If she can read, she can assist you by reading recipes aloud as you whisk from cupboard to sink. This will help her learn cooking terms. She also can set out the correct amounts for all the recipe ingredients.
For the most part, the Apprentice can use the same equipment you do, but some tools are best when child-size.
Others, such as aprons, measuring cups, and spoons, make sweet rewards for a newly learned recipe. An index card box works well for storing recipes: The cards are easier to use than books, and the box will serve as a lifelong reference and souvenir for your child.
SKILLS TO LEARN
Measuring ingredients, stirring, mixing, beating, and folding
SAFETY RULES
•No handling knives, the stove, or appliances without adult supervision.
•Wash your hands before handling food.
KITCHEN PROJECTS
Measuring
For measuring dry materials, it is best to have individual measures for 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, and 1 cup. Flour packs down in the bag, so keep it in a canister and fluff it up before scooping.
When measuring, let your child scrape off the excess flour with a spatula. Liquids are easiest to measure in glass cups. After pouring liquid in, your child can get eye-level with the surface of the liquid to read the increments on the glass.
Stirring, Mixing, Folding, Beating
Review with your child the four common ways of combining ingredients. Stirring gently swirls ingredients or keeps something, such as soup, heating evenly on the stove. Mixing is a more thorough version of stirring. Beating fills an ingredient with air bubbles; your child can practice with an eggbeater or a wire whisk. Folding carefully adds something heavy to something beaten without squishing out air bubbles.
Making Berries and Cream
This scrumptious dessert teaches measuring, beating, and folding skills.
1 pint whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pint fresh or frozen berries
Cookies (optional)
Help your child beat the whipping cream in a medium-size bowl until it begins to thicken. If the cream makes a peak when she lifts up her beater, she is ready to sprinkle on the sugar and vanilla. Continue beating just to incorporate the added ingredients.
Drop the berries into the whipped cream and help her gently fold them in with a spatula, distributing them without breaking the berries or disturbing the air bubbles. Put the mixture into individual serving dishes. If you like, sprinkle each with crushed cookies, such as gingersnaps or chocolate wafers.
Dessert may be served immediately or covered and refrigerated for about an hour. Serves about eight.
ADDITIONAL PROJECTS
Beating eggs for French toast or scrambled eggs, measuring and mixing cake, cookie, and muffin batters; rolling, cutting out, and decorating cookies; mixing dips, blending yogurt and fruit smoothies.
