< Previous80 COASTMONTHLY.COM | MAY 2023 COUNTER CULTURE In November, Donna came in second as the Reserve Champion for her entry — one of 165 competitors — in the Chili Appreciation Society International’s cook-off in Terlingua, Texas. In fact, the couple met 23 years ago at a chili cook-off and forged a friendship almost immedi- ately. “It was chili that brought us together,” Donna said. Kevin wasn’t cooking at the time, but was par- ticipating in the themed show part of the cook-off in which participants appear in costumes and com- pete for prizes for originality and ideas. He did that for a few years and finally decided to get involved in chili competitions. “I won for the show but then I thought — now I am going to cook,” he said. “It takes some serious effort to win these things.” Kevin likes to cook and has been doing it most of his life, he said. “I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid,” he said. “My parents both worked, so as soon as I was tall enough to reach the stove, I’ve been cooking. I have honed my skills over the years. He won his first competition at a local cook-off in 1984, and has won championships in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and Hawaii, as well as many regional competitions. Donna was living in Houston and went to a cook-off in 1998 and got hooked. At the 2002 In- ternational Chili Society Texas State championship, she took home first place. To qualify for the international championship tournaments, chili cookers have to accumulate points through the year at locally sanctioned chili cook-offs. They spend at least 30 weekends a year Donna Foley’s red Reserve Champion jacket for her entry in the Chili Appreciation Society International’s cook-off in Terlin- gua, Texas, and Kevin Foley’s black jacket from his win at the International Chili Society’s World Championship cook-off in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, hang on the chairs at their kitchen bar. (Opposite) Kevin and Donna Foley’s chili trophies are displayed in their living room. COASTMONTHLY.COM | MAY 2023 8182 COASTMONTHLY.COM | MAY 2023 COUNTER CULTURE about 30 or 40 that we use and we are constantly changing them,” Donna said. They use commercially prepared spices from specialty companies such as Pendery’s or Mild Bill’s Gun- powder Foods. “You want to balance the flavors and not make it too hot or too salty,” Kevin said. “We are always learning from each person we meet at the cook-offs.” Judges taste each competitor’s entry — but just a spoonful or two. It has to look good, smell good and taste good, Kevin said. Judges also give points for color, consistency, aroma and after-taste. On occasion, the couple competes against each other. “We don’t share our recipes, but I mix all the spices, so I know what he’s using,” Donna said. “Usually, we only reveal our secrets with each other.” When at home in their West End home, the Foleys prefer to grill steaks or other foods outside rather than cook in their kitchen. They have lived in the Pirates Beach area for more than 20 years. The couple plans to participate in the June 2-3 chili cook-off at the Jamaica Beach RV Park, benefiting the Jamaica Beach Fire Department. “I will be serving chili and Frito pies both days if folks would like to sample the chili,” Kevin said. “It is a free event. We will also need judges for both days under the pavilion in the park.” In Galveston, they enjoy the com- pany of their neighbors who really like the fact that the Foleys live near them. They get to taste award-winning chili on occasion. “When we are home, we would prefer to cook anything but chili,” Kevin said. “But I could easily eat a bowl any time.” traveling to different events, hauling their portable kitchen with them in the back of a pickup truck — a stove, tent, canopy, all the fixings and raw meat. Everything for a chili competition must be prepared on-site — nothing can be pre-made. Competitors are given a three-hour window to create their dishes. Several people under one tent could be challenging each other. The typical chili recipe is simple: broth, tomato sauce, water, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, garlic and cayenne pepper and quality cubed or ground meat. The most important ingredient is patience, Kevin said. They Foleys never use the same recipe at competitions. “We have a million recipes, but Kevin Foley ladles his Texas red chili into a bowl. The Foleys constantly are changing their chili recipes and never use the same recipe at competitions, they said. COASTMONTHLY.COM | MAY 2023 83 JACKI HART REALTOR ® 409.692.5081 jacki.hart@garygreene.com www.realtorwithhart.com Home is where the “HART” is! Thinking of buying or selling a home... Call Jacki Hart TIKI ISLAND 136 QUAYSIDE DRIVE | $1,550,000 FOR SALE LAGUNA SAN LUIS 3942 MENDOCINO | $580,000 FOR SALE KEVIN FOLEY’S TEXAS RED CHILI 2 pounds cubed tri-tip beef ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 (14.5-ounce) can beef broth 8 ounces spring water 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 Serrano pepper Spice Mix No. 1 2 tablespoons New Mexico chili powders (Mild Bill’s Gunpowder Foods, Dixon or Hatch) 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 teaspoon beef granules ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder Spice Mix No. 2 3 tablespoons Texas-style chili blend (Gephardt’s or Pendery’s Fort Worth Light) 1 tablespoon ground cumin (Maceo’s Spice & Import Co. in Galveston is a reliable source.) 