THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 2, 1995 TAG: 9501310055
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Morsels
SOURCE: Ruth Fantasia
LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
THEY SAY too many cooks spoil the broth.
But, when the cooks are young and eager to help, you can't have too many hands.
I learned that lesson last week, when I spoke at a Chapter 1 parents' workshop. Chapter 1 is a federally funded tutoring program for children.
My topic: ``How To Use Cooking To Help With Schoolwork.'' I envisioned an orderly demonstration, with a few children making a few simple recipes.
But as I looked into 25 little faces in the cafeteria at Christ the King School in Norfolk, I couldn't refuse any asking to help. Even though cooking with kids takes three times longer than usual.
Kindergartner Jennifer Speenburgh of Denby Park Elementary in Norfolk was the first. She was eyeing the bananas, so when it came time to make a breakfast shake, I put her to work.
She was followed by Christ the King's Matthew Shevlin. He's an independent sort who declined help. ``I can do it,'' he said, spooning yogurt into a measuring cup.
Though a bit bothered by the blender's noise, Shevlin finished the recipe, proud that he'd done it himself.
For the next hour, we cooked. We practiced math, using apples and dip. Denby Park's Orlean Sharp learned some finer points of measuring and some fractions
Much to the chagrin of at least one adult, fourth-grader Josh Schultz used a very sharp knife without incident. I knew he could. Sharp knives are easier to control than dull ones.
During the social studies/science lesson, the kids learned that ``mousse'' isn't a four-legged mammal, but the French word for foamy. And that a good mousse is foamy because egg whites are whipped into meringue and folded into custard.
By night's end, children were chopping, folding, grating, serving. And learning.
Instead of a chicken in every pot, maybe we should put a kitchen in every classroom. ILLUSTRATION: JIM WALKER/Staff
The blender was a little loud for Matthew Shevlin, 5, but he made
the breakfast all by himself.
by CNB