Food

Cooking With Children

Print

By Beverly Levitt

Letting children help out in the kitchen and enjoy what they have cooked is an invaluable learning experience.

It's 6 a.m. on the North Shore of Chicago and my six-year-old grandson, Levi Max Solomon, is trying to convince his mother he needs to make scrambled eggs. Now! My daughter Cindy Solomon suggests he sleep a little. "No, mommy, scrambled eggs. With cheese."

Eventually my daughter relents. Levi cracks the eggs into a bowl, scrambles them, grates cheddar cheese, then gathers thyme, basil and chives from the garden. When everything is assembled, he stands on a stool and watched as his mother cooks the omelet. Of course, he tells her when to add the cheese and flip it over. Later he takes silverware out of the dishwasher to set the table. As I watch Levi joyfully perform each task, I think for sure my daughter is raising a genius. Or, at the very least, a self-assured, innovative, cordon bleu chef.

Yet at another house in Annapolis, Md., Laurel Klayman steps out of the shower to clattering sounds and the pungent aroma of garlic wafting from the kitchen. "What are you doing?" she demands of 4-year-old Jack. "Making something yummy," her son answers enthusiastically. "Garlic and eggs." He points to bits of garlic he'd squeezed through the press as well as the remnants of a few eggs he's managed to crack into a metal bowl.

And in Los Angeles at exactly 3 a.m., Chef Ben Ford is awakened by the sounds of the Sub Zero being pried open. He nudges his wife. "Ethan," he laughs. He pads to the kitchen where he discovers his 3-year-old son anxiously peering into the refrigerator. "What's up?" his dad asks. "I'm making waffles," the blonde-haired grandson of actor Harrison Ford, answers, matter-of-factly.

To the active, inquisitive youngsters, cooking is just as much fun as building custom cars and trucks out of magnetic pieces of plastic. It's much more fun than being complacently planted in front of the TV. And it just about equals their level of excitement when mom or dad reads to them from their favorite books.

According to early childhood educator Jean Piaget, Levi, Jack and Ethan are at the ages when children are learning about the world and figuring out their place in it.

If, as Piaget believes, the "business" of childhood is preparation to become happy, self-confident adults, cooking is one of the most beneficial jobs a parent can give to a child.

"There's this wonderful amazement when Levi asks to cook and I let him," says Cindy, a former pre-school teacher, now a family psycho-therapist. "When he sits down to eat what he's prepared he feels proud of himself. It's about having power over his world — he can make his breakfast."

"It's amazing how much there is to talk about when Jack and I cook," says Laurel Klayman, a dietician who works primarily with women, infants and children. "Jack and I read the recipes and measure the ingredients. We talk about time when we set the timer — he gets to see how long 20 minutes is. I take him to pick strawberries, peaches and apples. He gets to see where these fruits come from.

"He's very interested in nutrition — learning about the attributes of different foods. We came up with the term 'always foods' that you can eat with every meal such as fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy, protein and whole grains. Then there are 'sometimes foods' — treats that are sugary or fatty. Although we occasionally bake brownies or cookies, he knows you don't eat them every day.

"Because Jack is so involved with food, he's excited about trying spicy dishes or recipes of different ethnicities," Klayman continues. "I think he's developing a healthy relationship with food. He's not a picky eater because to him, mealtime is an adventure. I let Jack choose what he wants to eat. It makes him feel independent. He makes up his own recipes which is a wonderful way for him to express himself."

Piaget calls the child an explorer and the parent his first teacher. That's why young children watch mom and dad and want to do what they're doing. They want to use the same gadgets and utensils and they want to get the same results.

Ford, owner of Ford's Filling Station in Culver City, Calif., cooks with Ethan every day in a state-of-the-art kitchen he designed. Ethan has his own drawer with pots and pans, whisks, wooden spoons, spatulas and plastic measuring cups.

When dad starts cooking, Ethan gets out his utensils to join in. Because Ford is a professional chef he's aware of how dangerous kitchens can be.

"I make sure Ethan isn't around the hot stove or toaster, and I keep everything hazardous, such as the knives, in one area, which is off limits," he explains.

