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400 LIFE November 2020
Lt. Bean dishes on dinnertime
Preparing meals at Station 4 helps build camaraderie among crew members
Family traditions look a little different for some this Thanksgiving Giving back to the community has always been the plan for Kelly and Brian Tam
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contents from the editor
When I was growing up, I remember my family’s kitchen being the focal point of not just cooking, but conversation with my parents and siblings. Some conversations were serious, but more often it was light-hearted banter that drew us closer as a family. And there was always laughter. Always. 400 Life recently visited Forsyth County Fire Station 4 to join Lt. Billy Bean and his crew as they prepared dinner. They worked like a family (well a bit like my brothers, but I digress). Lt. Bean told 400 Life that cooking and eating meals together is a communal activity that strengthens the bond between crew members. Just like a family. And there was laughter. The crew members of Station 4 are a family. One that also protects the residents in Forsyth County. 400 Life also spoke with families that will have an empty seat at the table this Thanksgiving. One family in the process of adopting their son from China when it was put on hold by the pandemic, and another who will be missing their mom and grandmother as she is quarantined in an assisted living community. They share how they will adapt to celebrations this year. We also spoke with Kelly and Brian Tam, who have made it their mission to give back to the community for many years. Forsyth County is full of amazing people. We look forward to sharing a few of their stories in this month’s 400 Life magazine. — Tracie Pike
4 Cooking a meal together creates bond for firefighters Firefighters work 24 hours at a time, which means they must be outfitted with everyday necessities like a gym for working out, bunks for sleeping and a kitchen to cook. For crew members at Station 4, they turn dinner into a time to bond.
8 Adapting family traditions this Thanksgiving The year 2020 has been anything but normal and some of our holiday traditions won’t look the same as years past. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic there are some families in this community adjusting their plans because they won’t be able to spend Thanksgiving how they had hoped.
contributors Publisher Stephanie Woody
Director of Revenue Leah Nelson
Managing Editor Tracie Pike
Advertising Tim Anderson Stacy Clark Sabrina Mergenthaler
Staff writers Kelly Whitmire Sabrina Kerns Special contributors Nicole Bader Jones Becky Cahill Erica Schmidt
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16 When Brian and Kelly Tam first opened their restaurant, Tam’s BackStage, they made an important decision — every year, on the restaurant’s opening anniversary, they would do something to give back to the community in some way.
12 With the holidays coming, there’s no better way to celebrate than with a sugar cookie around the holidays, decorated with bright colors to spread cheer. Try this recipe and don’t forget to share! November 2020 | 400 LIFE | 3
Forsyth County Fire Department Lt. Billy Bean prepares red potatoes for the nightly meal at Station 4.
For these firefighters, dinner is family time Crew members from Station 4 balance daily activites with saving lives Story and Photo by Kelly Whitmire
T
here’s no such thing as a typical day at a Forsyth County Fire Station, where firefighters and paramedics respond to calls, train and live during their shift. But with crews working 24 hours at a time, that means, along with trucks, hoses and other equipment, stations must be outfitted with everyday necessities like a gym for working out, bunks for sleeping and a kitchen to cook. When 400 Life recently visited Station 4 in west Forsyth, Lt. Billy Bean and crewmembers FAO John Stancel and Firefighter Vino Ramgopal were working on that night’s meal. The feeling in the room was like interacting with a family. And that’s what they become as they navigate these long shifts together. Bean said cooking and eating meals is not only a basic need but also a communal activity that strengthens the bond between members of the crew. “It does help with camaraderie because that is our time together,” Bean said. “We did not see [the 4 | 400 LIFE | November 2020
It’s a group effort to get a meal done for the crew.
