400 Life November 2021 by Forsyth County News

400 LIFE NOVEMBER 2021

Tastes Just Like Home

Chef at Arbor Terrace serves up culinary treasures

How to cultivate a practice of gratitude

Also: What to do if your child is injured in a school bus accident | Try these holiday recipes

contents from the editor

When I walked into Arbor Terrace South Forsyth with our photographer Jeremy recently for an interview with dining director and head chef Antonio Castro, I didn’t realize I was going to meet one of the most interesting people on the face of the planet. His experince in the culinary world grew while living with his uncle in Tivoli, Rome. He was there to attend school to become an architect, but working in his uncle’s restaurant cemented his decision to pursue his true passion. At Arbor Terrace, Antonio Castro makes dining an experience for his ‘family.’ As the holidays approach, focusing on the positive things in life can open perspectives. Our health and wellness coach tells you exactly how to do that. Make the holidays special with these mouthwatering recipes shared by one of our own. And this month our legal expert talks about what you should do if your child is injured in a school bus accident.

4 Chef shares passion with residents at assisted living Chef Antonio Castro is able to combine his love of cooking with an even greater love for people at Arbor Terrace South Forsyth.

12 — Tracie Pike

contributors Publisher Stephanie Woody

Director of Revenue Leah Nelson

Managing Editor Tracie Pike

Advertising Tim Anderson Stacy Clark Stephanie Tanner

Special contributors Sudie Crouch Jennifer Colosimo Erica Jones Photographer Jeremy Coleman @jcreative_media mediabycoleman.com

Count your blessings this holiday season Health and wellness coach Sudie Crouch talks about focusing on the positive things that can open our perspectives to those other moments of joy and happiness.

This magazine is a product of the www.ForsythNews.com Sign up for daily newsletters at ForsythNews.com

11 KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: What to do if your child is injured in a school bus accident.

14 Holiday recipes you must try. November 2021 | 400 LIFE | 3

‘I am part of their Family’

Elevating everyday dining by cooking from the heart Story by Jennifer Colosimo | Photos by Jeremy Coleman 4 | 400 LIFE | November 2021

Beloved chef makes dining a treat for residents of Arbor Terrace

et’s put it this way: If you are discounting assisted living food for something reminiscent of your elementary cafeteria line, you’re still living in those dark ages. Point in case: Chef Antonio Castro, the dining director at Arbor Terrace South Forsyth in Johns Creek. Under his direction since late 2020, he’s transformed the kitchen and dining room into something that’s reminiscent, instead, of a cozy family dinner table. He curates menus to please seasoned palates and experiences to make every bite something to be shared with friends and family. In fact, he feels like these people are his family — and it’s better than Mama used to make. Actually, it’s more accurate to say it’s a whole lot better than what his maid used to make. A family blended in Italian and Peruvian, Castro grew up in Lima, Peru, where it was customary for families to employ a maid to help around the house, including dinner, while the parents worked. “She was a horrible cook,” Castro admitted, laughing. “I would save my money that my dad would pay me for working at their photography store and go to the market to buy my own food so I could make my own dinner.” He credits her though, because if he hadn’t had to learn how to cook, he wouldn’t have discovered how much he loved it. Her influence still surfaces today, as one of his signature dishes features the quinoa she introduced to him at a young age. Named quinotto by Castro, this risotto-style quinoa dish blends his Peruvian

Continued, Page 6

Antonio Castro, dining director and chef at Arbor Terrace South Forsyth in Johns Creek, works on a special recipe for residents of the assisted living community.

November 2021 | 400 LIFE | 5

Arbor Terrace Dining Director Antonio Castro chops vegetables for the evening meal.

upbringing with his Italian roots and tastes a lot better than the quinoa and milk the maid used to make. Castro’s experience with cooking grew from those afternoons at the market into living with his uncle Giuseppe in Tivoli, Rome as a young adult, and working in his restaurant. Of course, he was there to attend school to be an architect, but preferred days and nights in the restaurant and frequent vacations to France and Germany made the architect dream less of a reality. Soon, Uncle Guiseppe made the executive decision that culinary school would be a better fit. Nearly a decade later, Castro remembers going home to Peru to visit his family, for the first time since he left for Italy. “My dad had planned a big family dinner. Everyone was there – my uncle Giovanni, my aunt Carmella, my cousins, everyone,” he said. “When I got there, he said, ‘Oh! Everyone come see Antonio! My son, the architect! He’s home! We are so proud of you!’ I had to say, ahh well, I’m not an architect, I’m actually… a chef! And by that time, we were on our second glass of wine, so I don’t think they were too disappointed.” How could they be? After graduating from Scuola Alberghiera in Rome, he honed his talent in Italy and in the U.S. working in cafés, restaurants and even owning his own before landing in the assisted living industry as a dining director. “I was going through a very difficult time in my life, and needed to find something to do,” said Castro. “When I got to the interview, they said they had filled the position already, but that I 6 | 400 LIFE | November 2021

