< Previous60 COASTMONTHLY.COM | AuguST 2025 HOMEPORT In fact, they have working keys for every door and they all are different, Grant said. “We just maintain, repair and respect,” Grant. “We are stewards of what we buy.” The main floor of the house includes the foyer — with a large, stuffed white mute swan center stage — and leads to a bright, great formal teal living room and adjacent comfortable library where they spend most of their time. On the other side of the entry hall is the generous dining room, which is connected to a butler’s pantry and the origi- nal kitchen. Both the dining and living rooms open to the veranda, too. All the chandeliers are original and elec- tric, although they found gas lines in the ceilings that could have been used for gas fixtures. And the fixtures in the bathrooms, including sinks, tubs and commodes, all date back to the early days of the house. Getting repair parts is a challenge, Puthli said. The walls of each room are plaster and most art hanging on the walls are attached to picture railings that encircle rooms about 10 feet from the floor. Decorative dentil molding lines the ceilings throughout the first floor. Usually the heart of a house is the kitchen, but not here. In fact, the couple decided not to upgrade or renovate the kitchen, leaving it in its original condition. It is small, functional and hidden in the back of the house. The glass-fronted cabinets are painted blue and a red Royal Chiantishire gas stove anchors one end of the room. A high shelf with an assortment of old empty tin cans from tea, marshmallows, wafers and Koeppen’s Snap- pies cocktail crackers — all found in the attic — add to the history of the house and the Biehl family. The second floor houses the four bed- rooms: the primary with an ensuite bath- room; two guest rooms, one of which is used by their college-age son; an office; and a sitting room, which once was the sewing room. An additional bedroom and bathroom in the back probably were used by the hired (From top) Greg Grant and Ajay Puthli are just the fourth owners of the 1916 Biehl home in Galveston. Much of the historic home is original and in pristine condition; with light teal walls, the formal living room is bright and airy. (Opposite, from top) A stuffed swan greets guests as they enter the grand foyer; a skeleton key with a tag hangs from a second-floor door. Grant and Puthli have working keys for every door in the home and each is different; all the light switches, with push buttons for on-off, have been restored. COASTMONTHLY.COM | AuguST 2025 6162 COASTMONTHLY.COM | AuguST 2025 HOMEPORT (Clockwise, from top left) The floor-to-ceiling oak paneling and decorative dentil molding in the formal dining room are original to the home; pots hang above a red Royal Chiantishire gas stove; old tins displayed in the kitchen were found in the attic, along with original rugs and furniture; mementos from the Biehl family are displayed in a cabinet in the formal dining room. (Opposite, from top) the library is where Greg Grant and Ajay Puthli spend most of their time. The room features leather furniture, original oak paneling and is where Puthli displays some of his Victorian taxidermy collection; hidden in the paneling under the staircase is a secret Prohibition closet. Grant and Puthli now use it as their wine cellar COASTMONTHLY.COM | AuguST 2025 63 help and a convenient mop sink is nearby. The house also has a finished attic, which isn’t used much because there’s no air con- ditioning or heating. But the couple bought a set of gymnas- tic rings from the Antique Warehouse in Galveston used by the Biehls and installed them up- stairs as an additional reminder of the house’s history. “There is some- thing about living next door to the palace that is so special,” said Grant, referring to the 1892 Bishop’s Palace in the East End Historic District, a National Historic Landmark and museum that attracts tourists year-round. The Bishop’s Palace, 1402 Broadway, was designed by famed Galves- ton architect Nicholas J. Clayton and is an architectural marvel often referred to as one of the most significant Victorian residences in the United States. “I don’t think everyone appreci- ates living in an old house because you have limits on what you can do,” Grant said. “We feel the soul and spirit of history here.” They’re just