‘We try to make that 6 o’clock [meal] dedicated, that’s family time, where we all sit together, no one eats sitting [around the TV]. We’re all sitting at the table, talking, and venting if there’s been any issues through the day.’ - Lt. Billy Bean, Forsyth County Fire Department paramedics] until 5 o’clock today, and we [firefighters] came on at 8 [a.m.], they came on at 7 [a.m.]. We had our [training] class — we’ve been gone all day — but they’ve been busy as well.” This particular night, the group was working on a meal they had never tried before: chicken tenders marinated in pineapple, honey and a sweet chili sauce, with roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli with cheese and garlic. “Anytime we get an opportunity to test something, try something that’s a little different, we jump on that opportunity,” Bean said. “We’ve done low-country boils, I’ve done steaks … Mississippi mud roast.” Like any meal made prepared with friends or family, there was a lot of cutting up and joking with the crew while they prepped the meal and tried to get the food ready before their favorite shows start, usually sports and gameshows like Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. “We try to make that 6 o’clock [meal] dedicated, that’s family time, where we all sit together, no one eats sitting [around the TV]. We’re all sitting at the table, talking, and venting if there’s been any issues through the day. There might be a movie or program on TV that we’re laughing at, so that’s kind of our destress time,” Bean said. Bean, who was promoted to lieutenant this summer, said the cooking duties are decided by each crew and he usually tries to at least have a meat, a green vegetable and usually a healthy carb. “That gives us our carb, but not a big fatty carb,” Bean said. “[Paramedics] have to stand by for the football game tonight. We’ve got some clean-up to do, so it’s not one of those eat [and sit nights.] To pay for the meals, each member of the crew puts $8 a day into a house fund to go toward ready-to-eat breakfast items, snacks, groceries and two hot meals, and firefighters usually grab something to cook for dinner when out getting lunch. “If we want it to take all day, we need to go to the store early,” Bean said. “If it’s something where we’re short on time, there has been plenty of days where it’s Stouffer’s lasagna, throw it in the oven, we’ll check it in an
Story continues Page 6
Forsyth County Fire Lt. Billy Bean and crewmembers Firefighter Vino Ramgopal, left, and FAO John Stancel, right, show the finished product.
November 2020 | 400 LIFE | 5
Hawaiian Chicken hour, just depending on the day.” While cooking a big or unique meal can be a luxury, there are some busy nights with calls or other duties where cooking takes a backseat. “There are those nights where it’s burgers and French fries, brats and tots,” Bean said. “The goal is to get the meal cooked, but not necessarily spend all day doing it because we have other responsibilities as well, but we still have to eat.” There are also those nights when a call comes in and the food or cooking has to be left behind or first responders have to grab something convenient, like fast food or items from a gas station, during their duties. “We’ve eaten many cold meals,” Bean said. While cooking usually falls on the firefighters, there are also those in the community who bring meals or snacks and leftovers from the holidays, though that has been impacted by the pandemic. “If there is a church function and there’s food leftover, people stop by,” he said. Though they haven’t been getting together during the COVID19 pandemic, Bean said in the past, it was pretty common for nearby firehouses to get together for big meals. “Before COVID, it would be a regular event to call the neighboring station [and say]: ‘Hey guys, do you want to do some training, and then we’ll throw down on a meal … together?’ We’re hoping to be able to get back to that and have the fellowship because that’s what helps you get through the shift,” Bean said, “being able to talk to your friends and brothers and sisters here.” When asked if he cooks at home, Bean said he splits time cooking with his wife at home. “I think she just likes it when I cook.”
1 bottle Frank’s Red Hot Sweet Chili Sauce 2 cans of pineapple chunks with pineapple juice 1 jar of honey 2 packs of chicken tenderloins Directions Marinate chicken by coat ing with honey, add 2 cans pineapple with the juice and Frank’s Red Hot Chili Sauce. Marinate for 30 minutes, then grill on medium heat.
Roasted Red Potatoes 2 pounds red potatoes Salt to taste Pepper to taste Mrs. Dash seasoning Olive oil Directions Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place diced potatoes in a large bowl and coat with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and Mrs. Dash. Stir to combine. Place potatoes in a single layer on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 25-35 minutes, stirring halfway through. Potatoes are done when golden brown and crispy on the outside.
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Photos courtesy the Simmons family
Last year, Julie and Michael Simmons were matched and planning to adopt their son, Levi, from China, shown in a photo below. “The process to bring him home should have been easily over by last summer ... we are having to process the very real possibility that we will spend another holiday season without him,” Julie Simmons said.
