Kids in the kitchen

[snowangel]

Your bio mentioned an increased interest in cooking when you were in 4th grade, just about the age Diana (my now 12 year old) was when she started to become really interested in The Kitchen and The Meals. What prompted your interest?

Further to this, you mention a family. If you family includes offspring, what sort of interest have they had in cooking? And, if they had an interest, how did you further this? What part did kids play in how you cook(ed)?

And, thanks in advance for your participation in this Q & A. I'll admit that I had never read anything by you before (yes, bad, but honest!), but have checked just about everything they had out from the library; my night stand is sitting tall! I've cracked the covers of all of them, and just can't decide which to read first, and which to take to the cabin for serious reading.

[Michael Ruhlman]

Julia, I believe, making a pie. My first effort was a pear pie using the only fruit in the house, canned pears. It was fun to make but not eat. Parents disproportionately proud. I think I just liked the craft project nature of it. It was fun to work with stuff that you could eat when you were done.

I love to cook with the kids and encourage them to help. They love to see big transofrmations, like whipping eggwhites into meringue, then baking them. Just basic stuff, measuring ingredients, stirring pasta. Or using cool gadgets like a meat grinder or sausage stuffer. This is in the 4-8 year old range. As far as my own cooking goes it's like being in the restaurant again, they can be so damn picky I end up making four different meals every night.

Hope you like the books!