Issue 31: July 2026 (print edition released gratis 6/15)

AN AMERICAN ISSUE

The Fondue of American Life

In French the word “fondue” literally means “melted”.  American culture is most definitely a melted mix of all the cheeses of the world — stinky, stringy, creamy, dense, salty, moldy, sour, pungent and how ever else you may find them. Once a person comes to America bringing the influences and background of their culture of origin, those ingredients get thrown in the melted mix and become part of American culture. Because of this it is hard to say that anything is “cultural appropriation”. Once it’s in America it becomes American. That’s what American means, what American is. All of these different people come here and decide to be one together instead of what they have left or come from. But sometimes we forget this. Sometimes the flame gets low and the cubes don’t melt quite enough. But if the cheese isn’t all melted together it’s hard to dip your bread, fruit and veggies to get a tasty bite. And so the heat gets turned back up. The flame is raised higher. This heat comes in the form of wars and disagreements, and it’s needed each time new ingredients are added. Raise the heat and whisk together vigorously. Add a little kirsch or beer or wine. Whisk again. Taste for flavor balance. Then devour the delicious mix. Maybe THAT’s why the French gave us the Statue of Liberty! Everyone knows how much the French love their cheese! And few folks can be as cheesy as Americans. Enough comedians have come from within our borders making people the globe over laugh, telling jokes that poke at cultural differences and squabbles…reminding us of the ridiculous nature of our common being as humans. And as the 4th of July rolls around each year and we host or go to picnics and BBQs we are presented with the flavors and delicacies of our fellow Americans and our rainbow of ethnic cultural heritages. We are reminded of the pain and suffering of being blended and mixed and how some ingredients were added without their consent. The flavor of the pains of war and atrocity mellow with age, adding sharpness and pungency, savor and spice. Do you bake your beans in the oven or on the grill? With pork or beef? Maybe your beans are vegetarian. We’ve got a few of those here too. Is your potato salad recipe from your German grandmother or maybe your Russian bubbie? Do you roast your corn or boil it? Did you cook that pig on a spit or bury it in a pit? Maybe it’s lamb you prefer? A hamburger?  A good old hot dog? We have some kosher and some halal and some tofu dogs too. I think Aunt Jane brought her partner, Alison, with her this year. Everyone has just been dying to meet her. Why has Jane been calling Alison a “roommate” for the past ten years? The only one who would have had a problem with it was Uncle John and he died eight years ago, for crying out loud. So, bring your bean salad, famous salsa, and apple pie. We’ve got some sparklers and the coals are hot.

In this special American July issue of 1UV MONTHLY you’ll find an Italian heritage inspired bean salad recipe, a guest contribution of an ode to a departed partner by Robert Stinson, expressions of “out of the main stream spirituality”, reflections on the trials of living with blended heritages, some buggy new jewelry, a couple new hilarious Diorama Madness comic strips about the diversity of human spirituality and the universal of human greed, a beautiful piece of guest contribution poetry by Joan Brown, my next two chapters of BRAVE ENOUGH, a review of Andale in Los Gatos, and an interview with Oakland business owner Erica Perez about her spicy American endeavor that is The Oaktown Spice Shop where they blend the flavors of the world coming together to be a unique American experience. Pull up your seat to the table. I hope you wore your eatin’ pants because there’s plenty to chew on.

On a final and totally separate note, once again there are HUGE changes coming to 1UV Gallery Studio & MONTHLY Magazine. Be sure to keep up to date as news is released online on 1uvgallerystudio.com and 1uvmonthlymagazine.net OR join the free bi-monthly e-newsletter list by visiting either site and clicking on the button to be added. 1UV wishes you and yours a safe and 1UV a kind 4th of July. As the world rages around us and tyranny abides in the White House, let us come together over our common love for the 1st Amendment and what it truly means to be American.  

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