Reaching for the silver lining
There may be an empty place at the table for some this holiday season, but these local families are finding ways to connect
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Story by Nicole Bader Jones
nnual family traditions are what make holiday celebrations special. There seems to be a sense of comfort that comes with sharing a meal together, watching the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in the morning and football in the afternoon. But 2020 has been anything but normal and some of our holiday traditions won’t look the same as years past. In the Bader family, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated with close family and friends. There is a big turkey dinner, cornhole games in the backyard, 8 | 400 LIFE | November 2020
and always a football game playing on TV. What makes this so special is getting to share a meal together and sitting around talking long after the meal is over and pumpkin pie has been served. Unfortunately, due to the COVID19 pandemic there are some families in this community adjusting their plans because they won’t be able to spend Thanksgiving how they had hoped. Julie Simmons is a mom of four who works at Browns Bridge Church as the service programming director. For her family, Thanksgiving is the
“My advice is to take time during the holiday season to send a note, a handmade surprise, or make a FaceTime call and find a way to include the most isolated people you know into your everyday moments this year.” - Lainey Bradley, Forsyth County resident official start to the holiday season. They watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade together, spend the morning cooking recipes from both sides of the family, and prepare to decorate for Christmas. “This year will likely not be terribly different for our family, which is actually what’s so hard for us,” Julie states, “We were hoping that this year would be a completely different holiday season for us.” Last year, Julie and her husband, Michael, were matched and planning to adopt their son, Levi, from China. “The process to bring him home should have been easily over by last summer, even considering delays, but now as we are looking at the months ahead, we are having to process the very real possibility that we will spend another holiday season without him.” The adoption process has been delayed due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and safety precautions. While they hope to be able to travel to China before the holidays, they are setting different expectations this year with their daughters Emma and Nora, and son Owen, who they also adopted from Henan, China in 2017. “We are adjusting to celebrate as much as we can with our kids who are here, and hug them even tighter because we are so aware of what it feels like to be missing one of them,” Julie said.
A holiday away from Mom Lainey Bradley is a high school special education teacher in Forsyth County. In her family, Thanksgiving is celebrated by enjoying a meal together with extended family and friends who may not be traveling or have any extended relatives with whom to celebrate. This year will be different for the Bradley family because they will be spending the day without Lainey’s mom, Sharon. “The pandemic causes major changes in our holiday celebration. Currently, my mom is quarantined in her assisted living community. Residents are only allowed to leave for mandatory doctor appointments so the likelihood she will be allowed time away to attend a holiday gathering with family is very low,” Lainey said. While this isn’t what she expected or hoped for, Lainey will still find a way to create memories with her mom. “To stay connected, we will be doing frequent FaceTime calls which has been our main form of communication since March. We will deliver home-cooking to her assisted living community so she can experience a taste of what our togetherness would normally be.” This year has helped put into perspective what is normally taken for granted. “We have continually reminded ourselves, on days that we feel especially down, that the vulnerable and susceptible members of our family have remained healthy up to this point, and in the case of my mom, she is in a safe place,” Lainey said. “After so many families around the country and world have lost their loved ones, we want to maintain a perspective of gratitude for this, not just at Thanksgiving but for as long as the pandemic alters life as we
Photo courtesy Lainey Bradley
Lainey Bradley, left, and her family will miss having her mother, Sharon, center, on Thanksgiving Day. Sharon is quarantined in an assisted living community. Lainey said they will be doing ‘frequent FaceTime calls’ and ‘will deliver home-cooking to her assisted living community.’
knew it.” When traditions that are always an expected part of holiday celebrations are taken away, it’s easy to become discouraged but Lainey refuses to let the change in her family’s plans take away the meaning of this season. “We can’t stop reaching for the silver linings, or our sadness will be absorbed by the people who are counting on us to stay connected,” she said. “My advice is to take time during the holiday season to send a note, a handmade surprise, or make a FaceTime call and find a way to include the most isolated people you know into your everyday moments this year.” All in all, 2020 has been an unexpected and much-needed lesson to focus on what is most important. May this upcoming holiday season and stories like Julie and Lainey’s serve as a reminder to find connection with a community of people, spend more time with family, and continually seek to be grateful for the meaningful gifts in life. November 2020 | 400 LIFE | 9
From right to left, Tam’s Tupelo Owner Kelly Tam and Operating Partner David Janowitz present a check for $6,800 to Bald Ridge Lodge Executive Director Angela Dikes following their October fundraiser.