could be a server. I got all the way to my car, before I humbled myself and went back in to say I’d rather keep myself busy doing something than turn it down.” He worked his way up through that company that eventually sent him all over the country doing a little bit of everything. But in one year, he realized he had spent more than 360 days away Continued, Page 8

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Arbor Terrace Dining Director and Head Chef Antonio Castro and First Cook Idis Brown prepare a dish for residents.

from home, and knew it was time to take a break. “I decided to take a few weeks off before finding something else,” said Castro. “I just wanted to rest for a bit and think about what I really wanted to do next. But the next day, my friend called me and told me about this position in Johns Creek. It was close to home, so I applied. They called me the same day and wanted me to come in right then.” That visit would also serve as his cooking test, and in 30 minutes and one eggplant parmigiana with spaghetti later, he got the job in a day. That proved his talent was impressive, sure, and that was a little to do with having just the right kind of fork in your car to make the perfect pasta nest on the plate; but it also goes beyond making great food. Rather, it’s who he is cooking for that

8 | 400 LIFE | November 2021

makes him love it and want to be good at it, and from that day, Arbor Company has allowed him to combine that love for what happens in the kitchen with an even greater passion for people. “Anyone can follow a recipe, you know,” said Castro. “But that doesn’t mean anything to the people who eat your food. You have to put love and attention into it to make it something special.” “This isn’t like a restaurant, where you might have a few regulars, but you mostly see people one time or once a year at best. This place, this is these people’s home. They live here. I am part of their family,” he said. “I love knowing that Mrs. Robinson doesn’t like chicken, or when I get to create a special meal for a Continued, Page 10

From left, Arbor Terrace Dining Director Antonio Castro, server Keisha Rogers and First Cook Idis Brown show off a few of the delicious dishes.

November 2021 | 400 LIFE | 9

Here, I get to cook and I get to entertain — I don’t have to entertain, of course, but I love to. It’s the best part of my job. - Antonio Castro, Chef at Arbor Terrace South Forsyth in Johns Creek

few guys who just turned 100. I love that they’ll stop me to ask what I am serving for dessert tonight and see how excited they get when I tell them it’s key lime pie. They’re like little kids again. You just don’t get that in a restaurant. That really drives me to want to give them the best.” His passion carries over into his team, one that includes experienced cooks who respond to the challenges he presents to produce exceptional options for the residents. “I know what they’re good at, and what they’re curious about,” said Castro. “I know who has the best roast chicken and who does the best fish, but I also love to hear them want to try it different ways, or when they’re excited to show me something else they can do.” Lucky residents, who experience oft-seen menus of short ribs with port wine reductions, grilled jumbo asparagus and scallops or lobster tails. The most requested dish? Cook Terry Moore’s Seafood Gumbo full of seafood, chicken, sausage and vegetables that puts a stewspin on Spain’s coveted Paella favorite. Of course, Castro will be 10 | 400 LIFE | November 2021

Arbor Terrace South Forsyth Where: 3180 Karen White Dr, Suwanee, GA 30024 Contact: 770-869-2824, www.arborcompany.com

the first to tell you that no matter how much filet mignon or European delicacy you offer, this Southern crowd’s favorite is fried chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans (covered in gravy). But rest assured, it’s the best around. “One of my favorite things is when they’ll ask me where I’m from, and I say, The South!” laughed Castro. “They look at me funny, and I say, what? No one can be more Southern than me — I’m from South America!” Yet another reason Castro loves his job: he gets to be front of the house and back of the house under one roof. “Here, I get to cook and I get to entertain — I don’t have to entertain, of course, but I love to. It’s the best part of my job.” - Sponsored content

