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CULINARY ARTS A LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER: Happy New Year Galveston! We are excited to start this one off with a BANG. For the first time ever, the Culture Clash Crew has tried to tackle a topic that is not that controversial at all. I mean, there is always a little controversy but who doesn’t need food to live?! And who doesn’t prefer amazing food to plain-jane, monotonous nourishment. Culinary Art is a vast topic in that it is more than just supplying our bodies with much needed calories but rather the experience food can bring. The following pages highlight culinary masterpieces that began as love and care in local Galveston gardens (page 7). We cover ways to translate food into ecological suitability (page 8) and spiritual sustainability (page 11). Our writers highlight their favorite hot spots to get the latest delicious bites (page 18) and the good stuff you have to chase around town (page 12). We even have the inside look on what it is like to make something out of everyday prepackaged options found inside the prison, or the dorm room (page 15). We only wish we had more space to add even more amazing insights on what Galveston considers good food. However you approach this issue, we encourage you to read, enjoy, and share. We invite you to submit your articles for next issue where we tackle race and ethnic diversity in Galveston. Email us! Write us an email or shoot us a comment any time online: CultureClashGalveston.com facebook.com/CultureClashMag Janese Maricelli-Thomasson CultureClashGalveston@gmail.com Publisher
ON THE COVER: “Sushi Spread” by Good Studio. Good Studio is an amazing, youthful, graphic arts firm located in Minsk, Republic of Belarus... Belarus, you might ask? Becuase we had no local submission. Check out their work at goodstudio.by/eng.html *This magazine is NOT printed on recycled paper or with soy-based inks YET! But we are working on it. Help us get there, advertise or sponsor us! Email for more details CultureClashGalveston@gmail.com. 4
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table of contents Vol. 3 Issue 2 (Jan./Feb. 2020)
CULTURE
CL AS H magazine
FEATURES
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18 Tastemakers
PUBLISHER Janese Maricelli-Thomasson LAYOUT & DESIGN JanMar Agency
28 People of Galveston
DEPARTMENTS
EDITORS Leslie Whaylen
CONTRIBUTORS
Be A Better Human 7 Garden to Table 9 Food + Community
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Express Yourself 11 Food For the Soul 12 Must be Ill’e’gal 14 Prison Gourmet
Jamey Baird • Lauria Cordero Juan Gonzales • Julian Jimenez Krishna Patel • Tanner Price John Stokes • Denise Walker
MAKE A CONNECTION
For ad rates or personalized marketing strategies, call us at 409.502.8221
CHECK US OUT
Coolture 25 Creative Writing 27 Pulse Calendar of Events
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CultureClashGalveston.com facebook.com/CultureClashMag cultureclashgalveston@gmail.com ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS Please mail check payable to Culture Clash 1625 23rd St., • Galveston TX 77550 In the amount of $24 Note “Culture Clash” in memo line
GET READY FOR THE NEXT ISSUE!
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Sharing food with community is an art form in its own right. Not everyone has access to fresh food. Get involved.
be a better
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.com
human
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CULTURE CLASH (Be a Better Human)
Garden to Table-
Fresh Culinary Delights Story and Photos by Denise Walker
Eating out of the garden is the simplest form of culinary delight. The students participating in the Young Gardeners Program in local Galveston Independent School District (GISD) schools are reaping the rewards of their school garden harvests. The Young Gardeners Program (YGP) is a project of Galveston’s Own Farmers Market and spearheaded by Nan Wilson, the Program Director. Wilson moved to Galveston Island to be with her family in 2015. An astounding number of children in our area have childhood obesity and diabetes, and many have only minimal access to healthy fruits and vegetables. Nan wanted to change things for children and adults on the island. After some thought and lots of conversations, Wilson believed she could help by exposing children to gardening and eating healthy at local schools. One of the many conversations she had was with the GISD after-school department, and resulted in a greenlight to begin a program that pushed into existing, afterschool sessions. She subsequently shared about her success with Casey McAuliffe, the Director of Galveston’s Own Farmers Market, and they began to plan for a roll-out of the project. In October 2017, the Young Gardeners Program (YGP) began as a TOR after school program at Rosenberg Elementary (formerly Coastal Village Elementary). In 2018, Morgan Elementary, a Health, Medical Science and Engineering Magnet school, added the YGP to their after-school program, as well as Galveston ISD’s Texas Aces after-school program at Oppe Elementary.
