< PreviousFrom the EditorWhat I like most about Fourth of July is that it’s a holiday for every American. Whether you were born here or just got here doesn’t matter. Your religion or political persua-sion doesn’t matter either. We’re all free to have differences, and that’s a very good reason to celebrate. I also like the way residents of the Upper Texas Coast celebrate the holiday. In this region, small towns still have big parades. We might spend a day at the beach or boating, and cap it off with fire-works by the shore. There’s something special about watching colorful explo-sions reflected on the water. And many of us will gather in backyards and on decks for barbecues and seafood boils to com-memorate adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. We’ve made it a tradition to enlist the help of Alicia Cahill, Coast Monthly’s food stylist, for tips on creating incredibly tasty and tasteful Fourth of July spreads. This month, as always, we were amazed by her clever ideas, which would improve any backyard bash.In honor of the season, this issue cel-ebrates Americana in so many ways — a feature on a Texas City couple’s 1956 T-Bird, the evolution of tiki drinks, how Texas surfers shaped cycling, patriotic pies and more. All of us at Coast Monthly wish every-one a fun, safe Independence Day.Laura ELdErCoast Monthly EditorLEt frEEdom ringSpEciaL thankSThe Coast Monthly crew would like to extend our sincerest thanks to kelly kelley and crew at rE/maX Leading Edge for the use of the stunning bayside house at 20710 E. Sunset Bay on the island’s West End. The five-plus-bedroom home, which is on the market, was the perfect setting for our Fourth of July crab boil photo shoot. The house offers real hard wood floors, open-concept floor plan with a bonus family/media room, a landing with sit-ting area, plate glass windows offering gorgeous views of the main channel and West Galveston Bay. The ground floor, which was the location of our photo shoot, features a large pool with hot tub, gated access and an outdoor kitchen with stainless grill. For information about this property, see the advertisement on Page 2 and Visit kellykelley.com. We’d also like to salute members of the galveston Boat club, 7002 Ave. O on the island, for allowing us use of the grounds for our patriotic cover shoot. Members were gracious enough to allow us use of the site even during a private gathering. Visit www.galvestonboatclub.com for information.And a special thanks to dan and audrey keim, owners of Big Bang fireworks for adding sparkle to our photo shoot by actually providing the sparklers. Visit txbigbangfireworks.com for information. photoS By Stuart ViLLanuEVa20710 E. Sunset Bay, Galveston10 coaStmonthLy.com / JULY 2015TEXAS PROPERTIES SUE JOHNSON, GRI409.682.9050 • sue@heritagetexas.com • SueJohnsonGalveston.comHonored 4 Times by theHouston Business JournalHonored by H Magazine2013 & 2014Heritage Texas PropertiesTop ProducerReal Trends 2014 Top 250 Real Estate Professional for Closed TransactionsCurrently ranked among the Top 3 Producers on Galveston Island for Dollar Volume & Number of Closed Transactions!NEW LISTING!ISLA DELA SOL3916 BRIDGE HARBOR | $569,900409.737.4000 | 13655 FM 3005, Suite B (Physical) | 4121 Pirates Beach (Mailing) | Galveston, Texas 77554 | heritagetexas.comISLA DELA SOL3916 BRIDGE HARBOR | $569,900ISLA DELA SOL3916 BRIDGE HARBOR | $569,900ISLA DELA SOL3916 BRIDGE HARBOR | $569,900ISLA DELA SOL3916 BRIDGE HARBOR | $569,900ISLA DELA SOL3916 BRIDGE HARBOR | $569,900ISLA DELA SOL3916 BRIDGE HARBOR | $569,900ISLA DELA SOL3916 BRIDGE HARBOR | $569,900ISLA DELA SOL3916 BRIDGE HARBOR | $569,900ISLA DELA SOL3916 BRIDGE HARBOR | $569,900ISLA DELA SOL3916 BRIDGE HARBOR | $569,900ISLA DELA SOL3916 BRIDGE HARBOR | $569,900ISLA DELA SOL3916 BRIDGE HARBOR | $569,900ISLA DELA SOL3916 BRIDGE HARBOR | $569,900ISLA DELA SOL3916 BRIDGE HARBOR | $569,900ISLA DELA SOL3916 BRIDGE HARBOR | $569,900ISLA DELA SOL3916 BRIDGE HARBOR | $569,900Pirates Beach - $675,0004022 Mutiny CourtBeachside Village - $1,150,00011610 BeachsidePirates Beach - $295,00013921 Pirates Beach Blvd.Pirates Beach - $319,0004106 Pirates Alley CourtIsla del Sol - $549,9003916 Bridge Harbor DriveJamaica Beach - $ 329,00016610 Jamaica Beach Rd.In Town - $429,0005901 Avenue TIsla del Sol - $335,0004217 Isla del Sol DriveGalveston Outlots - $199,9991823 27th StreetIsla Del Sol - $459,90022409 Bay VistaSea Isle - $174,9004026 KentSea Isle - $185,00021806 LampasasSea Isle - $294,50022012 San Luis PassNEW LISTING!4231 Maison RougePirates Beach - $639,900Indian Beach - $675,00018318 E. DeVacaSea Isle - $299,00022018 San Luis Pass RoadREDUCEDREDUCEDREDUCEDPirates Beach - $499,9004101 Fiddler CrabREDUCEDFeedbackWe asked on Facebook: What’s the best meal you’ve ever had on the shore and where did you have it? On the sand off 81st and seawall. Dad took just a brick of meat, added a pickle, barbecue sauce and sand, put it between two buns and talk about the best meal ever; 45 years later I still taste it. Memo-ries are everything.