Living

CEO’S COVID TO DO LIST: DATA COLLECTION, WORK/LIFE BALANCE

LEFT: Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation CEO Steve Miff and his daughter, Cailin, enjoy a walk near their neighborhood. RIGHT: Miff with his

daughter, Cailin, and his wife, Jen. (PHOTOS: COURTESY STEVE MIFF) rest of the house.”

When not working or doing school assignments, he and his family try to keep active. He enjoys biking, his Peloton, and family walks around the neighborhood.

“When you have to go to work, inevitably, you have to get up, you have to move, or you have to walk,” he said. “Well, now you can’t have that, so being much more thoughtful and planning for physical activity – that’s been something that I’ve appreciated.”

He described his 9-year-old daughter completing her vaccine regimen in early December as a relief.

“It was special for us, but it was even more special for her,” he said. “She felt so excited, and I would use the word ‘liberated.’”

By Rachel Snyder

rachel.snyder@peoplenewspapers.com

Many families balanced work with teaching their children at home when the COVID-19 pandemic caused schools and businesses to shutter in March of 2020.

Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation (PCCI) CEO Steve Miff did it while helping to lead coronavirus data collection efforts for Dallas County.

PCCI, a nonprofit healthcare analytics organization, uses technology, data science, and medical expertise to study behaviors and other social determinants to provide insight into how healthcare providers can better treat patients.

PCCI has been lauded for the depth and breadth of information shared with the public, in partnership with Dallas County, about COVID-19 hot spots, vaccination rates, and similar topics.

“We’ve learned that actually the power of the data and the granularity of the data that we’ve been blessed to have here is unique,” said Miff, extending kudos to Dr. Philip Huang and the Dallas County Health and Human Services for making it possible.

“While most (parts of the country) are working at the ZIP code level or the county level for information, we’re doing it on an individual level,” Miff said. “It gave us an opportunity to be so much more targeted on how we ensure that the services are done in an equitable way.”

When not working, like many families, Miff’s has navigated the challenges of virtual learning and educating a child at home. He said that “gave us a whole new appreciation for our teachers and what they do day in and day out.”

Working from home posed its own set of challenges.

“I think there’s this misconception that (working) from home, you have more time,” Miff said. “I think you end up working more. It’s a lot harder to separate the work from home because you’re not physically necessarily moving, so what we try to do is create physical spaces in the house where it’s work versus the PANDEMIC MADE PERSONAL

This is the third in a series about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on families in our community.

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Don’t Let Your Kitchen Backsplash Be a Missed Opportunity

Even though backsplashes can make great focal points, many people save picking their backsplash tiles for last.

Your kitchen design will look more impressive if you pick your backsplash tile early on and design MARGARET CHAMBERS around it. For those of you who are designing a new home or planning on remodeling your current kitchen, you should find the following tips helpful.

A backsplash should cover the wall space between the countertop and upper cabinets above your range. Lately, I’ve noticed the newest trend is to have the backsplash continue up beyond the upper cabinets, sometimes even behind and around a vent hood or a window. To figure out how much square footage of tile you’ll need, multiply the width of your wall by the height. Then, increase that number by 10% to make sure you’ll have enough.

Since replacing tile is expensive, you can never be too careful making your choice. Purchase a lot of different tile samples to take home (it’s cheaper than buying a lot of the wrong tile), then tape them to your wall and leave them up for a while.

Designers have established relationships with showrooms, giving us more leeway to request a tile and then return it on short notice.

If you have countertops with a unique pattern or color running through them, it’s a good idea to pick a neutral backsplash tile, so you don’t draw attention away from your countertops. Of course, if your countertops are understated, you have more room to be creative and showy in your backsplash tile choice. Recently, my design firm has been using the same material for both the countertop and kitchen backsplash.

Choosing a timeless backsplash is essential if you’re planning on selling your house. White subway tile is one option, but also consider picket tiles, square, or hexagon tiles. White subway tile is also perfect for kitchens that have a lot going on visually.

