< Previous50 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2021 TASTE OF TEXAS GOOD GRAVY! This Southern specialty is a solution to a glut of ripe tomatoes story and recipe by PHIL NEWTON | photo by JENNIFER REYNOLDS T omato gravy is rarely found in restaurants and is more of a home kitchen specialty. Southern tomato gravy isn’t the famed Sunday gravy for which Italian-American grandmothers are known. It isn’t a day-long process that includes Italian sausage. Some claim it isn’t really gravy at all. But if it comes hot and silky from a saucepan and pairs well with biscuits, rice, grits or various meats, we feel comfortable calling it gravy. Made with finely chopped tomatoes and their juices, instead of milk or stock, this gravy originated as a solution for having no milk on hand, but a glut of sun-ripened tomatoes in the garden. Tomato gravy is a wonderfully versa- tile addition to your cooking. It can be put on just about anything and served with any meal. Gravy, after all, is used to cover some cooking sins — dry, overcooked or bland, making it a frugal solution, as well. PHIL NEWTON is a Galveston baker/cook. He’s the owner/operator of Stiglich Corner with partner Cindy Roberts. SOUTHERN TOMATO GRAVY 2 tablespoons butter or bacon drippings 1 ⁄ 2 onion, finely chopped 1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3 ⁄ 4 cup low-sodium chicken broth 3 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced or 1 (14.5-ounce) can of diced tomatoes 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon sugar Melt butter or bacon drippings in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and herbs, cook, stirring often for 3 minutes, or until onion is tender. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constant- ly. Gradually stir in broth until smooth. Stir in the tomatoes, salt and sugar, gently crushing the tomatoes while stirring. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until thickened. Discard herb, serve immediately. Note: There are regional options to add in if you like. Celery, okra, garlic or garlic powder are popular additions. GALVESTON THE BRYAN MUSEUM Your Wedding Day One Stunning Location ^ C ONSERVATORY PETER @ THEBRYANMUSEUM . ORG ^ EVENT RENTAL INQUIRIES 1315 21S T S TREET (409)220-3021 WWW . THEBRYANMUSEUM . ORG / WEDDINGS - EVENTS Stacie & Jacob, Photographed by Aaron Dominguez/Spotlight Weddings M USEUM G ARDENS R EHEARSAL D INNERS C EREMONIES R ECEPTIONS 52 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2021 We Know Galveston and We Call It Home thehousecompany.com TOP PRODUCERS • EXCEPTIONAL AGENTS Carolyn Clyburn Owner Edie Harrington President Brian Becker Joyce Fant Myra Sanders David BowersGary Schero Sidney Tregre Cathy MaplesSandy BastienCarole BellTanya Jones As a checking account holder at GGECU, you’re entitled to enjoy all of these benefits: At GGECU your DIRECT DEPOSIT can EARN you MONEY!!!!!!!!!! • No monthly service fee • Manage your checking account on-the-go or at home using our mobile app • Account Alerts • 24/7 Online, mobile and telephone access • Access to surcharge-free ATMs • No minimum balance requirement; dividends paid on balances of $250.00 or more • Unlimited check writing Free online transactional Website www.ggecu.com) and e-statements Debit MasterCard with chip technology Instant issue VISA Prepaid Cards, load up to $1,000.00 with no fees for 12 months Overdraft protection Federally insured by NCUA Set up your DIRECT DEPOSIT today - all you need is your account number and GGECU routing number #313182217. CHARTERED 1933 Have you NOTICED not all CHECKING accounts are created equal. Galveston GovernmentGalveston Government Employees Credit UnionEmployees Credit Union 409-908-9834 • www.ggecu.com • Located in the Gulfway Plaza Mall • 14041 Delany Road • La Marque With DIRECT DEPOSIT you can earn up to 1% off the current loan rate with your APPROVED LOAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ask about our Loan terms today with up to 90 days 1st payment. Contact Tina Selcer, Vice President/Loan Office at vp@ggecu.com With DIRECT DEPOSIT your funds made available to you up to 3 business