G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E // S P R I N G 2 0 1 4
co n t e n t s
Dining alone on an expense account 8 //
14 // Italian in Illinois Relish 16 //
s a r a dav is
wi l l s h a r pe
andrew l add
26 // Sour Patch love
l au r en mo n aco
Fond memories of meals with Babs 28 //
34 // Ode to basil Nightcap 36 //
cl a r e ros e a n
b k lo r en
ro b ch r is to ph er
42 // Canstruction
s h a n n a y e tm a n
Tar heel barbeque 50 //
s h el by s t eph en s o n
54 // Ode to the avocado Alma m a r i a m 56 //
m el is s a d i ck s o n
g om a a
62 // Apples and Edam
m el is s a d i ck s o n - jack s o n
70 // Five words
b r i t t n e y l ee a n n e wil l i a m s
a n g el a pa n
The pokeweed dialogue 72 //
n i ck pa nz a r el l a
78 // A quick four hundred-year history of grits 82 // Appalachian cottontail
l au r a mo r en o
ch r is wie wi o r a
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
The multiple faces of the infamous foodie 64 //
7
Relish 16
I don’t judge Ben too harshly for what he’s about to do. Yes, it’s
icy monotone that we’re leaving. We see ourselves out to the sound of
infidelity—and his wife, Jill, is only a room away, and Rhona is her
clattering pans.
closest friend—but there are extenuating circumstances. There are the
rock hens in the oven, and the pots bubbling on the stove, and the
didn’t think much of Rhona or her parties. Oh, he still turned up and
bittersweet smell of fresh-cut chives from the knife in Rhona’s hand.
found them pleasant enough, mmming and aahing at all the right
There’s Rhona herself, our winsome, culinary wonder of a hostess. I
moments—but he had so little enthusiasm that afterwards he couldn’t
don’t understand why something hasn’t happened sooner.
even remember half the things she’d served. The homemade calvados
I suppose this is partly my fault; before I came on the scene Ben
So here it is: he steps towards her, slowly, until he’s standing by
truffles, the fresh-baked rosemar y bread. The Wensleydale and
her side, hand on her waist. He wants to taste her, and so do I, to lick the
watercress salad—imagine forgetting that! He’s better, now, though.
sweat from her forehead and from the creases beneath her breasts. To
We’re better, together. And though it’s only been a month or two since
chew on her hair, damp and silky like artichoke petals. But she squirms
he started paying me attention, well—what a time it’s been.
away, asking him with a genuine, terrified confusion to stop, and then Jill is in the doorway, seeing the adulterous tableau. Telling Rhona in an
***
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
andrew ladd
17
Sour Patch Lovers
26
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
by l au ren monaco
27
NIGHTCAP AN E XCERPT FROM TIN Y AP OC ALYPSE, A NOVELL A
36P H O T O S
BY KRISTOPHER SCHMELZER
They got to the bar of the hotel by taking an elevator in the center of
from dinner and his empty wallet. Perversely, he suddenly hoped they
the mall. The muzak faded away, and when the doors opened they
would all be carded when they ordered. Perhaps there was a chance
stepped into a small lobby with a very high ceiling. In the center of
someone didn’t have ID.
the room was a round table of dark wood, and on the table was an
enormous arrangement of dried flowers. It was at least three feet tall.
down at the menu. “How about you guys?”
The flowers were the color of rusted train cars. Grant would have liked
to study them a bit longer (even being in the hotel was a novelty for
glance. “Carrie’s so predictable. Bombay Sapphire dirty martini
him) but after they had all checked their coats, Lem and Adam and
every time.”
Carrie went directly to the bar.
happen to know what’s expected of me.”
The three of them chose a cluster of high-backed chairs in
“I know what I’m getting,” Lem announced. He was still looking Adam laughed and looked at Carrie, who did not return his
She gave him a mock punch in the arm and a glare. “I just
a corner of the room opposite the windows and sat down. Grant
“Yuck,” Adam said. “Scotch on the rocks for me.”
tagged along and took the empty chair next to Lem. Lem asked him
Lem said, “You have an irrational hatred of gin.”
for a drink menu. He picked one up from the low table in front of them
“There’s nothing wrong with scotch, and that’s what I’m
and also took one for himself. Lem flipped directly to the pages where
going to have.”
the whiskeys were listed and began to study them.
is not simply scotch, you know.”
