Cinnamon Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 My eldest daughter Devon who is nearly 13 had her first cookery practical in year 8 at school on Friday. They were all given a soup recipe & told to bring in the ingrediants to make that or to make a healthy soup with veg in of their own choice. Devon decided to make a simple minestrone & took in french beans,peas,pulses,pesto,pasta & so on. The soup was delicious,she had it for lunch with some ciabatta & brought some home for us to try I asked her what her friends had made & she said one girl had made basil & Tomato soup............her mum gave her a tin or heinz tomato soup & a handful of basil The teacher was not impressed.........surely these children,girls & boys,NEED to learn how to cook,not just use tins! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 At least the teacher was not happy - some would have accepted it. Hopefully the girl will learn from her contempories. The minestrone sounded lovely - I'll send Carl round (his favourite - and I never make it!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Will post again later .... but really get annoyed when it comes to domestic chores etc ..... just off to finish the R.beef dinner with the boys . Even they can learn some basics at 4 and 6 yrs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 its great that they do practical cookery lessons at school - I think they should be compulsory. So many children now dont even know where products come from (they didnt realise bacon came from a pig ) and cooking is great fun and far easier than you might think. Ok, so if you are going to do something for a s"Ooops, word censored!"y dinner party it might take time, but basic stuff is a doddle to do - even quicker and easier than "ready" meals. Can you send your daughter over here with some soup please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 27, 2006 Author Share Posted February 27, 2006 They are doing some nice things this year. We have carrot & raisin muffins to look forward to this week,then Wedgy Omlette,Cottage Pie,Ciabatta Pizza & 3 healthy family recipes of their own choice too I will be VERY interested to hear what the other children have been making on the own choice days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Can I come to dinner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 I get quite incensed at the lack of "Home Economics" that is taught now. My parents both taught me and encouraged me to help in the home from a young age ..... the 1st items I was allowed to iron were T-Towels( not that my Mum was fastidious, just they were easy for me to practice on, and did not matter if I burned them ). I have 3 elder brothers, and they too can all cook and iron, and do their fair share of household chores. I also learnt about "Which" magazine, Consumer matters and credit. Plus we also did a bit on banking and mortgages ... all of which they are trying to bring back into schools. I will personally teach Ben and Joe, whether they take the subject at school or not. When I bought my 1st house (aged 22) I did it ALL on my own, from start to finish, much to the horror and then later pride of my parents. I only did it because I had the tools taught from school and home, and common sense thrown in . Anyway .. rant over ..... I am all in support of cooking and general "living" skills being taught .. incase you hadn't noticed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Hear, Hear! My brother cooked his first full roast dinner when he was 9, all on his own. So it can be done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 I agree as well - my son was taught exactly the same things as my daughter at the same age and knows how to cook, clean, use the sewing machine, wash and iron etc. Lauren and Jake have been cooking since they were about 18 months old - have their own garden space and are also very handy with cleaning cloths - toilets a speciality! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Excellent training Lesley. Your daughter must be very grateful for all that you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 27, 2006 Author Share Posted February 27, 2006 My girls(11 & 13) have set chores every weekend...they have to strip their beds & put new sheets on,& either clean all the mirrors in the house or empty all the waste paper baskets. They also need to clean & tidy their rooms,& they have got so proud to have a neat room they they will often hoover too (Devon hoovered all upstairs this weekend!) On top of this they have to put any plates or cups they use in the dishwasher,& Cleo who is the youngest is a very enthusiastic cook who often makes lunch for us all on Sunday. I think it is really important for them to do this.They learn what needs to be done to run a house,& of course the hens have helped by showing them where their eggs come from. As Devon said...its like magic.Old food goes in,eggs come out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Her cookery lessons sound a lot better than mine! Last term we had to make a pasta product-Fine, yes. But NOT FINE when you have to make it at about nine 'o' clock in the morning and have to lug it around all day and then freshly make ravioli sticks together in a huge mush and ends up going in the bin-What a waste of time, money AND effort! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 28, 2006 Author Share Posted February 28, 2006 Devon is allowed to leave hers in the cookery room all day,so that is a bit better But then again she does have to carry 15 books with her every day in those stupid Learning Files! How silly to let all that food go to waste Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Any chance of sending your industrious children down to dorset for a spot of child labour cooking and cleaning (particularly interested in Laurens skills as a loo cleaner ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Not just Lauren - don't you go upsetting Jake I'll send them down on the train Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Great idea. Rosie likes helping out too, and will cut up stuff for the bunnies and chooks, and bake cakes etc. I just help out with the oven part of it. Lesley, send Carl down to me - I make fab minestrone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Only if you send him back - actually, he's still got a full head of hair so he's probably quite safe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Yup, I prefer baldies as you know! he's most welcoem to some soups though. Tell carl that Seeds of Change make a fab organic minestrone soup and it comes in a handy packet for one, so he can enjoy it all on his own with some of his homemade bread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 He prefers to make the soup as well Clare. Like the monster soup he made on Sunday - like Topsy, it grew and grew! I don't like minestrone much so we don't have it often. Don't you find Seeds of Change soups a bit peppery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellcat Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 thought it was just me who gets hot under the collar at this subject... You would think after Jamies School Dinners schools would be giving more support for those things. My older two (6 and 3) love to cook and are dab hands at peeling veg (if you don't want it in a hurry). Chopping mushrooms is great for the 3 year old, and Lauren (mine, not Lesleys!) will do all sorts. They also lay the table for dinner, open their bedroom curtains and make their beds every morning and put their dirty clothes in the wash bin and clean ones in their drawers. Thats their pocket money chores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellcat Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Who says child labour is dead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted March 2, 2006 Author Share Posted March 2, 2006 Agreed Helen. If I had a chimney,mine would be up it Devon made carrot & raisin muffins yesterday & they were delicious. Its cottage pie next week,which is going to take a bit of thinking about - lots of heavey ingredients & a dish to lug up to the bus stop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 I have a big chimney I am sure I could accomodate a few Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Louise ... that last post was SOOOOO YOU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellcat Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Devon made carrot & raisin muffins yesterday & they were delicious. Yum! Sound lovely. Recipe please? how about a thread specifically for recipes, as there seem to be a number of people (like me) who love food in all its forms .... especially cake. What better way to use up those extra eggs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
