< Previous110 COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018Dessert IslandChill outStory and recipe by Phil Newton Photo by Jennifer Reynolds“I like freedom. I wake up in the morning and say, ‘I don’t know, should I have a Popsicle or a doughnut?’ You know, who knows?”— Oscar NunezTry these fruit ice pops with a mojito flairThis is a perfect hot weather party treat. It’s healthy enough for kids, tasty enough for adults and who could say “no” to a frozen pop? And these cool treats are easy to make in an endless variety of fruit flavors.Sparkling water and fresh mint give them a sophisticated “mojito” flair. What’s not to like? Plus, there’s no waiting for a street ven-dor or ice cream truck to pass by.FROZEN FRUIT POPSINGREDIENTS20 ice pop molds¾ cup sugar2 tablespoons chopped mint2⁄3 cup fresh lime juice2 cups sparkling water2 (10-ounce) bags frozen fruit pieces (your choice)DIRECTIONSMeasure the sugar into a food processor. Add the mint and pulse until finely chopped. Add the lime juice and sparkling water and stir until the sugar is dissolved.Divide the frozen fruit pieces among the ice pop molds and then fill with the lime mixture leaving about a ¼ inch-space for expansion.secure the lids and insert the sticks through the holes, making sure they’re straight and that about 2 inches remain exposed. Place in the freezer for at least 4 hours. Remove from molds by squeezing the sides or running warm water over them. Phil Newton is a galveston baker/cook. He’s the owner/operator of stiglich Corner with partner Cindy Roberts. COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018 111Charles McIntyre(409) 316-2020(281) 282-2080www.galvestoncountypoolandspa.comCUSTOMGUNITEINGROUNDSWIMMINGPOOLS READERS’CHOICE 2018 Voted BestPool CompanyAre You Readyto Become a Homeowner?SOLD by MOULD!soldbymould@gmail.com281-543-9492 • 409-440-82683131 Highway 6, Bayou Vista, TX 77563Rebecca Mould, Realtor®2111 Strand Street, Galveston409-762-0224O’Connell College Preparatory School Academically, a cut above 320 Tremont Street, Galveston, TX 77550 ♦ (409) 765 - 5534 www.oconnellprep.com Superior Academics + ambition + perseverance = $1,474,476.00 In scholarships...and still counting! Congratulations, Class of 2018! * 112 COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018 COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018 113Down the HatchA rye observationA native-born alcohol enjoys a revivalStory by Mark G Hanna Photos by Kelsey WallingIt was once in the same catego-ry as driving boxy Lincoln Con-tinentals, eating dinner at 4:30 in the afternoon and chasing neighborhood kids off the lawn.You know, things old people do.Such had become the fate of drink-ing rye whiskey. After a glorious 200-year history of being one of, if not the most native-born of American alcohols that survived wars, Prohibition and temperance marchers, rye entered the post-World War II era on life support.Here was a liquor this country’s own first president, George Wash-ington, made and sold in great quantities sud-denly becoming the symbol of drunkenness and old age. It was grandpa’s stash. It was the swig of choice among the alley dwellers. Oh, and that 1945 movie “The Lost Weekend?” It was rye whis-key Hollywood chose to make Ray Milland lose it.It didn’t help that during Prohibi-tion, the people most associated with rye had names like Al Capone.As drinking trends go, the country turned away from brown liquors in the latter half of the 20th century. It was rye whiskey it turned away from first.Well, that was then, and this is now. Look who’s back from rehab.In less than 10 years, the volume of rye whiskey production in the United States has increased more than 500 percent. A beneficiary of the craft distillery movement in this country, American rye is following on the coattails of a similar, albeit larger, in-crease in bourbon production. A new generation has discovered the spicy, grainy, grassy flavors of this whiskey and embraced it.Not only have they embraced it for drinking, they’ve embraced it for mak-ing and selling. From Vermont to Utah to Iowa to Texas and even the heart of bourbon country — Tennessee and Kentucky — there are rye whiskey distillers going full steam. Famous bourbon brands like Wild Turkey, George Dickel, Heaven Hill, Jack Daniels and Jim Beam now have their names on rye whiskey labels as well as bourbon. Even at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, a distillery has opened using his original recipes and methods.“The people who are asking us for rye now are almost always young peo-ple,” said Taylor Westmoreland, the bartender at Riondo’s Ristorante on The Strand in Galveston’s downtown. “We had this one man who was 22. I know he was 22, because I checked his ID twice. He specifically asked for rye, asked about what kinds we had, and really knew a lot about it. I was impressed.”Long considered more of a “North-ern” drink by most Southern bourbon (Left) Taylor Westmoreland makes a Riondo’s Italian Old Fashioned with High West Whiskey. At Riondo’s Ristorante in Galveston, Westmoreland has a menu of several classic cocktails using rye, some with her own take on older recipes.