< Previous40 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JuLY 2023 DOWN HOME JACK JOHNSON PARK HOUSE CHEESECAKE Makes: 1 (10-inch) cheesecake 12 ounces Girl Scout Thanks-A-Lot cookies or other chocolate iced shortbread cookies ¾ stick butter 32 ounces (4 packages) cream cheese, at room temperature 1 cup brown sugar 1 pinch salt 2 tablespoons molasses 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 tablespoon flour 4 eggs, at room temperature Dulce de leche (caramel sauce) 1 cup chopped pecans 1-2 chocolate bars, chopped Coarse sea salt To make the crust: Melt butter and combine with cookies in a food pro- cessor until crumbed, press into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake at 350 F for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and lower oven temperature to 325 F. To make the cake: Beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in sugar, vanilla, flour, salt and molasses. Beat in the eggs one at a time just until combined. (Don’t overbeat, it causes cracks). Pour mixture over crust and bake at 325 F for 55-60 minutes in a water bath. (Wrap the bottom of the pan completely in 2 or 3 layers of foil to make it waterproof, place in a larger pan with about 1 inch of boil- ing water.) It’s done when the outer edge of the cake is puffed and firm, but the middle is still Jell-O jiggly. Turn off the oven, crack the door 1 inch and let it rest in the oven another hour. Remove and cool completely. Remove pan ring. Stripe dulce de leche across the top, sprinkle on pecans and chocolate, then more stripes of dulce de leche. Sprinkle on a little coarse sea salt. GET TICKETS! TheGrand.com | 409.765.1894 2020 Postoffice Street, Galveston THE GRAND 1894 OPERA HOUSE 2022–23 PERFORMING ARTS SEASON Sat, Jul 15, 2023 | 8 PM Peter Noone returns to The Grand for a evening of nostalgic and timeless hits! 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Not suitable for children under 16.42 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JuLY 2023 DOWN THE HATCH MEET TINAYA SISLER She likes the ‘Cheers’ atmosphere in this Dickinson hangout story by TRACE HARRIS | photos by STUART VILLANUEVA T wo years ago, career volunteer firefighters Marjorie and Keith Morgan acquired a pizza restaurant that would become the Dickinson institution now known as Gator’s Bar & Grill, 3535 Gulf Freeway. Complementing Gator’s diverse dishes is the restaurant’s cocktail menu and its vast blue-lit bar. Behind the bar, you’ll find Tinaya Sisler slinging tasty libations, particularly dessert-themed cocktails. Each month, Coast Monthly chats with mixers and shakers on the local bar scene. Tinaya Sisler has spent years in the food and drink industry. Today she creates cocktails at Gator’s Bar & Grill in Dickinson. How long have you been bartend- ing and when did you start here? I have been bartending since I was 15 and I just started here in February. Where are you from and what kind of experience do you have? I am from Elk City, Oklahoma, and my first job was at a Mexican restaurant there. I went to school at Texas State in San Marcos and worked at a popular restaurant there called Palmer’s. Most of my experience has been on the job. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JuLY 2023 43 G aido R eal e state G Roup 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 A. Gaido REALTOR®, SRS 713.498.2020 sandnsea.com A trusted name with over 50 years of real estate experience 13730 SAN DOMINGO $710,000 21720 DEAF SMITH $690,000 3730 QUE SABE $749,000 3823 PERIWINKLE $1,199,000 4203 PELICAN $719,000 SOLD $1,225,000 SOLD What do you like about working here and bartending in general? I enjoy making new creations. I really like craft cocktails and old-school drinks. What is something interesting that you’ve seen here? It is really funny hearing about people’s old football glory days and people’s memories here when it used to be a pizzeria. It is cliché, but it is really like “Cheers” here. What is the most popular drink here? It has to be our Bravos Smoked Old Fashioned. We add real smoke to it and people really seem to like the touch. KEY LIME PIE COCKTAIL 1 ounce pineapple juice 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice 1 ounce simple syrup 1½ ounces vodka Dash of vanilla extract Dash of cinnamon Splash of heavy whipping cream Graham cracker crumbs or sugar Rim a martini glass with graham cracker crumbs or sugar. Fill a martini shaker with ice and add all the other ingredients. Shake thoroughly, strain into a martini glass and serve. As the name suggests, the Key Lime Pie Cocktail at Gator’s Bar & Grill is dessert in a glass. It features vodka, pineapple and freshly squeezed lime juices and spices.GALVESTON LOCATION 4002 Broadway Galveston Tx 409-621-9540 MATAGORDA LOCATION 455 Fisher (Hwy 60) Matagorda Tx 979-8635042 Award Winning Complementary Decorating Service Solid Wood Furniture Zero Down - Zero Interest Financing Delivery & Set-Up Open 7 Days A Week Featuring At Texas A&M University at Galveston, marine biology students research the genetic mechanisms of Turritopsis dohrnii, a biologically immortal jellyfish, right alongside renowned faculty. While human immortality is distant, with this research and the advent of DNA-based technologies, relief for those with genetic disorders could be within a tentacle’s reach. Whether your interests take you above, below or on the water, as the marine & maritime campus of Texas A&M University, we have the resources you need to succeed. Discover your part in driving our blue economy with degrees in