Grant had never seen a bar menu before where every drink was
“But which?” asked Lem, affecting an English accent. “Scotch
in the double digits. He formed a picture in his head of the inside of
“Knob Creek,” replied Adam.
his pocket, and what he saw was a crumpled five-dollar bill leftover
Lem shook his head. “That is not scotch. That is bourbon,” he
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
rob christopher
37
ALMA
mariam gomaa
56I L L U S T R A T I O N S
BY L AUREN MONACO
Alma was her father’s favorite. This much everyone knew.
my father and I would bake. They might as well have been named for
Every morning, he would rise before the sun could stain the white
her because they were only Alma’s.
sky pink over Sarajevo and walk the mile to the bakery my father
owned. My father never had to ask Mr. Omerovic what he had
thin girl with long black hair, gleaming blue eyes, and a pout that
come to purchase. Before Alma’s father would walk into the store,
only became a smile at the sight of the pastries I baked for her day
my father would have me wrap a flaky apple pastry, hot and sticky
after day. I took on those pastries as my responsibility in the bakery,
with cinnamon glaze, in stiff brown paper that would then be boxed
eventually deciding to bake a special one with an A inscribed at the
and handed to Mr. Omerovic as he stepped up to the register. They
top, just for her. I imagined her pure white face turning pleasantly
would greet each other as old friends (though they didn’t know
pink with delight at the surprise that would become an everyday
more about one another than their favorite pastries and the names
token of my affection for her, as though she would see the monogram
of their favorite children), and Mr. Omerovic would always mention
and understand my adoration for a perfect stranger.
how the sweet was for his little Alma.
As I grew older, I imagined her as an ideal beauty—a tall,
At school, I would look for the tall, thin girl with black hair
As an eight-year-old, I often wondered why Mr. Omerovic
and blue eyes, but none seemed like she could be Alma. Once, I
was never tempted to eat the steaming confection on his long walk
ventured to ask my father why Mr. Omerovic never brought Alma
home, and how he managed to keep it from cooling in the brisk,
to the bakery that seemed like his second home. My father’s
early-morning air. As a matter of fact, I thought about him a great
demeanor became somber, unexpectedly evoking the memory
deal. I thought about Alma, his prized possession, who seemed to
of his crestfallen face on my birthday, the anniversary of the day
fill the air in the bakery with her presence despite never having been
my mother had died giving birth to me—his son and only child. I
there. For years, I would hear her name reverberating from the stone
recognized the same intricate tension forging a channel between us
walls of the bakery and see her in every one of those apple pastries
and no longer wanted to know the answer to my question.
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
57
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
69 68
FIVE FIVEWORDS WORDS angel a pan Silently pulling my espresso, eyes boring holes into crema, folding in his soul with the steamed milk. “And for you?” She smiled broadly, declined (a tea drinker, why) Light faded behind his horn rims as she ceased to exist. Not even a foothold along bearded turf for a smile. “Four dollars.”
70P H O T O
Linen apron already turned behind the Mirage to pull the next shot.
B Y L I Z C L AYM A N
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
Mason jar caught the change.
71
Appalachian Cottontail
82I L L U S T R A T I O N S
BY SARAH S. MALLORY
From behind the dandelion curtains, dulled by time and heavy with
hose across his arms and let it fall to the ground. He turned the knob
dust, Alan watched his father roll his soft blue sleeves up to his
counter-clockwise with the tip of his boot as he lathered the water
elbows, waves of arm hair springing forth with each fold. He watched
over his skin. What was left in his palms he brought to his blushing face.
him lift his big arm to his forehead. Most of the sweat had already
sunk into his grizzly beard, like a nest of raveled wires. He looked like
He swung the refrigerator door open and pushed his face into the
a bear with those dark, dense woods looming behind him, trying to
ventilated air, scanning his eyes over the tightly sealed containers of
swallow him back into their depths.
food stacked like books on the racks. He heard heavy steps against
His father leaned over, turned the knob, and swiftly picked up
the linoleum floor growing louder until they stopped beside him. His
the hose. He brought his right foot to his knee and rotated it under
father ruffled Alan’s hair before leaning his head into the ventilated
the clear stream. Alan could hear the water lapping gently against
air. Alan turned and smiled back at him.
the worn leather of his coffee boots. His calloused fingers rubbed the
thick patches of muck and dissolved them into murky water that hit
Alan’s head, the other rummaged through the groceries, turning over
the ground and formed a puddle. He switched feet and applied the
packaged cheese and sandwich meat to reveal expiration dates.
same pressure and attention to his left boot. Finally, he waved the
Alan ran into the kitchen as the back door creaked opened.
