Kitchen Helper in the Internet Age -- Umi

Sunday Afternoon in Gowanus

The famous rustic hat on the Eureka building in the Gowanus

This past Sunday afternoon was an idyllic spring day in New York City. The air was dry, sky clear and temperature perfect -- in the mid-60s.  After enjoying a lazy morning, savoring fresh croissants, jellies, fruit and bold coffee on our sunny terrace, we set off to enjoy the outdoors in our beloved Brooklyn. We had only a single commitment -- the launch party of start-up home chef food delivery service, Umi.  Since we needed to be there by noon, and it was located in the trendy, every changing Gowanus, we decided to make a day of it.

There is so much to say about the Gowanus. This historic, eclectic section of the borough is surrounded on all sides by upscale, refined, brownstone communities, and therefore, feels rustic in camparison to its pricey neighbors -- Park Slope, Boerum Hill and Carroll Gardens. Once the home to metal fabrication companies, tanneries and tire producers, the Gowanus, like so much of Brooklyn, is undergoing a rennaissance, and is now popular with artists, exercise facilities and young eco-friendly start-ups.

Ample Hills Creamery. Organic ice cream located
on the Gowanus Canal,  and our daughter's favorite. 

Named for the canal that runs through it, an industrial waste site that environmentalists are ardently working to clean up, the Gowanus is one of Brooklyn's real estate hot spots. One can't help but notice the irony in this -- pricey condominiums built along the shores of the most toxic water canal in the city.  But, like its people, this is how it is in New York -- always reinventing despite common logic.

Gowanus' famous Coignet Stone Building -- the earliest known concrete
building in NYC. It was salvaged as part of the deal to build Whole Foods on the
property.  So happy it was saved from the wrecking ball!  

Like so many of the industrial parts of old Brooklyn, where everything old is new again,  the Gowanus is an artistic mix of bygone, ramshackle factories sitting alongside trendy, upscale
restaurants and hotels.  The newly build Whole Foods Market sits across the canal from a scrap metal recycling facility. Blue collar industry in the shadow of organic, yuppie food -- this is so Brooklyn!
Start-ups are attracted to the area because the industrial buildings and warehouses provide ample space to support climbing wall centers (Brooklyn Boulders) and trendy shuffle boards clubs and even tennis and fencing facilities.  The conveniences of the suburbs seem to be migrating into the city.

After checking out all these hot spots, we headed to the event space at Threes Brewing to attend the launch party of start-up meal delivery service -- Umi, named for the Lebansese word for mother.  We had ordered from Umi earlier in the week and were impressed with the concept. They connect cooks with customers who are, perhaps, a little tired of ordinary take-out, and are looking instead for a home cooked meal.  Basically it's delivered food with an infusion of tender care. Think virtual mom meets college care package meets Seamless. At the event, about 30 home cooks provided food samples that can be found on the Umi menu. It was a little like attending Brooklyn Smorgasbord -- two large wedding tents filled with eager Umi chefs peddling their favorite comfort foods -- all willing to dish on the dishes.

Umi kitchen is the brain child of Khalil Tawill and Hallie Meyer whose resumes would make a college counselor blush. And while the concept is innovative,  Umi is still in its nascence, and some kinks need to be worked out. The expertise of the chefs seems to vary, and over time, some may need to be cycled out. But, that said, our favorite home cook, Shalini, is a curry miracle mixologist.  We have now ordered from her kitchen multiple times.

Ostensibly Umi is a solid platform for quasi-professional chefs, ones that aren't interested in going all-in for a restaurant. It's a great place to start, because if you can make it in Brooklyn, you're golden!

Shalini! 

Check it out:  http://umi.kitchen

Dumpster diving during our Gowanus excursion, this double X table can be resurrected, surely!

Reading Aloud

Russian artist Viola Pushkarova (1929-2010), humorously captures a scene that invariably happens to every parent (above).  That man easily could have been me a few years back when I would fall asleep reading to my daughter. Come to think of it, I still fall asleep reading to my daughter!

Back in 2014, I wrote about the importance of reading out loud to children, commencing at birth. No one disputes the importance of reading on early childhood brain development, and that reading enhances vocabulary and communication skills and leads to earlier comprehension of words and ultimately to higher test scores, etc.  It should be part of every parent's routine and is often a special bonding activity between parent and child. But, I am repeating myself here -- so, blah, blah...

