Why America is Obese

Part of my final project for my Nutrition class was to write a paper on any topic relating to nutrition.  I chose to write about obesity in America as I feel this is one of the biggest problems (no pun intended) facing many of us today.  I’ve modified my paper to be more blog-friendly AND because it’s so long I’ve highlighted many of the important points for those of you who don’t have time to read the whole thing.  Please at least scroll through it and read the sentences that are in bold, italic or underlined.

There is an epidemic in America that kills millions of people every year.  It is  widespread, causes death in a variety of ways and effects every person in the country.  The government both helps and hinders finding a cure. A main staple of our collective diet is one of the main culprits. And most Americans seem unaware that this killer not only effects family and friends, but very likely could be the cause of their own death. Additionally, most people do not realize they have the ability to not only prevent, but reverse the hold this killer has on America.

The umbrella terms for this killer are overweight and obesity.  But when someone dies from one of it’s many causes more often than not the mourning family is told their loved one died due to Type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke or cancer. All of these diseases and more are directly related to overweight and obesity.   65% of adult Americans are overweight and 30% are obese.  In other words, imagine ten of your favorite people.  More than half of them have a high risk of death due to overweight and a third of them to obesity.  Unfortunately, it probably is not difficult for anyone reading this to easily name several family members or friends who are overweight or obese.  Some people may even have a difficult time naming someone who is not overweight or obese.

One way overweight and obesity is measured is by calculating B.M.I. (Body Mass Index). According to the National Institute of Health a person with a B.M.I. of 19-25 is within a healthy range.  People with a B.M.I. of 25-30 are overweight and people with a B.M.I. of 30 and above are considered obese.  While calculating B.M.I. is a helpful tool to determine a persons’ basic healthy weight range, it should not be used as the final word in overall health.  A person can have a B.M.I. within the healthy range and still suffer from the previously named diseases.  However, to be clear, an overweight or obese person is much more likely to suffer from the myriad of problems caused by carrying extra weight. In fact, according to the American Obesity Association, obesity is associated with an increase of all causes of death.

Overweight and obesity effect people from every socioeconomic group in America.  No one is immune from its reaches, even children.  While low income, lesser educated families are the most likely groups to be overweight or obese this problem reaches high income, highly educated people as well.  Blacks are 51% more likely than Whites to suffer from overweight and obesity and Hispanics are 31% more likely.  Also, there is an increased instance of this problem in the South and Midwest, but overweight and obesity effect every corner of America; even school age children.  About 30% of children are overweight and about 15% are obese.  Again, think of ten of your favorite kids and chances are three of them already have had negative health effects from being overweight and at least one of them suffers from obesity.  Overweight and obese children can have such health issues as asthma, Type II diabetes, hypertension, growth problems, sleep apnea and a negative social stigma or self image.

So what causes overweight and obesity?  Without exploring this question we cannot begin to work on fixing this epidemic in America.  Unfortunately, there is not and will never be a miracle cure for obesity regardless of what you see on TV or read in the news.  In fact, deceptive advertising is one of the biggest problems facing people who are trying to achieve or maintain a healthy weight. Overweight and obesity is caused by many things, but the most common factors we hear are culture, behavior, emotion, genetic and physical/ chemical.  I will briefly explore these factors, but will also bring to your attention some very surprising contributors as well.

Culture and behavior are major players in this problem.  Many Americans currently want the most “bang for their buck”.  In other words, we have become accustomed to going for meals that let us eat the most amount of food for the least amount of money. Not only that, our plates are actually bigger!  Bigger plates need to be filled with more food and therefore our idea of portion size becomes completely distorted. And we frequent fast food restaurants, frozen or ready-to-eat meals and buffets.  These food sources are virtual mine fields for most people who have not been educated about what healthy foods or portion sizes actually are, and very few of us have been truly educated on this topic.  Often, people think they are eating healthy meals when in fact they are not.
Emotion is certainly a factor as well.  Everyone has their own comfort foods and some people have a problem not gorging themselves when they are unhappy or stressed.  Overeating is a method people use to cope with problems, similar to alcoholics or smokers, and definitely contributes to the problem.