tem- porary custodians and caretakers, Puthli said. “I hope the next person respects it, too,” he said. “There are lots of memories in the house. We want to keep things the way they are.” “There are lots of memories in the house. We want to keep things the way they are.” AJAY PUTHLI64 COASTMONTHLY.COM | AuguST 2025 COASTMONTHLY.COM | AuguST 2025 65 GARDEN VARIETY CLOVE TO CROP Growing garlic takes time, but gardeners promise it’s worth the wait story and photos by BARBARA CANETTI P lanting and raising garlic is a long process and gardeners must be patient. But, after about eight months, the tangy taste of fresh garlic makes the wait worthwhile. Galveston County Master Gardeners Michael Reed and John Mitchiner tested a dozen varieties of garlic, none of which can be purchased locally. Garlic, the kitchen’s savory superhero, eas- ily can be grown in the hot, humid climate along the Gulf Coast, but it takes from early fall until summer before fully developed cloves are ready for harvesting. There are more than 600 varieties of garlic, although almost all consumed in this area is California White sold in most grocery stores. Garlic is divided into two variations: hardneck and softneck. They differ in their structure and flavor. The hardneck garlic has a hard, woody central stem, producing scapes, or edible flower stalks, larger cloves and a more robust flavor. Softneck garlic has a softer, flexible neck, doesn’t produce scapes, has numerous smaller cloves and a milder, longer-lasting flavor. Our warm winters and humid air make softneck more suitable in this area. Mitchiner and Reed contacted Keene Gar- lic, a mail-order company that sells hundreds of varieties and offered to test the bulbs in the Discovery Garden at Carbide Park in La Marque. “Some did not do well and others did,” Reed said. “Not everything works in this climate.” Planting garlic is quite easy. Pick a sunny spot and well-draining soil. Separate the garlic bulb into individual cloves just before Garlic can be grown easily in the hot, humid climate along the Gulf Coast, but it takes from early fall until summer before fully developed cloves are ready for harvesting. (Opposite) Galveston County Master Gardener Michael Reed with garlic harvested from the Discovery Garden at Carbide Park in La Marque.66 COASTMONTHLY.COM | AuguST 2025 GARDEN VARIETY planting and plant the cloves about 2 inches deep – pointed end up. Don’t remove the white papery peels. Space the cloves 6 to 8 inches apart and 6 inches between rows. Water when the top 2 inches of soil dries and fertilize every few weeks. Garlic is ready to harvest when most of the leaves start turning brown. Pull one of the plants from the soil to test its maturity. If satisfied, the rest of the crop can be col- lected. Keep the harvested plants — leaves and bulbs — in a dark, dry place for a few weeks as the garlic cures. Once cured, it’s ready for cooking. Garlic gives food a different flavor, and using these more unusual varieties adds to the mystique, Reed said. “These are very different from the ones you get in the supermarket,” he said. Garlic can be eaten raw — “some will light you up,” Reed said. But it also can be sautéed and mixed with olive oil for a smooth butter-like spread for breads. Once garlic is cooked, it’s more mellow, he said. Although weather sometimes affects garlic growth, last winter’s snow didn’t damage the crop, nor did the erratic temperature swings through the rest of the year, Reed said. The varieties they tested were Korean Red, Inchilian Red, Purple Creole, Russian Infer- no, German Extra Hardy and Lorz Italian. Taste testers said Lorz Italian had a “kick,” the Russian inferno was tasty but not spicy, the German Extra Hardy was smooth tasting, the Korean Red was hot and the Purple Cre- ole had a mild, buttery taste. In addition to sautéing, roasting, infusing in oils or vinegars and chopping, there are medicinal practices for garlic, including anti-in- flammatory and anti-immunity uses, Reed said. In fact, fellow gardener Lynne Slaton of La Marque said her husband, Jerry, takes a teaspoon of honey-infused garlic every day. “He swears by it,” Slaton said. “Says it keeps him healthy.” (Left, from top) Garlic is ready to harvest when the lower leaves begin to turn brown; Galveston County Master Gardeners planted a dozen varieties of garlic in the