American artist Theodore Robinson (1852-1896) who, after traveling to France, worked with Claude Monet.  The influence is clear. And the subject matter -- what's better than reading on a beautiful day, in all those clothes??

But, did you know that reading out loud is also important for adults? Research is showing that the activity of reading out loud,  employing a great number of faculties,  helps to sharpen focus, exercises  more parts of the brain and even the body, and puts to good use the underused reading faculty of intonation.  Utlimately, reading out loud helps us to remember better.  Art Markman, PhD, wrote in Psychology Today about a study in which groups of people were asked to read a list, some out loud and others silently. Those that read the list out loud remembered it significantly better than those who read it silently. Adding auditory pathways while reading outloud to the visual pathways used in both silent and outloud reading  helped to link recollection. Interesting!

For older adults, especially those coupled, reading to each other is an effective mechanism to monitor each other's brain function (sanity).  It is a worthwhile tool to make sure the brain is still holding steady.  It also stimulates new conversation, and like children, is an effective bonding  activity. But, please, no bickering here!

My work of art, absorbed in one of her favorites - the Just Grace series

Why, you may ask, am I bringing all this up?  Aside from it being an interesting topic, I, like most adults, worry that I am not finding enough space to keep up with reading. Even my leisure design magazines are piling up unopened. As fall approaches, and routines get more firmly set, I hope to carve out and dedicate more time to the important activity of reading, sometimes out loud (to my daughter mostly).

This is how our family would spend our summer afternoons reading in upstate New York...ah, maybe an extreme revisionist version of my childhood!

I read some interesting books this summer including the first installment of the popular series, My Struggle, by Karl Ove Knausgaard -- but this was not quite to my taste. Below are some books that I do recommend:

My vision of Bathsheba, in Far from the Madding Crowd

1. Far the The Madding Crowd, by Thomas Hardy. It's just brilliant writing.  I enjoyed getting reaquainted with this classic writer.  It is fascinating to alternate traditional literature with the contemporary, to enter the mind of a writer who lived 100+ years ago, and to gain appreciation for what has changed, and realized how much hasn't.  By the way,  I read Far from the Madding Crown with the express interest of having it completed before the new screen adaptation arrived in theaters. I am a sucker for beautiful period films. 
   
2. & Sons, by David Gilbert.  While this book did not receive the praise that it deserves, I think it is smart and funny and hits a note for those of us who live in New York. It delivers rich textures, although it can be a bit crass at times, as it examines two generations of monied New York men. It's worth a look. 
3. 
4. A Visit from the Goon Squad, by Jennifer Egan.  Just read it! It won the Pulitzer, has some incredibly innovative chapters, and is intense yet humorous. 
   
5. My Brilliant Friend
6.  The Story of a New Name
7. Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay
8. The Story of the Lost Child (just out this month) all by Elena Ferrante. In this brilliant series (at times wrought with emotional turmoil) the very austere relationship of two women twists through their mid-century lives in Italy.  Absolutely engrossing and at times, graphic; this trilogy is fresh and entertaining.  
9. All the Light we Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr.  While it took me a few chapters to become enraptured, once in, I couldn't put the book down.  Set in World War II, this book follows a brilliant soldier and a blind French woman as they encounter unfathomable war-time circumstances.  It triumphantly builds into a suspenseful encounter.
   
10. The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt. Just read it. 

All of these books can be bought here:

And don't forget to read some of those passages out loud!

Summer Roast Pork

The sky over Manhattan was looking a bit ominous yesterday, this as I was making dinner decisions... 

It has been one of those heavy, muggy weeks here in New York.  Despite that, and thinking ahead toward autumn perhaps,  I was in the mood for a dish that packed a heavy protein punch last night.  Red meat seemed too heavy, fish too light and we have had more than our share of pasta and chicken these past few weeks.  So, what's left -- pork!



Typically, I prepare roasts in the fall and winter; and since I was pushing the season a bit, I prepared a watered-down version of a heavier pork roast that I usually prepare when outside temperatures are a bit cooler.   The roast is seasoned mildly.  Very mildly.  My two rules to pork -- don't over think it, and don't over cook it!

The dish was easy and it was delicious. Here is how to do it:

Take a 2 1/2 pound pork roast and, with a sharp-ended knife, slide 10-12 pieces of raw garlic right into the meat.

Salt it lightly and put some fresh ground pepper on top, as well.

