Cooking with Kids: Student Driven Cooking Classes Slow Food Denver Gigia Kolouch and Andy Nowak

1. Slow Food Denver
Seed-to-Table
School Food Program
Learner Driven
Cooking Classes
Gigia Kolouch and Andrew Nowak
See www.sfdseedtotable to order lesson plans
August 2012
Slow Food Denver
Slow Food Denver • Learner Driven Cooking page 1

2. Slow Food Denver and the Seed-to-Table Program
Slow Food is an idea, a way of living and a way of eating. It is a global, grass roots movement
with thousands of members around the world that links the pleasure of food with a
commitment to community and the environment. Slow Food Denver is a chapter of Slow Food
USA, which is a member of a worldwide food movement, Slow Food International
Slow Food seeks to create a dramatic and lasting change in the food system. We reconnect
Americans with the people, traditions, plants, animals, fertile soils and waters that produce
our food. We seek to inspire a transformation in food policy, production practices and market
forces so that they ensure equity, sustainability and pleasure in the food we eat.
Slow food Denver’s Seed-to-Table program supports school gardens and taste education
classes in schools across the metro area. We empower learners to become enthusiastic
supporters of good, clean, fair food. Programs support:
• Construction and maintenance of school gardens
• Taste education, food preparation and cultural-culinary programs
• Teacher professional development and community-based education
• Garden-to-cafeteria and school composting programs
• Farm-to-school programs, guest chef programs and school-to-community markets
For more information, contact:
Slow Food Denver
4340 E. Kentucky Ave, Suite 311
Denver, CO 80246
(303) 321-3322
info@slowfooddenver.org
www.slowfooddenver.org
www.sfdseedtotable.org
www.slowfoodusa.org
www.slowfood.com
Gigia Kolouch, Program Director Seed-to-Table
thenaturalpantry@estreet.com
Andrew Nowak
ajnowak@mindspring.com
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3. Types of Garden-based Activities
Sensory Education
Goal: Students learn to discern different flavors and textures in food and assert their
preferences. Lessons progress from simple to complex:
• Five Basic Flavors—Distinguish between the five basic flavors
• Simple Tastings—Taste new foods while learning how to describe similarities and
differences. Understand the difference between flavor, texture, smell and color.
• Progressive Tasting—Learn how basic flavors interact with an ingredient.
• Developing Personal Food Preferences—Combine flavors and ingredients to create a
unique dish.
Plant Cultivation
Goal:Understand the life cycle of plants and cultivate the garden throughout the year.
• Where Are We? Explore the climate and geography of your area with regards to optimal
plant growth.
• Seed Starting—Classroom based seed and plant activities.
• Planting—Outside transplanting and planting with garden calendars
• Herbs and Perennials
• How to Cook and Eat the Plants We Grow
Using Kitchen Tools
Goal: Understand the process of raw to cooked in refined foods and the roll of technology and
cooking techniques.
• Flour mill—Pancakes and biscuits
• Molino—Masa, tamales and corn tortillas
• Mortar and pestle—Romesco sauce, Thai curry
• Rolling pins—Flour tortillas, flatbreads, pasta
• Food mill—Applesauce, tomato sauce
Plant Botany—Parts of a Plant
Goal: Integrate knowledge of plant botany with eating parts of a plant. Ideally they should be
paired with botany lessons about parts of a plant.
• Roots, Stems, Leaves, Flowers, Seeds and Fruit
• How to Cook and Eat the Parts of a Plant
Cultural Classes
Goal: Broaden students’ taste preferences and learn to appreciate different cultures’ customs
and food.
• Recipes, games and maps from twelve countries around the world.
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4. Tips for Lesson Planning
All activities have a simple guide at the top of the page to help with lesson planning. The
information includes:
1. Estimated length of the activity, not including preparation time or transition time.
2. Grade level(s) most appropriate from K-5
3. Location of the activity (indoors or outdoors)
4. Activity type
5. Suggested optimal season for the activity
Use the following key as a guide to the Info bar.
