white

wine cream sauce, served with guacamole, pico de gallo, rice and beans.

As I continued to learn more about the Ybarras’ and El Toro’s story, I couldn’t help but think about how the Ybarras are living their own “American Dream” Their history is one of many Americans’ today, their passion for people and community mirrors what America stands for, and their spirit for hard work and faith also are the things on which America was built.

The food they serve might not immediately reflect all of this, but I know it reflects the longstanding American tradition of taking multiple cultures and making something spectacular.

For them, it was food.

In the middle of our conversation, El Toro Executive Chef Ricco Kabande walked in and we began to talk about the Ybarras’ impact on Tex-Mex and general food history. He summed up what I think most people who are contributing to this incredible time in American food often think, “It’s pretty amazing to be a part of this.”

American food might not be as cut and dry as one would hope. Yes, we have a few things we’ve coined with little outside influence: Twinkies, meatloaf, peanut butter sandwiches. But, I would like to think when we’re asked, “What is American food?” the answer would be one that’s similar to what you might hear when someone asks, “What is an American?” It’s something or someone from every make, nationality and culture. It’s the mingling of ethnicities and styles, love and understanding, and a major sense of pride. It’s adaptation. It’s perseverance. It’s American. It’s American food.

Corn Tortillas Corn tortillas don’t always get the love they deserve, but they date back much further than their flour tortilla counterpart. First created by the North American and Mesoamerican cultures before the European settlers brought over wheat, corn tortillas are made with maize, the crop that was available

and thrived across the country.

They are simple to make and only include three ingredients as is, so they are the perfect canvas to add to any meal.

Try elevating them by adding in fresh herbs, citrus or flavored fat.

INGREDIENTS

minutes) and let rest for 10 minutes.

Separate the dough into 1 1/2-inch (golf ball-sized) balls.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium to mediumhigh heat. If frying the tortillas, add in 2 tablespoons of canola, vegetable oil or Crisco, now.

Line a tortilla press, or your counter, with plastic wrap. Using the tortilla press, or the bottom of a heavy skillet on the counter, flatten the dough balls until they are about 4 to 5 inches.

Cook in the skillet, flipping the tortilla over until cooked through and light brown areas begin to form.

Keep in a tortilla keeper or in between two kitchen towels. If frying, place the tortillas between two paper towels to drain the excess oil.

2 cups masa harina or Maseca 1 teaspoon all-purpose sea salt 1 1/2 cups hot water, plus more if necessary

DIRECTIONS Combine masa harina and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Add in 1 cup of the hot water and combine until a crumbly dough forms. Slowly add in the remaining water until the mixture reaches a dough consistency and doesn’t crumble apart when kneaded. If the dough sticks to your hands, add a small amount of masa harina.

Knead the dough until smooth (about 3 to 5

JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 15

Granny’s Flour Tortillas This recipe is near and dear to every 50-plus member of my family. At one point in time, we all can remember my granny, Elva David, making tortillas for us. I can vividly recall sitting on her counter as a child, watching her knead the dough and flipping the tortillas with her bare hands, much like my dad and I do now.

We were simple and loved to spread

INGREDIENTS 4 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons all-purpose sea salt 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder 2/3 cup Crisco 1 1/4 cup very hot water

DIRECTIONS Combine flour, salt and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.

Add in the Crisco and using a dough cutter, fork or your hands, cut the fat with the flour until it is well mixed and crumbly.

Slowly add in the hot water and combine until a dough forms.

On a clean and very lightly floured surface, knead the dough until it’s well combined and smooth (about 5 minutes).

Loosely cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Separate the dough into 12 even balls, forming and flattening them with your hands until they are about 2 to 2 1/2 inches across. Let them rest for 10 minutes.

Once more, roll and re-form the dough balls with your hands (again until they are about 2 to 2 1/2 inches across) and let them rest for 15 to 20 more minutes.

When ready, heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat until smoking.

Using a rolling pin, roll out the tortilla in a circular shape until the tortilla is about 8 to 10 inches across.

Cook in the skillet, flipping the tortilla over, until cooked through and light-brown areas begin to form.

16 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

her homemade refried beans across the tortillas and roll them up like a taquito.

For dessert, we would slather the tortillas with butter and honey and let it drip off onto our paper plate.

There’s a handwritten recipe floating around my family and even though I have it memorized and follow it to the “T,” they never quite come out like Granny’s. But, isn’t that always the case?

JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 17

FOOD SCIENCE

True Colors Find natural ways to bring celebratory hues to your foods

18 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

T

THE FOURTH OF JULY and other Patriotic holidays inspire people to be creative in making foods that are red, white and blue. Other holidays feature foods having colors representative of that holiday, such as Christmas being red and green, Valentine’s Day red and pink, and Halloween black and orange.

Sometimes the foods we make feature vibrant colorful fruits, vegetables, herbs or grains. From these items we derive natural food colors. Other foods we create might require using food coloring.

Trying to turn an icing blue or red can take quite a bit of food coloring if you want the color to be dark and vivid.

What ingredients are being used to create these food colors we use?

I have a generic brand of liquid food coloring from a grocery store I use for baking and play time with my niece and nephew. There are eight shades of colors represented story by in the two packages and the VALERIE colors listed in the ingredients JANSKY for these food dyes are: FD&C Blue No. 1, FD&C Red No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40 and FD&C Yellow No. 5.

Other ingredients listed include water, propylene glycol, citric acid, sodium benzoate and propylparaben. I believe I can safely assume we all know water is safe to consume. Are all of the other ingredients in these basic food colorings safe?

Propylene glycol is a synthetic liquid substance that has many uses, including production of resins and plastics. Also, it is used as a humectant — a substance to keep things moist — a preservative and an emulsifier for foods such as liquid sweeteners, whipped dairy products, sodas and some tobacco products. The substance also is found in the liquid used in cartridges for e-cigarettes.