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CULTURE CLASH (Be a Better Human)
PUBLISHER’S PICK!
Currently, YGP exists at three schools on the Island and at Crenshaw School on Bolivar Peninsula, and serves over one hundred students. The main difference between YGP and other gardening programs is the focus on production gardening and preparing food from the garden. Almost every week, students take home a pound of fresh produce and recipes so their families know how to prepare them.
Paul Mendoza, head of the culinary program at Galveston College, and Brian Peper, from Morrison Healthcare, which provides food at UTMB, teamed up in October to create culinary amazingness straight from the Seeding Galveston gardens.
There is nothing more rewarding than to witness kids enthusiastically eating straight out of the garden. Most kids at the beginning of the program say they would never eat broccoli, greens, or carrots. By the time the harvest comes in, students will stuff their mouth with anything they grow. YGP promotes healthy eating by formally preparing the bounty from the garden every month. Students prepare simple recipes like roasted broccoli and baked sweet potatoes with butter, salt, and pepper. All recipes are designed to be ultra-simple, having no more than four ingredients. The reason for the simplicity of the recipes is a matter of accessibility. If the recipes are simple, it is more likely the students will introduce those recipes to their families, more likely 8
The team of masterminds, worked to build several courses that incorporated a variety of garden elements including field greens, arugula, tomatoes, squash, goat cheese, and more! their busy caregivers will prepare them, and exponentially expands the students’ healthy eating habits from to the students at school to their families at home. People often wonder whether the kids actually eat what they cook. The answer is yes. The kids literally lick their plates and ask for more. The proof is in the pudding and it goes to show that kids will enthusiastically eat what they grow.
The Seeding Galveston team and the volunteer chefs accomplished more than culinary art. Their efforts have helped establish community and set an example for healthy living. Photos courtesy of Seeding Galveston
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CULTURE CLASH (Be a Better Human)
Food + Community = Sustainability By John Stokes Have you heard the term anthropogenic climate change? How about the “Anthropocene”? Both have to do with something caused by humans. “Anthropo” being Greek for human and “genic” Greek for causing or caused by. The definition of anthropogenic goes a step further: “Of, relating to, or resulting from the influence of human beings on nature”. It has a negative connotation. And the Anthropocene? This is a term for the current period on this planet but also that we are currently in the Sixth Mass Extinction. “We are?” you ask. Yes. Since 1970, more than 50% of all wildlife has disappeared. A recent study declared 3 billion birds in North America vanished in the past half century. Another study showed a 75% reduction in flying insects over just the last 27 years. Being gulf coast residents, we all know the threats our ocean faces. We see catastrophes inflicted from land, sea, and air. Not in the future but NOW. Who or what is the culprit? Are you noticing this trend? It is the negative influence of human beings on the natural world. When humans are involved, calamity ensues as does a thwarting of the wonder of this world. My calling is to change this human-caused destruction narrative! As such, I will soon be unveiling Anthropogenik, an unfolding opportunity for us to learn and practice being a friend to the natural world and all who are fortunate to call it home. We can reclaim a world that has been linked with our negative impacts. That is the seed we can plant, nurture, and then a harvest we can gather and share with one another; repeat.
Photo courtesy of Facebook
My plan is for Anthropogenik, a budding cooperative business/community organizing principle, to seek and practice ways together of having a regenerative effect instead of a destructive effect on this world. One of those ways relates to food, cooking, and locally grown produce. A lot of issues can be addressed by breaking bread together. Solutions can be found at the dinner table especially when we address how the food got there, how it’s produced, and who is welcome at the table. This may sound complicated but it’s not. The first step is accepting an invitation to seek ways to change the human-caused destruction narrative. Second step is to accept another invitation. A real one. Join Anthropogenik for a meal in early 2020. You may even be asked to help prepare it! We can come together, prepare a locally sourced meal, break bread, learn some new things together, and envision/ practice ways of living in regenerative harmony. For fun, we can reclaim another word and call this Anthropogenik gathering the AnthropoScene. I look forward to being there with you. Please email John@Anthropogenik.com with your initial thoughts.You will receive a link to sign up for the Anthropogenik newsletter. We will share details on the upcoming gathering in early 2020 to meet, discuss these topics, and enjoy a meal together. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. C U LTU R EC L A S H G A LV E STO N . C O M • J A N / F E B 2 0 2 0
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Galveston is home to so many culinary delights. Express yourself through colors and flavors at home or next time you order out. We love Shrimp N’ Stuff Downtown for their amazing selection.
express
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Yourself
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CULTURE CLASH (Express Yourself)
fOOD FOR THE sOUL By Krishna Patel
Food is life. No matter where you go, the universal sign of compassion and unity will be food. In every culture, society, group, and country, food will always be one basic yet effective way to understand each other. Food and its meaning can change but still have the same effect no matter where you live or travel. Food can have heart, or it can be soulless. The only deciding factor is how you perceive the value in your life.
