< PreviousFeaturesthe island. When her vacation ended, she decided to return for a longer stay.Berridge asked the desk clerk to suggest the best time to come, and he told her about the Winter Texans. That was four years ago. She returns every year.“There’s always something to do and always someone to do it with,” she said. It was at a Friday happy hour at the Holiday Inn when Berridge met Wybenga. She was sitting with a Ca-nadian couple, also part of the Casa del Mar contingency, when he came to say hello. Wybenga had lost his wife of 62 years, and was now wintering in Galveston solo.In the company of dozens of friends, some who had made the winter pil-grimage for decades, their friendship slowly blossomed. Somewhere amid the putt-putt golf and movie nights, they found something unexpected — a new romance.“We were sitting on a bench on the seawall. There was not a ripple in the water and the moon was perfectly reflected,” Berridge said. “Ray started telling me about his wife, and it touched my heart.”Wybenga and Berridge visited earlier this year and plan to return to Casa del Mar in February. “Coming to the island each year makes me feel alive, renewed, and truly among friends,” Berridge said. CJamie Sanderson reads a book and soaks up some sun at Casa del Mar in Galveston. Sanderson is a Winter Texan from the Village of Wroxeter, Ontario, which is about 100 miles west of Toronto. This is the seventh year Sanderson has spent on the island, where he golfs, swims and attends events at The Grand 1894 Opera House. “After so many years I’ve made some really good friends here and there is always something interesting to do,” he said. Sanderson first heard about Galveston from a friend who had heard about it from her daugh-ter’s in-laws. They all converge at Casa del Mar, usually after Christmas.20 COASTMONTHLY.COM / JANUARY 2015dŚĞdĞdžĂƐƌƵŝƐĞ^ŚŝƉdĞƌŵŝŶĂůŽŶ'ĂůǀĞƐƚŽŶ/ƐůĂŶĚŝƐƉƌŽƵĚƚŽďĞƐĞůĞĐƚĞĚĂƐƚŚĞŚŽŵĞƉŽƌƚƚŽĂƌŶŝǀĂůƌƵŝƐĞ>ŝŶĞƐ͛ĂƌŶŝǀĂůDĂŐŝĐ͕ĂƌŶŝǀĂů&ƌĞĞĚŽŵ͕ĂƌŶŝǀĂůdƌŝƵŵƉŚ͕ĂŶĚZŽLJĂůĂƌŝďďĞĂŶ/ŶƚĞƌŶĂƚŝŽŶĂů͛ƐEĂǀŝŐĂƚŽƌŽĨƚŚĞ^ĞĂƐ͘ƐdĞdžĂƐ͛^ƚĂƌƌƵŝƐĞWŽƌƚ͕ƚŚĞWŽƌƚŽĨ'ĂůǀĞƐƚŽŶŚĂƐǁŽƌŬĞĚĚŝůŝŐĞŶƚůLJǁŝƚŚƚŚĞdĞdžĂƐƚƌĂǀĞůŝŶĚƵƐƚƌLJƚŽŵĂŝŶƚĂŝŶŽƵƌƌĂŶŬŝŶŐĂƐŽŶĞŽĨƚŚĞƚŽƉƚĞŶĐƌƵŝƐĞƉŽƌƚƐŝŶƚŚĞhŶŝƚĞĚ^ƚĂƚĞƐ͘32572)*$/9(6721:::32572)*$/9(6721&20Currents | TraditionsStory by Laura Elder Photos by Jennifer ReynoldsWhen I asked Shir-ley Crowder, of La Marque’s Mama Frances Soul Kitchen, for a traditional New Year’s Day recipe, I expected a delicious version of black-eyed peas or collard greens or cabbage, the foods that superstition says bring luck and money. But what Crowder graciously served up was a surprise — chitter-lings, commonly referred to as chit-lins.Growing up in Texas, I, of course, had heard of chitterlings. I just didn’t know they were part of a New Year’s culinary tradition. I did some re-search. Chitterlings, which are hog intestines, are usually part of a larger meal that includes collard greens, fried chicken and other traditional Southern foods during the holidays.In recent years, chitterlings and Champagne have been showing up on restaurant menus in Paris and New York, becoming a popular indulgence among well-heeled crowds, according to reports. But how they came to be a New Year’s Day dish has its roots in poverty and enslavement. “The consumption of chitlins (hog intestines) dates back to slavery when most slaves were given one week off: the week between Christmas and New Year’s,” according to a January 2011 posting on blackis.com. “During that time, their masters would give them Christmas ‘gifts’ — typically hand-me-down items, but primarily food. This often consisted of remnants from hog slaughters and included the chitterlings, hog head, pig feet, hog maws, and a few salted pieces of pork, all of which found their way into our soul food. Though this food was con-sidered the base of the hog, for slaves it was good eating, especially during the cold winters in the South.” On the Texas Coast, the tradition remains. Here’s Crowder’s recipe.Fixin’ chitlinsA Southern New Year’s traditionChitterlings, left, pigs feet, black-eyed peas and collard greens all are part of the Southern New Year’s tradition. At Mama Frances Soul Kitchen in La Marque, own-ers Chris And Shirley Crowder will be serving them come January. 22 cOAstMOnthlY.cOM / JANUARY 2015Chitlinsingredients5 to 10 pounds frozen chitterlings1 large onion chopped1 teaspoon salt1⁄2 teaspoon fresh thyme2 minced garlic cloves1⁄2 teaspoon white vinegar 1⁄4 cup finely chopped red pepper1⁄4 cup finely chopped yellow pepper2 celery ribs choppedAdd 1 to 2 large whole potatoes (peeled) to the middle of your pot to reduce smelldireCtionsFirst, start with washing the chitlins to remove excess fat and all for-eign matter. Remove the clear lin-ing by using running water during cleaning. Wash until your water is clear. This may take several repeated steps.Place in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add your ingredients. Add 2 cups water, 2 cups chicken stock and cover.Be sure that your liquid covers at least 2 inches over your chitlins. Bring to a quick boil, reduce heat to a low simmer for 2 hours or until tender. After cooked, remove from water cut into small 1-inch pieces. Remove potato and throw away.Add 2 tablespoons of self-rising flour to thicken for gravy. Add chitlins back to the pot and simmer for 5 more minutes.