Genetics and physical activity are also contributors to overweight and obesity.  Some people are more likely to gain weight easily due to their B.M.R. (Basal Metabolic Rate).  B.M.R. is the way a persons body expends energy (calories) and is effected by age, body composition and genetics.  People with a high B.M.R. or metabolism burn calories more easily than people with a lower B.M.R. or metabolism.  Physical activity directly effects the bodies’ B.M.R. in all people.  The more active a person is the more calories they burn, which coincides with a lower body weight.

Americas idea of a healthy diet and body weight is skewed by many things, but deceptive advertising is among the biggest causes.  U.S. food manufacturers spend literally billions of dollars on advertisements every year.  Most people do not realize how often they are duped by questionable health claims due to lack of education on which foods are truly healthy and which have just been advertised as such. For example, a label can advertise “may help prevent osteoporosis” because it contains calcium and vitamin D.  However, it does not mention that there are only small amounts of those nutrients in the product so a person would have to consume several servings (and therefore significantly more fat and calories) to gain anything from it.  Another good example of deceptive advertising is bread labels.  Brand X Whole Wheat or Multi-grain Bread may actually consist more of high fructose corn syrup (i.e. sugar, which turns into fat in the body) and preservatives than it does actual wheat or grain.  Often, in cases like this, the wheat or grain has been so refined that it has little or no nutritional value at all.

For this reason it is important for everyone to educate themselves on how to read a nutrition label. Pay attention to the serving size and number of servings per container.  You may be consuming two or three servings at a time without realizing it.  Also look at the fat, saturated fat, calories, sugar, sodium, protein and fiber. Generally speaking, you want lower numbers for the first five on that list and higher numbers for the last two. Another important area to pay attention to is the ingredients list.  On all labels, ingredients are listed by the amount in the product from highest to lowest.  So if you pick up that Brand X Whole Wheat Bread the ingredient list should say whole wheat grains, whole wheat flower, water, etc, etc, etc.  If high fructose corn syrup is listed as one of the first five ingredients, just put the bread down and step slowly away.  I encourage you to visit www.mypyramid.gov to find out what your daily nutritional needs are.  The nutritional labels on food products are all based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet, but that obviously does not fit each of us.  It’s a really quick, easy exercise that may very well put your entire diet in a different perspective for you.

Another factor to consider is the fact that most of the published studies regarding a products’ nutritional value are funded by the manufacturers of that product.  Not surprisingly, these studies find high nutritional value in said product 92% of the time versus a lower percentage of positive results when the study is funded by a non-profit organization.  This is important.  Go back to the beginning of this paragraph and re-read it. Consumers are almost completely unaware of this and many other examples of questionable health claims and trends.  Another example of a disturbing health trend is the fairly recent (since about World War I) practice of making meat or animal foods the main ingredient in every meal of the day.

One of the main staples of the American diet is meat.  While most cultures all over the world have increased the level of meat consumed, America is one culture that has taken it to drastic levels.  Whereas in the past meat was harder to come by and therefore only eaten a few times a week at most, the last few generations of Americans have increased consumption to eating meat or animal foods at every meal.  Animal foods are the only places in nature where cholesterol is found.  High levels of cholesterol result in cardiovascular disease, the main killer of Americans.  While cholesterol is an important part of every cell in our bodies, we produce enough of it that we do not need outside sources to meet our bodies’ needs.  Animal foods are also related to weight gain as they contain high levels of fat for the amount consumed. Another factor to consider regarding increased meat intake is the environmental effect.  Animal processing plants are a larger contributor to global warming than any other factor. And the negative health effects of eating animal foods filled with hormones and antibiotics is grossly under reported.  Overall, evidence points towards increased meat intake as a cause of overweight and obesity.

