As one of eight siblings, my parents had little time to indulge in intrinsic cooking, opting instead for nutritious but easy and affordable recipes. So, besides the treasured Sunday family lunches where my dad would don his Chef’s apron, my most vivid memories of food stem from staying at my grandparents, often in the company of my brothers and sisters.
My grandma indulged in delighting her grandchildren’s tastebuds with salty/sweet regional concoctions like the delicious beurre blanc, bottereaux (a carnaval favourite amongst schoolchildren!), buttery sablés, ubiquitous pancakes, and with her personal best such as lapin aux pruneaux, poulet roti — not to mention a mouthwatering and endless list of recipes. She taught us the value of food way before it became trendy on social media. Nothing edible was meant for the bin. Instead, leftovers sizzled in a frying pan, boiled in a bubbling bouillon, roasted to a golden colour, baked quietly in the oven, or stretched under a rolling pin on a kitchen table.
My grandpa surprised me with his take on breakfast: a hot or cold broth with slices of grilled bread or croutons. The dish called dire times to mind, when there was no such thing as good or bad foods, but just wanting to quench hunger with what was at hand.
Although my mum was engrossed in the daily whirlwind of chores, she still managed to prepare fresh meals here and then. She was not an enthusiastic cook, yet she did her best to provide for her hungry children-ogres :). Even splendid misses, like the smell and taste of cauliflower stems burnt in a whistling steamer, have risen from their ashes to become prised ingredients or dishes in my grown-up years.
When it comes to educational methods, Montessori includes activities of everyday living to promote the child’s holistic development and increase independence in the home environment. Some of these revolve around food preparation and cooking with a view to:
- Strengthen fine and gross motor skills (i.e., wash ingredients, pour, slice, serve food, etc.);
- Emphasise the social dimension of cooking (for instance, by preparing a dish together, taking turns, etc.);
- Understand the food cycle and the overall value of food (i.e. where do ingredients come from, who is producing them, how are they planted/cared for, how can we eat them, etc.);
- Develop a healthy relationship to food consumption and preparation
Memory lane, education and legacy are not separate but woven threads of the food canvas. So, let’s celebrate meal preparations for their shared moments of slurping, munching and crunching, and all the same for passing our individual and collective heritage on to the next generation.
Children Love Learning 