As for pharmaceuticals, propylene glycol is used as a solvent for prescriptions that are insoluble in water. One of the more popular uses people like to bring up in debates about the use of this substance is its ability to lower the freezing point of water, therefore allowing it to be used as an aircraft de-icing fluid and automotive antifreeze. Some of these uses have brought into question the safety of this ingredient on several occasions.

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JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 19

Yellow fears

The dyes known as Yellow No. 5 and No. 6, substances linked to health problems with long-term use, are in many common foods.

This is a partial list. z Cubed or powdered chicken broth

z Breakfast cereals z Kool-Aid z Pasta z Pancake mix

z Jell-O z Frosting z Pickles z Creamy orange cheeses z Yogurt z Butter and margarine z Ice cream

z Macaroni and cheese z Popsicles z Many sodas z Alcohol mixers and some beers z Boxed dinners (such as cheese-flavored rice or pasta) z Flavored milk z Orange-colored chips

20 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

The Food and Drug Administration has classified this substance as “Generally Recognized As Safe,” or GRAS. There are many things on this list, such as citric, malic and lactic acids; calcium alginate, dill and its derivatives, guar gum, helium, hydrogen peroxide, papain and wheat gluten. Some or most of these names you will recognize as commonly used.

The key is some of these items can only be consumed in small quantities to be recognized as safe. Food manufacturers don’t put enough of any of these ingredients in our food that it could make us sick or cause any irritation.

As part of a lengthy, technical explanation on the FDA website, it states propylene glycol shouldnot be used as more than 5 percent for alcoholic beverages, 24 percent for confections and frostings, 2.5 percent for frozen dairy products, 97 percent for seasonings and flavorings, 5 percent for nuts and 2 percent for all other food categories.

The next ingredient used is citric acid. This is a naturally occuring acid derived from citrus fruits. It is often used in cooking as a flavor additive or a preservative. There are no current restrictions on citric acid because not only is it OK to consume, it is beneficial to our bodies and needed. Citric acid is an essential molecule used in the processing of carbohydrates, proteins and fats into energy for our bodies to use.

In the FDA guidelines, one of these ingredients has specific measurements that are allowed to be used and one does not. How many foods do you think you consume on a daily basis contain something like propylene glycol? Do you have any idea? When you add all of the foods together, how much are you really consuming?

Sodium benzoate is not a naturally occurring salt. It is man-made

through a chemical process. There is a limit of 0.1 percent in foods. In other terms, that is 1/1,000th of the total. Sodium benzoate is derived from benzoic acid, which is naturally occurring in many foods. Does the fact its origin is “natural” change your opinion of the outcome even though it went through a chemical process?

Although propylparaben is naturally occurring in many plants and in some insects, manufacturers synthetically create and use it in our foods and cosmetics because it is cheaper to manufacture. Which one would you prefer if you were given the choice? These are the things I ask my students to provoke their minds as we are learn about these topics.

Everyone deserves to know what they are putting into their bodies, and each person has the right to choose whether they want to eat or drink a certain product.

Finally, the colors themselves.

When visiting the FDA’s website for color additives, you will encounter several lists that break down what is allowed for each category of food, drugs and cosmetics along with explaining whether it is to be ingested or used externally.

List four from the website contains color additives that are exempt from certification and permanently listed for food use. I had discussed some of these in other articles because they are natural foods that are good for us to ingest regularly. Some of the natural food color additives include caramel, carrot oil, cochineal extract, fruit juice, grape color extract, paprika, saffron, spirulina extract, turmeric and vegetable juice.

Something piques my concern about FD&C Blue No. 1: There is a small amount of arsenic and lead in this coloring. I am flabbergasted.

Under specifications for FD&C Blue No. 1, it is allowed to include not more than 6 percent of:

Natural alternatives Eating the rainbow is more than just a Skittles commercial plot or bagel trend, but rather the idea that incorporating colorful food into your diet can represent a variety-filled, balanced and healthy diet. Now with the popularity of artificial food dye,

anything and everything can be not just any color, but multiple colors. We can get back to healthy colorful plates with natural food dyes, with each popular color represented below. Dyeing your foods naturally can add healthy fun to any holiday or event.

Turmeric

Turmeric has a wide range of uses, but one of the best ones is as a natural food dye.

Turmeric can have a strong taste, so mix it in slowly and stop just as the color that you want begins to appear.

Raspberries

In order to get a nice red color, your first option is raspberries. Puree, strain, then heat in order to make the fruit into an actual dyelike substance. Similar to unnatural dyes, the red may turn more on the pink side when mixed into batter or frosting. Raspberries are still one of the best options for getting as close to red as you can get. Mess around with combinations in order to get deeper or lighter colors.

Spinach

Sneak in your daily dose of green veggies and incorporate natural food dyes all at the same time. Use a juicer with these greens, and consider mixing it with some apple juice in order to avoid any spinach flavor.

No one really wants spinach cupcakes.

Blueberries

Blueberries will do more than stain your clothes.

Blueberries dye just about anything you mix them into once they begin to pop and their juices start to flow everywhere.

Mash these guys up and strain them, but the real importance comes from the concentration of the blueberries. Blueberries will actually give you a more purple-blue color depending on what you mix them with.

Red Cabbage

Although this is called red cabbage, it should give you a solid natural blue dye.

Cut, boil, strain and add some baking soda. Suddenly you will have a pretty blue color you can’t even get from a bottle.

Raw Carrots

A veggie counterpart for yellow natural food dye is carrots. You need a juicer to extract the liquid prior to heating the juice, but the end result is worth it. A food processor is an alternative, but it comes down to whatever is more convenient.