In addition to increased consumption of animal foods, most Americans regularly eat food from fast food restaurants.  Much of the food served by these establishments are highly processed, high in fat and saturated fat and contain little or no nutritional value when all factors are considered. And although many fast food companies have taken the initiative to provide consumers with the nutritional data of their food, few people are aware of this or are not educated about their personal daily nutritional needs so they have no way to know how much fat, calories, etc. per meal is too much.  Therefore, the average fast food patronizing consumer has no idea that a typical meal of a cheeseburger with fries and a soft drink probably meets at least half (or more) of their daily allowance of fat, calories, saturated fat and sodium.  Even worse, many people are led by questionable advertising to believe that any food from a certain restaurant is a healthy alternative to the typical fast food meal.  The most obvious example of this is Subway, which often advertises the health benefits of eating there as part of a low fat diet.  Most consumers are not aware that a meal from Subway can have about the same nutritional profile as a meal from McDonald’s. It is this lack of education about how to make good eating decisions that is another contributor to the overweight population in America.

The only way to prevent overweight and obesity is to educate people on the causes and prevention of these killers.  In preparation for this paper I conducted a very basic survey of family and friends on www.facebook.com to get a general idea of how knowledgeable people are on the subject of obesity.   My first question “Do you know what your B.M.I. is?” netted surprisingly positive results from the people who answered.  Most knew about what their B.M.I. was and only a few did not. Interestingly, a few people commented that they have a negative feeling about calculating/ knowing ones’ B.M.I.
My second question, “Do you know what the #1 cause of death in America is and the cause?”, came back with some interesting results.  Almost everyone who responded knew that it was something related to the heart, but no one knew the cause.

Based on this response from my relatively small group and studies done by the C.D.C, American Obesity Association and the U.S.D.A. this seems to reflect the general level of knowledge Americans have about the negative health effects of overweight/ obesity.  The U.S. government spends billions of dollars every year researching new cures for some of the most common causes of death such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer, yet spends only a few million on educating the public about the fact that all of these diseases are caused at least in part by overweight and obesity. If Americans were as bombarded with advertisements regarding truly healthy eating habits instead of commercials and products making false or questionable health claims, we could be a much healthier society.  A healthier America would result in billions of dollars less spent on health care, reduced unnecessary deaths and a positive impact on the environment.  The many benefits of working towards a thinner population are too many to name and while it will take a change in society norms, it truly is our only option to stopping this killer epidemic.

Organic Foods

For a recent assignment in my Nutrition class I had to write a short paper on organic foods.  Let me say I think EVERYONE should be required to take a Nutrition class in middle school, high school AND college.  I thought I knew a lot about healthy eating before taking this class, but I learned so much.  If everyone had studied this topic like I have (and I’ve barely scratched the surface), I can guarantee we would see an improvement in America’s eating habits.  Soapbox aside, here is my essay on organic foods; somewhat modified for this blog.  I hope you all learn something new from it- I know I did!

When purchasing food it is important to consider wether or not to buy organic foods.  Organic foods are foods that have been grown/ raised by farmers who use renewable resources and methods that conserve soil and water. Crops are produced without conventional chemical pesticides and without fertilizers made with synthetic materials or sewage. Animals raised on organic farms for meat, eggs, or dairy products eat organic feed, have access to pasture, and are free of antibiotics and growth hormones. Organic regulations also prohibit bioengineering or irradiation in processing.

There are many reasons to buy organic foods, but health concerns are at the top of the list. The U.S. government (as well as international agencies) acknowledge that pesticides are linked to a variety of toxic effects on humans.  Pregnant women and children are especially susceptible.  Adverse health effects caused by toxic pesticides are linked to nervous system and hormone system effects, carcinogenic effects and skin, eye & lung irritation.  Each year new research further proves the toxicity of pesticides to humans at previously declared “safe” doses by the government and pesticide industry.

For this reason, consumers should educate themselves as to which foods are more likely to be contaminated with pesticides and therefore should be bought organically. Apples, peaches and nectarines are at the top of the list.  Research by the EWG (Environmental Working Group) shows they all have a 93% chance or higher of containing pesticides.  (And no, washing them off doesn’t remove the majority of the pesticides). Meat, dairy and eggs are also at the top of the list.  A few other foods that should be bought organically are celery, Bell peppers, strawberries, cherries, leafy greens and carrots just to name a few.