science, engineering, transportation, business and liberal arts. Chart the course to your future today. Visit tamug.edu for more. EVEN BETTER THAN 46 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JuLY 2023 COUNTER CULTURE CLEAN AND UNCLUTTERED A dated El Lago kitchen gets a modern makeover story by SHANNON CALDWELL | photos by STUART VILLANUEVA A love of mid-century modern design, vintage furniture and Scandinavian cookware was the inspiration for the redesign of a 1960s home in the NASA neighbor- hood of El Lago. When Jenny and Cory Crandell moved into their brick mid-century modern home, they knew they would eventually redo the small, dated kitchen that had no pantry and limited counter space. “I really don’t know how I managed in my old kitchen,” Jenny Cran- dell said. “I had everything stacked up on itself and all my countertops were covered. One of the main things I wanted in the redesign was plenty of countertop space. I didn’t want any more clutter. I wanted the kitchen to have clean, simple lines.” Jenny redesigned and extended the floor plan of the kitchen to make it more open and functional for her family’s needs. Completely gutted, the space has been transformed. An unnecessary secondary front door was removed, replaced by a wall of walnut veneer cabinets, (Above) Jenny Crandell completely redesigned the kitchen of her El Lago home into a functional and beautiful space. (Right) The kitchen features a streamlined mid- century modern design with floor-to-ceiling cabinets, terrazzo-inspired flooring and a 12-foot island with ample seating. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JuLY 2023 4748 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JuLY 2023 COUNTER CULTURE (From top) Jenny Crandell designed her kitchen to have clean, simple lines. A wall of walnut veneer cabinets frees up counter space and a feature wall with floating shelves allows Crandell to display her collection of brightly colored Cathrineholm enamelware from Norway. (Opposite) Crandell garnishes cornbread she made from her uncle Don Lauderdale’s recipe, which was featured in a newspaper clipping she recently found. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JuLY 2023 49 and counter space was tripled thanks to new counters and a 12-foot island that seats four and features a waterfall countertop in white quartzite stone. Old appliances were replaced with new, and the kitchen now features a four-element gas cooker, double ov- ens, stainless refrigerator, wine fridge and Berkey water filter. What once was a dated kitchen now is a sleek and modern space with terrazzo-inspired flooring, walnut accents and a feature wall of retro kitchen enamelware. “I just love my new kitchen,” she said. “It all turned out just as I designed it. I loved working with my contractor, Diana Kilmer of South Belt Construc- tors. I don’t think I’d change a thing.” Crandell chose the micro white sub- way tile for the feature wall, but it was Kilmer who came up with the idea of using butcher block with a walnut stain for the floating shelves. The wall is a key feature of the redesign. “I collect Cathrineholm enamelware, which are brightly colored dishes and pans from Norway,” she said. “I knew I wanted the color in the kitchen design to come from displaying my collection.” Color and design are important to Crandell, who started sewing and crafting when she was 10 years old, has a degree in communications and design, and has owned and operat- ed a number of creative businesses. When she lived in Austin, she had her own bakery, Sweet Temper, spe- cializing in macrons, cupcakes and designer cakes. She had a second business, Felt- craftic, making wool felt stockings and accessories. Both were put on hold after her move to Houston and the births of her two children: Lily, 16, and Julian, 10. In 2021, she returned to her crafting roots with the launch of her business Craftermoon. “During the pandemic, I got back into crafts for relaxation and to help with anxiety,” she said. “That’s when I decided to reopen my online shop and share some of my favorite things with other like-minded crafters, and to help others create more calm in their lives and encourage people to make more things with their hands.” Her aunt taught her needlepoint and her grandmother, who raised her, also was very supportive of her creative pursuits and love of vintage design, Crandell said. A vintage piece of furniture from her grandmother also inspired a de- sign feature in Crandell’s new kitchen. Adjacent to the kitchen, she’s installing her grandmother’s walnut buffet with accordion doors. She plans to put a glass top on it so it will function as a bar. The slats of the doors influenced the slatted wood embellishment on the kitchen island. Crandell recently discovered a newspaper clipping with her uncle Don Lauderdale’s recipe for corn- bread. It goes great with barbecue or as a side for a big family meal, she said. Whatever the occasion, she’ll be serving it in her vintage cookware. UNCLE DON’S CORNBREAD 1 cup cornmeal 1 cup milk 1 can creamed corn 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 medium onion, chopped 1 clove garlic ½ pound cheddar cheese, shredded 2-3 jalapeño peppers, chopped Oil or bacon drippings Combine cornmeal, milk, creamed corn, eggs, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Put oil or bacon drippings in the bottom of a baking pan or cast-iron skillet. Add half the batter. Spread onion, garlic, cheese and peppers on top. Add the remainder of the batter. Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes. Next >