Cocoa Powder

Adding cocoa powder to anything will give it a solid brown or tan color while also adding a hint of chocolate flavor. Go a bit lighter on the mix-in if that is not the flavor you are going for, but otherwise this is one of the tastiest natural food dyes you could ask for. Make it dark chocolate if you want to feel a bit healthier in the process, too.

Mangoes

Mangoes are the sunshine of fruits, giving meals a pop of color with its bright yellow look. This can be applied to natural food dyes by using the same process as the raspberries, but you will be given a nice yellow color with mangoes.

Source: Spoon University

JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 21

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h Chromium (as Cr), not more than 50 parts per million. h Manganese (as Mn), not more than 100 parts per million. h Arsenic (as As), not more than 3 parts per million. h Lead (as Pb), not more than 10 parts per million.

I know not all of these colors are in my dyes specifically, but to list a few noted studies about the negative effects of food colors, they should be included. Yellow 5 has been associated with behavioral changes, including irritability, restlessness, depression and difficulty with sleeping. Red 40, yellow 5 and yellow 6 might contain contaminants known as cancer-causing substances such as enzidine, 4-aminobiphenyl and 4-aminoazobenzene.

They are among the most commonly consumed dyes and are the three most likely to cause an allergic response. People who already have asthma are more likely to have an allergic reaction to artificial food dyes.

There are many ways to decorate your food for the holidays in a healthy and natural way. The most obvious way to accomplish this would be to use foods that are naturally the color you are trying to achieve.

For the Fourth of July, you will see many recipes that use the colors red, white and blue.

If you want to make a food that is not already one of these colors, you can use other natural ingredients to achieve this. Your final products probably won’t turn out as vibrant as they would with artificial colors, and it could affect the taste of the products as well. Keep that in mind when deciding what ingredients to pair with what you are trying to accomplish. Will it be sweet, salty, bitter, spicy or umami (savory)?

Alternatives for making a red food dye include hibiscus flowers, cranberries, beets and pomegranates. Blue dyes can be made from foods such as blueberries, purple potatoes and red cabbage.

Remember, your red might be more of a pink than an opaque red and blue might be a bit purple.

You also can just put a red food in your dish, which opens up many more options, including tomatoes, cherries, apples, peppers, radishes, radicchio and rhubarb, which I think is highly underrated.

Blue food alternatives include blueberries, blue corn, blue corn chips, red cabbage and purple potatoes, which are more purple than blue, but the presentation of the food would be amazing.

Other holidays might call for other colors to be represented in your most creative dishes to impress

your friends and families. For yellows and oranges, try saffron, turmeric, paprika, pumpkin and carrots as a natural alternative. Cantaloupes, apricots, mangoes and papayas also boost these colors naturally.

Green colors can be added with any type of green leafy vegetable, avocados, cucumbers, broccoli or even cactus. To create a green color in another food, you can use liquid chlorophyll, matcha powder and spirulina powder, which also can be used for a blueish color as well.

Brown can be created in food by adding mushrooms, potatoes, chocolate, coffee, pecans and other nuts. Cinnamon, coffee and espresso powder all can be used to make other foods brown.

There is so much more information about foods and colors that this is another subject I could speak on for days. Actually, I do! We also discuss in class the sensory analysis of food and the way it looks, which is just as important as the way it taste. Our senses also can fool us, such as apple juice that has been dyed orange tasting like orange juice instead of apple.

I ask questions like, “How many of you would like to eat a blue pizza?”

For that matter, would you eat anything that is not a fruit or sweet (dessert) that is blue? This can include your favorite cut of steak, ketchup, eggs, bread or

grains. Does this seem appealing to you? The vast majority of people are going to say no, because blue is not a color that is naturally represented in our food.

Even foods we literally call blue in the name, such as blueberries, aren’t truly a blue shade, but more of a purple. Our bodies are naturally tuned to be disgusted by our food being blue. Unless it is something obviously not natural such as candy and sweets. This is the reason Heinz Green Ketchup was not a success.

Ketchup comes from a tomato and should be red.

Other topics we also discuss are plating food and how there should be multiple colors represented on the plate, but not too many. You don’t want the dish to look plain, but also not distracting or busy.

Jayme Petersen, a teacher and friend of mine, used to teach a class called Lifetime Nutrition and Wellness. I absolutely adored the fact one of her finals was about the foods of the rainbow and each color had to be represented by different students for their final project.

Eating something from all the colors of the rainbow is a good way to get all of the vitamins and minerals you need on a daily basis. I hopefully leave you encouraged to be more observant about the colors you are eating, their origins and possible ways to constantly improve your health.

JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 23

COVER STORY

HOW WE SEE

AMERICA Stories of people from different backgrounds, different experiences and different ages who all came to the same conclusion about what makes our country unique in the world.

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JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 25

26 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

HOW I SEE AMERICA

J

Jude Roberson

leaves and changing weather.

JUDE ROBERSON HAS AN Even when the weather interesting perspective on what is bad, there’s something makes America. The president to rejoice in. Roberson said of the Brazosport Federation of Hurricane Harvey was a Teachers said when educators disaster for the county and the look at a nation, they see country, but it also was a time the parts showing through of great love. Many people had underneath, history and their hearts touched and felt geography welded together by moved to help. the ideals of its people.

“I love America because “Freedom in America means when things like that happen, a lot to me because it’s based we all come together and we on religion and speech,” she band together to help each said. “Liberty and justice for all, other,” she said. that’s what America is about.”