The cost of buying organic foods is typically higher than purchasing conventionally farmed foods and cost is a factor for most people.  Luckily, there are some foods that do not necessarily need to be purchased organically.  Onions, avocado, sweet corn, pineapple, mango, broccoli, sweet peas, sweet potatoes and asparagus are a few examples of non-organic foods deemed safe to consume.  Tomatoes were recently added to that list as well, although researchers are not yet sure why there has been a reduced amount of pesticides found on them so it may be better to continue to purchase organic tomatoes until research is complete.

Research by the EWG shows that people can reduce their pesticide exposure by 80% simply by eating more organically grown foods or avoiding the most contaminated foods.  There are also numerous environmental concerns associated with conventional farming methods.  When farmers release these chemicals into the environment groundwater is contaminated which has boundless negative repercussions for human health.  By spending on average 10-20% more to buy organic foods, consumers will promote positive effects to the environment and their health.

Part Two: Culinary School Isn’t What You Think

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started researching culinary schools.  I am about to complete my first quarter and have already learned so, so much.  And the best part is that I have been showered in nothing but support from my amazing husband, family and friends.  I’m thrilled and honored that so many people are so interested in this experience of mine.  And since many people have said they would have liked to go to culinary school given the chance I wanted to share some observations with you.

First of all, you can either take cooking classes or get a degree (Associates or Bachelors) in Culinary Arts.  Cooking classes do not equal culinary school, even though they’re fun.  I’m going for my Bachelors which of course means that I have to take all those BS classes that everyone who goes to college has to take.  Luckily, I got most of those out of the way the first time I went to college.  And the cool thing about culinary school is that even though you have to take the BS classes they mostly relate back to the culinary world as much as possible.  For example, a history requirement would be met by taking the History of French Cuisine. Is it just me, or is that way cooler than History 101?

This should be obvious from what I just wrote, but not every class takes place in the kitchen.  In fact, I will have at most 2 classes per quarter (and sometimes none at all) where I am actually in the kitchen learning hands-on techniques.  The more I learn, the more hands-on classes I will have.  In the traditional classroom setting I’ll be learning everything from Concepts & Theories of Culinary Techniques to Managing Food Service Systems.  I know, it’s a bit disappointing at first.  BUT, once you realize that the non-kitchen classes will enable you to be so much more knowledgeable and capable in the kitchen, sitting in a classroom doesn’t seem so bad after all.  Plus, there’s always free food around to munch on.

Any decent culinary school will give you a VERY well rounded education (and they better for what you’re paying for it).  Apparently many new graduates go into the workforce thinking of themselves as All Powerful Chefs who know all and must be respected by everyone.  That’s a great way to piss off potential employers and valuable networking contacts.  New Chefs are educated, but rarely very experienced and everyone in the industry knows it.  This is an industry that values EXPERIENCE and rightly so. But again, that’s the best part about it.  I guarantee you Mario Batali or Masaharu Morimoto could each live three more lifetimes and never learn all there is to know about cooking.

I certainly have a lot to learn and I will be happy to share that knowledge with you as it comes to me.  Next quarter I have my first kitchen class, so I am sure there will be many funny and embarassing stories to share from that experience.  To those of you who have expressed interest in culinary school; I encourage you to at least look into it.  Many colleges have evening and weekend programs available for people who have to work their boring desk job during the day to pay the bills. They are aware 99.9% of people don’t come out of high school wanting to study the culinary arts and are willing to work with you.  At the very least, take a cooking class or try a new recipe at home!

Part One: My Julie & Julia Moment

When we moved to Chicago I started looking for jobs to continue my career in logistics.  With each new job posting I looked at I could see my future more and more clearly: I would end up working at series of jobs that I didn’t actually care about, climbing the corporate ladder of companies that didn’t actually care about me.  And in the end I would wonder WHY I wasted so many years doing something that ultimately made me into a pod person.