400 legal What to do if your child is injured in a school bus accident Accidents involving school buses are more common than people think. Whether because of rainy weather, distractions, or inattentiveness, many accidents occur on our roads involving school busses. Often time the drivers of school buses are not at fault but collide with vehicles driven by at-fault drivers who are inattentive or just plain negligent. Since there are no seatbelts on a school bus, children can suffer from many types of injuries. A child’s injury should be examined quickly by a pediatrician for their injuries to be properly assessed and treated. It is important to look to your own auto insurance policy to see if you have any medical pay that could be used to pay for school bus related medical expenses. This is in addition to health insurance. School bus accidents are different from regular accidents because they are usually owned by public school districts. Since there is governmental involvement in a school bus accident, those who are injured should know that the process of receiving injury compensation can be different when making claims against the government. Each governmental entity has different rules on

how and when to give notice of a claim. We have represented young people that have been injured in school bus accidents. For example, one young girl I represented suffered a brain injury when she went flying into Steven Leibel the ceiling of the bus after it was involved in a collision. Since there were no seatbelts, she was propelled into the ceiling of the bus, striking her head. This young girl suffered a concussion and post-concussion syndrome. Another case that we handled involved a young man who was struck while riding as a passenger in his mother’s vehicle. A distracted bus driver rear-ended another vehicle which pushed into the mother’s car. This case was settled for six figures after months of litigation against the school district. Other cases have involved clients who have been paralyzed by a school employee. Unlike in normal auto cases, bus accidents are governed by principles of “sovereign immunity” or caps on school district liability. To make claims against the school district,

there are some necessary prerequisites. However, unlike other types of governmental agencies, school bus accidents normally do not require formalized notice of liability. If a school bus that is owned by the state is involved in an accident, a letter of claim must be made to the state. If a school bus is owned by a city or county government, then there are separate requirements for giving notice. School bus accidents can happen at any given time and include any given party. Whether it is a school bus striking another motorist on the street, or off the street. It is important to be aware of what to do when unfortunate accidents like these occur. Make sure to contact an experienced accident attorney if you or a loved one have been involved in a school bus collision. Steven Leibel is the Principal Attorney at Leibel Law. He is a Georgia Super Lawyer in personal injury and is rated AV preeminent by Martindale. com. If you have any questions, please feel free to email at info@leibel.com or call (404) 892-0700. — Sponsored content

November 2021 | 400 LIFE | 11

mental health

Cultivating a practice of gratitude By Sudie Crouch Health & Wellness columnist

As we enter this holiday season, our focus tends to shift towards our blessings and the hope this season can bring. Starting with the celebration of Thanksgiving, we start to look towards those things that we are thankful for and how they bring joy and happiness into our lives. Even though these expressions may be jubilant, it sometimes can be more of a struggle to find those things to count among our blessings. But creating a meaningful, intentional gratitude practice can be beneficial in many ways. Why Gratitude Is Important

You may have heard the phrase, “What we focus on, magnifies.” And it’s true! Just as having a negative mindset leads us to find other things that go wrong, when we start to notice all the things we are grateful for, even more appear. Having that attitude of gratitude can shift our perspective from what we don’t have towards being aware of what we do. In fact, there’s a few quotes that say gratitude can turn what we have into enough. “Enough” is a powerful word because it means what we need is being met in that present moment. In times where things feel unstable and uncertain, having a sense that things are a bit more steady and not as bad as we perceive them to be can bring peace and clarity. How Gratitude Is Beneficial

Think about how you feel when you receive a gift and you tell the giver thank you. You feel a rush of emotion — a sense of elation, surprise, joy. And when we express that thankfulness, the other person experiences a similar feeling as well. Gratitude can be contagious! But there’s more science behind this practice. According to the Greater Good Science Center, there’s some fundamental reasons why gratitude is good for our overall health and wellness. It’s probably not surprising but people who practice gratitude regularly tend to be more optimistic. Being optimistic doesn’t just mean they look at the positives; it can also impact our overall health. Those who practice gratitude regularly have noted a 12 | 400 LIFE | November 2021

Jon Tyson, Unsplash

Focusing on the positive things can open our perspectives to those other moments of joy and happiness. It doesn’t mean we don’t have negative experiences or have bad things happen; it means that even in the midst of those moments, we’re able to find something good to celebrate. May your holiday season be full of things to be grateful for! decrease in depression as well as toxic emotions, like envy, frustration, and regret. Decreased aches and pains have been recognized as well, showing a connection between how our psychological well-being can also affect our physical health. When our mindset is more positive, we may feel more energized to be active, which can help us reduce aches and pains. Improved sleep, less stress, and more self-esteem are other perks of gratitude. Focusing on what we’re grateful for can also improve our relationships as well. Grateful people are happier people, and they tend to focus on the positives in life, which makes people want to be around them. If you have someone in your life that never said thank you or was negative all the time, odds are, you’d try to limit your time with them. In contrast, if someone is positive and expresses gratitude, they are often more enjoyable to be around. Gratitude can also help strengthen your relationships. “Thank you” is something we may sometimes neglect to say to those closest to us, but saying it can go a long way in building and improving those connections.

