While we all try to flatten the curve, this Charlotte group wants to Fatten The Curve

By Abigail Ilfeld

Updated August 31, 2020 4:38 PM

Katie Sara hosted a backyard quarantine movie night and posted about it in the Charlotte Facebook group, Fatten The Curve. Courtesy of Katie Sara

When the coronavirus COVID-19 first reached the Charlotte community in March and closed our local dining rooms, many of us found ourselves spending more time in our home kitchens than ever before.

And we knew exactly what to do: Make banana bread.

OK, but then what? Make Kindred’s Milk Bread.

Yes, and then? Uhm, Sourdough?

We’ll admit, some balance may be needed. And then there are those of us who have become more accustomed to perusing online takeout menus over recipes.

That’s where a new Facebook group comes in.

David Sanders posted his meal in the Charlotte group Fatten the Curve: Smoked gouda jalapeno grits covered in shrimp, andouille, vidalia onions, fresno chiles, and garlic. The shrimp mixture was finished in a chicken stock, madeira wine, and fresh squeezed lemon reduction, he wrote. Courtesy of David Sanders

Charlottean Shannon Reichley’s Facebook group FattenTheCurve is proof that extra time at home can foster creativity in the kitchen. The group started in April — initially with about 80 of Reichley’s friends and their friends — and it has blossomed to over 400 members from 30 states and five countries.

FattenTheCurve’s mission statement proclaims, “Whether you’re a recipe junkie, champion microwave, skillet improv artist, or none of the above, you’re not alone. This Group is for sharing moments of community in the kitchen and around the table in the COVID-19 landscape.” It’s a warm and welcoming invitation for food lovers of all culinary skill sets.

Dani Nelson posted her meal in the Fatten The Curve: deli pre-made salmon bacon burger patties with garlic aioli, side of sautéed spinach with chopped onion and a few sweet peppers. Courtesy of Dani Nelson

‘Positive, fun and inspirational’

Members are encouraged to share their talents, post their favorite recipes and interact with others adapting to coronavirus quarantine lifestyle. Reichley ensures that the group’s tone is “positive, fun, and inspirational” by posting weekly polls for members and cheering them on in the comments.

The group has become a place for strangers to get to know each other a bit, inquire and marvel at homemade meals that don’t have to be fancy. “A tomato sandwich with Duke’s mayo is a lovely thing to look at,” Reichley said.

Shannon Reichley, founder of the FattenTheCurve Facebook group. Courtesy of Shannon Reichley

Though the group focuses on homemade food, people are also welcome to endorse their beloved local takeout or food trucks that are working hard to stay in business during COVID-19.

Reichley comes from a family of excellent North Carolina cooks. She is a self-employed producer, writer and consultant for her company HitWoman Productions, and after moving her work to her home office during stay-at-home-orders, she was inspired to take inventory of the fridge, freezer and pantry. As she dusted off her crockpot and bread machine, Reichley wondered how other people were adapting to closed restaurants, online grocery shopping, uncertain product availability and the necessity to make the most out of what was already in the cabinet. Out of these queries, FattenTheCurve was born.

At her home in Quail Hollow Estates, Diane Colomer-Cheadle made a charcuterie and cheese plate for Sid the puppy during COVID quarantine — at least, that’s what Sid, a 5-year-old Morkie, appears to be thinking. “Enjoying a summer afternoon on the screened in porch, what is better than finger food? And even more, what is better than cheese? Nothing,” Colmer-Cheadle said. Courtesy of Diane Colomer-Cheadle

FattenTheCurve welcomes cooking as a way to deal with stress during the COVID-19 pandemic but shows that it does not have to be the “endless banana bread or sourdough” carb-cooking that has been seen on social media time and again. The group demonstrates “ingenuity, creativity, and lots of improv.”

Demetra Fraizeryoung’s sweet potato and beet salad with honey goat cheese. Courtesy of Demetra Fraizeryoung

Food is community for many during North Carolina’s stay-at-home orders; people who may not have had time to make homemade meals are now able to be with family in the kitchen, learning a new recipe or baking a family-favorite dessert.

Allison Andrews upped her s’mores game by adding bacon — and then posted about it in Fatten the Curve. “A friend of mine in Texas told me about it and since bacon makes everything better, I thought why not?” she told CharlotteFive. Courtesy of Allison Andrews

Exploring new cultures through breadmaking

Charlotte-based photographer Joe Ciarlante is a new member to FattenTheCurve who joined through a Facebook friend’s suggestion. At home, he spends time with his pit-mix rescue, Greta, and giving away baked goods to friends. He is known for his biscuits, but during quarantine, he has also tried making sourdough, other breads and cookies – his favorites.

In the past five months, Ciarlante has only had a handful of meals he hasn’t cooked himself and has been exploring through FattenTheCurve, open to learning new techniques. He uses what he can from the fridge, the cabinets, the garden, and he tweaks recipes as he goes.

