A Neighborhood Story in Recipes

You can read a history book. Or you can cook your way through a history. When the members of the Bellaire Culture and Arts Board wrap up their latest undertaking, people all over Houston will have the chance to do both at once, reading through history and making recipes from the residents of this city within a city.

The original Bellaire Historical Cookbook was published in 1969. “It was very much a historical map, a journey of Bellaire from 1908 until 1969,” says Angie Levinthal, who has been a member of the Bellaire Culture and Arts Board since 2021. But it was first a history book, and then a recipe book. “All the history was in the front,” Angie says. “If you wanted to actually make a recipe, you had to sift through all these stories in the front.”

When the Culture and Arts Board was considering projects to add to their annual art festivals and Earth Day celebration, Kristi Coffey, a member of the board and owner of The ’401 restaurant, shared her brainstorm: bring back the cookbook.

“Every year we look at potential projects,” says Kristi, who has been a member of the Arts and Culture Board for three years. “We were looking to do something that would give the community a sense of ownership, bring people together.”

Kristi had stumbled upon the Bellaire Historical Cookbook a couple of years ago when she was opening her restaurant. “I wanted to incorporate photos of the city [in the restaurant], and someone must have turned me on to [the cookbook]. I found it in an eBay search,” she says. Now there is a copy in the restaurant, along with old Bellaire High School yearbooks, an old cheerleader uniform, an old megaphone. “Guys in the Little League will send me funny photos of each other and other coaches, and I’ll put them up in the men’s restroom,” Kristi laughs.

What attracted Kristi to the cookbook was that “it wasn’t just a cookbook,” she says. “There are photos throughout the decades, and stories about the residents. You kind of feel like you get to know them many years later.”

Bellaire got its start when William Wright Baldwin, a vice president of the Burlington Railroad, purchased land in 1908 and marketed it as a neighborhood possessing the best of both farmland and proximity to the City of Houston. Ten years later in 1918, Bellaire became its own city, with a population of about 200. Today, more than 17,000 people call the town home. Through the years, Bellaire’s population – like Houston’s – has grown into something of a melting pot. The goal of the new cookbook is to capture that diversity along with the changing times.

The old book and the new design. (Photo: lawellphoto.com)

“We want to be sure we have the right representation in the book,” Gay Mayeux, president of the Culture and Arts Board, says. “We’re the Culture and Arts Board. We concentrate on the arts and want to showcase the cultural diversity of Bellaire. For a small town, we’re so diverse.” 

Kristi adds, “People are a lot busier now than they were in 1969. We’re not out in our yards waving to people. We hope that through the new book, we can get a glimpse into the lives of our neighbors and community members.”

The book idea came to life about six months ago, with a call for recipe, photo, and story submissions. “We wanted to hear about not just the recipes,” Kristi says, “but the stories and anecdotes that make the recipe important to people.”

Kristi submitted a recipe for a Norwegian lefse that her family makes every Christmas. “It takes a long time, but I promised my grandparents we would continue making it,” Kristi says, describing the method to make the potato tortilla stuffed with beef and potatoes. “You have to make the dough a day in advance,” she says. “I’ve had sleepless nights worrying my dough won’t work. The story will be in the book.”

There are also recipes for stuffed mirlitons from New Orleans, Angie’s family’s Thanksgiving-favorite broccoli casserole, and smoked green chile enchiladas. Gay’s gumbo recipe is one the cookbook collaborators are excited to get their hands on, and Police Chief Onesimo “Mo” Lopez’s cherry pie is another. “He’s supposed to be an incredible cook,” Kristi says. There are also recipes from Mayor Gus Pappas and several city council members. They’re still looking for more.

Members of the Bellaire Culture and Arts Board, including Kristi (on right), have spent months gathering recipes and history for the book. They worked with Cheryl Bright (on left), City of Bellaire’s Community Relations Administration and advisor to the Culture and Arts Board, on the cookbook project. (Photo: lawellphoto.com)

There are neighborhood stories, like the one about the bunco group that’s been around for 25 years. “People take turns hosting, and there are always good recipes that we all share,” says Kristi, who joined the group a couple of years ago when a member moved away and left an open spot. “I’m the newest member and I always get great recipes hopping around from Bellaire house to Bellaire house.” There’s also a photo of the group in the book.

Kristi has spent hours on the design platform Canva putting the book together. The historical component begins with a preface written by longtime Bellaire resident Jane McNeel, who has served on the Friends of the Bellaire Library Board and the Bellaire Area Historical Society, and who has a blog called BellaireCivicClub.com. Another Bellaire neighbor, Lynn McBee (now deceased), recorded the events at city council meetings for years before she put together “Our Town,” a history of Bellaire from 1908 through 2008. It’s housed at the Rice University Library and will have its own spot in the book. But Angie and others have made sure that the book leads with recipes. “You don’t want to have to flip through a bunch of historical stuff when you just want to make dinner for your family,” Angie says. 

Sales from the cookbook, which will be available this fall, will cover the costs of production. “This isn’t a fundraiser,” Gay says. “We just want to provide it for the community.” If any money happens to be raised, the board is looking at purchasing permanent street banners that define the entry points of the city.

“We expect this won’t happen again for a very long time,” Gay says. “Be a part of Bellaire history! Don’t be left out!”

Anyone who has lived, gone to school, worked, or played in Bellaire is invited to submit recipes and stories to the new cookbook. Go to BellaireCookbook.com.