– David HerrinOn the sand, under an umbrella, around 35th street … grilled hot dogs on a toasted bun, and, of course, Lay’s potato chips and an ice cold Coca-Cola. Those were the days. – Pamela Fairchild QuintanillaOnce, on one of those end of the months when I had no cash left to splurge on anything, my friend and I found a water-melon growing wild in the dunes. I have to say that a free watermelon shared with friends is about as great a thing as exists. – Stephen F. DuncanThe best was for my birthday. My hus-band had stone crabs shipped from Miami and we ate them with drawn butter on the patio of Ann Simmons’ house on Of-fatts Bayou ... – Karla KlayOlympia Grill on the seawall. Gyro Platter.– Paul Ray HeinrichKielbasa grilled on our hibachi and served on homemade bread. Eaten on West Beach and spiced with sand … with my family.– Holly ThorsonGaido’s. Love the Blue Cheese and Grits.– Bruce BlankenshipShrimp Peques at Gaido’s.– Brian GrantCrawfish, crawfish, crawfish! M&M, On the Bayou and Pooks.– Carly Risko RowlandShrimp salad sandwiches at a little beach cabana in Seaside, Fla. with my sister. Yummy.– Bobbey White Unlimited fried whitefish, collard greens and shrimp coleslaw at Shrimp Basket in Pensacola, Fla.– Katherine Carr One of the best meals I’ve had was at Baytown Seafood in Texas City. It con-sisted of baked quail, sauteed vegetables and rice. Delicious!– Tracy OrrFarley Girls French grilled chicken, blackened catfish at Shrimp ‘n Stuff downtown, and French grilled cod at Jimmy’s on the Pier.– Laura Trout GoalenAt Rudy & Paco for lunch — their meat-loaf sandwich.– Gene BindhammerFirst raw oysters we ever ate at Tuffy’s in ’83 or ’84.– Kathy MattesonMore to the storyGreat article in the June issue of Coast Monthly about Sue Bown and the kitchen in her circa 1900 Dickin-son home. To add to the story, Sue and Rodney’s home was one of the first recipients of the Dickinson Historical Society’s Landmark Medallion Pro-gram. The society was very honored to recognize this absolutely unique and beautiful Dickinson home and to help preserve its interesting history. You’ve added a great page to the story.Mary DunbaughVice president, Dickinson Historical SocietyPhoto by stuart VillanueVaPhoto by Jennifer reynoldsLetter to the Editor12 CoastMonthly.CoM / JULY 2015 6502 Stewart Rd. Galveston, Texas 77551 T: 409.744.7000 ChunkyFunkyMonkey.com Exceptional Window Fashions & Design Custom Shutters, Blinds, Draperies & Fine Flooring Quality Upholstery Exclusive Wallpaper & Fabrics Turn-Key Prices on Stanley Furniture Skilled Design Services Home Renovation & RemodelsHunter Douglas Priority Dealer Celebrate freedom Gulf style with a backyard crab boilSeaside SoireesPhotos by Stuart VillanuevaFourth of July is a fa-vorite time to gather friends and family for an outdoor feast. This year, declare freedom from the usual hot dogs and hamburgers and add some bang to your bash with a backyard crab boil using fresh Gulf seafood. Coast Monthly food stylist Alicia Cahill shows us the way with recipes and clever coastal ideas. Backyard craB BoiliNGrEdiENTS24 live blue crabs5 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning1 tablespoon cayenne1⁄2 cup table salt3 lemons, quartered2 onions, halved11⁄2 pounds small red potatoes (about 2 inches in diameter)2 heads of garlic (not separated into cloves)6 ears of corn, shucked and cut into thirds2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning, or to taste, for sprinkling over boiled seafood2 pounds large shrimp Ciabatta breaddirEcTioNSBring 5 gallons of water to a boil in an 8 gallon or larger pot with a strainer basket.Fill a deep sink half full of cool water and place crabs inside to purge. Repeat 2 or 3 times with fresh water. Be careful not to fill sink too full or crabs may escape.Add 5 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning, cayenne, salt, lemons and onions to boiling water and boil 5 minutes. Add potatoes and garlic to pot and boil until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove basket and transfer