Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden - Kitchen
News from our first two weeks back in the kitchen
We’ve had a great start to our kitchen sessions in the first two weeks of Term 2. On the menu was Aloo Paratha (Indian spiced potato flatbread) with tomato chutney, using tomatoes, fresh herbs, and potatoes straight from our garden.
For some of the Grade 1/2s, it’s their very first time in the kitchen. This is just as exciting for me, as I feel just as new as they do 😉. They’ve been enthusiastic and eager to learn, especially when it came to getting hands-on with the dough. I was so impressed by how many students were willing to taste everything, with some even going back for seconds (and thirds!). A big thank you to our Grade 5/6s for helping prepare ingredients and keep things running smoothly.
Due to camp, not all Grade 3/4s have had a session yet, but those who have really enjoyed it. Some tried using a knife for the first time and showed great care and skill. We also discovered that peeling potatoes isn’t as easy as it looks, but it’s something we’ll keep practising throughout the year. So far, they’ve been keen to give everything a go and excited to try what they’ve made.
The experience of our Grade 5/6s really shines through. They confidently follow recipes, share tasks, knead dough like pros and peel potatoes with care (and speed!). They know their way around the kitchen, which is helpful, as I’m still figuring out where everything lives 😉. Alongside cooking, they were very excited to use the dishwasher at the end of the session! While our morning groups are a bit shorter, we’ve been stacking the dishwasher and having the next group unpack it, so everyone still plays a part in the clean-up. I’m hoping those dishwasher skills make their way home too!
Finally, a big thank you to all our parent volunteers, student teachers, education staff and classroom teachers for your support in getting us off to such a smooth start. I know that many of us life busy lives, but if any parents could please find the time to volunteer this term, I’d really appreciate it. We really need more hands in there to help run a smooth session
Recipes from this week are included in case anyone would like to recreate them at home!
Lauren
Kitchen Specialist