‘It takes community’
Forsyth County couple works with local organizations to continue fundraising efforts despite pandemic Story and Photo by Sabrina Kerns
W
hen Brian and Kelly Tam first opened their restaurant, Tam’s BackStage, in Forsyth County more than 15 years ago, they made an important decision — every year, on the restaurant’s opening anniversary, they would do something to give back to the community in some way. Both Kelly and Brian strongly believe in the importance of showing support to community members in the same way that community members support them and their businesses. “It’s that philosophy of us giving back,” Kelly said. “Honestly, I don’t believe that businesses are successful with10 | 400 LIFE | November 2020
out the community embracing them, and the community has been so good to us. It’s just a part of who we are. We have to show that appreciation and give back in some way.” Every summer when the anniversary of Tam’s BackStage comes around, and now also the anniversary of their second restaurant, Tam’s Tupelo, the couple holds a huge fundraiser to support a local nonprofit. Kelly said that they try to “spread the wealth,” and support different beneficiaries each year. They decide on the fundraiser, in part, on where they both see a need in the
Brian Tam, co-owner of Tam’s BackStage, looks on during the restaurant’s “Helpings of Hope” event in December 2019. - photo Brian Paglia
South Forsyth High School principal Laura Wilson serves food during the “Helpings of Hope” event in December 2019, at Tam’s BackStage restaurant. - photo Brian Paglia
community. The Tam’s once decided to hold an annual fundraiser for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Forsyth to help with the purchase of an ambulance designed specifically for children. Without one, CHOA was not able to properly respond and help with emergency calls involving infants. Over the years, the couple have held fundraisers for other local organizations and nonprofits including Jesse’s House, The Place of Forsyth, Georgia Court Appointed Special Advocates, the Humane Society of Forsyth County, the local United Way and Forsyth County Community Connection. This year, Tam’s Tupelo held a fundraising effort to raise money for the Bald Ridge Lodge, a local nonprofit organization that provides safe haven and counseling for at-risk boys. Kelly said that with the pandemic, they were unsure how they could hold a fundraiser. Normally held in July, the Tam’s decided to delay the annual event until fall while there was still so much uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. “This is a really funny year to be doing any fundraising, that’s for sure,” Kelly said. “With the nature of COVID and how it’s impacted the restaurant industry and business in general, it’s just a tough time to be doing any fundraising.” The Tam’s decided to base the fundraiser this year on their to-go family meals, donating 50% of each family meal sold at Tam’s Tupelo for a week to the Bald Ridge Lodge. Other businesses and organizations in the area also donated to the cause, including Citizens Bank and Reid and Reid Contractors. By the end of the week, they raised $6,800. Kelly Tam and Tam’s Tupelo Operating Partner David Janowitz visited the Bald Ridge Lodge with a huge bowl of banana pudding for the boys and a check to give to Angela Dikes, executive director at Bald Ridge Lodge. “It’s a far cry from what we’ve done in the past, but they were very happy,” Kelly Tam said. Brian and Kelly Tam are preparing for their Helpings of Hope event, which they usually host every year around the winter holidays at Tam’s BackStage. They work together with their families, community members and local organizations to feed seniors and families in need to provide them with a full holiday meal. Kelly said that the event started with them helping out seniors in the community through the senior center, but over the years, it’s evolved into a community-wide event. Now, they work through many of the organizations they have supported in the past to get in touch with those they know are in need.
“It really is a coordinated effort with the organizations who are knowledgeable about families who would benefit from a good meal or they might not have a meal otherwise,” she said. They always have plenty of others from the community who also want to help, volunteering to serve food or help in other ways. Almost every year, they see Cumming City Council members, Forsyth County Commissioners and Board of Education members signing up to volunteer. “It’s one of the [most enjoyable] things that we do,” Kelly said. “It just brings so much joy not only to me and Brian, but it seems to bring joy to our employees and all who are helping. “It’s in giving that we receive. If we help one or two people, then that’s a good thing. It doesn’t have to be grand scale. It’s just the way things should go.” For the Tam’s, there was never any question if they should still try to continue with the tradition through the pandemic, but they are still unsure of what it might look like this year. “We’re still in negotiation on how that’s going to happen,” Kelly said. “We may have to deliver packaged meals because of COVID, or we might have to have a bigger facility than what Tam’s BackStage is [able to hold] so that we can honor social distancing and still see people.” Whatever they choose to do, Kelly said that, despite any troubles that she and Brian may be facing during the pandemic this year, they still want to do all they can to help others in the community. “Especially in times like this, everybody is struggling in some way,” she said. “It takes community. It takes pulling together, even just supporting one another not [just] monetarily or with food. It can be service, just doing something and just showing that we’re all here together and we’re all having struggles.”