How To Start Practicing Gratitude

The good thing about practicing gratitude is it doesn’t require any special tools or skills to get started! To start your practice, it can be as simple as writing down what you’re grateful for in a notebook, but some people do like to buy a nice journal to write their gratitudes in. I’ve personally used both — a pretty, decorated journal and a regular lined notebook. The list doesn’t have to have flowery words or be in great detail either, nor do the things you list have to be major events. If it’s difficult to know what to start with, you can always begin with those things you are grateful for always: family, friends, pets, home, food, etc. To help you begin, start with just listing three things. You can do it either in the morning or at the end of your day — it all depends on when you have the time to reflect. Once you have started to build those gratitude muscles, you can expand into other areas. We often worry that we don’t have those giant ‘wins’ or successes to list, when sometimes those smaller things add up and lead to the biggest joys in our lives.

Some of the most simplest things can be the source for gratitude

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Savor these holiday recipes

Recipes by Erica Jones | Photo Jed Owen, Unsplash

One of the things that makes the upcoming holiday season even more special is all of the great food the season brings with it and getting to share those holiday meals with your loved ones. From ham to turkey to all of the sides and desserts, nothing says holiday season quite like a big family meal. Here are some recipes for you to try for yourself this holiday season.

Glazed Ham Of course, the biggest staple of any holiday meal is the meat. Glazed with fruit juice, brown sugar and mustard, this ham recipe is a perfect balance of sweet and tangy. You can adjust the size of the ham and proportions of glaze to any crowd size. Ingredients: 1 spiral-cut ham with bone-in, 7 to 9 pounds 2 tablespoons dijon mustard 1/4 cup pineapple or orange juice For the brown sugar glaze: 1/2 cup pineapple or orange juice 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 2 teaspoons cornstarch Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine dijon mustard and pineapple juice and brush over ham. Place in a roasting pan and cover tightly with foil. Roast for 12 to 15 minutes per pound (or according to package directions). Meanwhile, combine glaze ingredients and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Cool. About 15 minutes before ham is done, remove from the oven and turn oven up to 425 degrees. Brush ham with glaze and return to the oven until the glaze is caramelized and the ham has reached the safe cook temperature.

Mom’s Sweet Potato Casserole Every Thanksgiving and Christmas when we were growing up, 14 | 400 LIFE | November 2021

we always used to look forward to my mother making her special sweet potato casserole. She got the recipe from one of her friends whose family had passed it down from generation to generation. You can make this recipe ahead of time, store it in the fridge and pop it in the oven before dinner. Ingredients: 3 cups hot mashed sweet potatoes 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1/4 cup butter, softened 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup milk For topping: 1/4 cup light brown sugar 1/2 cup flour 1 cup chopped pecans 3 tablespoons softened butter Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine all casserole ingredients in a large bowl and mix with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Combine all topping ingredients and mix well with fork. Stir topping into mixture in casserole dish. Bake for 35 minutes. If making ahead of time and baking from fridge, bake for 45 minutes.

The Best French Silk Pie Every family dinner or event that we go to, this is always the dessert I’m asked to bring. It’s a little different than the traditional holiday pecan or pumpkin pie, but it’s guaranteed to be just as much of a hit at your holiday dinner. You can make your own Oreo pie crust or buy a pre-made one at the store to make the recipe even easier. Ingredients: For Oreo crust: 24 Oreo cookies 4 tablespoons butter, melted For pie filling: 1 1/3 cups sugar 1 cup butter, softened 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 eggs Directions: For Oreo crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add whole Oreos to a food processor or blender and grind into fine crumbs. Add the crumbs to a bowl and combine with the melted butter. Pour the mixture into a greased pie pan and press into an even layer on sides and bottom of pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely before filling. Directions for pie filling: In a mixer bowl, beat sugar and butter on medium speed until fluffy. Stir in chocolate and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl and return to mixer. Beat on high speed for several minutes until pie filling has lightened in color. Transfer pie filling to prepared pie crust. If desired, top with chocolate curls or sprinkles. Cover and chill for several hours until set.

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