Key
Length: 15 minutes 30 minutes 45 minutes 1 hour
Grade Level: GK-5 G2-5 G3-5 G4-5
Location: Indoors Outdoors
Activity Type:
❶ Gardening refers to an activity that has a gardening purpose.
❷ Concept Exploration refers to an activity whose purpose is to examine, draw, discuss or
experiment with a concept related to the garden or food.
Sensory Exploration refers to a food activity whose purpose is to experience the
❸ sensory qualities of a food. It does not require assembly or heat, but may require
some cutting or preparation.
Food Preparation refers to a food activity that requires assembly, cutting and some
❹ simple equipment but no heat.
❺ Basic Cooking refers to a food activity that is simple to prepare, and requires heat.
Intermediate Cooking refers to a food activity that requires more complex preparation,
❻ heat, and is appropriate for ages 10 and up.
Season: Spring Summer Fall Winter
✿ ❂ ❦ d
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5. Goals
• Deepen learners’ understanding and appreciation of the foods they eat.
• Increase learners’ consumption of fresh foods, fruits and vegetables.
• Increase learners’ willingness to try new foods and change food preferences.
• Develop an understanding of the food system including growing, harvesting and preparing
of fresh foods.
• Encouraging experiential scientific inquiry and observation.
• Learners will understand the relationship between their diet and their bodies.
Teaching Principles
• Put learners in control of the way their food tastes and how it is prepared.
• Lessons reinforce one another and concepts are repeated throughout the program.
• Increase hands-on activity, experimentation and sensory experience while decreasing
lecture time.
• Provide a safe environment (both physically and mentally) where students’ feel free to
explore the lessons.
Learner Driven Cooking Classes
Learner driven cooking classes are those in which the novice cook chooses the ingredients,
proportions, and final outcome of a dish without precise measurements or instructions. The
instructor sets up the environment for the learner to be successful. These classes are especially
well suited to introducing new ingredients, understanding the goal of cooking and developing
a background intuition about combining flavors. They can also be useful to experiment with
cooking techniques and food chemistry, such as in pancakes or biscuits.
Not all cooking classes will be learner driven cooking classes. The ability to follow a recipe
precisely is useful for all cooks, especially if one is interested in cooking a specific cultural dish
or practicing reading comprehension. No matter what the recipe, learners should always be in
control of the final flavor by adding salt and other seasonings to taste.
Benefits of Learner Driven Classes
• Students are actively engaged in the class.
• Change the role of the learner from passive to active creator.
• Makes the learner responsible for the final result.
• Changes cooking from a results oriented activity to a process oriented activity.
• Encourages critical thinking and evaluation.
• The instructor does not have to be a chef or expert cook.
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6. Set Up
• Procure the use of a sink for washing dishes.
• The cooking area should be separate from the food preparation area and from the children,
near an electrical outlet in the cafeteria
• All surfaces must be cleaned with a disinfecting solution
• Try to have students in groups no larger than 8, with one adult per group
• Produce should be prewashed and placed in bowls
• Have a bowl or tray for scraps to put in the compost at the end of class
• Wait until AFTER you have talked about knife safety to pass out any knives
• Each student who will be cutting should have their own cutting board
Class Introduction
1. Make sure students wash their hands before sitting down
2. Every class should start with a safety refresher and kitchen rules
3. Show the students where to put their scraps
4. Briefly explain what you are going to make. Then explain only the first step in detail.
5. Before transitioning to a new task, make sure all students are quiet and paying attention
Ingredients for a successful cooking class:
1. Hands-on activities as much as possible.
2. Every child should have something do to, which means…
3. Recipes should be simple to cook, but labor intensive
4. Focus on one primary learning goal, with a few sub-goals that are less important
5. De-emphasize reading instructions and measuring, unless that is your primary goal
6. For picky eaters, encourage “tasting” or “experimenting” as opposed to “eating.” Do more
taste classes.