In my opinion, I think that our tradition of staying connected through food has been a key factor in my academic success. The reason for this being that through me staying connected, I am constantly being reminded of what I am aiming for in my future and the steps I need to take in order to achieve my goal. By eating dinner with my family every day, I am reminded of the things that are important to me in life: respect, honesty, and happiness. Every time we eat dinner, I am reminded this is a privilege and not everyone has the same experience. Food grounds me to reality and keeps me moving to the future. Food can be anything you or your family wants it to be. Personally, for my family, we use food to relax and talk to each other about how our day has been. We come together every day to discuss what happened during our day to stay connected during our busy lives. I wish every family could eat consistent meals together every day.
Photo courtesy of John Embesi
Photo from Shutterstock.com
My family, being from India, has some very traditional practices when it comes to food and eating. For example, at the dining table, it is considered disrespectful to eat with your left hand or to leave your plate unfinished by even the smallest crumb. In many Indian families, this is a tradition that has its roots from our religion. I understand that many families in this country are always secluded from their families and eat alone. While there may be academic incentives to eat with your family, I think it goes beyond that. If you can’t take the time to stay connected with your family one time out of the entire day, how will you ever stay connected once you go to college or move away?
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Photos courtesy of facebook
CULTURE CLASH (Express Yourself)
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CULTURE CLASH (Express Yourself)
So Hawt - it Must Be Ill’e’gal By Julian Jimenez
Let me start by saying this: I love ramen. Translated directly from Japanese as “pulled noodles,” strict traditionalists use Chinese wheat noodles served in a meat or fishbased broth, boiled until the texture gives delightful chew. This can then be flavored with miso or soy sauce. Nearly every region in Japan has their own take on the delicacy, their recipe often closely guarded. The resulting soup is equal parts savory and filling; done right, it soothes and comforts in a way that borders on divine. And the toppings! You can add Nori (dried seaweed), to give it a salty flair. You can blanket it with bean sprouts. Smooth out the umami with butter. Shake in white pepper for a kick, spoon in corn for the crunch. Or if you’re more like me-- an irreverent heathen, no doubt-- just dump everything in with enough sriracha to burn off an eyebrow. That’s what I love about ramen. Ramen gives you permission to riff, to be imperfect, to be what you want. Rarely does a food capture the DIY essence of the island music scene so well. And now, in Blaine Lunz and AC’s Noodle Ill’e’gal, I can say that the island has a new, welcome entry into the depressingly bereft Asian food scene, delivered in the spirit of the same impromptu pop-up shows and late-night-after-the-bar munchies that inspired its inception in the first place. Both Blaine and AC are musicians to the bone. I’ve been caught headbanging in their audience more than once. You taste that same soul in their food. Much like the punk rock C U LTU R EC L A S H G A LV E STO N . C O M • J A N / F E B 2 0 2 0
aesthetic or the syncopated rhymes that characterize their craft, they like to experiment. Ramen, at its heart, is like a guitar solo: it leaves room for variation. And the way that Noodle Ill’egal celebrates that in each new version of their dish speaks to how the duo riffs off of each other for their next big idea. To hear Blaine describe it, “We cook Japanese food with a Texas soul to it.”