NOT JUST A COOKBOOK Recipes in the new Bellaire Historical Cookbook coexist alongside stories of the neighborhood and the families who are part of the community. Pictured are (from left) Kristi Coffey’s Italian Quiche, Angie Levinthal’s Matzo Tuna Casserole, and Leslie Mayeux’s Crunchy Broccoli Salad. (Photo: lawellphoto.com)

Here is a sampling of recipes you can find in the Bellaire Cookbook and History of Our Community. 

Leslie Mayeux’s Crunchy Broccoli Salad

Gay Mayeux made this salad for her daughter Leslie because it was the only way she could get her to eat vegetables. When Leslie went to college, she made the recipe her own. “It’s her recipe now,” Gay says, “and she’s still eating her vegetables.”

Serves 6-8

10 cups broccoli florets
3⁄4 cup mayonnaise
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
3⁄4 cups dried cranberries
1 ½ cups chopped walnuts
6 slices of crispy bacon
4 tablespoons minced red onion

Steam the broccoli for 2 minutes, then shock it in an ice bath to stop the cooking. This keeps the broccoli crunchy but still tender. Drain and lay the steamed broccoli out on paper towels for any remaining water to drain off while you’re getting the rest of the salad together. Whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the bacon in the oven until crisp, and drain it on paper towels. Crumble it. Assemble the salad by tossing the broccoli, dried cranberries, walnuts, bacon, and red onion. Add dressing and toss again. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Chill for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. The salad will stay fresh in a sealed dish for up to 6 days in the refrigerator. 

Kristi Coffey’s Morning Grits Bake is just one of the many recipes found in the new Bellaire Historical Cookbook. (Photo: lawellphoto.com)

Kristi Coffey’s Morning Grits Bake

A perfect recipe to feed a crowd for Easter brunch.

Nonstick cooking spray
12 ounces thick-cut bacon (about 10 strips), chopped
6 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
3⁄4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 ½ cups uncooked quick-cooking grits
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup half and half
4 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
Hot sauce, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and rendered, 14 to 16 minutes. Remove 1⁄4 cup of the bacon pieces and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.

Add the scallions and jalapeño to the skillet with the remaining bacon, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium Dutch oven, bring 4 1⁄2 cups of water and the salt to a boil over medium- high heat. Gradually sprinkle in the grits, whisking constantly. Return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, whisking often, until the grits have thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheese until completely melted. Stir in the half and half, eggs, and bacon mixture from the skillet, along with the drippings. Add the paprika, smoked paprika, and Cajun seasoning. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Bake the casserole until the top is lightly golden, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Garnish with the reserved bacon and more scallions, and serve with hot sauce.

Angie Levinthal’s Matzo Tuna Casserole

It can be difficult to find good Passover recipes; Angie’s Matzo Tuna Casserole makes it easy.

½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons horseradish
2 tablespoons coarse ground mustard
2 tablespoons honey
2 cans tuna packed in water
Half an onion
3 tablespoons capers
4 to 5 sheets of matzo
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, horseradish, mustard, and honey together with a fork. Stir in the tuna, onion, and capers.

Break the matzo sheets into small pieces and spread them in the bottom of a 10-by-4-inch casserole dish. Cover the matzo pieces with 2 cups shredded cheese. Place the tuna mixture on top of the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Cover with remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese, and return the casserole to the oven for another 5 minutes.

Kristi Coffey’s Italian Quiche

For the crust:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
For the filling:
10 large eggs, divided
1 (15-oz.) container whole milk ricotta
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
7 oz. provolone piccante cheese
1/4 lb. thinly sliced spicy cured salami
1/4 lb. thinly sliced smoked ham or pancetta
1/4 lb. thinly sliced prosciutto
3 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

For the crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar. With a mixer, work the butter into the flour. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, ice water, and apple cider vinegar. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition. Stir together until the ingredients are mixed.

Turn the mixture out onto a clean countertop and knead 4 to 5 times until combined. Divide into 2 balls, 1 with ⅔ of the dough and the other with the remaining ⅓. Flatten each into a disk shape. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the large disk of pie dough from the refrigerator and let it rest for 15 minutes until it is soft enough to roll. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pie dough into a 16-inch round. Transfer the crust to a 9-inch springform pan, pressing the dough into the bottom and up the sides. Trim the excess dough until it lines up with the top of the pan. Refrigerate for 20 minutes while you prepare the filling.

For the filling: In a large bowl, beat together 9 eggs, the ricotta, 1/2 cup of parmesan, garlic powder, and pepper until the eggs are broken up and the mixture is well combined.

Dice the provolone, salami, smoked ham, and prosciutto into 1/2-inch pieces. Fold the provolone, salami, smoked ham, prosciutto, dried Italian seasoning, and parsley into the filling. Add the filling to the chilled pie crust.

On a floured surface, roll out the remaining disk of dough into a 10-inch round. Carefully lay the dough over the filling, roll and fold the overhang from the bottom crust over the top crust, pinching to seal. Cut a few 1-inch slits in the top crust.

In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg; brush the crust with the egg wash. Place the pan on a baking sheet.

Bake until the crust is deeply golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 25 minutes; sprinkle the top of the pie with the remaining 1/4 cup of parmesan after 45 minutes.

Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for 2 hours before refrigerating or serving.