7. Give the students an opportunity to be in control of the final flavor.
8. Give the students opportunities to choose ingredients.
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7. Food Safety
We recommend that you do not cut raw meat or seafood products in order to minimize food
safety concerns.
Wash surfaces:
• Before the cooking class, make students wash their hands with soap and water for at least
20 seconds.
• Wipe down all counter and table surfaces with a disinfectant.
Safe Temperatures to prevent germ growth:
• Do not let food sit at room temperature for more than 1 hour before class.
• Do not bring cooked food to the class. Cook all ingredients during or just before the
cooking class.
• Do not bring leftovers home.
If you would like to add meat to your dishes, you can try the following:
• Used slices of ham, chicken or turkey cut into cubes for flavor in stir fries, wraps and
soups.
• Use a small amount of sausage for flavor in soups or stews.
If you would like to use boneless chicken breast or pork, poach it gently while the
students are chopping the rest of the ingredients. Let it cool, and then have the students
cut the fully cooked meat.
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8. Knife Safety
1. Always use a cutting board both to protect your knife and your counter top. Place a wet
paper towel under chopping boards to prevent them slipping.
2. If you are using a paring or chef’s knife, make sure it is sharp. A sharp knife is safer than a
dull one because it requires less pressure in cutting. If sharp, the knife will not slip as easily,
and your hand will not tire as quickly.
3. Use a sawing motion, not a pushing motion to slice. The children will not have to press as
hard, will have more control, and have more even pieces.
3. Use the correct size and type of knife for the job and the age of the child:
• K-1st grade—Lettuce knive or butter knife
• 2nd-3rd grade—Small paring knife. Small chef’s knife for chopping only.
• 4th-5th—Paring knife and small chefs knife.
• 6th and above—Any knife with close supervision.
Remember that it is difficult to cut large, hard items with a paring knife (sweet potatoes,
large onions, squash), so when working with small children it might be best to have an
adult cut these into quarters at first.
4. In some cases, a large knife is actually easier and safer than a paring knife, such as when
chopping or minicing.
6. Make sure knives placed on flat surfaces are never covered with towels, napkins or other
materials. After handling a knife, place it in a cleared area with the blade away from your
body and away from the cutting area. Never place a knife in a sink of soapy water, for you
cannot see it and may cut yourself when reaching into the water.
7. Do not grab blindly for a knife; reach deliberately for the handle. When handing a knife
to another person, point the handle towards him or her. Do not carry the knife pointing
upwards or waving it in the air. Carry it with the blade facing towards the ground.
8. If the knife falls on the ground, do not try and catch it! Pick it up after it is on the floor.
Types of Knives:
• Paring knife-—small knife used for slicing small ingredients.
• Chef’s knife—best knife for chopping, also good for slicing.
• Slicing knife—serrated knife useful for tomatoes, rubbery foods like eggplant or large fruit.
• Lettuce knife—plastic knife with serrated edge that looks like a chefs knife.
• Scissors—useful for cutting herbs or green onions.
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9. Cucumber Tasting
GK-5 ❸ ❂❦
Objective Learners will be able to describe how cucumbers grow, how
to harvest them, what they taste like and list some distinctions
between varieties.
Background
If possible, choose a wide variety of cucumbers so the learners can
experience types they may have never seen. Many varieties are
not available in stores, so use cucumbers from your garden or a
local farmers’ market. Suggested varieties are: Japanese, Armenian
English, lemon, pickling, garden and white. For more details, see
the Cucumber worksheet.
Materials For each station:
• Variety of cucumbers
• Plate for each student
• Bowl or platter for each variety of cucumber
• Sheet of paper for each variety
• Marker
• Tasting Worksheet for each student (pg. 38)
• Cucumber Worksheet for each student, printed double sided
(pg. 14-15)
• Pencils
• Colored pencils
Preparation Young learners or short on time—Cut vegetables prior to the tasting.
Place each variety in a labeled plastic bag. Make sure to save
one whole cucumber of each kind to show them.