Founders AC and Blaine
“Really, most of the time when you taste popups, it’s him and I putting input in both of the dishes and shit together you know?” said AC. “We’ll adapt. We’ll look at traditional ways to prepare these bowls, and then we’ll be like, ‘You know what? What is close to that and would have a similar flavor, but be more extravagant, something more tight?’ We’re constantly evolving.” For example, in one of their most memorable dishes, the Texas State
bowl, AC drew upon his heritage for inspiration as he cooked up a batch of charro beans to use as a ramen topping. Blaine added his own innovation by using miso with black beans instead of the traditional doubanjiang (fermented soybean). The noodles? Topped off with fajita meat seasoned with Asian spices. For some, such creativity may lean so far as to be sacrilegious. But it’s in that tension between tradition and rebellion where Noodle Ill’e’gal starts to truly find its footing. While hardcore purists may scoff at the idea of Mexican sensibilities invading their soup, the willingness to explore interesting ways to break the rules motivates their study of the ways of ramen. “[Ramen] is a renegade kind of food, you can put whatever in there,” said Blaine. “And when I started the idea… I guess if you really had to describe what Noodle Ill’e’gal is supposed to be, it’s Japanese-Texas soul food. We both learned how to cook southern food our entire lives, so why not incorporate what we know? Good food is good food at the end of the day.” Truly, beyond mix of history and modern, more than just that clash of cultures from thousands of miles apart, beyond the music metaphors and the recipes and superlative adjectives, under all of that, for these two there’s just that genuine desire to make something they like and share it with people, just for the hell of it. Is there anything more Galveston than that? 13
CULTURE CLASH (Express Yourself)
prison gourmet By Juan Gonzales
I walked down the main hall of the Estelle unit here in Huntsville with my stomach grumbling. It’s impossible to get used to any certain time to eat here because each day’s schedule is different depending on who is working that particular shift and how they are feeling that day. Breakfast is usually between 1 a.m and 3 a.m., lunch’s any time between 8:30 a.m. to noon, and dinner can be from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. We wait. That’s all we can do if we want to eat the food provided for us at the prison chow hall. That is not to say the food is anywhere near worth the wait though, because unless it’s a holiday, it’s not. We get fed meager amounts of a rotating menu consisting of pork, beef or fish patties, casserole, or noodles. Chicken patties are thrown in a few times a week though they are either
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cooked hard as a hockey puck, or still frozen, but never in between. Our sides are black-eyed peas, greens, corn, or pinto beans. All veggies are boiled bland and there are zero spices in anything. A dry piece of corn bread and some colored water tops it all off and helps it go down. Delish? We don’t have to look at it for long as we are usually rushed to get from the table before we are done, only to be made to wait a 1/2 hour or more before being let out of the chow hall. Then we make the walk back to the wing and wait in the day room a couple of hours before being let back into our cells. All in all, going to the chow hall can sometimes take up to four hours of your day for each meal. It is three meals each day though and I am thankful for it. I know that there are a lot of people in this world with much less.
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CULTURE CLASH (Express Yourself)
Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.com
We are blessed in that we are given the option of eating what I now call the food of the gods. If you are lucky enough to have your family send you money to go to commissary, or if you are the type who has any kind of talent at all and can hustle, you can eat… wait for it… raman noodles! Yes! I’m talking about the square little package of noodle goodness that provides the base of what is most of our in-cell made meals. That delicious dehydrated, spice packet flavored, easily stacked in a locker, or even clandestinely transported down the hall ambrosia that is raman! They are not only food here, but they can be currency too. Beautiful ramens…. In this unit, we have a choice of three flavors: chicken, chili, or spicy vegetable. Of course, they are the low sodium versions. Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) wants us eating healthy. They cost 30 cents at the commissary but “on the street” here they equal a dollar. My personal favorite is the chili, although I sometimes have dreams of my old favorite in county jail - lime chili shrimp. The memories of me walking down the soup aisle at the grocery store have grown into fantasies on par with how big the fish was that got away. I seem to remember dozens or was it hundreds of different flavors and colors stacked on shelves almost to the ceiling which I am pretty sure was about 100 feet high. Didn’t they come in Styrofoam cups and bowls too? I don’t remember, but I do remember that I took them for granted. They were a quick substitution for a meal at work, or between classes when I would rush home to pick up my homework. My kids loved them and would have been perfectly happy to eat them every day for every meal. I did not let them, of course but ironically, I now eat them every single day here and have been doing so for years. I’m not eating them plain in a bowl though. Oh no, the meals we make in here are often not even recognizable as raman. We make pizzas, spaghetti, popcorn, tacos, cheese nachos, sandwiches, and other meals with them. The most popular to make when a few people are going to eat is
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probably pizza because it feeds four or more, depending on the thickness. Pizza, you ask? Let me break it down for you, my free world brothers and sisters. First, you must make the noodles easier to work with, so you use your preferred method of crushing them. Most hammer them on the floor a few times taking care not to
do it too hard and bust the package open. It makes a mess on the floor and feeds cockroaches. For a four-slice pizza, I usually use 3 soups. Through commissary, we also have available such things as corn chips, barbecue or jalapeno chips, pork rinds, refried beans, ranch dressing packets, squeeze cheese, jalapenos, barbecue sauce, and various meat packets such as chile with or without beans, mackerel, tuna, or chicken chunks. Everyone has their own preference as to what ingredients to use, but the methods are pretty much the same.
