I’d Like My Medal NOW, Please
This last week or so has been a kind of test – or experiment maybe – for my culinary classes. I allowed them to look through cookbooks for a cake recipe and an icing recipe. Once each group had selected a recipe they could bring it to me for approval. The ingredients had to be "common" and the entire recipe had to be achievable in our 70 minute class period. Once they received approval, they had to do a lab plan to familiarize themselves with the recipe and the ingredients. Next, they got to cook it.
I cannot begin to describe the Masterpieces that have been turned out. However, let me list a few of the descriptive words that come to mind:
Brick
Flat
Tasteless
Frightening
Mud
Surprising
Wow – just plain wow
Hockey Puck
Indigestion
Lest you think I am being overly harsh – let me just pass on a few of the questions and comments that were floating around during this baking session:
"No, I did NOT burn the chocolate. I melted it for thirty seconds just like you said. See? 3-0-0. Thirty seconds."
"Miss! Is THIS the butter? (holding up cream cheese)"
"I don’t know why it came out like THAT – the only thing we forgot was the shortening."
"Confectioners Sugar is the same as regular sugar, right? It’s NOT? Uh-Oh."
"How much is a pound? This bag is two pounds and we only need one. How do we get one? How many cups is a pound?" OK. If there’s 8 ounces in a cup and 32 ounces in this 2 pound bag…..that means we need 4 cups for one pound." (If you can follow the convoluted math there….they are WAY off!)
"What is that row of holes in your cake from? Really? Exactly when did I tell you that it is appropriate to stab your cake with a fork several times to see if it is done?"
"What’s buttermilk? Should we melt the butter into the milk first?"
And guess what? I tasted every single one of those confections. They sliced em up and served em with pride. I must say – each and every one of the cakes was………unique.
And now, I’d like to hang around for a bit and catch up on my noting….but my stomach is gurgling and rumbling…..and I think I hear the bathroom calling me…….
Haha! you said “hockey puck”… hahaha! 🙂
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Yikes! You are one brave woman…did the kids taste each others creations, too? It’s me, Too….nsi…”Too”
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Geez. Who dresses these people every morning? It’s a wonder that they survive to adulthood, isn’t it?
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oh…owww….. never thought about that aspect of your job. whatever my children cooked at home while they were learning to cook, was always “very interesting”. i remember lolly’s first cake tasted a lot like cornbread. *grinning*
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Hehehe…. all I can say is…. SOMEONE has to do it. 🙂
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How delightful…..Yes you do deserve a medal…
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Here ya go: <> (It may be hard to see from this angle, but that medal looks a lot like RolAids.)
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My stomach hurts from laughing. I really missed you over the summer, and now I remember exactly why, you’re priceless.
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ROTFL Oh goodness… And you are very brave to actually eat their creations!
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These kids are too much and you are wonderful. Thanks for sharing the cake experience.
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You are a brave teacher…
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lol, you deserve a medal for tasting them!
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heh. you DO deserve an award. your job certainly isn’t boring, is it? 😉
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But isn’t your job FUN? Repeat after me: “My job is fun!”
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I began to laugh when I read the title of this entry on my fav list. I knew it had to be great and it was. You are a brave, brave, brave woman. Today I had chocolate chip cookies delivered to my room by Ira. I ate one and Jerry woofed down the rest in 7th hour. That boy can inhale food. lol r
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I loved your story. It reminds me of some of my culinary delights when I was in school. LOL. I missed you something BAD this summer and I am delighted that you are back.
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And I was feeling bad that I have a box of cadburies that was given to me and I don’t want, and there you are eating cake. I won’t worry now!!! I have thought of you every time I look at it and tried to figure out how to get it to you!
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ryn: yes, that’s exactly what it is.
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Fantastic! You so can’t say you’re not having fun… 😉
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Hilarious
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Ah, so tasty. This isn’t the first time I’ve thought what a great bunch of short (well, extra short) stories these would be in book form.
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A safe place to experiment, who needs the science lab? I love how everyone is learning from each other’s mistakes and having a good time with it. We need places to do that. Thank you. Again you have uplifted me. I really come here because I like you so much, and I don’t expect to be uplifted, and then it happens again. It’s a talent you have. 🙂
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This is so great; you are one brave, medal deserving woman. 🙂
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Oh, this had me chuckling out loud! Well, the basic aim is that they learn, isn’t it – and I’m sure they did. (And so did you – about how much they didn’t know!) I loved the “we only left only the shortening” I have a friend who cooks a little like that -and doesn’t realise her concoctions have changed dramatically from what was intended. (But we who are eating do!!)
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: )
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Tee hee hee – things not so different this side of the Atlantic!!
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Your such a brave teacher lol thanks for your note. Lael
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My neice Gina’s class is right next to the home ec teacher. I get to here some interesting stories. 🙂
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With snorks of laughter…you know who, unsigned
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hmmmm, and I had a home ec teacher once by evaporated mild for sweetened condensed and told us the fondant would be the same. Yeah, sure. It wasn’t exactly right. I used to be a 4-H food judge. I ate cookies made with rancid butter, a bite of baking soda, (that could have happened to any of us) Your poor, poor tummy. ….*running out to order that medal.
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So you won’t notice me sending hubby to sit in a few of your classes when he is down there, huh? I mean, the end result will be the same, he’s just taller than the other boys. I’ll get him some low riding jeans and all you have to do is teach him not to hurt himself or blow up a kitchen. We’ve been working on both for years.
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You should get hazardous duty pay 😉 You are one brave lady for tasting all the creations. hugs…
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One time my adult son Steve told me he couldn’t figure out why his biscuits came out flat…..instead of using baking powder, he just substitute qual parts more flour. Gah! And he has an engineering degree from a top University. Sorry I don’t read here more….I have fallen way behind and don’t always check. I do enjoy your diary, and the notes you leave me. Thanks!
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Don’t these kids learn measurements? That is kind of funny,though. I was never that bright when it came to mathematics,but all our home ec measuring cups had the measurements imprinted on the handles.
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send us volunteers the cake, we’ll eat it! we’ll eat anything!!! *grin* we get the leftovers from the shelter residents… and sometimes nice cookies from sweet old man called bob who brought me a whole box!!!!
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Oh my, you’re brave. The first time I tried to bake bread the ducks wouldn’t touch it!Does the medal have the image of a stomach pump?
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too funny!!! I love your idea of allowing them to pick out the recipe though… hope you have a strong stomach lol Great Sunday to you xoxo
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What I wouldn’t give to sit in on a few of your classes!!
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