Older learners or more time available —Have them prepare vegetables
into appropriate shapes.
• Prepare enough stations so that there are 6-8 learners in each
group.
• Make sure each table has one container of each type of
cucumber. Label each sample.
• Make sure everyone has washed his/her hands.
• Pass out plates and copies of the Tasting Worksheet (page 38).
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10. 1. Have the learners write in the name of the variety they are
Activity tasting.
2. After they taste a sample, have them indicate their response on
the Tasting Worksheet.
3. For each type of sample, ask these four questions:
• How “cucumber-y” does it taste? Strong or weak?
• Is the cucumber crispy or soft?
• Is the skin thin or thick?
• Do the seeds have flavor? How would you describe their
texture?
Discussion Gather back together into one group. Discuss the results of the taste
test. There are several possibilities for discussion:
• Make a chart of the varieties tasted. Have the everyone vote on
which variety is the most crispy, the strongest cucumber flavor
and the thinnest skin.
• Brainstorm a list of all of the words you can use to describe
cucumbers.
• Brainstorm a list of all of the ways you can eat cucumbers.
• Why would a cucumber have thick or thin skin? What help will
it give the fruit while it is growing?
• Read and share Cucumber Soup by Vickie Lee Krudwig. See the
Recommended Children’s Books on page 54.
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11. Tasting Worksheet
Name of food you are tasting__________________________________________________________
Type ____________________________ Type ____________________________
Yuck! Not good OK Like Yum! Yuck! Not good OK Like Yum!
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
Type ____________________________ Type ____________________________
Yuck! Not good OK Like Yum! Yuck! Not good OK Like Yum!
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
Type ____________________________ Type ____________________________
Yuck! Not good OK Like Yuck! Not good OK Like Yum!
Yum! ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________

12. Progressive Tasting
G1-5 ❸ ✿❂❦
Objective Learners will be able to manipulate the taste of a basic ingredient,
describe their preferences and the role of flavor in their preferences.
Background A central skill in learning how to cook and enjoy healthy foods
is to know how to manipulate the flavor of any dish. Learners
will add flavors to any of the previous lessons (cucumbers, salad
greens, tomatoes, melons, apples or pears) in order to discover how
different tastes go together, balance each other, and work together.
They will also learn how to change a food they may not like into
one they may prefer.
Materials For each station:
• Wedge of lime or lemon for each student
• Small bowl with 2 tablespoons salt
• Small bowl with 2 tablespoons sugar
• Plate per student
• Large bowl with sample sizes of produce
• Journals
• Pencils
• Prepare enough stations so that there are 6-8 students in each
Preparation group. Give each person a plate.
• Each table should have wedges of lemons or limes, a bowl of
salt, a bowl of sugar and the bowl of produce samples.
• Make sure everyone has washed his/her hands.
1. Plain: Give each learner one sample. Have them taste it, describe
Activity the flavor and record it in their journal.
1. Acid: Give each learner another sample as well as a lemon or
lime wedge. Ask them to squeeze a few drops on the food. Have
them taste it and see if they like it more or less. How does the
flavor change? Record the results in a journal.
2. Salt: Repeat the process with the salt.
3. Sweet: Repeat the process with the sugar.
4. Combination: Now have them add a combination of the three
ingredients. They should add a little of each until it reaches a
flavor combination that they like. They should record the results
of their inquiry in their journals.
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13. Developing Food Preferences
Introduction
After experiencing the differences between individual flavors, learners progress to combining
flavors and ingredients in order to produce a dish. This is one of the most basic cooking skills.
In this series, learners practice blending flavors by making simple, no heat dishes allowing
them to have control over their food.
Food preferences exercises demonstrate the purpose of an ingredient in a recipe, another
important skill for budding cooks. Learners will start to understand the purpose of a
specific ingredient and what it brings to the whole dish. This is hard for beginning cooks to
understand. For example, instead of thinking of a tomato as just a tomato, an experienced cook
would consider it to be a red, juicy ingredient with both sweet and tart attributes.