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You put the crushed noodles into a corn chip bag, add crushed corn chips, dehydrated beans, some chopped jalapenos, and any other kind of chips you like and shake vigorously to mix the contents. You make your broth with the season packet and maybe some extra spices if you can get it, then pour it into the bag barely covering the noodles. Knead it to get it all mixed properly, then wrap it in a towel to cook. Once it hardens to a dough-like consistency, you flatten it out in the bag, then cut it open so you have a nice rectangular crust on which you now layer your toppings such as a meat pouch, chopped chowhall stuff, crushed chips, drizzles of cheese, ranch dressing, whatever! Prison pizza! I realize to most of you, this may not sound as appetizing as it is to us in here, but we all have to make do with what we have available, don’t we? When you run out of onion powder at home, don’t you maybe substitute some garlic powder? Or perhaps use chicken in the recipe instead of beef? That’s what we do in here, just maybe to more extreme levels. With raman noodles, I can substitute just about anything! You see, while prison may at first be a dark, drab and dreary place, some of us look for and find on occasion a bit of color and flavor in it to appreciate and enjoy. Flower growing amidst razor wire coils, a letter from home, a raman noodle pizza… are all bits of warms in an otherwise cold place. And you know what, I appreciate those little flashes of warmth now like I never did when I was free. I am thankful for each one. I can remember turning my nose up at the baked chicken my wife used to cook in the free. I found it too bland for my Latino, spice-craving tastebuds. Now, the baked chicken that they give us once or twice a month tastes so incredibly rich and flavorful to me! With 100% assurance, I say that I will never take some food for granted. A bowl of white rice with a pat of butter, a plain grilled cheese sandwich, even a plain glass of cold milk… all things I once scorned but can’t wait to have again. Till then though, I will be thankful for every meal I do have here and the raman noodles I am lucky enough to have also. My cellie [cell mate] brought back his chicken patty from dinner and I happen to have two of those raman, a handful of dehydrated refried beans, a pack of flour tortillas, and a few spoonfuls of squeeze cheese left. So it sounds like chicken burrito night in John Lobo’s cell! Till next time my culture clashing brothers and sisters, bone appetit!
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PUBLISHER’S PICK! We love ramen too (see pg. 12). If you want the real deal - check out Noodle Ill’e’gal! They can be found “popping-up” around town or online at facebook.com/ Illegalnoodle If you want to try your hand at some “fun” prison food, there are options. Our favorite prison cookbook is Prison Ramen, with forward by Samuel L. Jackson. Get 65 ramen recipes and stories of prison life from the inmates/ cooks who devised them, including celebrities like Slash from Guns n’ Roses and the actor Shia LaBeouf. Ramen is cool. If you love it so much, buy the sweatshirt! Or, write the author of our “Prison Gourmet” article and share your love. I am sure he would appreciate it. JuanGonzales #1983619 Estelle Unit - 264 FM 3478 Huntsville, Tx 77320 “Tell ‘em Large Marge sent ya!” C U LTU R EC L A S H G A LV E STO N . C O M • J A N / F E B 2 0 2 0
Photos from Shutterstock.com
CULTURE CLASH (Express Yourself)
CULINARY ARTS
For more information contact Chef Paul Mendoza at pmendoza@gc.edu or visit gc.edu/culinary
Sharpen Your Skills
at the GC Culinary Arts Academy
It is the policy of Galveston College to provide equal opportunities without regard to age, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, genetic information or veteran status.
