Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden

SAKGP Garden and Kitchen Programme

News - from the kitchen & garden with Chris and Eve

Our cooking and gardening classes are each Tuesday

We would love to have more volunteers in both the garden and kitchen classes.

No garden or kitchen skills required, enthusiasm to support the students as they learn is all you need.

If you would like to know more, come into the office and see Chris (Principal)

gardening with Eve

This week the 2/3s built upon their learnings about worms and compost by doing an investigation into some of the other compost critters that can be found in a healthy compost heap. Using cotton buds to gently look through some compost from our worm farm the students found worms, tiny white baby worms, worm cocoons, slaters, millipedes, springtails, small centipedes, mould (fungus), a slug and a few tiny spiders. We also talked about the curl grubs that students have been finding during outdoor investigations. Although some curl grubs are pests, many of them are actually native beetles (it's almost impossible to tell the difference at that stage of their lifecycle) so we talked about how important it is to return them under the mulch if we find them.

The students also started making some in-ground worm farms by drilling holes into large buckets. We will bury these in our veggie beds up to the rims so that we can add scraps from the classrooms to feed our worms and get all the benefits of them living in our garden.

A third group drew pictures of some of the creatures that we found in the compost to add to a poster that we'll make in the coming weeks. Each group rotated around all of the activities.

The 4/5s and 5/6s continued working on their garden spinners. Some really beautiful patterns are emerging and I can't wait to see how they turn out.

photos below

cooking with Chris

This week in Cooking, Grade Prep and 1 made Caramelised Pumpkin Calzone and Eggplant Parmigiana Calzone, which we served with a Tomato Sugo made by Grade 5 & 6.

From the garden we used pumpkin, parsley, silverbeet and tomato passata and eggplant from the freezer.

We used a Basic Pizza Dough recipe for the calzone which I made before the class so it had time to prove and rise (see attached Basic pizza dough recipe which makes 6 calzone). Erin’s group used a Gluten Free dough to make their calzone. (see recipe)

First students kneaded the dough until it was warm and soft. They learnt how to fold and turn the dough and use the heel of their hand to knead it well. They then shaped and rolled their dough into a ball to make it easier to start rolling out the circle for the calzone. Every one worked well to get a circle shape and then learnt how to make the circle bigger and thinner by rolling the dough from the centre out and turning the dough and rolling again until the dough was the size of a bread and butter plate and 1/2cm thick.

While we kneaded and shaped the calzone dough, the Caramelised Pumpkin and Eggplant Parmigiana sauce was cooking. The filling needs to be cool so we put it in the fridge to cool down over recess.

After recess, everyone decided which filling they would like for their calzone and did a great carefully adding the tomato sugo, grated cheese and filling to one half of the calzone dough. We made sure we left an edge around the dough so we could fold them over and seal them well. Everyone did a great job, filling and folding and sealing their calzone. We basted the tops with olive oil and some students added some grated parmesan too.

The calzone cooked for 20 minutes at 200C.

While we waited for the calzone to cook, we tidied up and got ready to eat. Marcus’s group cleaned the tables and set the tables with plates and knives and forks. They did a great job working out how many places were needed and setting out the plates and cutlery.

Erin’s group and Karly stacked and rinsed the dishes ready for the dishwasher. While the tables were being set, Kendre and his group collected herbs and vegetable flowers and natives to decorate the table.

Everyone loved the Calzone and were very proud of what they had made.

Great cooking Grade Prep and 1 and thanks Marcus, Erin and Karly.

This is what Grade Prep and 1 said about their cooking this week…

Posso avere altro cibo per favore? Gus (which is …Can I have some more food please? in Italian.)

I appreciated squishing the dough and I made a Cheese and Tomato Sauce Calzone Allie

I appreciated, that Jesse joined in. Luca

I liked kneading the dough. Poppie

I really liked rolling out the dough. Elio

I liked putting the sauce on the outside of my calzone and the pumpkin and silverbeet filling. Gus

I liked how they’re crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Marcus

I loved the Parmesan cheese. Xavier

Mine is infinity good! Kendre