I didn’t (don’t) want to spend my life working for nothing more than a paycheck. Money is not that important.  I mean really, let’s face it; who truly feels fulfilled sitting in a cubicle all day, working for a moron who is clearly less intelligent than a rutabaga and making the Big Boss lots of money?  Worse, you have to deal with things like Hawaiian Shirt Day and powdered coffee creamer.  Granted, if you are the Big Boss I’m sure life is much more interesting.  But for me, and for those of you in similar situations, I could see a very taupe, very bland future.

You know, books and movies always make it seem so EASY to pursue the unconventional path that (of course) ultimately leads to a happy, fulfilled life.  Meghan has a Quarter Life Crisis.  Meghan feels lost and no longer wants to sell her soul to The Man.  In a well-timed epiphany amidst a motivational soundtrack Meghan decides to pursue this crazy idea of completely changing her life.  Meghan  achieves wild success, proving that all those years of hard work and going against societies’ norms were totally worth it.  Meghan lives happily ever after.  My life is just like the movies, right???

So, as most of you know, I said “screw it” and signed up for culinary school.  Why not?  Life is too short for Hawaiian Shirt Days.  I really enjoy just about everything in the culinary world and the desire to learn more is what drove me to pursue this path.  The best thing about culinary is that you NEVER stop learning.  There is always a new technique, fad or point of view to experience.

All that said, I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started researching culinary schools.  I am about to complete my first quarter and have already learned so, so much.  And the best part is that I have been showered in nothing but support from my amazing husband, family and friends.  I’m thrilled and honored that so many people are so interested in this culinary school experience and supporting me while I take the road less traveled.  So I would like to share some interesting tidbits and observations with you.  If you like, check them out in Part Two: Culinary School Isn’t What You Think.

I promise there isn’t any heartfelt, movie-of-the-week type stuff in that post.

Trim Up Your Turkey Day

Gobble Gobble.

Iiiiiiiitttttt’sssss Turkey Time!!!!!!!!  Who’s ready to dig into some awesome Thanksgiving food?  Ready to go spend quality time arguing with various relatives?  Watch football all day?  Go into a Turkey Coma?  And who’s ready to double the number of calories they normally eat in one day?

Wait.  What? DOUBLE the number of calories you normally eat??? Various experts estimate the average number of calories consumed during your Thanksgiving meal at between 2,000-3,500.  For ONE meal.  And when you add in snacking throughout the day, a cocktail or four and leftovers for dinner that number becomes even higher. Keep in mind the average person needs 2,000 calories per DAY.  And while I could easily write 2,000 words on the downfalls of the typical American diet I need only two words to sum it up for you: no bueno.

Don’t get your feathers all ruffled though;  I am here to give you options.  Options that taste just as good (or likely even better) but that won’t have the same maximizing effect on your waistlines.  Ladies, no more looking like you’ve got two giant hams on your backside.  Gents, you no longer have to wonder if your breasts are bigger than the turkey’s! This is the year you’re going to learn that you can eat like the kings and queens you are while looking like the royalty of Hollywood.

I have some tasty recipes to share that will cut out some of the fat, cholesterol, sugar and generally bad-for-you ingredients. This is easily done by using mainly fresh ingredients instead of buying processed foods.  Plus, fresh food always tastes better.  Most are my recipes and some I found on the internet.  The web is an excellent resource for finding flavorful, low-fat recipes.  Check it out sometime.  And try these recipes- let me know how they turned out for you! I love getting feedback.  But more importantly, remember that it’s easy to look for ways to cut the extra calories and add nutritious ingredients for ANY meal, not just your Thanksgiving dinner.

OK! Let’s start with the star of our meal: the turkey.  Gotta have turkey on Thanksgiving, right? (If you answered “no” to that then pat yourself on the back and consider making your meal entirely out of plentiful and satisfying “side” dishes.  You’ll be doing yourself, the environment and at least one very relieved turkey a huge favor. For everyone else who needs their fair dose of tryptophan, read on.