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CULTURE CLASH (FEATURE)
Tastemakers Galveston’s Culinary Arts Review
In all my years of experience as a diehard foodie and culinary thrillseeker, Galveston takes the cake for the greatest taste experiences I’ve ever had. It’s a city teeming with personality, fun, and flavor that will keep visitors coming back, while making the locals feel like the luckiest bunch in Texas. If you’re looking for the perfect places to eat, you’ll find them behind the restaurant doors of Galveston’s shores. Welcome, my new friends, to Tastemakers! Your personal joyride through the city’s hottest, new restaurants! Photo from Shutterstock.com
By Tanner Price
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CULTURE CLASH (FEATURE)
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Photos courtesy of Buck’s BBQ
If you’re from Texas like me, you’re probably well acquainted with our state’s laid-back, no-frills style of barbecue. Succulent meats and steamy sides with portions fit for a king. Imagine all that and amp the presentation up through the roof and you’ve got Buck’s Barbecue Co., where their motto is “barbeque... elevated”. Founded by a self-taught barbecue master named Jim Buchanan, Buck’s BBQ set out on Day 1 with a mission to take traditional barbecue concepts and apply them in exciting new ways. They’ve got everything you could ever want for classic Texas barbecue, with all the comforts and relaxation of a Sunday brunch café. Whether you’re in the mood for a full-flavored “Grilled Cheese-n-Brisket” made with homemade pimento cheese on Texas Toast, or a white-hot “Brisket Benedict” served on a savory scratch biscuit with Alabama white sauce and fried leeks, Buck’s BBQ has you covered, all for affordable prices! If you’re looking for something more on the sweet side, ask the staff about their secret, off-menu brunch specials. You can find anything from sweet cream “Fruity Pebble Pancakes” to “Butterfinger Brisket Pancakes” topped with peanut butter and caramel. It’s a legendary barbecue experience you won’t want to miss, and it can be found at 801 Post Office Street right across from UTMB.
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Photos courtesy of Facebook
Photo from Shutterstock.com
Maybe you’re in the mood to try something new. No, something newer than new. Something never-beforeseen in the history of Galveston. Let me introduce you to the revolutionary Suki Poké By The Sea, Galveston’s first and only poké café! Created by the incredible Chef Slevin Tran and his wife Suki, this restaurant prides itself on mixing all the fun and flare of traditional Hawaiian poké with Japanese-American flavors in an inviting café experience. Here you can find poké made from the freshest sushi ingredients and garden vegetables, all perfectly balanced following the finest Japanese cuisine. Complete with a rich variety of Boba teas, coffees, and authentic Southeast Asian snacks, Suki Poké is designed to be the perfect study spot for the hardworking student or the dream destination for the traveler in all of us. Come fall in love with “Suki’s Rainbow Poké Bowl”, a mouthwatering marinade of 5 cuts of fish, 5 types of vegetables, and 5 kinds of fish eggs all cooked in an unbeatable blend of chef special sauces. Bring the whole family here at 427 Market Street for a culinary adventure they’ll never forget.
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Photos courtesy of Facebook
Just when you thought you’d seen it all, something really exciting sprouts up ready to take the city by storm. This is the Galveston way, and it is also the way of Fish Company Taco, the island’s only purely fish taco restaurant, owned and operated by Executive Chef Daya MyersHurt. She and her wife Laura originally owned The Lunchbox Café on 23rd Street before closing their doors in 2013. Now they are pleased to return to the island with a wonderfully fresh and innovative restaurant, drawing inspiration from Galveston’s extensive culinary history. Serving only Gulf Wild certified seafood and processing everything in-house, Fish Company Taco masters the delicate and delicious blend of southern and Asian flavors with their five signature tacos and fresh collar specials made from scratch every day. What makes this restaurant so iconic is their Oleander Dinner Series, a huge culinary arts celebration hosted on the second Monday of every month. With twenty open seats, one massive table, and dinners no fewer than five courses, Fish Company Taco prepares groundbreaking feasts for the city honoring the rich and illustrious history of the peoples who have shaped Galveston through the centuries including the Karankawa Native Americans and the Spanish conquistadors. Make sure to reserve your seating at the next Oleander Dinner Series event on January 13, 2020 for a legendary Spanish and Mediterranean feast seared and served on palm bark “Mermaid Tails”. Come get to know the Myers-Hurt family on 1914 23rd Street! You’ll know them when you see them by their golden front door.
That does it for my recommendations this time around, but please explore the rest of Galveston’s culinary community. There’s so much incredible food out there, and I’ve only scratched the surface. Do yourselves a flavor and go grab a menu. Support local business and keep Galveston beautiful!