– Recipe courtesy of Shirley Crowder, Mama Frances Soul Kitchen, 199 Vauthier St., La Marque CoAstMonthlY.CoM / JANUARY 2015 23Carpet • Tile • Wood • GraniteQuality and Service do not need to be expensive!Locally Owned & Operated Since 1995FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY!NEW YEAR SPECIAL!5” Hand-Scraped Hickory!$2.99/sq ft *materials only281-332-22721246 E. Main StreetLeague City 77573www. agship oors.com• Granite Countertops / Free Stainless Sink!• Beautiful Wood Floors• Laminates• Ceramic & Porcelain Tile• Newest Selection of Carpet Styles• Free Estimates• No Interest Financing W.A.C.The GalleyStory, photos and recipe by Alicia CahillIfell in love with cast-iron cooking on pur-pose. I was skeptical about nonstick and downright terrified of Teflon. And unlike so many of my friends, I wasn’t the lucky recipient of a favorite family member’s treasured cast-iron pan, let alone their famous recipes they made within it. I fell in love with it the old-fashioned way, by actually cooking with it.This dish is meant to be served family style. Park the entire skillet on your table and see your guests’ faces break into smiles, the way mine did as I sat at a char-ity dinner one evening and a similar course was presented. Golden pork, rings of acorn squash and heirloom car-rots all dripping in a maple glaze — my companions and I locked eyes momentarily before greedily dividing the bounty among our plates. Thank goodness we were among polite company. After searing the pork and finishing it in the oven, add the caramelized vegetables to the hot skillet along with the remaining glaze and toss gently before serving. Roast-ing is about coaxing and cajoling flavor. Roasting is also love. Casting a spellEntering a new iron age with pans, skillets While cast-iron cook-ing is experiencing a renaissance, pans and skillets sat on shelves gathering dust for decades thanks to the soaring popularity of aluminum and Teflon in the 1950s and 1960s as well as cast-iron’s undeserved reputation as being “tricky to season.” 24 COastMOntHlY.COM / JANUARY 2015Maple Soy Glazed pork ChopS, aCorn SquaSh and CarrotSServes fourInGredIentS2 acorn squash1 bunch organic carrots, unpeeled and scrubbed4 boneless center cut pork chopsKosher saltFreshly ground pepper3⁄4 cup maple syrup3 tablespoons soy sauce1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated1 tablespoon canola oil1⁄4 cup low-sodium chicken stockdIreCtIonSPreheat oven to 425 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut off both ends of each squash. Halve lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and strings. Discard. Place the squash halves cut side down and cut each half crosswise into 4 or 5 slices, each about 1⁄2-inch thick. Arrange the slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Remove tops and cut carrots into small sections. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine maple syrup, soy sauce and ginger. Whisk to combine.Remove the baking sheet from the oven and brush squash and car-rots with the maple syrup mixture. Season with the salt and pep-per. Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, flip the squash slices, turn the carrots and brush with syrup mixture. Return pan to the oven and bake until tender when pierced with a knife, about 7 minutes more. Remove from oven and set aside. Reserve unused glaze. Reduce oven to 350 F.Season pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brush with oil and once hot, add pork chops. Sear on one side for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden. Flip and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Turn off heat, add chicken stock to skillet, place in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Once pork is thoroughly cooked, remove skillet from oven, add squash and carrots, pour remaining glaze over top and serve immediately. CoaStMonthly.CoM / JANUARY 2015 25Table SurfingStory by Alicia Cahill Photos by Jennifer ReynoldsJust beyond the blinking neon lights of the Kemah Boardwalk sits an under-stated building housing some remarkable chefs executing an unconventional concept. Eculent, a restaurant that blends farm-to-table sensibilities and modern gastronomy, is a first for our region.Those behind Eculent have spent several years shaping a restaurant concept that targets all the senses: touch, sight, sound, smell and taste. The multisensory effect is achieved through changes to lighting and art-work, shifting music and the addition of ambient scents with each course — all meant to immerse the diner in the experience.The intimate evening began with a tour led by Chef/Owner David