In preparation of a sear, sauté some onion and garlic in a medium size pan. Once translucent, remove and set aside.

To lock in the juices and to add texture and flavor,  sear the meat, about a minute on each side, and be sure to include the top and bottom:

Add the onion/garlic mix back into the pan, cover it and place the roast in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour (or until the center of the meat is at least 150 degrees).  Most pork today is lean, and if overcooked, results in dry meat.  The best test for doneness is to use an instant read meat thermometer.  Be sure to check the temperature in multiple spots and get into the center of the cut.

About 30 minutes into the roasting,  add 1/2 cup of white whine to the top of the roast.

Remove the roast from the oven and put the juice/onion/garlic drippings in a pan. To this,  add a tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of vietnamese fish sauce (my new go to seasoning trick) and some fresh pepper.

By the way, did you notice the All Clad pots being used?  Some are on sale at Williams Sonoma, check it out:

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/shop/cookware/all-clad-tk-promo/?cm_re=Fall_D2-_-subhero-_-Shop_UpTo50OffACCookware

After, slicing the roast,  place the pieces into the gravy for 1 minute and serve. 

Summer Roast Pork, with roasted potatoes, and sautéd haricot vert. Delicious!

Oh, and a salad too. Always a salad!

No matter the weather, sunflowers unfailingly brighten up a table or a room, and if left tall, create such refreshing drama. This time of year, they are usually reasonably priced, to boot!

Plastic Parenting

While they had plenty of worries, I don't think our ancestors gave much thought to the earth's rising temperatures, burning of fossil fuels,  a trash-centric way of life or other eco-systemic issues. 

As my friends can attest, I have, of late, become a bit crazed with how much garbage we produce. Perhaps it is because I am now a parent, and worry about the world I am leaving my daughter. Or perhaps, it is just part of the process of getting older (wiser?). But whatever the case, we produce a great deal of wasteful garbage. According to a recent Duke University study, the average American produces 4.3 pounds of waste everyday, way up from 1.6 pounds produced per person in 1960. Seems like we can all stand to lose a "few pounds"!

We are just three people in my family -- three people producing a lot of trash -- a least 2 bags of household trash, PLUS a huge bag of plastic recyclables, AND at least another bag of paper products -- every week! Three People!  Despite very concerted efforts to limit online ordering, using cloth bags at the supermarket, and reusing as much glass and paper whenever possible, we still produce an exceptional amount of trash.  Where does it all go? Mostly, I presume, to one of the 3500 methane producing landfills in this country.

Spending time by the beach always makes me think about the state of our precious planet. 

One of the biggest trash producing culprits -- plastic. Plastic is everywhere and has become indispensible. It's convenient, it's nearly impossible to avoid, and getting rid of it is hardly a popular opinion, just yet.

I am always picking up trash at the beach.  One Saturday morning, early in the summer, I picked up 10 deflated helium balloons.  Many of them said:  "Get Well Soon."  I couldn't help but think we should be sending this same wish to our planet.

But here is the really depressing news --

• It takes 500-1000 years for plastic to break down.  So ostensibly, unless it was burned (illegal?) every piece of plastic that was ever produced still exists, in landfill, in gutters, in our oceans. Take a moment on that!

• Americans buy more bottled water than any other nation, about 2.5 million -- per hour! So let's just stop it!  Instead, reuse those bottles, or better yet, fill up reusable bottles. Here in New York, a small bottle of water can cost $2 (if it were gasoline, that would amount to over $12/gallon!).

• Oil is a chief ingredient in plastic, some of which invariable leaches into food product, especially if the product is microwaved or overheated in transport.  That certainly cannot be good for the body, and is by no means organic!

• What's more, according to Peter Gleick of the Pacific Institute, we used approximately 17 million barrels of oil in 2006 to produce plastic for bottled water in America. This also produced over 2.5 million tons of CO2.  By the way, this does not include the energy used to fill, ship and cool these bottles. Besides oil, plastic contains toxic chemicals, including flame retardants, fungicides, and pigments. That doesn't sound remotely healthy!

Beautiful Long Island beach, which we invariably find trash floating within.

Ok, enough of the depressing stuff!

Here is what we can do:

As I already said, limit the use of plastic water bottles. This alone would be providing a huge service to our planet. Buy a bunch of stainless steel bottles and put them everywhere -- car, work, home.  Refill them!