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CULTURE CLASH (Coolture)
HALLS LIQUOR
2121 45th Street • 409.763.0162 Open 10 am - 8:55 pm • Mon.- Sat. www.HALLSLIQUOR.com
OPEN Mon-
Thurs
New Exhibitions Opening January 18 during ArtWalk
FriSun
2pm-2am 12pm-2am
with the
BEST HAPPY
Amanda Miller But then (again)
Spring Semester Art Club for Kids begins January 7
Brit Thomas Indian Spirit
presented in conjunction with
HOUR
Downtown
Mon-Fri
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FREE ADMISSION | 2127 Strand | Galveston, TX | galvestonartscenter.org C U LTU R EC L A S H G A LV E STO N . C O M • J A N / F E B 2 0 2 0
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Contact the artist- IG: @DylansWorkshopOfficial - Etsy: DylansWorkshop - Email: DylansWorkshop94@gmail.com
C00LTURE FEATURED ARTIST Dylan Maynard Self Reflection 2019 Linocut portrait in hot pink & orange with individual detailing on watercolor paper.
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Ball High CREATIVE WRITING Works By Young Writers
Warm Food By: Sierra Rosen
I am so excited for school today. Today they are serving pizza for lunch. I spent most of my morning fantasizing about delicious, melted cheese topped with crispy pepperoni. Today we are learning about the radius and diameter of circles in math. I could only think about the crispy pepperoni, in the shape of a circle, that I would see in a few hours. Last week, in Health, we learned about meal proportions. I never knew dinner was supposed to be an abstract plate consisting of veggies, proteins, AND whole grains. Last night, for “dinner,” I had cheese rolled up in a tortilla. I have no oven or microwave to heat my meal, but I was still satisfied with the artificial cheese folded in the cold tortilla. Today, at lunch, my table mates described our cafeteria pizza as wet bread covered in rubber cheese, topped with plastic meat. They said they wanted Dominos. I have never had pizza from a pizza place, like Dominos. Today was an amazing day. I really enjoyed learning about circumference. But today was especially good because… I had pizza for lunch.
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The Lack Of By: Ethan Fox
From a young age, I have never been in touch with my “culture” and often wondered if I even had a distinct one. My family was never one to sit down at a dinner table and talk about our day in great detail. Instead, we ate while watching TV shows or movies. You will find me eating dinner in my room merely because I have so much homework. The primary reason for my family not eating together is because of our schedules and the lack of time in our schedules to be present with each other. My mother works nights, my dad works days, and I stay after school for rehearsals or activities. So I am still learning to this day that if I am hungry, then I need to make it for myself. I cannot always expect dinner to be made when I get home or a beautiful dining table to be made. Instead, I do not have expectations. Growing up, my parents never wanted to decide how I live my life. Whatever religion, identity, or simply sitting at the dinner table - I was never forced into morals or traditions I was not comfortable with. Although my upbringing may seem very different than others, it has shaped how I am as a person. I do not need to eat at the dinner table to connect with my family. I find other ways to express my emotions and tell them about my day. Having cultural traditions relating to food has always been interesting to me because I do not identify food with experiencing a piece of “home”. Some might think I’m missing a lack of “home”. It’s not that I lacked culture or tradition - just that food reminds me of a type of home I did not ever have.
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CULTURE CLASH (Coolture)
Extra Credit Min Mezcla “My Mixture” By: Lauria Cordero
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Growing up I often felt like the odd man out when I would bring my lunch to school which consisted of pickled oddities, lutefisk, and some version of rice and beans every day. A strange concoction of different foods to say the least, so different from my classmates lunches of PB&J, fruit snacks, and a juice pouch. It created a longing within me from a young age to fall into the very westernized style of eating. Growing up, my personal cuisine stemmed from my mother’s very rich Swedish immigrant side, and my father’s Mexican and Native American upbringing. My siblings and I would sit down every night for dinner, and be welcomed by the aroma of freshly made tortillas, pemmican, knäckebröd and always the very pungent odor of some pickled fish. It was the norm for us at home, and we welcomed and enjoyed it. We knew it wasn’t the food your typical ‘American’ family eats. I had a strong desire to assimilate with what people believed to be the correct way to eat. Regretfully looking back, I wish I could have understood the importance of my individuality even when it came to something so commonplace as food.
Food is undoubtedly one of the strongest human threads, because it brings us together, it teaches and sustains, and will always be with us in one way or another. I made the mistake of trying to disconnect from the food I grew up around, in order to find a false version of normal, and now more than ever I want to reconnect to the cultural mash of a cuisine I can call my own. I’m still growing in my cultural identity and one part of that is the acceptance of the food I love even when it’s not the norm to some. I implore you to not forget your roots in order to achieve the unachievable conformity society pressures us into. Because in the end, home is where the heart is, and taking back your cultural cuisine is one step on the path home.