First of all step vveerrryyyy slowly away from the deep fryer.  Just put down the oil and no one will get hurt.  I mean this literally as obviously frying your turkey is worse than baking.  Are you one of those who fries because it “makes the bird so much more juicy”?  If so, I invite you to brine your bird!  For the last two Thanksgivings I’ve made believers out of my guests who made comments like “I’ve never had such flavorful turkey” and “I usually hate turkey because it’s always dry, but this is SO moist and delicious!” and “did you know you look just like Keira Knightley?”  Hmmm OK, maybe not that last but I promise the rest were direct quotes from my father and my friend, Jesse. There are a myriad of brine recipes available online or feel free to use mine.  It’s a great alternative to frying.  It’s safer, easier and much better for your bdonkadonk AND your taste buds.

As far as everything else goes please allow me to offer some alternatives to the traditional sides:

Instead of Mashed Potatoes loaded down with butter and heavy cream try my Roasted Garlic Whipped Cauliflower recipe.  You’ll be amazed at how similar the taste and texture is to the potatoes, but at an iota of the fat and calories.

Instead of Green Bean Casserole go for a lighter version; try my Sautéed Green Beans.

Don’t drown your plate in that same old artery clogging gravy.  Get unique with your gravy (even go vegetarian) with my Rosemary White Wine Gravy instead!

When you’re piling up on low-fat, high fiber Sweet Potatoes top them with a bit of brown sugar and a sprinkle of orange juice as an alternative to butter.

Take out added sugar (sugar turns into fat) and use fresh, aromatic ingredients by making my Cranberry Sauce.

Some other great side options are Mashed Carrots, Cider Glazed Brussel Sprouts, or Low Fat Bread Stuffing.

For dessert try a low-fat/ calorie version of Pumpkin Pie or Apple Pie that will taste just as good as the original versions.

And don’t forget the cocktails!  This is a celebration after all.  You’ll need some way to deal with your crazy relatives, right?  One of my favorite non-alcoholic cocktails is my festive Fizzy Pomegranate Sipper.  It’s refreshing, light and has all kinds of wonderful vitamins and minerals without the empty calories that come with alcohol.  Or, if your family becomes much more interesting after a cocktail, you can add a shot of vodka to this recipe for something a little more adult.  And vodka, being a clear liquor, has fewer calories than darker liquors like scotch or whiskey.

These are all very simple recipes.  Believe me; if I can make them you certainly can too!  There are so many ways to enjoy your favorite meals while still making them nourishing, not detrimental to your health.  THINK about what you are eating and how much you are eating before you put it in your mouth.  It might taste good for a few minutes but could literally take years off your life.  And we need you around for many, many Thanksgiving dinners!  Remember that the leftovers will still be there for you to enjoy later on. Again, please let me know how these recipes turn out when you try them!  I hope you all enjoy these recipes and the holiday with your respective crazy families.

Please note my recipes are available by either clicking on the hyperlinks OR using the tabs at the top of the page.  Also, the portions are smaller than most people need for serving a large Thanksgiving meal, but it is easy to get the right amount by multiplying the ingredients as needed.   Enjoy!

I have excellent news.  I am taking the first big step to giving myself some culinary street cred (yeah, I’m hardcore- what of it?).  I’ve been accepted to the International Culinary School!!!  Hardcore, indeed. This is really exciting and a huge step away from my professional background in logistics.  Ugh, logistics.  Culinary just sounds so much more exciting.  Logistics is like that skinny, pimply kid trying to get all the sexy ladies Culinary has swooning over him.  Plus, Culinary smells better.

So, I’m celebrating tonight by making a super healthy meal: Sicilian Grilled Chicken with Roasted Garlic Whipped Cauliflower and Smashed Carrots (a favorite of my husband’s family).  And I’ll pair that with one of my favorite Pinot Noirs: Angeline Pinot Noir 2007.  Exact recipe available upon request. 

Xoco

http://www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/xoco.html

RATING:Four and a half churros

Pros: Amazing Mexican street food by one of the most famous Chefs in America.