Teach your children about responsible containers. Children should be taught that their actions matter, it's their future and plastic pollution does not need to be the norm.  It isn't hard to do, some of it is just mere cheerleading when they make earth friendly choices, and encouraging awareness when they do not.

Kids take cues from adults, so be sure to set an example. It's not hard - use reusable water bottles (repeating myself) and bring your own containers/bags when leaving the house, consider ordering drinks in restaurants without straws, and when you notice trash on the street, pick it up.  Kid's will get the message, that mindful choices about plastics and garbage can make a difference.



We have choices and businesses respond to our choices.  So demand less disposible packaging and less throw-away product.  Be sure to buy bio-based packaging whenever possible. Use the buy-in-bulk stations at your grocer, and bring your own bottles to fill.

I have been saying for some time now that we should encourage businesses to offer low-cost cold water bottle refill stations. This would not only remind customers to use their own water bottles but it would inevitably be a draw for people to come into the business, and have a look around.

Believe it or not, this is a shot looking out from the Whole Foods parking lot in Brooklyn, in the trendy Gowanus section.

One final suggestion -- use biodegradable materials when mailing packages and encourage your favorite online stores to do the same.  Aside from being incredibly bad for the planet, the styrofoam peanuts are maddening -- they are impossible to clean out of a large box, stick to hands while trying to do so and the little bits end of flying irretrievably all over the house.  It's just time for them to go, from the planet!

I just read that, once again, 2014 was the hottest year on record -- not a celebratory milestone. But that said, thanks for making an attempt at being a part of the solution and for making good choices.  Our precious earth seems to be keeping score, so every effort counts!

Pondering the planet, in a man bun!

Children of same-sex parents

Same-Sex Parent Study


While there is still a good deal more research to be done on the health and well-being of children of same-gender parents, it is encouraging to read that the preliminary research (see link below) is indicating that these children are as well-adjusted, or perhaps even more so, than children of straight couples.  Having now observed multiple same-gender families, aside from my own, these results are not surprising.

The hypothesis presented is that the distribution of tasks tends to be more equitable in same sex families, resulting in more cohesion. I agree, and would go further to say that even in more traditional same-gender families, where one is the breadwinner and one is a stay-at-home parent, the workload tends to be dictated by choice rather than by society.

It is important to note that this Australian study has a larger number of two mom families represented. Fortunately, there are many two dad families coming down the pike to be observed. In time, as research continues, we will have more data to discuss.

What is not being discussed in the study below is that most same gender couples have had to truly commit to the process of having a child.  It often takes years to adopt or surrogate.  Every step is fully planned and thought-out.  As such, most same-gender parents tend to be responsible. They are also a bit older, have (or have had) solid careers and are relatively financially stable (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/06/gay-people-more-financially-secure_n_2249677.html).  These are trademarks of a stable family -- gay, straight, single-parent, etc.

This study should hopefully quiet some of the naysayers...
...at least for a day or two!


http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/07/07/children-of-same-sex-couples-are-happier-and-healthier-than-peers-research-shows/

I am sure this is going to be a spirited topic. Feel free to comment!

Read! Read A Lot!

The day our daughter was born, my parents generously flew up from Florida.  This support was a real priveledge and looking back, a total godsend.  Prior to our daughter's birth,  I am not sure that I had even held a newborn. Needless to say I was novice, at best.  Luckily, like most new parents, I learned quickly.   One of the best pieces of advice given to me by my mother in these first days was that I MUST read to our daughter -- EVERY SINGLE DAY.  At the time, this seemed a bit silly, especially when reading to my newborn, only 48-hours old -- but the steady emphasis on reading paid off, with huge dividends.

After reading multiple books every day to her in her first few years, our daughter was able to recognize words at 2 years old.  At first, I thought, like most toddlers, she had simply memorized the books; but friends pointed out that she could actually read. At 3 years old, she could read simple books and by pre-K, she was fully reading.  In First Grade, she enjoys reading 200-300 page books.

While some of this early reading is a result of her innate aptitude, I credit a large part of it to the constant reading to which she was exposed all the way back to her earliest days.   These early days, months and years are so important on so many levels.  Religiously reading to your children every day can be tedious at times, but remember: What you put in, is what you get out!

Notice the disproportionate number of books to toys in these photos of our daughter! Brown Bear, Brown Bear...

See also:  http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/24/us/pediatrics-group-to-recommend-reading-aloud-to-children-from-birth.html