'Kids Who Cook' story in AAS (and a little brag)

[Brisketexan]

Today's Life and Food Section of the Statesman has a feature story called "Chefs in Training" about kids who cook.

My daughter just had her 6th birthday party, and she wanted "a cooking party" -- we weren't surprised. She regularly stands beside me on a step stool as I prepare a meal, asking me what I am doing, and trying to help wherever she can. She gets mad at me if I peel garlic on my own, because she knows that's her job (with her little fingers, she's better at it than I am anyway). She stirs, smashes, etc., and I am starting to explain to her how different ingredients and cooking processes work together. To top it off, if she has time to watch TV, she puts it on the Food Network, and is a huge fan of the Barefoot Contessa (she likes that the BC makes recipes that she can understand and put together herself).

Anyway, my wife is friends with the lady who has started the Batter Up Kids franchise, so she set that up, and we had the very first birthday party that they hosted there. The girls had a BLAST, and the Statesman showed up to feature it in their story.

The photos are at The Link, and the story is at The Link.

My daughter rocks.

 

[flaco]

How cool. My 9 year old girl is always wanting to help in the kitchen. It really is a great way to bond.

 

[washparkhorn]

Very cool!

 

[Damor]

Congrats, and thanks for the heads-up!

Our little guy is almost two, and he is constantly underfoot in the kitchen, usually wearing two oven mitts. I'd been wondering where we could take him to a culinary camp, and it looks like my wife's summer just got booked solid.

 

[Tex Pete]

Very cool.

I was just thinking today about how my father and I have spent so much time cooking and baking together from the earliest days I can remember. Cancer has taken away his taste and appetite, so I'm afraid our cooking days are over, but we have had hundreds of great times together in the kitchen, by the grill, or around a campfire cooking.

It truly is a great way to bond.

 

[Luke Duke]

Is she the one in the front or the back?

 

[flaco]

I guess the little one would be Briskettetexan.

 

[VacantlyOccupied]

That's awesome. My daughter likes to help in the kitchen (she's 2), but not if she's watching Saturday morning tv. If I ask her about breakfast on a Saturday she waves a hand dismissively at me and says "you cook".

 

[MaximumBarnes]

So has she started on brisket yet, or are we a few years away from that?

 

[YChang]

I'm sure she's smoked a few muffins with her easy bake.

 

[Brisketexan]

Raw meat and an open fire -- yeah, she's still a couple years away from cooking a brisket. She eats the hell out of 'em, though.

And she LOVES that damned easy bake oven -- damned thing makes cookies the size of my thumbnail. Still, it makes her so happy to make dessert for the family.

 

[DallasHorn]

That is awesome. She looks like her daddy by the way. My daughter is almost 2, this morning I picked her up so she could drop her waffle in the toaster. it is amazing how quickly they learn. We bought her a kitchen set for Christmas and she loves going in there and putting toy pigs in a pot and stirring it a around. Thanks for the post will remember it for when my daughter gets older. Great idea for a birthday party.

 

[VoodooChi|d]

That's awesome. Barbara Beery is one of my best friends mom. I remember she used to teach the class at her house and waking up and seeing little curious children wandering around the house.

 

[SAChick]

thanks for the info, i think I know where to have my daughters b-day party this year. She's 3 and always asks me to change the channel to the food one.

 

[flaco]

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[pescado_rojo]

Did you teach her rule #1?

First, you make a roux?

 

[Macanudo]

Very cool, brisket.

Baby M is just 2 and a half but she starting to get interested in what I'm doing in the kitchen preparing dinner. I hope she keeps up the interest.

 

[OrangeBlooded]

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