Food preference exercises are usually everyone’s favorites. Learners work together in groups
to produce new dishes without recipes. They enjoy the friendly competition between groups
and love sharing their creations with their teachers and their friends.
Tips for cooking without recipes:
• Limit the size of the container for the experiments to ensure that learners will not make too
much of the dish you are making.
• Make sure that you have the learners’ full attention while you are giving them instructions.
They need to understand to goals of the lesson before they begin.
• Allow everyone to decide how to combine ingredients.
• Encourage collaboration and talking as long as it is focused.
• The results are better if the learners can describe their reasons for incorporating each
ingredient. It is important for them to consider what it contributes to the dish.
• Don’t focus on what flavor is too strong in the dish. Instead, try to figure out what is
missing. Help them correct flavoring mistakes by asking questions like: What stands out in
this dish? Which flavors are missing?
• Use the Socratic method when teaching these classes. Pose provocative questions as
opposed to intervening actively in the decision making process.
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14. Create a Salad Dressing
G1-5 ❹ ✿❂❦
Objective Learners will be able to make a simple vinaigrette dressing for a
green salad, balancing sweet, salty, sour and bitter flavors.
Background Salad dressings are a great way to learn how to balance flavors.
Green salads include four of the five basic flavors: sweet, sour,
salty and bitter. The main flavors in dressings are salty and sour.
Sweetness, which can come in the form of sugars calm the sour
and salty. Fats have the same effect as sugars. Cooks can lower
fats by using sour ingredients that are more complex and mild, for
example orange and rice wine vinegar instead of distilled white
vinegar. In contrast, low fat commercial salad dressings include
lots of sugar in order to calm the flavor of the inexpensive harsh
vinegars.
Greens provide bitterness in a salad. Most people do not prefer
bitter flavors, even though they are associated with healthy foods
like kale and spinach. Learners will enjoy these healthy foods after
they learn to make a dressing they like.
To make salad dressing, everyone will select core ingredients from
each of the four taste categories, following the dressing equation.
They will adjust their recipe to match their flavor and preferences.
Use the dressings with a variety of salad green types. See the Salad
Green Tasting (page 17) for suggestions. At the end, have everyone
compare dressings to see which each person prefers.
Materials For each station:
• Cup or 1/2 pint jar to mix the dressing
• 4 chopping boards
• 4 paring knives
• Tasting spoons
• Fork to stir dressing
• Salad plates for each learner
• Fork for each learner
• 1 large bowl of salad greens
• Selection of items from the Dressing List, page 44
Young learners or short on time—Prepare additional ingredients
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15. Preparation ahead of time and divide into the number of groups.
Older learners or more time available —Have them prepare additional
ingredients at each table.
• Wash, cut and spin dry the salad greens.
• Divide the greens into bowls so that each group has one bowl.
• Make sure everyone has washed his/her hands.
• Divide the class into groups of no more than 8 learners.
• This activity works best if the dressings between groups taste
differently. Give each group a unique set of ingredients.
*Note: the most sanitary way for learners to try the dressing is to
use a master spoon. The master spoon stays with the dressing,
and is used to pour a sample into each student’s tasting spoon.
Each student should have his/her own tasting spoon that they use
throughout the exercise.
Bring all of the bowls of salad to the front of the class. Have the
Eating and learners line up with their plates. Let them try salad from each
Evaluation group.
Ask the following questions:
• What are the strengths are weaknesses of each salad?
• Which flavors do you like the best?
• How do you think each should be improved?
• What surprised you about making your salad dressing?
From the
Notice that each learner has different preferences. Discuss the
Garden variations in preferences, and how taste differs from person to
person.
If time allows, harvest a wide selection of salad greens, as well as
fresh leafy herbs like mint, basil, cilantro, dill, and chives. You can
also add fresh garlic, onions and/or shallots.