Skinner of the three micro gardens at Eculent. The restaurant sources 500 ingredients, all of which are grown or raised organically and verified non-GMO (genetically modi-fied organism), including some like the miracle fruit that are tended to on premise. Skinner, who was en-couraged to cook by his pastry chef grandmother, owned his first restau-rant at age 16. “Farm-to-table was how we did it, before it was a thing,” he said. The tour continues to the restau-rant’s lab, which is filled with rows of neatly labeled ingredients and equip-EculEntScience stirs the senses at new Kemah restaurant26 cOAStMOntHlY.cOM / JANUARY 2015Table Surfingment, including an essence machine. The scene immediately conjures memories of chemistry class. The science behind Eculent’s ap-proach is revealed by Skinner as he discusses the three years of mindful planning, construction and menu development, which included comb-ing through more than 1,000 distinct scents before making his selections. Eculent’s inventive menu will remain dynamic, rotating with the seasons. Diners are offered three op-tions: Flora (vegetarian/gluten free); 1845 (all Texas ingredients); and the Coast-to-Coast (chef’s tasting). Coast-to-Coast began with an ex-quisite silky foie gras mousse arriv-ing incognito, dressed as a whimsical cherry and accompanied by buttery brioche toasts. It was followed by a fresh seafood duo plated in a special dish designed by a local potter exclu-sively for the restaurant. Later, an ostrich egg scramble ap-peared, nested impressively within the egg shell itself and studded with white truffle. Wine pairing for each of the courses is available, spotlighting some of the 42 wines made by the Clear Creek Winery, Vineyard & Resort, home of Eculent.The 32-seat dining room provides ample views of the kitchen. Diners can watch and speak with Skinner and Chef Michael Calvino Jr. as they deftly plate the next course, ready to awaken your senses. CEculEnt709 Harris Ave. Kemah713-429-4311 for reservations Hours: One seating nightly at 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturdaywww.eculent.com(Above) Chefs David Skinner, left, and Michael Calvino Jr. create their new recipes in Lab: Eculent, where they use cutting-edge culinary techniques using rotary evapora-tors, freeze dryers and liquid nitrogen systems to create innovative dishes. (Left) Un-earthed root vegetables with a black garlic aioli, pistachio, olive and beet is one of the courses on the Flora menu. (Right) Bok choy, chard and a variety of greens and herbs are grown in aeroponic tower gardens at Eculent. The chefs also utilize raised-bed gardens and an aquatic garden.(Above) The Zen Garden, with popped amaranth with white truffle essence, potato stones, kale and tomato butter, is one of the courses on the Flora menu. (Below) The Tidal Pool, with sous vida octopus, scallop poke, seaweed, sea beans and a sphere of dash broth, is on the Coast-to-Coast menu. cOAStMOntHlY.cOM / JANUARY 2015 27Down the HatchThe Lynchburg Peach cocktail is a signature drink at the Monument Inn in La Porte. The drink is named after the Lynchburg Ferry, which can be seen crossing the Houston Ship Channel from the windows of the restaurant. Story by Mark G. Hanna Photos by Alysha BeckHad the original cocktail first been mixed some-where along the Texas Gulf Coast, there’s a fair chance the afternoon ritual so many impa-tiently look forward to every day would be known as the pelican plume hour.Perhaps area bartenders would be known by their creative gull tails. Heaven forbid that the finest hotels in Galveston would encourage guests to enjoy their grackle feather lounge.The world, fortunately, has been mixing its alcoholic beverage concoc-tions far longer than Texas has been serving whiskey in a glass (out of a jug, maybe not so much). In fact, by the time Texans began mixing some-Practical jokes and one red scareGetting to the bottom of cocktail names28 coastMontHlY.coM / JANUARY 2015t&YQPTFE%VDU$FJMJOHTt1SFNJVN4UBJOMFTT4UFFM"QQMJBODF1BDLBHFt(SBOJUF .BSCMF 2VBSU[PS4MBUF$PVOUFSUPQTt$VTUPN$BCJOFUSZ4UPSBHFt1JOF8PPE'MPPSTt0SJHJOBM8JOEPXTt'JUOFTT$FOUFSt$POUSPMMFE"DDFTT&OUSZt1FU'SJFOEMZt*OUIF)FBSUPG%JOJOH 4IPQQJOH &OUFSUBJONFOUBOEUIF8BUFSGSPOUHISTORICGALVESTON LOFTS from the low $200sSALES CENTER NOW OPEN2402 Mechanic Street | Galveston, Texas 77550409.443.5202 | TheStrandLofts.comAll information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted. Oral representations cannot be relied upon as correctly stating representations of the seller. For correct representations, reference should be made to the purchase agreement.Ease into a new life at The Strand Historic Lofts and experience a new kind of Texas Gulf living. Loft living in the heart of historic Galveston that features bright open spaces with exposed original brick walls and room after room of impressive finishes and authentic details.HIGHSTYLEFORANELEVATEDLEVELOFLIVINGLeading EdgeKelly KelleyBroker/Co-ownerKelly@KellyKelley.comNext >