1 tablespoon garlic powder Spice Mix No. 3 1 tablespoon Texas-style chili blend (Gephardt’s or Pendery’s Fort Worth Light) 2 teaspoon paprika ½ teaspoon garlic salt ¼ teaspoon jalapeño powder Brown cubed beef in salt, pepper and vegetable oil and drain. In a 4-quart pot, combine 1 can beef broth, 1 can tomato sauce, 8 ounces water, Serrano pepper, drained beef, Spice Mix No. 1 and simmer for 1 hour. Remove pepper. Check consistency and adjust heat/add water as needed. Add Spice Mix No. 2 and simmer for 30 minutes. Check consistency and adjust heat and add water or broth as needed. Add Spice Mix No. 3 and simmer for 30 minutes. Salt to taste.84 COASTMONTHLY.COM | MAY 2023 HOMEPORT ‘THE ULTIMATE OPEN CONCEPT’ Islanders brighten and beautify award-winning 1894 raised cottage story by BARBARA CANETTI photos by STUART VILLANUEVA T he decorative theme for Sondra and Peter Oxman’s 1894 Victorian bunga- low doesn’t stop on the exterior of the house. They call this the Fleur-de- Lis Cottage for a good reason. This iconic symbol, which is associated with French royalty, is proudly displayed in various formats inside and outside the Galveston house. The Oxmans purchased the raised cottage in 2021 and immediately got to work with a major remodeling of it. But their goal was to retain as much of the original details as possible, while creating a modern, comfortable space. The house, originally five rooms, was built by Adolph and Augusta Helmann. Adolph Helmann was born in New Orleans in 1862 to German immigrant parents. When the Helmanns built their Galveston home, they incorporated the fleur-de- lis design on the front porch railing, a nod to his native New Orleans. The Oxmans carried on with the theme a bit further, with the symbol gracing the fence gate and front of the house. Inside, there are reminders everywhere: curtains, pillows, wall hangings, knick- knacks, figurines and other decorations. And, where (Right) Sondra and Peter Oxman completely remodeled their historic Victorian bungalow in Galveston, creating a mod- ern, comfortable space while retaining the house’s original details. For their efforts, the Oxmans were recognized with the Sally B. Wallace Historic Preservation Award by the Galveston Historical Foundation in 2022. COASTMONTHLY.COM | MAY 2023 8586 COASTMONTHLY.COM | MAY 2023 HOMEPORT (Clockwise from top) Whimsical light fixtures hang from original wooden arches in the hallway; the dining room, featuring a long table that comfortably seats eight, opens into a bright, white kitchen with a large white-quartz counter; a chandelier decorated with mythological figures and painted with gold-leaf plaster hangs in the hall; the fleur-de-lis, an iconic symbol associated with French royalty, is found throughout the cottage, which bears its name. there is no fleur-de-lis, there’s a picture or painting of Paris, France, where the symbol remains popular. First thing on the list for the Oxmans’ reconstruction was to move the kitchen from a small room in the back of the house to the area adjacent to the dining room, which opens into the living room. A large, white-quartz counter provides casual seating; the COASTMONTHLY.COM | MAY 2023 87 long dining table comfortably seats eight. “This is the ultimate open concept,” Sondra said. “There were sever- al little rooms and we opened them up.” The bright white kitchen cabinets provide adequate storage, and the dishwasher and farm sink both are built into the island. Where the original small kitchen had been is now a third bedroom, which also includes square footage of the former back porch. Long, sheer drapes cover all the windows but allow for lots of natural light. The front living room is especially bright. Large, draped bay win- dows are a backdrop to the room, decorated with antiques and more formal furnishings. The Oxmans preserved the original plaster-ceiling medallions in the 88 COASTMONTHLY.COM | MAY 2023 HOMEPORT COASTMONTHLY.COM | MAY 2023 89 (Clockwise from left) Light streams into the front living room from large, draped windows. The room is decorated with antiques and more formal furnishings; original artwork by former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill; a silver pitcher and its matching platter.Next >