Test, Test, Taste!

Photos courtesy of David Long, Jr., official photographer for the program.  

Day One of Cook Like a Chef! Cooking Camp at SUBR was sur un rouleau! Mrs. Fields checked in the campers at the Lab School and then counselors Jada Harris and Trevor Pickney escorted them to the foods lab in Pinkie Thrift.  The 10 minute walk seemed to energize the group of 25 campers, 10 to 14 years old in a wide range of sizes.  Looks like there may be more boys than girls!  Trevor took a count.  Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Re'shonsi Smart and Derika Allen were getting their ducks in order, make that paperwork in order, for the in itial 3 surveys that asked questions about how the campers felt about food and cooking.  They are about to do a lot of it! But first, Chef Corr went over some of the notes in the manual about food preference.  We choose different foods for lots of reasons! Maybe the campers will learn some new reasons to choose different foods in a few weeks.  We talked about how to "think like a chef" and also learned how to properly wash your hands before cooking or eating.  Measuring techniques came next--not all cups weigh the same!  Even of flour!  We discussed the disappointing news that a large box of movie theatre plain popcorn can contain up to 1047 calories, and then we learned how to make healthy homemade popcorn and season it up a bit with Italian seasoning.  Lots of campers preferred plain salt, of course, but at least they tried it. Chef Tonya read everyone the riot act because she really wants to maintain order in the lab so that everyone can hear and participate fully. She WILL NOT stand for any shenanigans!  But the campers will soon be too busy to be goofing around; they will be learning to Cook Like a Chef!

Around noon Mrs. Fields collected everyone to go and have lunch at the Lab School and Da'Nethia Burton helped escort the troops.  There was a whole program in store for them in the afternoon physical activity part of the camp with Ms. Marshall who had lots of tricks up her sleeves.  She kept them movin, movin, movin for the afternoon.  Around 3:30, after lots of tiring games, Chef COrr broke out some Blueberry Bliss, the featured smoothie of the afternoon. This icy blue drink was made of bananas, blueberries, almond milk, almond butter--and cinnamon!

The campers "blissed out" and soon it was time to pack it up for the day.  See you tomorrow, campers!