“What’s on today’s menu, chef?” With one hand resting on
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
l aura moreno
Alan brought his hand to his chin and scratched his jaw,
83
Artists
a d r i a n a g a l lo is an Illustration major at the Rhode Island School
justin a aron is a passive artist who has drawn and painted
specks of dried paint on her clothes, and the smell of a well-used kitchen.
off and on his whole life. Having collected hundreds of half-finished
You can find her online at adriana-gallo.com
of Design in pretty New England. She loves potted herbs, mysterious
drawings, he is lucky to have friends with creative projects he can contribute to as motivation. Currently he is a wish coordinator at
andrea guinn is a book cover designer and sometimes–illustrator
Make-A-Wish Foundation.
struggling to bake the perfect chess pie. She lives in a borough of New York.
patrick burnell is a designer/ illustrator /musician living in Logan
m i ke y h el l er is a cartoonist and comedian living in New York City.
Square. He enjoys traveling, death metal, and pizza. Check out more of
He is the author of the webcomic Time Trabble (timetrabble.com).
his work at patrickburnell.com alex kostiw is an illustrator who uses her degree in English
co n t r I B U TOR s G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E // S P R I N G 2 0 1 4
l iz cl aym a n is a freelance food and lifestyle photographer based
to make pictures with a story to tell. At this moment, she might also be
in Brooklyn, NY, originally from Maine. When she’s not shooting, you’ll
making perfect chocolate chip cookies, lemon curd, or some kind of
most likely find her eating, cooking, or riding her bike around Brooklyn.
cake. Her illustrations have appeared in the Chicago Reader, Six Years Later magazine, and CTA trains. More of them can be seen at alexkostiw.com
sean dove lives and works in Chicago, where he runs his one-man
design studio And Thank You For Flying. His love of screen printing,
s a r a h s . m a l lo ry is an illustrator and book artist currently living
comics and film have influenced his multidisciplinary approach to making
and working in Brooklyn New York. She graduated from the School of the Art
things, be it posters or short films. He enjoys walking to work, the middle
Institute of Chicago in 2013 earning multiple honors for her achievements
seat at the theater, and plaid shirts. AndThankYouForFlying.com
in book and fiber arts. Her work is influenced by the natural world and the oddities, magic, and texture that go along with it. Sarah’s current projects,
kailyn downen is a South Carolinian living in Chicago. She studied
inspirations and interests include city blocks, the artic ocean, rhythm and blues,
graphic design at the University of South Carolina (go cocks!) and is
candle making and root vegetables. sarahsmallory.com
currently a production designer at Leo Burnett. kailyndownen.com
88
chloë feldman emison has shown widely in the United States
studying art history and art studio. She is most recognizable by her ultra
and England. She studied art at Williams College and the Ruskin
high pitched voice and has been told many times to go into the voice
School and animation at Forkbeard Fantasy in Devon. Her illustrations
over industry but instead plans to continue her college years exploring
for a new book of fairy tales will be published soon, and she is helping
and eating her way through the Big Easy.
Elements Contemporary Ballet design a new production.
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
j u l i e m a r t i n is a sophomore at Tulane University in New Orleans
89
After spending her childhood doodling, lauren monaco studied illustration at Washington University in St. Louis. She now works as a
Writers
collection, Animal, Mineral Radical, and numerous shorter works. Like
candidate at Iowa St ate Univer sit y’s Creative Writing and
rob christopher is the author of Queue Tips: Discovering Your Next
many writers, she has cooked in restaurants to pay the bills. Currently,
Environment Program. His food writing has been anthologized
trying out different recipes in her tiny kitchen or drawing pictures of food.
Great Movie (Huron Street Press, 2012). He blogs for Chicagoist, and
she’s at work on a second novel, and her favorite procrastination
in Best Food Writing 2013 and published in Make and Gastronomica.
has written for CINE-FILE, American Libraries magazine, and the Chicago
technique is baking bread and arguing with feisty spices, particularly basil.
