Interview with Andy Huse, author of “From Saloons to Steakhouses: A History of Tampa”
We’re trying to highlight more Florida authors and books about Florida. Can you share a little about your personal connection to the state of Florida?
As a kid, I was part of the big wave of newcomers from the Midwest in the late 1970s. Several cold Winters in a row exhausted millions of Northerners, my parents among them. I moved to Clearwater at age six just in time to see it explode with growth. People had bumper stickers that said, “I survived US 19.” All the green spaces of my youth, which kept me out of trouble, disappeared by the time I was grown. Clearwater was boring enough that I always felt like I had to invent my own fun, and I'm thankful for that.
My interest in Florida really began when I got to know Tampa better, especially after I moved there to attend the University of South Florida. Tampa had a sense of History that Pinellas County did not have, especially at the time. Up until then, I had been a fairly indifferent student with an interest in writing. I quickly sensed that an education in English and writing would be a big mistake, and after one semester I changed majors to history and never looked back. I had no plan, but I was fortunate enough to study under Gary Mormino at USF. He may be responsible for inspiring more Florida Scholars than anyone in his generation. I feel I owe a lot to him and his approach in informing my own work. I want to write for a general audience and make history accessible. There are so many buried and forgotten stories quietly waiting to be rediscovered. I just wanted to be a part of that and make contributions that can entertain, enlighten, and help the next generation of researchers.
By the time I graduated with a master's degree in history, I was very engaged with research around Tampa’s old eating and drinking places. I was so naive and thought I could finish a book in about six months, but I was just starting to learn. I spent the next twenty years writing that book, with lots of detours for other projects and a library science degree. Being so engaged with the subject led to my writing of the Columbia Restaurant’s Centennial history, published in 2009. The process was a real joy, with lots of research, interviews, and working with Richard Gonzmart and his family to make sure we got it right. It was a real blessing to work on that project and allow it to inform my own research, which turned out to be From Saloons to Steakhouses.
Your book From Saloons to Steakhouses: A History of Tampa has a great title. Could you give us an overview of the book?
I wanted to explore the city's history in a different context. I had already become intrigued with the culinary background of the immigrant community, and I found that the places that served food and drink were sometimes more interesting than the victuals. Places like saloons, lunch counters, and juke joints were sensitive social barometers for their times. Close inspection revealed that city residents were often at odds over places like soup kitchens and speakeasies. For example, conflict over nude or semi-nude dancers was already heated in 1900.
What drew you to this topic? And do you think Tampa gets enough attention in Florida history compared to other Florida cities?
Many historians have referred to Tampa's penchant for vice, but none of them really showed how it worked or affected the city. It seemed like a rich topic that invited exploration. I was also attracted to the topic because it is one that does not just focus on one ethnic or racial group, but on threads of culture that run through the entire city. I think Tampa has attracted some excellent scholars over the years and is very lucky to have a deep and growing historiography.
How does this book help us better understand Florida, as a whole?
It was and it is a crazy place. There are so many outlandish characters and events. It also demonstrates how the blood feuds of the past often don't seem so important in retrospect. There was an absolutely wrenching political and cultural battle over dry Sunday laws, for example. Police were cracking down on baseball games and dances held on Sundays. No one cares about that anymore, and swilling beer while watching Sunday football has become a national fixture. People like to talk about things like the culture war as if it is something new. It seems like every generation has its own culture war to fight.
What surprised you most in researching this book or in putting it together?
I can't say I was surprised, but the depth of corruption in the city’s government is difficult to fathom.
What is it that you hope readers take away with them?
That history can be interesting and accessible, and the history of Tampa and Florida are far more colorful than they may have known.
What inspires you? How did you get the idea to write this book?
Like anyone, I love good stories, whether I'm hearing one or telling one. I love a good character full of contradictions and complexity. I think deeply flawed characters can often tell us much more about the times they lived in than virtuous ones. Besides, they are much easier to find.
Do you have a favorite steakhouse or bar in Florida?
I've never been particularly impressed with fine dining and fancy steakhouses. I prefer humble restaurants that serve great food, which usually means various ethnic restaurants, typically run by immigrants. So much of the dining landscape today has become gentrified in a sense. I am a devotee of Cuban food and any humble food done well. I’m also passionate about big flavors like Vietnamese, Korean, Indian, Mexican, and so on. I love to cook, so most of these flavors pass through my kitchen at some point. Some of my current faves include Rene’s Mexican Kitchen, the Boozy Pig, China Yuan, and Curry Leaves. Although I enjoy adult beverages, I’ve never been a bar guy.
What are you working on now/next?
After this book, I led the effort to write The Cuban Sandwich: A History in Layers (University Press of Florida, 2022) with Dr. Barbara Cruz and Jeff Houck that was well-received. I have just completed the centennial history of Tampa Theatre, the city’s only surviving movie palace. That should be in print in time for its hundredth birthday in 2026. I’m still interested in Tampa’s old immigrant cuisine and I started a project devoted to a history of the Jose Gaspar pirate legend.
What do you think makes Florida special?
Aside from it's food culture, I'm really stuck on Florida’s springs and rivers. It all seems to be slipping away so fast. Florida's fluid demographics, and how they continually reshape the state's culture, fascinate me.