But that help doesn’t come Sometimes that ideal is hard only in the bad times. Over to live up to. In the long view years of helping students of a historian, the civil rights succeed, she’s seen the movement wasn’t very long opportunities available through ago, and even now there’s a lot education and careers in the of work left to do, Roberson U.S. Here, anyone can take any said. But every bit of progress route they like and find the job brings the country a little more Jude Roberson stands in the Hope for that best suits them. Though harmony, and Roberson said Tomorrow food pantry last year at True disadvantages and hardship she’s watched the United States Honor Baptist Church in Clute, which might drive to bar the way, make huge steps forward. she started in 2010. opportunity overflows every “America is considered the barrier. melting pot of the world, which “When it comes to your career, there’s no reason means people of different religions, nationalities why you can’t find a good college to go to and it and race play a big part here in America. We get leads you to a good job,” she said, an abundance she a chance to meet different people and learn their feels characterizes the country as a whole. culture. They come to us and learn our culture,” she But none of it would be possible without America’s said. “Since I’m in education, we meet all different veterans. Roberson said her father, brother and nationalities. It means a lot to me to be here and uncles all served their country in uniform, so the experience such a great thing.” sacrifice borne by members of the military touches Learning about other places has led her to home. appreciate some things about her home others might “The respect that we give them means a lot to me,” take for granted. For one thing, she’s thankful to she said. “That’s America. We allow some time to live in a climate where she experiences four distinct pause and say thank you to our country, to those seasons. Some of her friends may prefer a life where that fought for us. America is beautiful, but America the days are warm all year or the seasons don’t stands for itself.” change so starkly, but she spoke lovingly of falling story by MARY NEWPORT • photos by BARCLAY FERNANDEZ

JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 27

HOW I SEE AMERICA

C

Kenneth Sanchez & Katherine Frederick

CADET LT. COL. KENNETH Sanchez of Brazoswood Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps has never taken his citizenship for granted. Though he was born to it, his family taught him to regard it with gratitude.

“My grandparents, they immigrated here. One was from Mexico and then the other one was from Norway. So they always instilled a sense to me of kind of repaying your country for what it’s done for you, whether through military service or just being a good citizen,” he said. “Here in America, we have a lot of options. You can be whatever you want to be. I think a lot of us kind of fail to realize that.”

That freedom, he said, deserves to be repaid with loyalty. Though America isn’t necessarily perfect in all its particulars, it’s a nation that has earned the love of its citizens. He compared it to a family, whose members might have disagreements but never lose their unity or stop supporting each other. His model of support was his own family, which encouraged him as he planned a future of service.

“From a very young age I knew I wanted to go into the military. When I moved here from Arkansas my eighth-grade year, I knew we had this ROTC program here, so I wanted to join it my first year of high school,” he said. “I have a lot of family members that were in the military, and, of course, they encouraged me.”

As the JROTC’s focus is building better citizens as well as preparing young adults to become officers in the military, he said, it perfectly fit his goals.

After four years with the program, he’ll enter the Air Force as an E3, a higher rank than he would otherwise have entered. More than just giving him a career advantage, though, the program has helped him become a more attentive citizen of the nation he loves.

“You learn a lot about citizenship and how to be a

good citizen,” Sanchez said. “You learn some military history, proper respect for the flag, that kind of stuff.”

Cadet Lt. Col. Katherine Frederick had no thought of gaining a leg up in the military when she first learned about the JROTC. The program has no military obligation; it just piqued her curiosity because she’d never heard of it before. When she walked into the first class and shook Master Chief Larry Caesar’s hand, she knew she was in the right place.

“From that day, the very first day, I knew that I had made the right choice,” she said. “The goal is to make better citizens for the United States of America. We do that through community service and school work, various activities, you do build leadership. You can just sit in the class for all four years, but you won’t learn nearly as much as you will if you get involved and put yourself out there.”

In a way, Frederick’s vision of the JROTC aligns with her idea of America. Patriotism to her means utilizing and appreciating the rights and freedoms she is granted, just as she acknowledged and made use of the opportunities that came her way in the program. And just as in the JROTC, she said people must realize they’re not in it alone.

“Understanding that we’re a big cultural melting pot, that’s what we were founded on. We’re founded on all sorts of people coming together for better opportunities,” she said. “You come to evaluate and appreciate your freedoms … when you’re stepping back and realizing we’re all one big country. At the end of the day, we’re all Americans, whether we’re natural-born or became a citizen.”

She’ll continue into Air Force ROTC when she starts classes at Baylor University. In the meantime, the JROTC has helped connect her to her community and her country.

story by MARY NEWPORT • photos by PRENTICE C. JAMES

28 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 29

30 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

HOW I SEE AMERICA

Amber Newman

A

AS SOMEONE WHO HAS experienced multiple cultures and lived in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Boys and Girls Club of Brazoria County CEO Amber Newman knows what she appreciates about America.

“That’s one of the good things about America, that you do have that opportunity to speak freely. That’s one of the things I respect,” she said.

Although she considers Dubai a second home, sees it as “very Americanized” and enjoyed her time there, she said free speech is not something the residents of the Emirates enjoy.

“We have the right to say things and do things as long as we’re not offensive and hurtful when we’re doing those things,” she said.

The opportunity gap for minorities and women also is larger in Dubai than it is in America, she said.

“What I like is that everyone at least has the same opportunities,” Newman said.

She uses her position with the Boys and Girls Club to make sure all the kids she works with get the same opportunities she’s had.

“I make sure that we level the playing field for the kids that we serve so they get that same opportunity, no matter economic level and ethnic background,” she said.

Newman earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees and enjoys the fact others have the same chance to do so, even if they face obstacles such as a single-parent household, she said.

Newman’s husband, Lemarcus, worked for the U.S. Department of Defense, which is what brought their family to live in Dubai for a year and a half, she said. He’s also had other unique jobs, such as playing professional football for a German team, so they also lived in Germany, Newman said.