Read more at chriswiewiora.com
laura moreno is currently a senior at Northwestern University,
s h a n n a y e tm a n ’s shor t stories can be found online at
where she is majoring in creative writing for fiction. She has spent most
Connotation Press and The Writing Disorder. She’s proud to have
sara davis is a food scholar, desultory academic, university press
of her life in Los Angeles, California, and Memphis, Tennessee. When
lived through her first “real” Chicago winter without freezing to death
marketer, and voracious eater of books. She blogs about the first at Scenes
away from books and computers, she spends her time playing her ukulele
or driving her family too crazy. She currently works for 2nd Story as
cl a r e ros e a n is a Chicago artist; her drawings are illustrations of
of Eating (scenesofeating.com), and everything else at Scribal Tattoo
and drum set.
their development coordinator.
unsettling dream scenarios. She received her BFA from the School of the
(scribaltattoo.wordpress.com). Her prandial prose can also be found at The
Art Institute in 2010, and her MFA from the University of Chicago in 2012.
Smart Set (thesmartset.com).
kenton quatman is an illustrator / designer from Kansas City,
Reader. “Nightcap” is an excerpt from Tiny Apocalypse, an unpublished
currently living in Brooklyn, New York. A second decan Virgo; Kenton enjoys
novella. He lives in Chicago. randomcha.net
(looking for “the one”). Recently, he began watching “House of Cards” on Netflix.
clarerosean.com
angel a pan is a food explorer (never a snob) whose food
adventures have taken her to the far western reaches of China, the melissa dickson-jackson’s collections include Cameo and Sweet
back alleys of Istanbul, and the top of Kilimanjaro. When home in
kristopher schmel zer majored in Photography at DePauw
Aegis, Medusa Poems. Her poems can be found in Shenandoah, North
Washington, D.C., she can often be found tinkering with recipes in the
University. His work showcases people and the intimate interactions they
American Review, Southern Humanities Review, Cumberland River Review,
kitchen, trying to recreate those travel memories.
share that are often overlooked. Currently he is a digital solutions specialist
and Gravy (from the Southern Foodways Alliance at the University of
at the Chicago Tribune.
Mississippi). She holds an MFA in Visual Arts from the School of Visual
n i ck pa nz a r el l a is a freelance food and fiction writer with an
Arts and an MFA in poetry from Converse College.
interest in regional traditions and peculiarities. Raised in the suburb of Kingwood, Texas, and schooled in New Orleans, he now lives in
Los Angeles based artist, brittney leeanne williams, creates a wide range of art. Work ranging from elaborate paintings to tongue
mariam goma a is a Northwestern University senior, majoring
Houston where he works for an edible landscaping company, intent on
and cheek comic renderings Williams’ work always leaves viewers
in biology and creative writing. After graduation she aspires to become a
transforming American cities and food production.
with a sense of adventure and visual ride. She currently resides in Chicago
physician writer. At the moment she is in the midst of writing her second
working in her Logan Square studio. brittneyleeannewilliams.com
novella, bringing together her interests in both science and writing. In her
wil l sh arpe is a Nebraskan copy writer living in Chicago.
spare time she interviews strangers on the “L” for her blog “Marooned on
He measures six-feet and one-half inches and weighs in at a nimble
the Subway”.
177. In his free time, you might catch him not working out, enjoying a toasted sandwich, or contemplating a move to a dog-friendly apartment.
a n d r e w l a d d is the blog editor for Ploughshares, and the author of
the award-winning novel What Ends (New Issues Press). His work also has
shelby stephenson ’s The Hunger of Freedom (2014) is
appeared in Apalachee Review, CICADA, Memoir Journal, Paper Darts, and
available at reddashboard.com His Family Matters: Homage to July, the
The Rumpus, among others. Follow him on Twitter @agoodladd.
Slave Girl won the 2008 Bellday Poetry Prize, Allen Grossman, judge.
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
ch r i s w i e w i o r a lives in A mes, Iowa, where he is an MFA
designer and illustrator in Chicago. When she’s not working, she is probably
leisurely walks, updating his web log, and sampling new allergy medicines
90
bk loren is the author of the award winning novel Theft, the
91
After spending her childhood doodling, lauren monaco studied illustration at Washington University in St. Louis. She now works as a
Writers
collection, Animal, Mineral Radical, and numerous shorter works. Like
candidate at Iowa St ate Univer sit y’s Creative Writing and
rob christopher is the author of Queue Tips: Discovering Your Next
many writers, she has cooked in restaurants to pay the bills. Currently,
Environment Program. His food writing has been anthologized
trying out different recipes in her tiny kitchen or drawing pictures of food.
