Tuesday, October 13, 2009

A meal on their own

The weekend before last, good friends came to church and then lunch with us, and the boys helped out brilliantly, each one cooking or baking part of the meal. They weren't too keen at first, having other things to do, but we chatted about how you can cook for two reasons, the first being because you feel like it, and the second being because someone needs to eat! Both are good reasons...They took that on board, and got a lot of satisfaction from serving their food and having it appreciated. Having done that, they decided they should go on to the next step, and cook a meal together on their own. Help! They closeted themselves in their room on Friday night with the Round the World cookbook, which they then took to the supermarket on Saturday, coming home with a few items in carrier bags and (thankfully) quite a lot of change. I don't have any photos of what happened in the kitchen, because, remember, I wasn't there...
Son 1, who is 12, was determined to do the whole thing on his own, and he succeeded. He produced Janssen's Temptation, a Swedish dish of layered potatoes, onions and anchovies. He waved at me cheefully from the kitchen window as I went past with a wheelbarrow load of compost - things were looking good! He later appeared out of doors both grinning and weeping, complaining cheerfully about the onions before dashing back into the kitchen to finish chopping them. He returned for a quick consultation about frying with butter, which was a wise thing to check on, and completed the rest on his own. The final result was delicious!
Son 2 felt he really should have me around as he made his Lamingtons (from Australia, as seen by me on Beck's authentic Australian blog!) I sat outside the kitchen feeling a bit edgy and reading a book, as he got on with it and just called out the occasional question. The mixture frankly looked disastrous until he added the flour, but it all came out perfectly, and I learned where the gaps in his knowledge are, by leaving him to it. I think I've tended to line baking trays for them in the past, because it's more fun for them to do the weighing. However, it's pretty clear that they can do it all themselves.
He did half without coconut, because neither he nor his brother like it - can you believe that? But what a successful meal. We are really impressed with the boys.
I know I'm meant to be tag and award free, (see my resolutions), but Bad Penny, who has two lovely blogs (The Linen Shelf, which is the arty one, and The Hen House, which is the chatty one), has made an award and given it to me among ten others. I am really delighted and grateful, Penny. Thanks!

17 comments:

Elizabethd said...

How lovely to bring your boys up able to cook. It's something that doesnt always happen, but it's such a good thing to make them independent.

Lucy Pursglove-Jones said...

Clever boys! That's fab that you encouraged them to muck in and that they did so, enjoying it so much to do it again on their own! What well rounded boys you're raising.
Well done on the award. Very much deserved. Xx

Serenata said...

Well done boys, I bet they enjoyed themselves - well apart from the cutting of the onions!

I loved your advent post - so much to read and look at. Still thinking about some of the things you wrote about.

The Curious Cat said...

This is a lovely entry to read - and I really like the sound of the onion, potato and anchovy dish - what do you serve it with? It is great to encourage your boys to get creative and competant in the kitchen! Also, congratulations on your award! xxx

Michela said...

I can't believe that 2 B-O-Y-S can cook such yummy dishes!

Jackie said...

Floss ~ what very lovey sons you have ~ they always seem to be willing and helpful. Both dishes looked very yummy indeed :O)

Lululiz said...

Your lovely boys never cease to amaze me. Are they too old to get a virtual hug from me?

Glenda/MidSouth said...

Good for them! I know they must be proud of their accomplishments, and you are proud of them. Onions make me tear up also! :)

Floss said...

I need to add now that for every lovely, independent, interesting thing they do, they surely do at least one horrible pre-teen thing too - they are only human after all! I just don't post about the grotty stuff (much).

Pomona said...

What clever boys - start 'em young is what I say! They'll thank you for it later (speaking from experience here!). And they do become ever more helpful as they get older, and civilized, too!

Pomona x

Sarah said...

Good for them! It's always good to encourage them to cook at an early age. Both of mine love cooking (under my supervision!).

Sarah - Red Gingham said...

Your boys are fabulous!! I love what they made for you, clever boys. That's one fabulous cookbook!

Oh I dream of my girls making a meal on their own. They always ask so many questions! I try and tell them to have confidence in themselves, but sometimes that gives us very funny outcomes. I hate cooking and would love to give the job over to my daughters. Maybe one day...

VintageVicki said...

Well done boys :)

My 2 love helping - they've promised in the 1/2 term to cook us a meal from scratch AND do the shopping AND the washing up :)

Lola Nova said...

I loved reading this post. My girl is always anxious to help in the kitchen, when she gets a little older I will give her a cookbook of her own.

Victoria - Florence and Mary said...

What future chefs in the making you have.

Janssen's Temptation sounds great if I could omit the anchovies!

Victoria x

Renaissance said...

That's a great award. Well done to your boys, I remember getting my lot to take it in turns to make us all a meal. It was v. successful but they really blew the housekeeping budget! Love the look of that Usborne book.

Mami said...

Hi,Floss
your son's doing well.amazing!! And you are really great mother!!