Cons: Long wait

I was really excited to try the food at Xoco (pronounced Sho-koh) as I am a huge fan of Rick Bayless who is largely credited with bringing upscale Mexican food to the attention of America.  Apparently I was not the only one. We went on a Saturday afternoon around 2:30pm and the line was literally out the door.  A hostess came by every 10 minutes or so to tell the new arrivals in line that the wait just to place an order would be about 45 minutes.  And then hopefully you would be sat soon after ordering. The good news is that if you just want some churros and chocolate or are willing to take your food to go you get to skip the line.

Perhaps it was my excitement about eating at this newly opened restaurant which serves Mexican street foods all day long, but the line didn’t bother me one bit.  Once we made it inside we were entertained watching the cooks fly around the kitchen preparing the food mere feet from us, our mouths watering the whole time.  You can actually smell the tortillas from two blocks away and once you get close to the counter the smell of the slightly bitter Mexican cacao beans overwhelms your senses.  My nose was sure I was in Mexican food heaven even before I had a chance to taste one bite.  Watching the tortas go into the wood burning fire for toasting was most certainly food porn in action. I got the impression that if it weren’t for the infamously terrible Chicago winters Chef Bayless would certainly have preferred to set up a simple food cart on the corner to give guests a more authentic experience.

If the tortas severed at all food carts in Mexico are as good as the delights served at Xoco, sign me up for a Spanish class because I’m moving to Mexico! Although the variety of caldos looked amazing, we decided to stick with the tortas.  I ordered the Gunthorp Chicken and my husband had the Cochinita Pibil (see menu here). My sandwich was huge, flavorful and almost completely satisfying.  I would have no complaints if the chicken didn’t come with a large hunk of fat which I had to eat around.  (I understand the fat enhances the flavors while cooking and makes for a more ‘authentic’ experience, but I don’t see any reason why, in a restaurant like this, the chefs would not have cut that off before serving it to me).  That relatively minor problem aside, the torta was wonderful.  My husbands’ dish was also very good although not as flavorful as mine.  However it did come with a side of fabulously sneak-up-on-you-spicy Habanero sauce which we were warned to be careful with by two different staff members. With warnings like that you know it’s going to be tasty!  We amused ourselves seeing who could eat more of the sauce with each bite.  I’m going to try to figure out how to make that one at home for sure.

To complete our meal we ordered churros, of course. They were typical and tasty- no random extravagance which is a nice change from some chefs who feel the need to ruin perfectly good, simple dishes by adding their own twist.  We also ordered some of that incredibly fragrant Mexican chocolate.  I tried the Aztec which was surprisingly complex; not too sweet or spicy but a nice balance of each.  It was so good that I have been craving another since about 5 minutes after I finished my first!

In fact, I’ve been craving another delightful meal since I left.  Perhaps next time I will try one of the caldos and a pastry, but I will definitely not come ready to sit right down and eat.  The wait is so worth the experience- admittedly, the wait is part of the experience.  And this is one experience you don’t want to miss.

RATING: Four and a half churros

Yolk

http://www.yolk-online.com/index.html

RATING: Five Crepes Suzette
Pros: Menu options and food quality
Cons: Long wait

This busy breakfast spot with two locations (South Loop and River North) is the ideal place to enjoy the most important meal of the day.  Believe me, I wish I could every morning!  This is no IHOP or Waffle House although the prices are similar even while the quality is light years above either of those places.  To call the menu extensive would be an understatement and I mean that in the best way possible.  Any type of breakfast/ brunch meal you can think of is available from the classic to some of their own unique and creative selections.
To begin with I recommend trying the Fresh Squeezed Strawberry-Orange Juice or just a plain old cup of their tasty Joe.  For those of us who occasionally enjoy a Mimosa or Bloody Mary with our weekend brunch, there are unfortunately no adult beverages available.
Take your time perusing their menu before deciding which delectable item to try as there are some very unique meals available (for example Green Eggs and Ham).  There are many healthy options such as multi-grain waffles/ pancakes with fresh fruit and drizzled with honey instead of maple syrup.  And what breakfast joint would be complete without at least a few greasy items? Whether you’re a health nut or a meat and potatoes kind of person you can’t go wrong either way.
Aside from an amazing meal the one other guarantee that comes with eating at Yolk is the long wait for a table.  Expect a 30-45 minute wait but please heed me when I say not to let that minor detail deter you.  The food is well worth waiting for and once you dine here I can guarantee you will want to start every day with a fresh, inspired breakfast at Yolk.