Great Movie (Huron Street Press, 2012). He blogs for Chicagoist, and
she’s at work on a second novel, and her favorite procrastination
in Best Food Writing 2013 and published in Make and Gastronomica.
has written for CINE-FILE, American Libraries magazine, and the Chicago
technique is baking bread and arguing with feisty spices, particularly basil.
Read more at chriswiewiora.com
laura moreno is currently a senior at Northwestern University,
s h a n n a y e tm a n ’s shor t stories can be found online at
where she is majoring in creative writing for fiction. She has spent most
Connotation Press and The Writing Disorder. She’s proud to have
sara davis is a food scholar, desultory academic, university press
of her life in Los Angeles, California, and Memphis, Tennessee. When
lived through her first “real” Chicago winter without freezing to death
marketer, and voracious eater of books. She blogs about the first at Scenes
away from books and computers, she spends her time playing her ukulele
or driving her family too crazy. She currently works for 2nd Story as
cl a r e ros e a n is a Chicago artist; her drawings are illustrations of
of Eating (scenesofeating.com), and everything else at Scribal Tattoo
and drum set.
their development coordinator.
unsettling dream scenarios. She received her BFA from the School of the
(scribaltattoo.wordpress.com). Her prandial prose can also be found at The
Art Institute in 2010, and her MFA from the University of Chicago in 2012.
Smart Set (thesmartset.com).
kenton quatman is an illustrator / designer from Kansas City,
Reader. “Nightcap” is an excerpt from Tiny Apocalypse, an unpublished
currently living in Brooklyn, New York. A second decan Virgo; Kenton enjoys
novella. He lives in Chicago. randomcha.net
(looking for “the one”). Recently, he began watching “House of Cards” on Netflix.
clarerosean.com
angel a pan is a food explorer (never a snob) whose food
adventures have taken her to the far western reaches of China, the melissa dickson-jackson’s collections include Cameo and Sweet
back alleys of Istanbul, and the top of Kilimanjaro. When home in
kristopher schmel zer majored in Photography at DePauw
Aegis, Medusa Poems. Her poems can be found in Shenandoah, North
Washington, D.C., she can often be found tinkering with recipes in the
University. His work showcases people and the intimate interactions they
American Review, Southern Humanities Review, Cumberland River Review,
kitchen, trying to recreate those travel memories.
share that are often overlooked. Currently he is a digital solutions specialist
and Gravy (from the Southern Foodways Alliance at the University of
at the Chicago Tribune.
Mississippi). She holds an MFA in Visual Arts from the School of Visual
n i ck pa nz a r el l a is a freelance food and fiction writer with an
Arts and an MFA in poetry from Converse College.
interest in regional traditions and peculiarities. Raised in the suburb of Kingwood, Texas, and schooled in New Orleans, he now lives in
Los Angeles based artist, brittney leeanne williams, creates a wide range of art. Work ranging from elaborate paintings to tongue
mariam goma a is a Northwestern University senior, majoring
Houston where he works for an edible landscaping company, intent on
and cheek comic renderings Williams’ work always leaves viewers
in biology and creative writing. After graduation she aspires to become a
transforming American cities and food production.
with a sense of adventure and visual ride. She currently resides in Chicago
physician writer. At the moment she is in the midst of writing her second
working in her Logan Square studio. brittneyleeannewilliams.com
novella, bringing together her interests in both science and writing. In her
wil l sh arpe is a Nebraskan copy writer living in Chicago.
spare time she interviews strangers on the “L” for her blog “Marooned on
He measures six-feet and one-half inches and weighs in at a nimble
the Subway”.
177. In his free time, you might catch him not working out, enjoying a toasted sandwich, or contemplating a move to a dog-friendly apartment.
a n d r e w l a d d is the blog editor for Ploughshares, and the author of
the award-winning novel What Ends (New Issues Press). His work also has
shelby stephenson ’s The Hunger of Freedom (2014) is
appeared in Apalachee Review, CICADA, Memoir Journal, Paper Darts, and
available at reddashboard.com His Family Matters: Homage to July, the
The Rumpus, among others. Follow him on Twitter @agoodladd.
Slave Girl won the 2008 Bellday Poetry Prize, Allen Grossman, judge.
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
G R A Z E // I S S U E F I V E
ch r i s w i e w i o r a lives in A mes, Iowa, where he is an MFA
designer and illustrator in Chicago. When she’s not working, she is probably
leisurely walks, updating his web log, and sampling new allergy medicines
90
bk loren is the author of the award winning novel Theft, the
91