Teaching kids about French and Greek food

[gfron1]

I was approached yesterday by a local teach who has gifted grade school students (9-11), and she wants me to teach them about Greek and French food. For that age, I knew immediately what to do for French. I will have her assign Ratatouille, the Disney movie, because somewhere in the eG forums is the recipe that supposedly Keller developed for the movie to use. Super clean and fun connection.

 

I don't have the same for Greek cooking. Anyone know of a film that included Greek cooking that is appropriate for that age range. Bonus points for Disney or Nickelodeon!

[NancyH]

My Big Fat Greek Wedding. 

[gfron1]

I can't remember - is that movie appropriate for kids?

[suzilightning]

I can't remember - is that movie appropriate for kids?

[Lisa Shock]

I know that Bourdain has been there, part of an episode I saw was fine, showing how they mostly eat a lot of greens, but, then he gets drunk....

[AlaMoi]

Greek instruction . . .

 

my bet is you'll lose them about here:

[Deryn]

Haven't seen them (or read the series) because I don't have young kids any more, but, do any of the Percy Jackson and the Olympian books/films (maybe Lightning Thief) have any food references in them that would be useable maybe? Maybe someone who is a parent could comment?

 

AlaMoi - those are merely Medusas - classic Greek mythology!

Edited January 29, 2015 by Deryn (log)

[gfweb]

Will actual cooking be involved?

[gfron1]

Yes, but I can adapt even complicated stuff to make it work for kids. Just trying to find a tie-in. The Percy Jackson idea is interesting, and oddly enough the picture of the octopus would work.

[gfweb]

I'd think about desserts. Kids love sweet stuff.

Perhaps make profiteroles and baklava. Lots of stuff to teach in that. Could overlap w chemistry class even.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Forget the film.

 

In 8th grade when I was suffering first year Latin, the classics department took the introductory Greek and Latin students for dinner at a local Greek restaurant.  (I, for one, was sorry that they couldn't find a nearby Latin restaurant.)  It was a memorable dinner.  For one thing it was the first time I drank coffee.  No ouzo, however, that I recall.

[Deryn]

gfron - if you are going to look into the Percy Jackson idea, you may want to have a look at this 'teacher's guide to' site for them:

 

http://www.rickriordan.com/my-books/percy-jackson/resources/teachers-guide.aspx

 

I think these books etc. are probably right for the age range you mentioned too.

Edited January 30, 2015 by Deryn (log)

[djyee100]

Scratch the Percy Jackson books/movies in terms of Greek food ideas. The books are intelligent and kids will learn about Greek and Roman mythology without even trying. But food culture? No. The demi-god protagonists of these books go to a magical camp on Long Island, and can conjure up their favorite foods, which are (surprise, surprise) pizza, hamburgers, BBQ, milk shakes, chocolate chip cookies, and enchiladas. The foods these kids choose barely pass a nutritional bar, never mind an ethnic one.

 

Back to the drawing board, guys.

 

I'm also curious why the program has chosen to teach about Greek food. I love Greek food, but it's not an influential cuisine.

 

Diane Kochilas's book, The Glorious Foods of Greece, contains good material about the traditional Greek diet (pulses, vegs, seafood, limited meat, olives, olive oil). That's source material for teaching. Not a book for kids.

[gfron1]

The kids are in the gifted program so they selected their countries

[Deryn]

Thanks, djyee - for the rundown on the Jackson series. I had hoped they were at least true to Greek culture if they even mentioned food. Too bad they are way too dumbed down and Americanized. Sorry, gfron. I would now agree with djyee about forgetting those unless you can turn the ideas around by asking the kids to 'critique' the book's food references and teach them what should have/could have been on the magic menu - i.e. Greek food for a Grecian themed book.

[heidih]

Is it a series of classes or a single session?

 

Not sure what "gifted" really means, but if they are far ahead of the curve then it would seem they are interested in knowledge of the food/culture intersect and not cute tie-ins and a single dish. If you have access to the Time Life Foods of the World series, I suggest thumbing through the MIddle Eastern Cooking volume which houses Greece, and The Cooking of Provincial France volume. Both give a good overview of the cuisines and the strong interplay between the climate/terrain and the signature foods of the region. With the framework they provide you could really give them good information and also tie-in the locavore/foraging focus you have. Here is a link to an article Russ Parsons wrote for the Los Angeles Times about local Greeks foraging for greens http://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-calcook1-2009apr01-story.html#page=1

[rotuts]

anything w phyllo   doesn't have to be just sweet 

 

feta/spinach filling ?

 

and dips   kids love dips

yogurt feta spinach   dips   pita ?

[gfron1]

Met with the kids today. Two little girls who are exceptionally smart. Both around 9 or 10 I'm guessing - they came up to my belly button. Both got to choose their country - one because she has family heritage in Greece, and the other because she thinks France is beautiful. I talked them through a brief overview of both country's cuisines and let them decide. The Greece girl wanted to do a Greek King's Day Cake - her words. I googled and am not sure if she's not had some cultural confusion with the Hispanic version, and actually means vasilopita. That's her research to do, however. For France, the other girl decided to a mousse and cake. I'll teach her the Pierre Hermé chocolate mousse because its exceptional and pretty darn easy to make.

 

We do a rehearsal in a few weeks as they do more academic research, then in May they have to feed the class.

[djyee100]

Your Greek student may very well mean vasilopita, which is also associated with the visit of the three kings on Epiphany. It's an important Greek Orthodox holiday.

 

I suggest that your student research not only "cake" but also "bread." Many of the Greek ritualistic cakes are really enriched and filled breads.

 

Diane Kochilas' The Glorious Foods of Greece contains substantial material on the ritualistic breads and pastries of Greece, including the regional variations on these foods. The book is written at a more advanced level than I would expect for a 10 year old. However, if your student can find an adult to help her read and go through the material, she may find it rewarding.

Sounds like you have an interesting class developing! pls keep us posted.

[Clementine Blanche Tyler]

Your student was indeed talking about Vasilopita. It's a sweet bread/cake similar to French brioche that we -Greeks- make in New Years Eve. You can find some recipes online.

 

The vasilopita takes some time to prepare but you can keep it simple and use a brioche recipe and add some spices like cardamom and mahlab (my mom always adds both of them and I love it)

 

If you are interested in incorporating some greek mythology in the cooking I suggest you to look for Melisseas who was a Cretan king and father to the nymphs Adrastia and Melissa who took care baby Zeus. Melissa is the greek word for bee. They fed Zeus milk and honey. You could prepare feta cheese with honey and sesame which is a traditional Greek delicacy. 

 

This is just some suggestions. I really hope I helped you a little bit and not made things more complicated! 

[Maedl]

It's too late, but I think you could turn to mythology as a way to tie food to the larger culture. The story of Persephone and Ceres would work well.

Edited March 2, 2015 by Maedl (log)

[gfron1]

Today we did our Greek program and made vasilopita with the kids. Worked on fractions, why certain countries put their word accents in different places, various traditions of king cakes around the world, basic baking skills at high altitude and kitchen hygiene. Third graders. Fun day.

[gfron1]

Today was French day. Financiers and Italian meringue based chocolate mousse. I could work with gifted students forever - so much fun seeing their gears turn.

[Smithy]

This must be a blast for the kids as well as you!  Years from now, some of them will still remember how much fun it was.  Who knows?  Some may become cooks or chefs - or diplomats.