She lived in Dubai with Lemarcus and her daughter, Amai, when she was pregnant with her son, Lathan. She returned to the Houston area while her husband continued living in Dubai so she could have the same doctor as when she gave birth to her daughter, then Lemarcus moved back to Texas later.

The exemplary medical care around the Houston area is something else she appreciates about this country, she said.

With her wide range of cultural experiences, Newman still appreciates the diversity she sees around Houston and Brazoria County.

“People are very welcoming no matter what your background is,” she said.

Newman gets together with her dad’s side of the family in Louisiana annually to celebrate

Amber Newman gets backpacks ready to be donated to Sweeny students for the 2017 school year at the Boys and Girls Club office in Freeport.

Independence Day. They all get together to barbecue and pop fireworks, she said.

“It’s like a family reunion,” Newman said.

While they celebrate America, they still use their various cultural experiences in their lives. Her husband speaks Arabic and is an advisor for Middle Eastern students at Texas Southern University, she said.

Respect was an important part of the culture in Dubai, Newman said, and she remembers that during her daily interactions.

story by MADDY McCARTY • photos by BARCLAY FERNANDEZ

JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 31

HOW I SEE AMERICA

David Rios

D

DAVID G. RIOS HAS traveled far and wide, from the mountains of France and Germany to the jungles of Vietnam.

Rather than ignite a spark of wanderlust, however, Rios’ travels have led to a renewed sense of pride in his home country. Each trip overseas has brought the same wave of relief when his plane’s wheels touch down on American soil.

“I wouldn’t live in no other country but America,” Rios said. “This is the land of opportunities and freedom.”

Those aren’t merely words to Rios, owner of Rios Jewelers in Lake Jackson. He believed them even before the U.S. Army drafted him in 1970, in the midst of the Vietnam conflict, but his time in the military only reinforced that notion.

“This is an awesome country,” Rios said.

Unlike some of his fellow soldiers, the Beeville native had no reservations about donning the uniform and reporting for duty.

“They needed me, I had to go,” Rios said. “I didn’t have no issues.”

Rios would go on to serve his country for the next

12 years, voluntarily re-enlisting after his first tour ended. Again, the choice was a simple one, Rios said.

“I was doing my duty to God’s country,” he said. “I’d do it again.”

Rios spent a year in Vietnam and three years in Germany before returning to the United States, where he remained stationed until leaving the Army in 1982 as a sergeant.

That’s when he moved to Lake Jackson, opening a jewelry store in his garage two years later. The venture proved so successful, Rios later opened his own storefront location on Circle Way — an endeavor he doesn’t believe he would have been able to pursue in any other nation.

“People that haven’t been abroad don’t know how good they have it in the United States,” Rios said.

“There’s no other country better in the world.”

Rios’ one regret from his military service, he said, is that he can’t continue it even today.

“I stood watch of this country for 12 years, and if I could, I’d go back and do my part again,” he said. “No hesitation.”

“People that haven’t been abroad don’t know how good they have it in the United States. There’s no other country better in the world.”

story by ERINN CALLAHAN • photo by BARCLAY FERNANDEZ

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JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 33

PHOTO ESSAY

dare to

Dream

Sweat, opportunity make homes happen

ABOVE: Tiearra Harris, Bobbie Fairburn, Tarneka James, Jaden Harris and family dog Royce pose outside their newly completed Habitat home in Angleton.

RIGHT: Using a nail gun, Tarneka James drives in the first support beam for the Habitat house that will become her home at the build site in Angleton.

34 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

“I ONLY WISH MY grandfather had been here to see this” … and with those words, a teary-eyed Tarneka James summed up the gravity of Habitat House No. 105.

Over the course of the next five months, there would be more shedding of tears and also much sweat as a patch of grass at 216 W. Myrtle St. in Angleton was transformed into an edifice of love, hope and togetherness.

Habitat for Humanity of Southern Brazoria County has seen more than 100 homes built in the area since its founding in 1991. More than 100 families have been given the opportunity to secure a homestead, with House 105 in Angleton the latest effort by Habitat to provide for southern Brazoria County’s housing needs.

Habitat and its army of volunteers, along with global and local partnerships with companies including Dow Chemical, Whirlpool and Galaxy Roofing, are able to provide homes to qualifying families. Since the labor is nearly 100 percent volunteer, Habitat families have lower mortgages as only property and building material costs are financed. Habitat is not a “handout but a hand-up.”

For Tarneka James and her family, it is an American dream come true — with the support of many hands, helps, hearts and hours — all made possible through the kindness of others and her perseverance. story and photos by

PRENTICE C. JAMES

FAR LEFT: Skills leader Charlie Matcek uses a circular saw during the House 105 build in Angleton.

LEFT: In what has become tradition for southern Brazoria County’s Habitat for Humanity, inspirational messages and words of encouragement are written on studs as the work progresses.

“I only wish my grandfather were here to see this,” an emotional Tarneka James said as her future home began to take shape.

JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 35

Volunteers, including employees from build sponsor Mammoet USA, pound nails as the first framing is completed.

Mammoet’s Aimee Kiechler leads the way as a frame section is carried to its slab location.

The first wall frame is raised by a host of volunteers, family, friends and supporters during the first build day in January.

36 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

Just three days into the build, the house is taking shape.

The roof is readied for Galaxy Roofing to complete its work.

Though most of the building is done by volunteers, several companies donate material and labor.

ABOVE: Future Habitat homeowner Megan Harper, left, discusses a job during the House 105 build.

Future Habitat homeowners have to volunteer a certain number of hours, called “sweat equity,� as part of the Habitat qualification process.

LEFT: Galvanized piping is cut and threaded as plumbing work begins in February. Now that the exterior of the home is complete, indoor items such as HVAC, fixtures and plumbing can be started.

JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 37

RIGHT: Habitat volunteer coordinator Mike Heather measures during installation of siding.