Ford leads his guest through the three-tiered, organic garden that he tends with Ethan, who comes bounding out, all smiles. Ford asks what he'd like for lunch.

The self-assured toddler thinks for a minute. "Peas and carrots," he replies.

"And what about breakfast?"

"I think broccoli and waffles."

"The most important thing you can teach a young child is to be adventurous and say 'yes' to life," says Paul Cummins, founder of the innovative Crossroads and New Roads schools in Santa Monica, Calif. ÊIn For Mortal Stakes (Peter Lang Publishing, 1998) he reiterates, "Engaging children in activities they love nurtures their passion for life. The goal of education should be to help each boy and girl ignite whatever spark is there into a full, blazing fire."

An educator for more than 32 years, Cummins believes strongly that nurturing, hands-on activities such as cooking create a positive environment for young children. That's why he has a large interactive kitchen where preschoolers cook with the teachers.

"There are so many teachable moments surrounding food," he elucidates. "We'll cook dishes from different parts of the world, which leads into talking about customs and diversity of various cultures. When children like the foods of Italy or Thailand, they develop a curiosity and respect for the people. We might have a Japanese tea ceremony; the children will learn about quiet customs and about what ceremony is. This is a wonderful way for children to make sense out of the world. Engagement is the key word in learning. And the prize at the end is the children get to eat what they cook."

Following are some great recipes to share with your little ones.

Beverly Levitt is a freelance writer in Los Angeles.

Bread Pudding Strawberry Pancakes with Lavender Strawberry Syrup

From Chef Ben Ford. Serves 4 to 6.

• 1 1/2 cups strawberries, sliced
• 3 lavender flowers
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3-4 slices stale, crusty white bread (country or Italian is best) crusts trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 cup milk
• 1 large egg, beaten to blend
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 vanilla bean
• 1 1/2 cups maple or fruit syrup
• 2 tablespoons butter, plus more for frying

Stir flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in small bowl to blend. Place bread in large bowl and add milk. Let stand until bread is very soft and beginning to fall apart, stirring mixture occasionally. Add flour mixture to bread mixture and blend. Mix in eggs and melted butter. Let batter stand 15 minutes. ÊPreheat oven to 300 degrees.

Add 1 cup strawberries to batter. Melt 2 tablespoons butter, or more, if needed, in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls into skillet (smaller for dollar size). Cook pancakes on a griddle or large frying pan until bubbles form on surface and bottoms are brown, about 2 minutes. Turn pancakes over; cook until pancakes are brown on bottom, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to baking sheet. Keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more butter to skillet, as needed. Serve with warm syrup.

Lavender strawberry syrup: Heat syrup on a very low flame in a small saucepan. Turn off flame. Add vanilla, 1/2 cup strawberries, and lavender flowers. Steep for 5 to 10 minutes or until taste is pleasing. Set aside.

Eggs in a Nest

Makes 6 kosher duck prosciutto cups which will serve 4 to 6 people. From Chef Ben Ford.

You can bake prosciutto flowers the day before. Cover with plastic wrap or place in flat plastic container in a cool dry place until ready to assemble.

• 12 slices kosher duck prosciutto, sliced thin
• 1 cup mashed potatoes
• 1/2 cup mild smoked fish such as trout, whitefish or halibut, cleaned, de-boned and crumbled
• 1/4 cup chives, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened soy or rice milk, warmed
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 6 eggs

Prosciutto flowers: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Layer 2 slices prosciutto into each of 6 cups of a standard nonstick muffin tin. Place 3-by-3-inch piece of parchment paper over each prosciutto cup. Put dried beans, rice or pie weight on top of paper. Bake for 20 minutes or until barely crisp. When cool, gently lift prosciutto cups, which are now shaped like flowers, out of the muffin tin. Transfer to a flat 13-by-9-inch baking pan.

Potato mixture: Gently mix together mashed potatoes, smoked fish, chives, if desired, milk, salt, and pepper. Place 1 scant tablespoon mixture inside prosciutto flower. Crack egg over potato mixture, being careful not to let whites escape. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired. Bake for 25 minutes or until egg reaches desired doneness. Finish for 30 seconds under the broiler.

TOP