Discovery Garden at Carbide Park in La Marque to see what varieties do well in the Gulf Coast climate. (Opposite) Harvested garlic plants (leaves and bulbs) must be kept in a dark, dry place for a few weeks while the garlic cures. Once cured, it’s ready for cooking. COASTMONTHLY.COM | AuguST 2025 6768 COASTMONTHLY.COM | AuguST 2025 Sarah Piel’s sweet and savory cheddar cheese ball has been a family favorite for years. With just five ingredients, it’s quick and easy to make. COASTMONTHLY.COM | AuguST 2025 69 DOWN HOME EMBARRASSINGLY EASY Sweet and savory cheese ball is effortless and always a hit story by SHANNON CALDWELL | photo by JENNIFER REYNOLDS S arah Piel has a sweet and savory cheese ball recipe that’s such a crowd favorite, she has been making it for more than two decades. “This dish is always a hit — there is never any left,” Piel said. “It’s the sweet jelly and sharpness of the cheddar that makes it irresistible. It doesn’t take a lot of effort and everyone enjoys eating it. Also, when you finish it with fresh rasp- berries, it looks pretty on the plate.” The cheese ball has just five ingre- dients and it’s so incredibly easy to make, Piel almost feels embarrassed to share the recipe, she said. Just combine grated cheese, green onions and may- onnaise, form a ball, put it on a plate and cover with warmed pourable jelly. The recipe is especially effortless if you buy pre-grated cheese. “The ball forms easily if you just trust the process and don’t over mix,” she said. “If you add too much mayo, it will get sticky, but you can always add more cheese. The sharper the cheddar the better.” Piel thinks she might have first seen the recipe in a Southern Living maga- zine. It’s a favorite with her extended family and Piel jokes her sister-in-law has claimed it for her own. “I need to set the record straight here and say it is my recipe,” she said. Piel favors easy to cook recipes because family commitments, a heavy workload and volunteer activities leave her with little spare time. Piel was born on Galveston Island but moved to Dickinson where she lives with her husband and son. She’s the director of education and resource development for The Grand 1894 Op- era House and she’s president of Arts Downtown GTX. Her role at The Grand includes managing two annual festivals — The Grand Kids Festival and ARToberFest. The much-loved kids festival is usually held in the first quarter of the year. As the named suggests, the prestigious ARToberFest is a juried art festival held annually in October. This year, it will be the weekend of October 18-19. Piel is about to get even busier thanks to her duties with Arts Down- town GTX. This arts advocacy orga- nization aims to amplify the voices of artists and arts organizations, fostering economic opportunities and creating a vibrant cultural hub for both residents and visitors. Last month, the nonprofit launched a fun new project for Galveston — the Free Little Art Gallery. Like the free little libraries where people take a book and leave a book, Free Little Art Gallery displays miniature artworks in a miniature art gallery complete with models of people. Piel believes the worldwide program will help bring at- tention to local artists, art schools and art organizations, she said. By the end of August, six miniature art galleries will be installed downtown. She also is busy seeking funding for “The Gallery Gogh” a passenger van wrapped with Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night” that will drive people who can’t afford their own transpor- tation to ArtWalk and other art reach programs. With less time for cooking and with plenty of networking to be done, Piel is pleased to have her trusty cheese ball recipe at the ready. SWEET & SAVORY CHEDDAR CHEESE BALL 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated 1 bundle green onions, chopped Hellmann’s Mayonnaise (just enough to bind) 1 (18-ounce) jar raspberry jelly Fresh raspberries for garnish Wheat Thins for serving In a medium bowl, mix together the grated cheddar cheese, chopped green onions and just enough mayonnaise to bind the mixture. Shape the mixture into a ball and place it on a serving plate. Microwave raspberry jelly for about 30 seconds, or until it’s pourable. Pour the warm jelly over the cheese ball. garnish with fresh raspberries and serve with Wheat Thins.Next >