days earlier!!!!!!!!!!! COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2021 53 Galveston - West End • 13680 FM 3005 409-737-1488 Friendswood • 601 S. Friendswood Dr. #103 281-819-4280 Texas City • 905 Logan 409-948-1771 Galveston • 222 Kempner 409-763-4641 League City • 2225 Phillips Road, Suite 100 281-332-3521 Santa Fe • 13227 FM 1764 409-925-3800 WE PROVIDEWE PROVIDE SEAMLESS EXPERIENCESSEAMLESS EXPERIENCES THAT MOVE PEOPLE.THAT MOVE PEOPLE.VENISON FAJITAS WITH GARLIC HERB MARINADE 1 cleaned deer heart or 1 pound of venison steaks 2 cloves of garlic 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper 2 tablespoons lemon juice (1-1 1 ⁄ 2 lemons) 2 sprigs rosemary 2 sprigs parsley 1 teaspoon garlic, minced 1 ⁄ 4 cup olive oil Tortillas Salsa Pico de gallo Shredded cheese Mash the garlic cloves into a pulp using a mortar and pestle, the back of a wooden spoon, the side of a large knife or a meat mallet. Place the mashed garlic cloves in a medium-size mixing bowl. Add the salt, pepper, rosemary, parsley and lemon juice to the bowl, then whisk in the olive oil until you have a thoroughly mixed marinade similar to the consistency of an oil-based salad dressing. Slice the meat into thin cutlets and place in a resealable bag or container. Pour the marinade over the sliced meat and make sure it’s all evenly coated. Allow the meat to marinate in the refrig- erator for 3-4 hours. (Don’t overdo this because the acid from the marinade’s ingredients could break down the texture of the meat over a long period of time.) Grill the marinated meat on medium to high heat until it’s cooked to your liking. Place the meat on a tortilla and top with pico de gallo, salsa and cheese. Serve and enjoy. 54 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2021 GAME ON MARINADE MAGIC Fajita fans will go wild for this venison version story, recipe and photo by CAPT. NATE SKINNER F ajitas are a staple for just about any grill master, and they usually resonate well among the masses. Not many Texans would turn up their noses at some delicious fajita meat, topped with all the fixings and wrapped in a warm tortilla. The marinade used in this dish is the key, and it gives the wild game an excellent flavor. I actually like to use a heart from a white-tailed deer for my fajita meat, but if you’re feeling less adventurous, venison steak will do just fine. Slice the cut of meat of your choice into thin cutlets and let the marinade work its magic for a few hours. Fire up the grill, sear the meat to your liking, and get ready to chow down on some fajitas that any wild game enthusiast will love. Pair with an ice-cold cerveza and some rice or chips and salsa, and you’ve got an out-of-this-world dinner in the works. Your guests surely will be going back for seconds. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2021 55 For 25 years and counting, we will keep our promise to be the best title company in Galveston County! We offer our sincere wishes for a happy and prosperous 2021! We look forward to another successful year making this the best place in Texas to call home! I want to: R ead m or e boo ks E x c er c i s e m o r e Remain Galveston's favorite title company 2021 EXPERIENCE MATTERS! We’re Sold on Service! Carolyn T. Gaido REALTOR ® CLHMS, CRS, RSPS, SRS 713.851.3377 CarolynGaido@SandNSea.com CarolynGaido.com Sand `N Sea Properties, LLC Top Agent Since 1999 Michael J. Gaido, III REALTOR ® 409.457.4900 MichaelGaido.com Kimberly Gaido REALTOR ® , SRS 713.498.2020 sandnsea.com Gaido - A Trusted Name on Galveston Island! 1620 SEALY STREET 123 DOUBLOON 3310 AVENUE R56 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2021 DESSERT ISLAND A TASTEFUL TOAST End the year on a sweet and elegant note story and recipe by PHIL NEWTON | photo by JENNIFER REYNOLDS I t’s time to say goodbye to 2020 and embrace the fresh start of a new year. This torte is elegant, understated and, best of all, easy to make in advance of celebrations. A cross between pecan pie, sticky toffee pudding and a butterscotch sundae, this nutty, but not-too-sweet dessert pairs well with Champagne. TOASTED PECAN TORTE 1 1 ⁄ 4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature, divided 1 1 ⁄ 2 cups all-purpose flour 4 1 ⁄ 2 cups pecan halves 2 1 ⁄ 4 teaspoons baking powder 1 3 ⁄ 4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon orange zest 3 large eggs, room temperature 4 tablespoons rum, divided 1 ⁄ 2 cup dark brown sugar, packed 1 1 ⁄ 2 cup heavy cream, divided Place rack in middle of the oven and preheat to 350 F. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan. Toast pecans for 12-15 minutes on a sheet pan in the oven. Let cool. Pulse baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 1 ⁄ 2 cups flour and 2 1 ⁄ 2 cups pecans in a food processor until nuts are finely ground. using an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat sugar, zest and 1 cup softened butter in large bowl, scraping down the sides occasionally, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs to the bowl, beat until combined and even fluffier, about 1 minute more. Beat in 3 table- spoons rum. Stop mixer and add dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until combined, then fold a few times with a rubber spatula, scraping bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure the batter is evenly mixed. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake torte until golden brown and a tester comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool. Meanwhile, bring brown sugar, 1 ⁄ 2 cup cream, remaining 1 ⁄ 4 cup butter and 1 ta- blespoon rum to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, cooking until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. remove from heat and stir in remaining 3 ⁄ 4 teaspoon of salt. Mix in remaining 2 cups of pecans and let sit at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until butterscotch is cool but still pourable. Spread topping over torte. Whisk remaining 1 cup of cream in a large bowl to medium peaks. Serve torte topped with dollop of whip cream. Do ahead: Topping without pecans can be made up to 3 days ahead, cover and chill. reheat over low before mixing nuts. Torte can be made a day ahead; store, tightly wrapped, at room temperature. PHIL NEWTON is a Galveston baker/cook. He’s the owner/operator of Stiglich Corner with partner Cindy Roberts. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2021 57 Monday - Saturday 9am to 5:00pm Closed Sunday 2014 - 45th Street 409.763.4713 www.tomsthumbnursery.com January Sale 50% off Christmas Decor galvestonartscenter.org/gallery-guide Find Local Galleries & Exhibitions Locations, map, hours & more at 2127 STRAND58 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2021 COUNTER CULTURE ROYAL TREATMENT An accidental Texan’s kitchen is a tribute to her English heritage story by SUE MAYFIELD GEIGER | photos by JENNIFER REYNOLDS J ulie Osburn has a fondness for English breakfast tea with cream and sugar. Osburn, after all, spent her early child- hood near London until age 10, when her family moved to Amarillo, Texas. “My father was in the Air Force, so we moved all the time,” Osburn said. “I eventually lost my accent, but not my love for everything English.” Julie Osburn’s Waterford Harbor home in Kemah is a testament to that love, especially in her kitchen where she enjoys baking from scratch and setting the table with English china for special occasions. “I love to cook,” she said. “So, whenever there is a royal wedding, I invite several of my girlfriends to come over to watch the event live on television and partake of English food on English china. That means they must come in their pajamas at 2 a.m. to celebrate the event while dining on eggs, sausages, scones, tea sandwiches and Victoria sponge cake — a four-layer cake with different fruits and whipped cream — and Champagne.” Osburn’s open-concept kitchen, remodeled six years ago, not only is elegant and contem- porary, but functional, which is important to her, she said. (Above) Julie Osburn is at ease cooking in the open-concept kitchen of her Kemah home. She enjoys baking from scratch. (Opposite) Italian Deruta Ceramica is displayed in a cabinet in Osburn’s kitchen. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2021 59Next >