Kitchen play
When I was growing up, my mom often came up with wonderful meals while she secretly concocted her recipes in her kitchen hideaway. We were never allowed to be in the kitchen premises because she believed that it was a dangerous place for us children. Sure enough, when we did manage to sneak in while she was not looking, we often came out with a cut and a burn. I remember one time when my cousin played with matches and burned his facial hair that he had to go to school literally with missing eyebrows! Although I was thankful for my mom’s sumptuous meals, I often wondered how much fun it could be to discover what happened in that secret place where she made them. So when I had children of my own, I vowed to expose them to the kitchen and prepare them to avoid mishaps that might occur. The result? No major accidents so far! It actually produced children who love to experiment on different dishes.
All my children love to cook and eat! One who takes cooking seriously as a “career” is my daughter Ella. Like my mom, Ella is very passionate when it comes to cooking and does not rely solely on recipe books. She creates her own masterpiece recipes and takes pride in her work by making sure we get to taste them. She even makes sure that she presents them well and therefore styles the food before she lays them on the table. Ella recently joined the Del Monte Kitchenomics Pasta & Desserts Hands-On Cooking Class. She learned how to cook new pasta dishes like: spaghetti with anchovies and tuna, sausage and peppers pasta squares, and pasta in a basket. Ella also learned to prepare no-fuss, no-bake desserts like: Country Fruit Trifle, fruit cheesecake, and fruit panna cotta, all perfect for the coming holidays. She also acquired new preparation and cooking skills with tips and techniques from the seasoned Test Kitchen team who, by the way, I happened to work with for six years as the Del Monte Kitchenomics endorser.
I want to extend my sincerest thanks to Llena Tan-Arcenas , senior nutritionist of the Test Kitchen, for allowing my daughter to join their class although Ella was the youngest in class. She said, “Magaling sya ha. I taught them the culinary way of chopping onions and mincing garlic. She was able to do it on her own. She actively participated in the class. During the latter part though, she got tired I guess (the class lasted for four hours). She was grating the cheese sitting down.”
Folks, let your children find the kitchen a place to explore and enjoy. Just equip them with the necessary guidelines for safety. Who knows? Your child may turn out to be the next Iron Chef or food connoisseur. Whatever it may be, let your children play in the kitchen and make food preparation a family affair that’s fun and exciting!
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