Although there is no one-size-fits-all solution to finding the perfect backsplash, some tile choices will work in your kitchen better than others.

By considering your budget, lifestyle, and the rest of your kitchen’s aesthetic, you can easily narrow down your selections.

Margaret Chambers, a registered interior designer (RID) and member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), leads Chambers Interiors and Associates. Her colleague Caitlin Crowley helped edit this column. Find more design advice at chambersinteriors.com/blog.

This mosaic tile backsplash’s gray and terracotta colors

match other colors used in this Kessler Park home. (PHOTO: NATHAN SCHRODER) When possible, continue the backsplash

behind the vent hood, like in this Dallas kitchen. Subway tile, like the taupe tile used in this bar area, is a classic choice

for kitchen and bar backsplashes. (PHOTOS: MICHAEL HUNTER)

After the hustle and bustle of the holidays, the relative quiet of January can be a welcome relief. The chill and early twilight also provide an ideal setting to gather with friends, particularly if holiday scheduling conflicts

CHRISTY ROST made that impossible.

Following a day of downhill or Nordic skiing, gathering around Swan’s Nest’s 123-year-old hearth for an apres ski fondue party is an especially fun way to be with friends. While my husband Randy builds a fire in the hearth, I gently stir grated Gruyere and other cheeses in an electric fondue pot with chopped garlic, Dijon mustard, and white wine.

As the cheeses slowly melt, I place a basket of cubed rustic bread and a large platter of bite-size vegetables and sliced fruit on the coffee table within easy reach of our guests. Once the fondue is ready, the real fun begins as everyone uses long, slender forks to dip their bread and veggies into the silky, smooth mixture.

Fondue, which comes from the French word meaning “to melt,” originated in Switzerland in the 18th century as a way of stretching limited foodstuffs during the long winters. Farmers melted whatever cheese was on hand, added a splash of wine, and dipped stale bread into the mixture. From these humble ingredients came a proud Swiss comfort food tradition that was introduced to Americans in the Swiss pavilion during the 1964 New York World’s Fair.

Today, fondue continues to be a popular, family-style winter tradition in Switzerland.

Fondue parties are fun for all ages, interactive, super easy – and no snow is required! That’s why they’re ideal for winter gatherings no matter where you live.

While chocolate fondue and chocolate fountains gained popularity over the last 20 years, I’ve found most adults prefer the traditional savory version, and children love it, too.

Every parent knows kids like anything they can dip, so fondue is a clever way to get them to eat more vegetables. For large gatherings, or to transform the fondue party into a hearty dinner, add platters of rolled prosciutto, small meatballs, or cubes of summer sausage or cooked chicken breast.

Christy Rost is a cookbook author, chef on PBS stations nationwide, and longtime resident of the Park Cities and Preston Hollow. Her Celebrating Home 4-minute cooking videos are available at youtube.com/ChristyRostCooks and christyrost.com.

APRES SKI FONDUE (PHOTO: CHRISTY ROST)

Ingredients:

½ pound Gruyere cheese ½ pound Fontina cheese ¼ pound white cheddar or pepper jack cheese 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch 1 ¼ cup Sauvignon Blanc or other dry white wine 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Blanched broccoli and cauliflower florets

Blanched asparagus

Apple slices, sprinkled with lemon juice 1 baguette or rustic bread loaf, cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions:

Grate the cheeses into a large bowl (Freezing the cheese for 15 minutes before grating makes it easier to grate). Sprinkle the cheese mixture with cornstarch and toss with your hands to coat.

Preheat an electric fondue pot to medium heat, add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute until it is fragrant. Add the wine and mustard, stir well to mix, and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and add the cheese, a little at a time, stirring well until it melts before adding additional cheese. Stir in chile flakes, if desired.

Heat until the cheese is creamy and smooth, stirring often.

To serve, arrange broccoli and cauliflower florets, asparagus, apple slices, and bread cubes on a platter. For large groups, serve the bread cubes in a basket. Place the fondue pot, small plates, fondue forks, and the vegetable platter in the center of the table.

Yield: 6 servings