BELOW: A hard hat and tool bag rest on the porch as work continues in the background.

Men from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Darrington Unit installed the kitchen cabinets.

Servolution volunteers from Brazos Pointe Fellowship in Lake Jackson help paint the porch area.

38 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

ABOVE: Luke Nimtz, part of the countywide Servolution outreach, caulks a railing in March.

TOP LEFT: Future Habitat homeowner Esmeralda Barrera, left, completes work on Sheetrock and painting indoors as Matthew Bermea finishes up working outside.

MIDDLE LEFT: Future Habitat homeowner Sydney Prince, right, works toward her own home by putting in “sweat equity�

From left, Natalie Luna, Christine Rodriguez and Sara Lopez perform landscaping work in May as the home nears completion.

JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 39

J

A

ABOVE: Future Habitat homeowners, from left, Sydney Prince, Natalie Luna, Megan Harper and Esmeralda Barrera pose for a picture during their volunteer efforts at House 105 in Angleton. Habitat home applicants are required to volunteer on other builds as part of the approval process.

RIGHT: On the day of the house dedication ceremony, Dave Edgington, left, hugs Tarneka James as she enters her new home in Angleton.

BELOW: Tiearra Harris, left, Tarneka James and Jaden Harris stand near the front door of their new home in Angleton.

40 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

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PARENTING

Parenting Lessons in

Grown-ups learn as much as the children they raise

commentary by

JESSICA TOMPKINS

A DEAR FRIEND OF mine recently had her first child, and the texts, calls and conversations we’ve had since have brought back a flood of memories about those early newborn days.

During the infant phase, it is the most basic things parents fret over: eating, drinking, sleeping and pooping. I had forgotten how much those little newborns impact life.

For me, gone are the days where we were concerned about weight gain, feedings and views on pacifier use. We are smack in the middle of the teaching, sharing, learning phases of childhood. In order to teach all the things parents are responsible for passing onto the children, parents will find they end up being taught a thing or two, as well. My spouse and I really latch onto those surprising parenting lessons,

42 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

because we appreciate the humor in these moments. And really, laughter is our coping mechanism.

1. A simple “good morning” can make or break the day.

Children get up early.

They just do. If you have a plugged-up nose from allergy season, swollen puffy eyes and feel like you were hit by a Mack truck, then you can guarantee the children will wake up extra early, and with superhuman amounts of energy. There will be running, screaming and talk of outside play occurring even before you can even stumble into the kitchen to make coffee.

However, if mama happens

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JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 43

to be the one to wake up cheerful, happy and with a cup of coffee before the kids wake up, she will find demon children with sleepy faces. I went in and woke my oldest one morning, asked how she slept and if she was excited for school. Her response? “Stop talking to me, Mommy. I don’t want to talk in the morning when it’s early.”

Noted.

2. We are raising a politician.

Sometimes I feel like I am the only logical person in the house.

When I ask simple things like, “Why did you choose to flick pizza all over the wall?” my question is met with responses like “What pizza? There is no pizza on the wall.

I didn’t see any pizza.

Ohhhh, THAT pizza.

It was an accident.”

If I ask who took the cat food and sprinkled it into the toilet? Again, this question is met with complete denial of guilt. I am shocked to learn that, once again, no one in the house is responsible, and the cats most likely were the culprits.

3. Neighbors eventually will call CPS. I often wonder how far down the street my voice carries. When I scream out, “I said to wash your hands!!!!” how many neighbors get scared and run into their bathrooms to wash their hands, too? Then I wonder how many more times I can yell that loudly before someone finally will get worried and call Child Protective

44 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

Services to our door. And even if they are not worried, they might just be tired of being yelled at, too. And I am shocked to learn it is completely possible to yell loudly without even being angry, because sometimes mama just needs to be heard.

4. Is the sass good or evil?

Being a little sassy can be fun and cute. It’s on T-shirts nowadays, so it must be mainstream to be sassy.

On one hand, my husband and I want our daughters to be leaders. We want them to stand up for themselves and learn to speak up when they need to. So how much sass is too much?

When does it go from cute to obnoxious?

Will they be the teenagers where people will admire their spirits and find their sassiness quirky and fun, or will they be those kids no one wants to be around?

I know now, after several embarrassing moments out in public, if my daughter thinks something, then it will also fly out of her mouth. I usually try to think ahead in situations and say things that might throw her off the trail, but most of the time, I am just not fast enough. So, I explained why it isn’t OK to inquire about someone’s marital status, or ask the pizza delivery person if she is male or female. It may be awhile until we can fully come to terms with this problem, because it appears to be ongoing.

5. Children are Oscar-winning actors.

They are little actors, and it starts off early, too.

Suddenly at a few months old, they will start to cough one day. Mama will go into mama-bear mode and grab a thermometer, start to fuss and ask, “Who got this precious baby sick?!” Then Mama will realize it is a fake cough. The child has learned to fake sickness and she is only 5 months old.

It just gets worse from that acting debut. As they grow older, the fake cough turns to fake bad dreams, fake potty breaks, fake headaches, fake sadness, etc.

Then, just in the moment when Mom or Dad will call a bluff, the kid will take it up a notch. Suddenly there

will be vomit or urine involved in this scenario, somehow. Many times, I’ve stared in disbelief. Did this tiny human just make herself projectile vomit because she decided to, and if so, how does that even work?

Which brings me to the next point:

6. Parents become stain fighters.

No one told me that, as a parent, I will spend hours of my life trying to identify what substance exactly is on the carpet, the car seat or between the couch cushions.

My child will come home from day care with three to eight different colors on her outfit. She can identify only maybe one or two.

The rest of the spots are up to me.