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As a teenager I was all too willing to fall into the eating patterns of your standard American teenager: junk food, caffeine, and simply not anything. After a while of eating that way, I started to lose a sense of fulfillment. I was never satisfied with or enjoyed the food I was eating, no matter how tantalizing it may have been to the taste buds. It lacked authenticity and a sense of home, not to mention it offered very little sustenance. Not only were the flavors of my family cuisine more gratifying, the memories tied to them are truly priceless; like the one time my sister slapped me with a cold herring and we died laughing, or when my entire family wore fresh tortillas on our heads and drank jarritos out of teacups and refused to speak in anything other than a British accent. Those memories and moments are so individual and personal, and all centered around the emotional connection food can create within one’s life.
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SEE ART DYLAN MAYNARD
“TRUST//CONFIANZA” Charcoal, Aerosol, Graphite on watercolor paper.
Jan.-Feb. 2020 Calendar of Events
january ARTWalk Saturday, January 18, 2020 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. Galveston Art Center and other galleries Downtown Galveston Admission: Free see website for more info. Hayes Carll / Allison Moorer: Wednesday, January 22, 2020 Old Quarter Acustic Cafe 413 20th St. Admission: SOLD OUT see website for more info. 2020 Galveston Restaurant Week Saturday, January 25 – Sunday, February 9, 2020 Various Locations Home of the finest Gulf Coast seafood and some of Texas’ most delectable restaurants, Galveston island proudly welcomes visitors to Galveston Restaurant Week where patrons can choose from Galveston’s most delightful and delicious eateries from prix-fixe lunch and/or dinner menus.
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february Galveston’s Own Farmers Market Every Thursday and Sunday The Bryan Museum 315 21st St. Admission: Free see website for more info Mardi Gras! Galveston Friday, February 14 Tuesday, February 25, 2020 Various Locations Galveston, TX If you’re looking for a unique Mardi Gras experience in 2020, head to the beach, the Strand, or pretty much any place in between.
Drink up MILK AND HONEY
Locally sourced honey and cinnamon, velvety steamed milk, and double shot of their house espresso blend called the “the stiletto”
Get it NOW at Red Light Coffee Roasters 2728 Market St.
One Night of Queen – Performed by Gary Mullen & The Works Saturday, March 7, 2020 -8pm Sunday, March 8, 2020 -3pm The Grand 1894 Opera House 2020 Postoffice St. Admission: $25 - $98 see website for more info.
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“What is your view on Galveston’s food culture?”
Interviews by Jamey Baird
Bret Lowry (above) “I think we actually have a very rich culture of food in Galveston. There are not many towns of this size that you can go to and have literally every type of meal you could want. I love Trattoria but I’m a sucker for Millers, I like a home-cooked meal and you could never go wrong with the wait staff there. I moved from Houston and I was very impressed with the many different types of cuisines an island of this size offers.” John Hannan (right) “We love Mexican, Italian, Greek, seafood, all of it. My family and I don’t cook that often so we like to go to Mario’s. I’ve been to Taquilos five times this week. It’s so good. The diversity on the island is great as well, I love Galveston. I would like to see some more Indian or Middle Eastern cuisines in the city. We come from Dallas and we love how we can easily walk to any restaurant. We don’t have to travel a long distance to get to our favorite foods anymore.” 28
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CULTURE CLASH (FEATURE)
Celebrating 18 years of Galveston’s Freshest Catch Red Snapper Grouper Golden Tile Fish Oysters, Flounder Shrimp, Blue Crabs and More
Karla Mock (above) “I am a born and raised Galvestonian and we’ve always had great restaurants in Galveston. One of my favorites is the Mexican food where we have such a huge variety. We have a lot of homemade, homegrown, and family operated businesses. It’s so hard to choose where to eat because there are so many restaurants. There is a huge proliferation of new restaurants lately probably within the last 12 or 16 months with huge options. I’ve been going to Galveston restaurants my entire life and it has always been great especially with the new ones that pop up as well.”
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Leslie Whaylen (left) “I love Henry’s authentic tortillas and pupusas! I could eat there any day. There are many great places on the island, but Henry’s is a family favorite for my kids and I.” C U LTU R EC L A S H G A LV E STO N . C O M • J A N / F E B 2 0 2 0
Galveston’s Newest Seafood House STRAIGHT OFF THE BOAT Sun-Thur 11am-9pm Fri & Sat 11am-10pm 2000 Wharf Rd, Galveston (409) 765-5688
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