Walnut pesto ingredients, ready for Joe Ciarlante to process. He used Charlottean Peter Reinhart’s recipe, found at https://houseandhome.com/recipe/pesto-genovese/. Courtesy of Joe Ciarlante

Ciarlante believes exploring new recipes lends itself to learning about different cultures. “Food is a common denominator, and it becomes apparent that we’re much more similar than different. Every culture has a go-to bread, whether it’s a biscuit or a flatbread – those similarities are interesting”.

Cheese tortellini and roasted Brussels sprouts in homemade pesto made by Joe Ciarlante. Courtesy of Joe Ciarlante

Cuisine from around the world, made hyper-locally

A member of FattenTheCurve since May, Heidi Korner’s love of cooking started when she was young. She and her husband, Marcelo Valdes, have been inspired by cuisine from their travels around the world.

“Quarantine just made us want to elaborate the restaurant-type meals at home. We cook as if we would be eating at an Italian, Swiss, Spanish, French, etc. restaurant,” she said. They incorporate the culture from recipe to presentation. Some dishes they love to make include Zurich Veal Ragout from Switzerland, Dulce de Leche Crepes from Argentina, Duck a l’Orange and Dauphinoise Potatoes from France, Paella and Gambas al Ajillo (garlic prawns) from Spain, pasta and risotto recipes from Italy, and Caribbean dishes like Lechón Asado (Cuban style grilled pork), fried plantains and creole beans.

Heidi Korner’s Spanish chickpea, chorizo and cod stew. Courtesy of Heidi Korner

Cooking is an experience for Korner and her husband. At home, they are able to spend plenty of time on details. For example, for her Duck a l’Orange: “The stock can be done one day, the bigarade sauce another, and the rest on the day of the meal. Some good background music, a good glass of wine, and the people you love around.”

Korner has recently saved the Salmon in Puff Pastry recipe to try from FattenTheCurve, and she has been inspired by the “gorgeous breads” made by other members. She is using quarantine to expand her knowledge and challenge her skills. Korner has also been keeping a diary of new meals to make for friends and family when they can gather again. She wants to “fill not only their hunger, but their hearts and souls.”

For one Johnson & Wales alum, it’s breakfast anytime

Another Charlotte local, Demetra Fraizeryoung, said she was also recommended to the group by a friend. As a Johnson & Wales alum, her love of cooking has been with her for a long time.

Her favorite dishes to make are breakfast, which Fraizeryoung believes can be enjoyed at any time of the day — pizza, wraps, sandwiches can all be breakfast foods, she said. FattenTheCurve has given her new ideas.

Demetra Frazieryoung’s breakfast pizza with a homemade crust. Courtesy of Demetra Frazieryoung

“The group has been inspirational because as we all know, cooking can become boring at times, and even more when you have no choice but to cook all your meals.”

When she has more time, she likes to roast chicken from Evans Family Farm, with vegetables from the local farmer’s market.

Flourless pecan banana pancakes. Courtesy of Demetra Fraizeryoung

Fraizeryoung enjoys cooking at home because she can prepare meals the way she knows her family enjoys, as well as ensure that the meals are healthy. She also appreciates being able to pass on culinary skills to her daughter while she is still young.

Cooking has always been a personal fulfillment for Fraizeryoung; she likes to listen to music or podcasts while she’s in the kitchen. She also appreciates learning recipes from other cultures and trying to make them as authentic as possible.

In this house, it’s now a dinner party for two

Though COVID-19 has put a hold on themed dinner parties for Takeshi Q Kovacs, another member of FattenTheCurve, he still finds delight in cooking for his wife during the pandemic.

In the kitchen, Kovacs uses recipes from Vietnamese, Italian, French, and Middle Eastern cookbooks or he finds ideas from New York Times Cooking. He often makes stir-fries with lots of leafy greens, often making healthy and vegetarian dishes – a major benefit of cooking at home.

Charred asparagus with green garlic chimichurri sauce made by Takeshi Q. Kovacs. Courtesy of Takeshi Q. Kovacs

He likes to shop for his own ingredients, make cocktails while he’s in the kitchen and have access to all the tools and spices he needs.

When it’s safe, Kovacs will return to entertaining friends with his elaborate meals and eating out, but making homemade meals will still be a “personal joy” for him.

Takeshi Q. Kovacs cooks Vietnamese rice with cashews, crispy-fried lemongrass tofu and stir-fried bok choy. Courtesy of Takeshi Q. Kovacs

Finding the bright side of cooking at home

Frazieryoung thinks everyone should try their hand in the kitchen; make a recipe from childhood, another country, or from the internet. “I can almost guarantee the success of that dish will bring so much joy,” she said.

Some group members tout the benefits of eating at home. Besides all the fabulous meals, cooking at home can also save money, especially if what’s in the fridge is utilized to its full potential. It can “recalibrate how you eat — drop carbs, lessen sugar, go Keto, more time to make healthy smoothies,” Reichley said.

Mexican Cilantro Lime Shrimp Salad. Courtesy of Takeshi Q. Kovacs

For people who want to improve in the kitchen but might not know how, Reichley’s advice is to grow an herb pot: “fresh basil on top of a fresh, sliced tomato and a chunk of mozzarella with olive oil equals Caprese. You’re a cook.”

This story was originally published August 31, 2020 at 4:29 PM.

Get our newsletter