RATING:  Five Crepes Suzette

Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse

http://www.gibsonssteakhouse.com/

When my in-laws said they were coming to visit I scrambled to find a good steakhouse. They’re French and very serious about their red meat. So I asked a friend and native Chicagoan what the best steakhouse in Chicago is and he replied with absolute resolution: Gibson’s.
We arrived to a packed house the night of our reservation. In fact, we could barely get in the door and had to fight our way to the bar for a pre-dinner drink. (According to our waiter it was a “slow” night). And let me just say that I can absolutely see why Gibson’s has a reputation for being the unofficial headquarters of the Viagra Triangle. It is also obvious why this established, speak-easy like stop on the restaurant tour has become a favorite for locals, tourists and visiting celebs. There are photos of visiting V.I.P.s all over the walls, but conspicuously missing are pictures of President Obama and Oprah.
Even without the blessings of two of the most influential Chicago natives in America today, Gibson’s doesn’t seem to be suffering. It has a tried and tested feel that is both comforting and exciting.
I hate to say that while the food was good it wasn’t fantastic. It certainly wasn’t bad, but one of the steaks was undercooked and in general I would expect more oomph out of a restaurant with a reputation for being among the best in Chicago. And there are a lot of steakhouses in Chicago. We’re surrounded farmland around here, people. And Midwesterners love their beef…almost as much as the French.
We had a lovely bottle of Cakebread Cabernet with our meal….OK we had TWO bottles. I find that when you have good wine, good company and good food it’s best to make a meal last as long as possible. It was this thinking that led us to order a dessert that typically serves 14 people. That or copious amounts of wine, but the 4 of us did our best to put a dent in the crumbly, crunchy Carrot Cake.
The greatest thing about Gibson’s is the service. I have experience in the food service industry (I was a bar manager and server in college), so I know how difficult it can be to deal with the tipsy idiots at your table who swear they can finish the Mt. Everest of desserts even when you try to warn them against it. Our server was attentive, funny, knowledgeable and went out of his way to make our experience the best he possibly could. That alone is reason enough to patronize this restaurant if the great atmosphere and chance to experience a famous Chicago restaurant is not.
The important things to remember about Gibson’s: make reservations at least 3-4 weeks in advance, keep an eye out for celebs (or just a potential Sugary Daddy/ Cougar) and order a really good bottle of wine….or two.

RATING: Four giant Carrot Cakes

The Indian Garden

http://www.indiangardenchicago.com/

We ordered delivery and while it did take an hour and 15 minutes to get to us it was absolutely worth the wait. The food was so good it made me want to immediately jump on a plane and move to India. I do not have much experience with Indian food but this will definitely keep me coming back for more.
We ordered the Papad Rolls appetizer which was thick and mushy (in a good way) on the inside and fried to crispy perfection on the outside. For entrees we ordered the Murg Tikka Masala which was spicy in waves. It was that wonderful heat that doesn’t hit until you go for the second bite and then, even though you’re sweating a bit, makes your mouth water for more. We also ordered a non-spicy, perfectly seasoned and cooked Murg Kandae which I personally could eat every night of the week. And of course we had both plain and garlic Naan to sop up all the wonderful juices. The flavors just went on and on and it literally took all of my willpower to stop eating this amazing food.
You absolutely cannot go wrong eating here even if you’re unfamiliar with the food. It will be well worth your while to take a step outside your comfort zone. Trust me, your taste buds will thank you. As very accurately described on their website this is Culinary Nirvana.

RATING: Five Naan