Cho's Variety

Cho's Variety in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is a coffee shop with an excellent french press and a bakery counter full of delicious muffins from Blue Sky Bakery (so delicious, in fact, they inspired these). For many people in the neighborhood, that might be all it is. To me, its a lot more. See, I found Cho's Variety on my first unemployed day in New York City. It was a Wednesday morning--I'd flown to New York City jobless, with a one-way ticket the night before. The friends I was staying with in Williamsburg had jobs to go to on Wednesdays, so that morning I wandered out of the apartment with my laptop and wallet and frankly, a lot of spare time. I "discovered" Cho's Variety-a packed coffee shop on a main street-and it instantly became my spot. I used the wifi there to constantly search for jobs. I forced friends meet me there, insisting I'd found a hidden gem. I even paid my friends in muffins and coffee from Cho's the morning they came to help me move from Brooklyn to my very first apartment in New York City (yes, it was a fifth floor walk up...and yes, they did deserve a lot more than muffins and coffee).

That was about two and a half years ago. In the grand scheme of things, two and a half years is not a lot of time. Yet today, as I found myself back in the Cho's Variety neighborhood, I realized that even though the french press tastes the same, almost everything else in my life is different.

Isn't it funny how certain spots in your city or a walk along a certain route in an old neighborhood can force you to pause and remember a different time?

Very little has stayed the same since the first time I crossed the threshold of that little coffee shop. The couple who so generously let me stay with them in my first two months in NYC, who made me tea when I was upset in those rocky first few months and introduced me to their friends and New York favorites--they've gotten engaged and married in the last two and a half years. The friends who helped me move apartments in exchange for muffins have either moved away from the city in pursuit of other dreams or have become legitimate New Yorkers--no longer newbies in a big, unknown city. And of course, I'm different too. Relationships have changed, plans have changed. Paradigms have undeniably shifted.

I found myself smiling about it all today, as I sipped my french press out of the small paper cup with the variety stamp on it. Because, while it's true that I probably can't tell you what my life will look like in two and a half years, I feel fairly certain that the french press at Cho's will be unchanged.

Buttermilk Biscuits

This weekend, I read a piece by Mark Bittman in The New York Times, detailing the costs of eating nutritious, home-cooked meals versus eating out. According to Bittman, many Americans explain the high rates of obesity in this country by relaying the "fact" that it's cheaper to eat at fast food restaurants than to buy decent, healthy food elsewhere. Using an especially great infographic, Bittman shows us that this "fact" is really more of a myth. After all, feeding a family of four a meal of potatoes, simple salad and roast chicken costs less than half the price of feeding that same family at McDonald's. 

(via)

So why the nationwide obsession with the golden arches? One reason, among many, is that Americans aren't cooking. Time in the kitchen is seen as grueling or impossible, rather than healthy, simple or relaxing. 

I promise you, these buttermilk biscuits are relevant to the discussion.  This recipe is one of those super easy and incredibly rewarding recipes that makes you wonder why you don't spend more time in the kitchen. I grew up waiting with baited breath for these to come out of the oven, and I have such lovely memories of pairing them with a bowl of soup on cold evenings. It is one of of those recipes, in fact, that made me love cooking (and clearly, I've loved it ever since). Also, the recipe I've posted (and that I frequently use) is from Mark Bittman himself. Because he really is a fabulous guy (and a good tipper, which I learned from serving him when I was a waitress here) with simple recipes and a great writing voice. 

Make the biscuits. Then, if you're feeling the urge for an egg McMuffin, fry up an egg and some bacon, stick a slice of cheddar on top and shove the whole combo into one of these biscuits. Problem solved.

Buttermilk Biscuits

By Mark Bittman


Ingredients
3 cups flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 sticks of butter, cold 
1 cup buttermilk


Recipe
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.


In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Mix together thoroughly. 


Then, cut cold butter into Tablespoon size chunks. Add the butter to the flour mixture and use your fingers to rub the mixture together until it resembles small peas--essentially you use your fingers to combine the flour and butter into a crumb like mixture. 


Stir the buttermilk in with a wooden spoon, stirring until  just combined.


Drop the dough in large spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden.


*If you're interested in this cause, there are quite a few groups across the country that are working to stimulate a renewed interest in the kitchen. From groups that teach children to cook and grow gardens in urban spaces, to groups that put former gang members to work baking bread, there are a lot of ways to get involved.

Interview with Abbi from Diabetiquette

Last week, I sat down with Abbi Fischer of Diabetiquette (http://diabetiquette.wordpress.com/) and had an honest and informative discussion about Diabetes and diet. Abbi has had Type 1 diabetes since she was a child and is full of information about how to continue living vibrantly, while keeping special diet requirements in mind. Our interview is below--just click  play!

In the interview, Abbi mentions a resource of hers--a book called The Everything Guide to Cooking for Children with Diabetes. I look forward to sharing a few recipes from this book on flavorfull. Please let me know if you have any questions about making healthy choices as a diabetic, or if you have other healthy diet questions you'd like answered. And, check out Abbi's blog! 

4 Tips For A Healthy Relationship With Protein

I know it isn't National Nutrition Month anymore, but eating health is important year-round. I asked Katherine Pike, R.D. to answer a few questions about healthy eating and I'll share her answers with you over the next few weeks. Today, we're going to discuss protein.
Protein consumption is not, according to Pike, a "one-size fits all" type of situation. However, there are some good practices that can help you stay healthy.
  
How much protein should I eat?
Some studies have found that people who eat more than 18 ounces of red meat a week have a higher risk of colon cancer and cardiovascular problems. 18 ounces of red meat is equal to three 6-ounce portions of beef or duck, and those meals can add up faster than you might realize. Pike recommends the "hand" model of protein control. You can find out more about this handy (couldn't help myself) method here.
  
Strive for balance. According to the USDA, the ideal daily balance between protein, carbs and fat is:
Fat: 20-35%
Protein: 10-35%
Carbohydrates*: 45-65%
  

*Pike says people tend to think of only pasta, rice and bread as carbohydrates, but forget that some fruits and vegetables are also carbohydrates. 

  
Does it matter what type of protein I eat?
First, realize that while a 6-ounce steak might deliver a lot of protein, it also delivers fat, including saturated fat. According to Pike, a 6-ounce steak has 38 grams of protein, but it also delivers almost 75% of the recommended daily intake of saturated fat.
  
What type of protein should I eat, then?
Pike recommends the following lean protein sources:
Beans
Fish
Poultry
  
When should I eat protein?
It is best to consume protein with each meal because, among other reasons, it helps you feel fuller than eating a carbohydrate-loaded meal. Here's why:
  
Carbohydrates, like potatoes and cereal, are burned quickly--because they provide your body with its primary source of fuel, glucose. If you have carbs for breakfast (like cereal, for instance) you might get hungry for your next meal faster than if you had eaten protein (like eggs).
  
Stay tuned for more on healthy eating.