I know it’s always been a joke, the whole chocolate vs. poop thing, but this is a real-life scenario. Sometimes, instead of evaluating which brown substance is what, I judge the necessity of keeping the particular garment at hand. If I conclude those pants aren’t needed, that they are old, have holes or have been stained previously, I would rather just toss them.

Also, as a parent, we will become ace stain removers. I don’t even know how it happens, but we innately know how to remove stains. For the situations where Sharpie is on important places or the kids’ slime hardening into the carpet, I just automatically know what to do. It’s an amazing skill.

And after all of these unexpected lessons we’ve learned since becoming parents, I have decided I know what the biggest surprise is of all — the kids are our mini-mes. Stubborn, picky, sarcastic little mes. Have a couple kids, and suddenly you will see all of your own personality quirks and see yourself in a different way. The littles model their behavior after their parents, so after watching the sweet kiddo in the car seat road rage during the family drive to Target uttering familiar obscenities, the hubs and I decided to re-evaluate our driving behaviors.

I know there are plenty of remaining unexpected lessons ahead as we navigate through the school years, and I hope I can laugh about all of those, too.

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JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 45

FASHION

46 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

Ladies

for the

Women with curves aren’t limited in fashion options IT ISN’T ALWAYS EASY for curvy women to find clothing that is both comfortable and that they are comfortable being seen wearing. Fashion experts say, however, curvy women shouldn’t shy away from bold looks because it’s not the fashions themselves, but how a person wears them.

Back Road Beauties in Angleton put together the looks for this month’s models, mixing in splashes of prints and start colors to make a statement. An added touch was a Santa Fe Strong T-shirt in tribute to our friends across the border, whose tragedy occurred just a few days before our shoot.

Marie Denne, a plus-size fashion blogger, said her secret to always looking put together is to pair a pop of color on top with a solid bottom to emphasize her upper body. “If I really want to stand out, I will do print head to toe,” she told Bustle.com recently.

Her other big secret is that the woman makes the clothes, not the other way around. A confident woman can rock what she’s wearing regardless of her body type so they should pick out fashions that make them smile.

“When I feel amazing, my confidence is boosted, my posture is correct, I am not fidgeting with my clothes or pulling and tugging,” Denee told Bustle. “All my energy is spent on feeling great and enjoying being in the company of others.”

Put on a smile along with something fun and flashy as we head to the newly renovated South Parking Place in downtown Lake Jackson and let our curvy ladies shine.

JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 47

Rachel Gauthier Black basic knit dress, $44 Suede embroidered back vest, $52

48 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

Fashion partners Our thanks this month to those whose cooperation made our fashion shoot possible.

Photography Michelle Raye www.facebook. com/MichelleRaye Photography/ 979-248-6671 Models: Katrina Rotramel Bonnie Cargile Katrina Davis Rachel Gauthier Hair stylists: Roxanne Trexler 979-299-6888 Wes Stephens 979-248-8988 Hair Envy Studio 113-C Oyster Creek Drive Lake Jackson

Katrina Rotramel Sheer Mint multi-color cardigan, $28 Modal Solid Draped Detail Top in Purple Punch, $52 Long matte mint bead necklace with candy mint oval and mint suede tassel, $52 Assorted beaded long necklaces, $16 each

Clothing and jewelry: Back Road Beauties 201 N. Velasco St. Angleton 979-848-1200 facebook.com/ BackRoadBeauties Boutique Makeup stylists: Tanith Perkins www.africanlashgirl. com 979-709-1354 africanlashgirl@ gmail.com Melanie Ward www.manandbride. com 979-218-5263 Location: South Parking Place Lake Jackson

JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 49

Bonnie Cargile

Katrina Rotramel Solide Modal Knot Top in Mauve, $24 Ladies Sheer Leopard Print Vest, $28

Santa Fe Strong T-Shirt, $25 Ladies Sheer Leopard Print Kimono, $29

Primary Care Associates of Lake Jackson 219 Oak Driv e South, Suite A, L ak e J ack son, Texas 77566

Need a Primary Care Practitioner?

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50 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

Rachel Gauthier

Black basic knit dress, $44 Suede embroidered back vest, $52 Crystal Bracelets, $6 each

Katrina Davis Guadalupe Grand Duster, $38 Sleeveless Flared Top, $26

JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 51

Rachel Gauthier

Floral Print OffShoulder Top in Brick, $32 Amazonite Natural Stone Long Tassel Necklace, $24

Katrina Davis Pocket Tee in Olive, $19 Ladies Sheer Leopard Print Vest, $28 Assorted beaded long necklaces, $16 each

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THE GATEWAY at Lake Jackson

Friday, 8pm-10pm

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Gorgeous 1, 2, 3 & 4 Bedroom Units!

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Wolfenson Electric, Inc. & Civil Mechanical, Inc. We stand united in our commitment to quality and safety as full service industrial contractors with over 85 years of combined experience.

Houston 7902 Cowart Street Houston, TX 77029 Phone: 713-676-1201 Fax: 713-676-0457 Brazosport 430 West Plantation Drive Clute, TX 77531 Phone: 979-265-1831 Fax: 979-265-1573 Fabrication & Support Services 726 Highland Park Drive Clute, TX 77531 Phone: 979-265-0655 Fax: 979-265-5354

Saturday, 9:30pm-11pm

Saturday, 11:30pm-1am

• Carnival • Contests • Arts-Crafts-Food Vendors • Beer Gardens • Entertainment Contest registration open for the following: 5K Mosquito Chase, BBQ Cook-off, Doubles Washer, Horseshoe and Cornhole tourneys. day, Thurs m p 6:30-8 ’s il W lie Catch ty un Par Home R pm 8-10 w ke Sho Karaoockin’ Rick with R

Sponsored in part by:

JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 53

Leaders Under 40 Reception May 8, 2018 • The Local in Lake Jackson

Sam Chalmers, Jill Chalmers, Morgan Chalmers, Hanna Chalmers, Melvin Pechacek, Claudia Pechacek, Melanie Chalmers, Brittany Blanchard

Samantha Lancaster, Kaysie Stewart, Mandy Prewit

Photos by Kevin Jaime

Rylan Sullivan, Kay Millsap

Angela and Derrick Dees

Candy Hankins, Christian Hankins

54 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

Linda Shepard, Kimberly Morris

Ashley and Randy Dane

Chelsey and Keith Hoot

Trust

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JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 55

FINAL THOUGHT

Our Country as we knew it

56 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

We don’t know they’re the times of our lives until the times are long past.