Slow Food Denver • Learner Driven Cooking page 15

16. Create a Salad Dressing
Use the following equation and table to create your own salad dressing. Make sure you have at least one
ingredient from each column to create your dressing.
Salad Dressing = Sour + Salty + Sweet (just a little) + Fat
Sour Salty Sweet Fat
Rice vinegar Salt Raisins Olive oil
Cider vinegar Olives Sugar Canola oil
Balsamic vinegar Capers Honey Mayonnaise
Lemon Cheese (hard) Pears, apples Avocado
Lime Soy sauce Berries Buttermilk
Buttermilk Anchovies Orange Sour cream
Yogurt Fennel Nuts (ask about
Tamarind Tomatoes (sweet/sour) allergies)
Mustard
Method 1. Cut up any fruit or vegetables into small pieces (1/4”).
2. Start by adding the sour ingredients to the dressing container.
3. Then, slowly (1/4 teaspoon at a time) add salt until it tastes
more than just sour.
4. Next add sweet ingredients until the salad dressing flavor is
toned down and less intense.
5. Last, add the fat until your dressing is thicker, helping it to
stick to the salad greens. Taste it one last time and adjust the
seasonings if necessary.
6. Toss the salad greens with just enough salad dressing to coat the
leaves.
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17. Create a Salsa
Salsa = Salty + Sour + Sweet + Bitter/Pungent
Use the Salsa equation and chart to create a delicious fresh salsa. Choose a variety of ingredients from
each category. If you like, you can structure the activity as a friendly competition between groups. After
the salsas are made, use tortilla chips to sample them.
Salty Sour Sweet Bitter/Pungent
Salt Rice vinegar Coconut Dried chilies or chili
Salted pumpkin seeds Cider vinegar Mango powder
Salted sunflower Lemon Tomato Fresh spicy chile
seeds Lime Orange Cilantro
Olives Tamarind Papaya Garlic
Tomatillo Pineapple Ginger
Red/yellow pepper Cactus leaves-nopales
Onion
Mint
Method 1. Cut all fruits, vegetables and flavorings into small pieces that
will fit on a tortilla chip.
2. Mix together ingredients from the sweet, sour salty and bitter/
pungent flavor list to make a salsa. If the salsa tastes flat, it
likely needs a more salt. Remember to add the salt a small
amount (about 1/4 teaspoon) at a time.
3. Taste the salsa with tortilla chips.
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18. Create a Pasta with Pesto
Pesto = Flavorings + Salty + Herbs + Fats
Flavorings Salty Herbs Fats
Garlic Salt Basil Olive oil
Shallots Anchovies Parsley Walnut oil*
Ginger Capers Rosemary (go easy) Pine nuts*
Lemon juice and peel Olives Thyme Sesame oil
Sundried tomatoes Hard cheese Oregano Pumpkin seeds
(Manchego, Sorrel Pistachios*
Parmesan, Asiago, or Sage Almonds*
Peccorino) Cilantro Walnuts*
Pasta = Pasta + Pesto + Vegetables
Pasta Pesto Vegetables, raw Vegetables, cooked
Corkscrew Use pesto made in Tomato Broccoli
Bowties class Onion Beans
Penne Sweet pepper Cauliflower
Couscous (does not Celery Peas
need heat, soak in Fennel Fava beans
warm water) Carrot
Cucumber
Method 1. Select the ingredients to create your pesto.
2. First, put the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the mortar and
pestle, as well as any nuts. Pound the ingredients up and down
with the pestle until you have a thick paste.
3. Gradually add herbs and until you have a thick, smooth paste.
4. Stir in olive oil until the pesto becomes more like a thick sauce.
5. Chop up the vegetables and other ingredients.
6. While you are making the pesto, you boil noodles, drain and
rinse them. If you want to cook any of the vegetables, add them
to the boiling water one minute before draining the noodles.
7. Mix together the pesto, pasta, and chopped vegetables. Adjust
salt to taste.
*Nuts are a common and serious allergen. Make sure no learners in
your class have nut allergies before you include these ingredients.
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