potatoes and garlic to a large container and cover with foil to keep warm. Summer party placemats, stainless steel baby colanders, seafood crackers, crab mallets, shellfish forks and condi-ment buckets all available at The Kitchen Chick, 528 23rd St. in Galveston’s downtown. transfer about 6 crabs to basket and care-fully pour into pot. Add remaining crabs in same manner. Return water to a boil and cook crabs until just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove basket of crabs and transfer to a large container, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning and cover with foil to keep warm.Return water to boil and cook shrimp until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Trans-fer shrimp with basket to large platter with crabs and sprinkle with remaining table-spoon Old Bay Seasoning.Serve crabs, shrimp and vegetables on a paper covered table. Serve with slices of ciabatta bread.Return basket to pot. Add corn to boiling wa-ter and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer corn with tongs to container and keep warm.Return water to a boil. Using long tongs, 16 coaSTMoNTHly.coM / JULY 2015Luxury High-RiseIndependent Living ResidencesSeaside SoireesWarm German Potato SaladInGredIentS11⁄2 pounds new potatoes8 slices of thick cut bacon1 medium onion, chopped1 stalk celery, chopped1⁄2 teaspoon all-purpose flour1⁄2 teaspoon sugar1 teaspoon salt1⁄8 teaspoon pepper1⁄2 cup water1⁄2 cup cider vinegarMinced parsleydIreCtIonSScrub potatoes and cook in a large pot of boiling, salted water until tender. Drain and cut into 1⁄4-inch slices. Set aside.Place bacon in a large saute pan and fry until almost crisp. Remove bacon from pan and crumble. Add onion and celery and cook until tender and transparent. Remove from pan.Drain off all but one tablespoon of bacon fat. Add flour, sugar, salt and pepper to pan and stir until golden. Add vinegar and water and cook until mixture has slightly thickened. Transfer the bacon, onion and celery back to the pan.Warm German Potato Salad. Patriotic apron available at The Kitchen Chick.Star-Spangled Strawberry Shortcake. U.S.A. letters available at Target. Sparkler candle and tablecloth available at The Kitchen Chick, 528 23rd St. in Galveston’s downtown. Transfer sliced potatoes back to the large pot, pour hot dressing over potatoes and gently toss to blend. Sprinkle minced parsley. Serve warm. Star-SPanGled StraWberry ShortCakeSInGredIentS1 cup all-purpose flour1⁄2 cup old-fashioned oats1⁄3 cup slivered almonds1⁄3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided2 teaspoons baking powder1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt6 tablespoons (3⁄4 stick) chilled, unsalted butter, cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes1 cup chilled heavy cream, divided, plus more for brushing11⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled, sliceddIreCtIonSPreheat oven to 375 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine flour, oats, almonds, 1⁄3 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add butter to the canister and pulse until mixture comes together in pea-size pieces. Add 1⁄2 cup chilled cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Continue pulsing until large moist clumps form in the canister. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Gently knead until dough comes to-gether. Pat into a 4-by-6-inch rectangle. Halve lengthwise, then crosswise into thirds. Ar-range the six pieces on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the top of each piece with cream and sprinkle with 1⁄2 tablespoon of sugar.Bake until golden brown around edges and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Set biscuits on a wire rack; let cool. To make the whipped cream: Whisk together 1⁄2 cup cream, 1⁄2 tablespoon of sugar and 1⁄2 teaspoon of vanilla in a small bowl until peaks form.To serve: Place a biscuit in each serving dish, top with strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream. Serve immediately.Makes 6 servings.18 CoaStmonthly.Com / JULY 2015• 12’ - 14’ Exposed Duct Ceilings• Premium Stainless Steel Appliance Package• Granite, Marble, Quartz or Slate Countertops• Custom Cabinetry & Storage• Pine Wood Floors• Original 10’ Windows• Fitness Center• Controlled-Access Entry• Pet Friendly• In the Heart of Dining, Shopping, Entertainment and the WaterfrontHISTORICGALVESTON 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.HIGH STYLE FOR ANELEVATED LEVEL OF LIVINGLeading EdgeKelly KelleyBroker/Co-ownerKelly@KellyKelley.comNext >