“The people who are asking us for rye now are almost always young people.”– Taylor Westmoreland114 COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018sippers, rye whiskey’s history in this country goes back 300 years or more. The centers of its origins are in Pennsylvania and Maryland where, by no coincidence, early settle-ments of Scotch-Irish popped up. In setting up their own small distilleries, they soon learned, to their dismay, the barley they were accustomed to using in making whiskey did not grow well in the new climate. Rye, how-ever, did. A new liquor was born.While made much the same way, the key difference between rye whiskey and bour-bon is in the ingredients. Bourbon must be at least 51 percent corn, while rye must be at least 51 percent rye. Other government re-quirements say rye can be distilled no higher than 160 proof, aged no higher than 125, and bottled no lower than 80. Both rye and bourbon are aged in charred oak barrels, although rye often is aged for a shorter time. Note, this only refers to American rye. Ca-Down the Hatch(Top) High West Whiskey bottles are displayed next to a wall of lighted Mason jars at Riondo’s Ristorante in Galveston. Owner Don McClaugherty, originally from Utah, designed the decorative bottle wall based on a similar one at a distillery in Utah.“Bourbons tend to be more sweet and caramel-like,” Westmoreland said. “Rye tends to be more stout. I think it’s why we do see more men drink rye, because women here still prefer the sweeter taste of bourbon.”One way to envision the differences in flavor is to think about the taste of bit-ing down on a kernel of fresh corn. Then think of crunching into a rye seed from the bread. A New York Times writer, research-ing for a story on the return of rye, had a chance to taste from a pre-Prohibition bot-tle. History, he wrote, tastes like “wet forest with a turpentine finish.”A lot of people today like to drink their rye straight, sometimes chilled, but to not use rye in a cocktail is most certainly in-sulting its greatest contributions to cocktail history. In the 1800s, considered the time when cocktails in America took hold, it was “Bourbons tend to be more sweet and caramel-like. Rye tends to be more stout. I think it’s why we do see more men drink rye, because women here still prefer the sweeter taste of bourbon.”– Taylor Westmorelandnadian rye is an entirely different beast with almost no specifications on how it’s made or what’s in it. It doesn’t even have to use rye.info@beachtowngalvestonbeachtown.com409.762.2222ÕNo erosion- Beachtown is located on the only non-driving and growing beach on Galveston Island and Fortified- Beachtown is the only community in Texas where homes are currently being built to resist winds up to 150 MPH.HAVE A PEACE OF MIND 1533 SEASIDE DRIVE5 BEDROOM 5.5 BATH802 SHIRAZ PASSAGE4 BEDROOM 4.5 BATH737 POSITANO ROAD4 BEDROOM 3 BATH2449 SEASIDE LANE5 BEDROOM 4.5 BATH1702 BEACHTOWN DRIVE5 BEDROOM 4 BATHBEACHFRONTSCOTTAGESPROMENADESLAGOON VILLASSEASIDE VILLASHOURS: Wednesday/Thursday: 5pm-8pm Friday: Brunch: 11am-3pm & Dinner: 5pm-9pm Saturday: Brunch: 10am-3pm & Dinner: 5pm-9pm Sunday: Brunch: 10am-3pm & Dinner: 5pm-8pm HAPPY HOUR: Wednesday/Thursday: 5pm-7pm Friday-Sunday: 3pm-5pmWine tasting: Sunday evening, through reservations only Porch Cafe & Bistro is part of the unique and vibrant community of Beachtown, an oasis located east of Galveston Historic District on the eastern tip of the Galveston Island A GREAT PLACE TO DINECome and tour our variety of new products .Choose your desired homesite from $75k- $1m that includes a conceptual design.Great financing available.A PERFECT PLACE FOR EVENTSTHE PORCH CAFE & BISTROSCHEDULE YOUR MEMORABLE EVENTS IN THIS BREATHTAKING SETTING AND CHARMING AMBIANCECOME AND EXPERIENCE OUR FINE CUISINE AND/OR HAPPY HOURPorch Cafe & Bistro is a perfect place to come together and celebrate special events that bring people together and create unforgettable memories. From weddings, vow renewals, corporate events or birthday bashes, Porch Cafe & Bistro accommodates to indoor and outdoor venues creating a simple and elegant setting. Learn more about Porch Cafe’s event/venues on our website, porchcafe.com, or call us at 409.762.0808116 COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018Down the Hatchrye that appeared in almost every drink. All the old classics like the Manhattan, Old Fashioned and Sazerac all started with rye.In truth, almost any cocktail one would make with bourbon can be made with rye, but it’s worth keeping in mind that rye is no sissy. It lets the drinker know it’s in there. Most rye cocktails need to include some kind of sweetener and usually a few drops of bitters to smooth them out. Make