Saturday, March 05, 2011

Kids cooking class, fresh pasta & meatballs

Back in October over Maisie’s birthday weekend, she and I attended a kids cooking class at a local Italian restaurant.  We both had a fabulous time doing the class together and we’ve been wanting to do a class again but with the holiday season the classes were on hold.  Finally after months of patiently waiting the restaurant started up classes and today was the first one.  Last time we made calzones and today it was fresh pasta and meatballs, both were delicious and great fun.

IMG_5388Just like last time, when we first arrived there were Toque chef’s hats for the children to decorate.

IMG_5390Maisie contemplating how to decorate her hat.

IMG_5396 The room was set up with three work stations, a buffet area and tables where we’d eat our lunch.  The work stations were for making the pasta dough, for rolling out and forming the pasta and for making the meatballs.  The children rotated through each station so that they all had the opportunity to make each component.

IMG_5408Chef Maisie waiting to learn how to make meatballs.

IMG_5415Off with the hat, sleeves rolled up, gloves on and working on mixing the ingredients for her meatballs.  Each child rolled their meat and put their meatballs into marked containers so that they could bring them home to cook later.

IMG_5455Next Maisie worked on making the pasta dough.  Here she is working next to Executive Chef Brown, starting her dough.

IMG_5458Making her “volcano”.

IMG_5461Learning how to mix in the eggs.   Maisie’s obviously not too sure about this part.

IMG_5467She does it though, working the eggs into the flour.  

IMG_5479The dough is coming together.

IMG_5487Kneading her dough. 

IMG_5496Giving it some welly.

IMG_5502Maisie with her completed dough ball.

IMG_5422Her final station was to actually form the pasta.  Here she is flattening out her dough ball.

IMG_5430Rolling her dough and trying not to catch the giant gloves in the rollers, which she ended up doing three times.

IMG_5449Concentrating on cutting the pasta.   Once all the children made the pasta, it was portioned out so that everyone could take some home.

After all the children rotated through the three prep stations the buffet was opened up and we all enjoyed a lunch of fresh baked bread, salad, fried zucchini, ziti with marinara, meatballs, pasta with chicken & mushrooms, fried mozzarella, fresh fruit, fresh baked cookies and brownies and a few other things which I can’t remember but they were all delicious.  After our meal we gathered up Maisie’s container of meatballs, her potion of pasta, a container of marinara sauce, all the recipes, a gift of measuring spoons, her apron & hat and we headed home, full and tired.

Maisie played for a while and then was ready to try the meatballs and pasta that she made so we cooked everything according to the directions given.

IMG_5511Maisie tasting the pasta and meatballs that she made.

IMG_5513The food rates a thumbs up!

IMG_5518Baba & Maisie enjoying the dinner that Maisie made.  I tried the pasta and fresh pasta totally rocks!  I don’t eat meatballs but both Maisie and Eammon said they were wonderful.

It was another really fun day with my girl and we’re looking forward to the next time we take a cooking class together, just three weeks away!

7 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh, I am so envious of you and Maisie getting to take a fun cooking class like that. I am very impressed with the restaurant for offering such a great experience for children. I also love how Maisie always concentrates super hard on whatever task she is given. The finished product looked yummy too.

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  2. Anonymous9:53 AM

    Thank you guys for comming! We chefs had a great time as well. I love the pics. see you next time.
    Chef Carl Brown

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  3. That looks so fun! I love cooking classes. I love how serious she gets when rolling the dough ball.

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  4. What a fun and yummy way to spend a day together!!

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  5. What a good cook! She will be able to feed herself well in college :) No dried pasta and canned sauce for her! What is the name of the place which offers the class? Sounds like a lovely time.

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  6. I think I could use a cooking class or two myself ;-)

    What a fun idea! I need to look for something similar for Avery and I...

    Miss you friend!

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