This year Hazel has really wanted to start cooking on her own. She has been helping me in the kitchen for a long time, but really wants to be able to cook on her own now. I'm always interested in checking out new books that help encourage her with her cooking because it is an important life skill. The first book we are sharing today is a book where she took it and tried a recipe on her own and it was a huge success. (Unfortunately I did not take any photos of her creation. Sorry!!) The book is Say Cheese! by Ricki Carroll and Sarah Carroll.
This book is all about cheese and how to make it. The first chapter is an introduction to cheese and what goes into making it--ingredients, science and tools. Then the second chapter is about making cheese. It is the basics of making acid-set and cultured cheeses. The third chapter is cheese recipes. It has recipes for mascarpone, creme fraiche, fromage blanc, quark, yogurt, ricotta, queso blanco, paneer, cream cheese, feta, mozzarella, whipped cream, butter, buttermilk, and sour cream. Then there are recipes to go with all these cheeses as well as other cheeses. Hazel tried the recipe for super-easy cheesy biscuits. We served them at a Thirty-One party and everyone loved them. Before I had a chance to take a photo they had been devoured. They were that good and she found the recipe very easy to follow. It was wonderful to have her cooking in the kitchen by herself while I was setting up. Here is a video of kids making queso blanco from the book.
Such a great book for cheese loving kids and ones who want to explore more in the kitchen. A perfect gift too!!
Our next book is about kids taking various cooking classes where they make food from different cultures. The book is Kids Cooking by George Ancona. Join kids as they learn to make root vegetables from Morocco, fried rice from China, minestrone soup and breadsticks from Italy, and tamales from Mexico. I love how so much of the culture is shown to the kids as well as the reader. Each class section ends with a term from the language of the country usually about eating. How fun!! The photographs are wonderful and you can tell the kids are learning and having fun.
The only downside to this book is it does not share the recipes for you to try at home. I really wish it did. I love that it introduces different foods and ways of cooking and takes the kids around the world a bit. I just wish there were recipes to try at home as well. A great book for looking at different cultures and foods. I hope you will check both of these books out!