the ex-act same cocktail with bourbon to compare, and there will be no guessing on which one was made with rye.At Riondo’s, Westmoreland has a menu of several classic cocktails using rye, some with her own take on older recipes. The restau-rant carries three brands of rye, including WhistlePig Rye Whiskey out of Vermont, Herman-Marshall Texas Rye Whiskey based in Garland, Texas, and High West Rye Whiskey in Utah. Riondo’s owner, Don McClaugherty, is originally from Utah and even designed a decorative bottle wall in the restaurant that’s based on a similar one at a distillery in Utah.No longer grandpa’s drink, rye’s return to the mainstream of cocktail popularity is like welcoming the return of a truly American hero. One can almost make drinking it a patriotic thing. RIONDO’S ITALIAN OLD FASHIONEDCreated by taylor Westmoreland, bartender at Riondo’s Ristorante in galvestonServings: 1INGREDIENTS2 maraschino cherries½ circle from a slice of a fresh orange1 teaspoon simple syrup (or 1 teaspoon sugar)1 dash Angostura bitters1½ ounces High West Double Rye Whiskey½ ounce solerno Blood Orange LiqueurDIRECTIONSPrepare a lowball glass with 2 maraschino cherries and a half circle slice of fresh orange. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar or simple syrup (pre-ferred) and a dash of Angostura bitters. gently muddle in glass.Fill glass with ice. gently and briefly stir cock-tail, making sure not to agitate ice excessively.this cocktail is best enjoyed sipping by the rim rather than through a straw.cell: 409-599-1175donnakay0161@att.netDonna Kay MortonI Can Hook You UP!Galveston Duck ToursLand & WaterBring this ad in forCOASTLoading at 25th & Seawall Blvd.Call for Tour Times (409) 621-4771COUPON COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018 117FUN EVENTS AT HAAKwww.HaakWine.com*Event dates subject to change.Please check event Calendar at www.haakwine.com for updates. 409.925.14016310 Avenue TSanta Fe, Texas 77510Friday, Aug. 3Evening Food Truck Festival and Grape StompSunday, Aug. 5Monthly Wine Club Cellar Library Tasting** Sunday, Aug. 19 Wine Club Pickup Party**Friday, Aug. 24 Wine & Stars in the VineyardSunday, Aug. 26 Wedding Open House**Wine Club Only eventCall Me Today!Jackie LeachSenior Loan OriginatorNMLS# 349259 I have the knowledge necessary to help you:KNOWLEDGE • Select the best loan to suit your needs. • Research and present all viable options.• Correctly complete all required paperwork. • Refer you to a network of professional associates including home inspectors, appraisers and attorneys. • Close your loan in the quickest and most efficient way possible. • I am available to you from start to finish to walk you through each step of the way.As a Professional Mortgage Advisor, I have the knowledge to help you finance a new home.Information is subject to change without notice. This is not an offer for extension of credit or a commitment to lend.Network Funding LP • jleach@nflpmtg.com • https://jackieleach.nflp.com/6710 Stewart Road Suite 101 • Galveston, TX 77551Office 281-617-2996 • Cell 832-259-3565 • Fax 832-730-4741I can help you make the buying of a home an easy process.Residential & CommercialMae SpicerOwner409-682-11759185 Jamaica BeachGalveston, Texas 77554maeespicer@aol.comwww.dixieislepropertycare.comDixie IslePest Control118 COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018Liz Lawhorn Cryder and her husband, scott Cryder, have turned their galveston back deck, with sweeping views of Offatts Bayou, into a perfect spot for entertaining friends. COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018 119Counter Culture‘The best idea’Island couple creates perfect outdoor kitchen with front-row viewsStory by Barbara Canetti Photos by Stuart VillanuevaEntertaining outside is possible on the upper Texas coast most of the year. Liz Lawhorn Cryder knew that. But for nearly 20 years, she didn’t take advantage of her outdoor space.Liz and husband Scott Cryder live on Offatts Bayou, across from the pier at Moody Gardens in Galveston.From their yard, they have a front-row seat for the summer fireworks and busy water traffic. But it wasn’t until 2014 that Liz decided to revamp her yard and make use of what’s now her favorite place to be.An overgrown walkway was on the west side of their house, where Liz has lived since 1996. It was just a pass-through and never appreciated. But after the retired couple mar-ried in 2012, they had an idea and it turned out to be “the best idea.” The couple cleared the trees and shrubs that crowded the area, extended the patio, making way for an out-door kitchen and bar.“Now this is a great place for outdoor entertaining,” said Liz, a Galveston native. “I always thought it was too hot to be out here, but it is really lovely.”Because the outdoor kitchen area adjacent to the house sits in the shadow of the build-ing, it is considerably cooler. They planted six large palm trees, giving added shade and Next >