Beach Houses Surfside Beach

at

S

SUMMER DRIFTS THROUGH the window screen as the sun rises to another day.

A young man with forever in front of him greets hours of farming, fishing or whatever girl is the current one-and-only in a life in which weekends seem endless.

She’s his forever and he’s a friend of the friend she really wants to meet. Such is love at 16.

Dozens of bushels of corn and as many conversations with brothers about football, cars and Saturday night later, mom calls for dinner. This is a place where supper is at night, dinner at noon and there is no free lunch. The Good Book really does say those who don’t work don’t commentary by eat, and Dad believes in JOHN LOWMAN the Word.

Don Williams on the radio ushers in afternoon and tending to livestock, which seem to shout at each other for crowding too close in the heat.

Pigs and cows and chickens and rabbits offer their versions of welcoming smiles at the sound of a feed bucket, fresh water and a familiar voice.

The sun blazes onto sand that can blister bare feet, but with the chores done, bare they are. A walk to a cool, spring-fed creek with a fishing pole in one hand nets a stringer of bass for the other. The cicada song starts low, then grows as two, three, 10 join the buzzing chorus reaching as far as the ear can hear. The sound is harsh and loud and as welcome as the most melodic

See our website for: • Things to do in Surfside • Places to Eat • Specials & Last Minute Deals

BeachHouses.com 713-995-6111 Once You Get Here...

You Won’t Want to Leave!

JULY 2018 | BRAZOSMONTHLY 57

Sweeny Medical Clinic Welcomes Jennifer Kucera, FNP-C Providing Quality Care Close to Home 303 North McKinney, Suite G Sweeny, TX • 979-548-6783 Accepting most insurance *Chronic Disease Management *Wellness Exams *Sick Visits *Diabetes Care *Preventive Care *Blood Pressure Care and Management *Well Women Exams and Care

58 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

version of “Amazing Grace” on any Sunday morning.

A light breeze whispers through giant pines, moving silhouettes of leaves under ancient pecans and oaks. The gentle motion corrals the afternoon toward comfortable, growing shadows of evening. Hard work and fish cleaning are replaced with a shower and splash of whatever cologne came for Christmas.

The goal of Saturday night is to look good enough, smell good enough and talk well enough to convince a girl to smile. Except life isn’t like the movies, and a young man is much more bluster and bravado than substance and suave. So it’s an endless looping, loudmusic drive around Sonic, a car wash and the courthouse square until minutes before curfew. Then a windows-down, sing-out-loud, breakneck drive home.

After a quick goodnight to Mom and Dad and some brotherly lies about dashboard lights and winning fights, the house grows quiet.

Summer drifts through the window screen as the moon watches over night. A train whistle sounds from miles away. The whip-poor-will gives its staccato report as crickets take turns fiddling under a million stars.

We don’t know it at the time, but the years with more years ahead than behind are the times of our lives. We’re fond of saying the world has changed, and that’s true to some extent. But we’ve changed more. We once had forever. Everyone was there who was supposed to be. There were others to come.

And too many to go.

The lives we paint for ourselves often don’t resemble the dreams of 16, but they are layered onto the canvas of our youth.

Simple. Orderly. Confusing. Maddeningly heartbreaking and always changing. Just like today.

Some of us were lucky enough to be the friend our one-and-only wanted to meet.

Others are still alone, but that’s love at any age.

The Good Book is still true. Smiles and familiar voices are still welcome. It’s not always a sing-out-loud, breakneck ride home, but the journey is good just the same.

The whip-poor-will still gives its report and summer still drifts through the window screen as the shadows grow longer in the evening of our lives.

Brazospor t Regional Health System is now Here is where we have provided the Brazosport

Brazosport

community with high-quality cardiac care closer to home for decades.

Now part of Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) and

In affiliation with

affiliated with the world-renowned Texas Heart® Institute and Baylor College of Medicine®, CHI St. Luke’s Health-Brazosport is where we’ll help more people with heart disease live longer, healthier lives.

CHI St. Luke’s Health Brazosport

World-class care is here

As part of Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) and though our affiliations with Texas Heart® Institute and Baylor College of Medicine®, CHI St. Luke’s Health is expanding world-class care to communities throughout Texas.

CHIStLukesBrazosport.org

Our Summer Essential Aqua Howlite

KENDRA SCOTT 34 Circle Way, Lake Jackson (979) 297-2262

2 BRAZOSMONTHLY | JULY 2018

333 W. Brazos Ave., West Columbia (979) 345-2874

126 N. Velasco St., Angleton (979) 308-4304

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HAPPY JULY 4TH! SUMMER SAVINGS!

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BRAZOSMONTHLY

Gulf Coast Family of Dealerships

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FASHION WITH SOME CURVES

Brazoswood JROTC Lt. Col. Kenneth Sanchez at the Brazoria County Military Museum in Clute.

FULFILLING DREAM OF OWN HOME

JULY 2018

gulfcoast.com

AMERICAN CUISINE IS A MELTING POT

MONTHLY

America

WHAT SETS OUR COUNTRY APART