In 2018, I took my three year-old son Luke to Barnes & Noble to play with the Thomas the Train table. Remember when they had that there? Good 'ole pre-Covid times! As he was playing, I browsed the shelves and came upon two books that caught my eye. One was Mommy and Me Bake and one was Baking Class by Deanna F. Cook. I bought them both on the spot and nine-months later I had a business called Itty Bitty Bakers.
I never glanced at the book Cooking Class by Deanna F. Cook since I was primarily interested in baking. So, when she (the author) reached out a few weeks ago and asked me to review the 10th anniversary edition of it I was thrilled! That's because, ironically, over the years we’ve incorporated more cooking into our Itty Bitty Bakers classes.
Now with Cooking Class, 10th Anniversary Edition in hand, I am blown away by how helpful it is for kids. Here are some things that stand out to me as particularly helpful after years teaching kids to cook and bake.
How to clean up after making a mess in the kitchen. Yes, she includes a how-to guide for cleaning up in the book. So helpful!
How to distinguish the differences in vocabulary words like simmer versus sauté. You'd be surprised by how much vocab we understand as adults that kids don't know yet.
How to set a table. Admittedly, we don't include this step in our classes but we should. I'm so glad she includes it in the book.
How to prepare your cooking workspace. Kids don't think about this step and she lays it out plain and clear. Ahem, clear the counter first, kids!
How to make basics, real basics. She includes steps for how to boil an egg, how to cook bacon, how to melt chocolate, and how to make a smoothie. It’s nice to see these steps written out plainly and with photos.
The last chapter of Cooking Class, 10th Anniversary Edition is devoted to desserts. My favorite! I was thrilled to see a recipe from Baking Class included: One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes. We have used these recipe many times at Itty Bitty Bakers and it is our go-to chocolate cupcake recipe.
We love it because it is made in one bowl (less dishes to wash), can be mixed by hand (great for kids), and is dairy-free (baking soda + vinegar replaces the egg and oil replaces the butter). Everyone should have this recipe in their back pocket!
At the back of the book, there are gift tags, stickers, recipe cards, and tear out table top conversation starters. This book is an A++++!
My son is now 10-years-old and loves looking through cookbooks for what we can make together. In this book he noticed the step-by-step guide for making applesauce from scratch, and we are going to try it!
Thanks, Deanna F. Cook and Storey Publishing for making these amazing books!
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