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Here is a recipe for my all-time favorite easy sugar cutout cookies with simple royal icing
For cookies: 1/3 cup butter 1/3 cup shortening 3/4 cup sugar 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon milk 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 egg Dash salt
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For icing: 4 cups confectioner’s (powdered) sugar 5 tablespoons warm water 3 tablespoons meringue powder (you can find this in the specialty baking section of any craft store or super center grocery store)
DirecTions: In a large bowl, cream together butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add in the flour, milk, baking powder, vanilla, egg and salt, beating until combined. Cover dough and refrigerate until firm enough to roll out, about one hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough with a rolling pin to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut cookies into desired shapes and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake cookies for 8 to 9 minutes or until lightly golden around edges, rotating cookie sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool completely before icing. For icing: Beat sugar, warm water and meringue powder together until icing forms peaks, about 10 to 12 minutes with a handheld mixer on high speed. Add more water if needed to make icing easier to pipe on to cookies but avoid adding too much water or icing will be runny. Tint icing as desired and use a piping bag (or ziplock bag with a hole cut in the corner) to pipe onto cookies.
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November 2020 | 400 LIFE | 13
400 reads
If the topic is food, I am all ears! There is no shortage of books that have food as a central theme, and I am sharing one fiction novel, one food memoir, and one cookbook to cover all the bases. As a fan of eating, but not really cooking, I had to reach out to a friend for a cookbook recommendation. Kayla Fauscett is a life-long Forsyth County resident and an avid baker. She is an assistant administrator at Sawnee Elementary School and has been known to provide sweet treats at more than one meeting.
For the last few years, J. Ryan Stradal’s novel Kitchens of the Great Midwest was included on several book recommendation lists and podcasts. I was intrigued by the use of food as a backdrop for a story that was ultimately about relationships, so I purchased the book.Then it sat on my bookshelf for a couple of years. When I heard it recommended again by one of my favorite podcasters, Anne Bogel, host of What Should I Read Next, I decided to give it a chance. This book surprised me in variety of ways and would not fit the typical mold of a book I would have selected for myself. Stradal was able to weave realistic characters into a story that follows a main character over time jumps and through the point of view of other characters. Throughout the entire novel, the idea of food, the process of cooking, and even the importance of ingredients is right under the surface. If you are looking for a book that includes complicated relationships, but pairs it with quirky characters and a unique storytelling style, this book is for you. 14 | 400 LIFE | November 2020
with
Becky Cahill
Although I love to read, I do not often branch out to newspaper reviews or magazines. Due to that fact, I was unfamiliar with Ruth Reichl until I read her food memoir, Garlic and Sapphires. Reichl garnered acclaim as a New York Times food critic and editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine, but it is her sharp wit that pulled me into her memoir. In Garlic and Sapphires, Reichl recounts her time as a well-known food critic who had to resort to extreme measures to avoid being recognized. This desire to experience restaurants as any customer would lead Reichl to adopt a series of disguises, and the personalities to go along with the outfits. I listened to this memoir on audiobook and I laughed from start to finish. Reichl is able to inform the reader about impressive meals, beautiful décor, and the importance of being honest, even when you are in disguise.
If there’s someone with a sweet tooth in your life, they will love Sally’s Cookie Addiction, a cookbook filled with beautiful photographs and delicious cookie recipes. Sally McKenney, author of this cookbook and creator of the Sally’s Baking Addiction blog shares secrets behind the art of cookie baking that appeals to bakers with all levels of experience. Various sections focus on family favorites, serious chocolate cravings, and overloads of sprinkles, among other categories. You’ll easily find a treat that appeals to any and all taste buds. Becky Cahill is a career educator and an avid reader. She reads extensively in her free time and you can follow along on Instagram at beckycahill25.
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