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Mexico: Oaxaca, Cooking Classes for Kids at Casa de los Sabores. What better way to begin offering children’s cooking classes than with pizza and mango smoothies?  The inaugural children’s cooking lesson at Chef Pilar Cabrera’s Casa de los Sabores, in Oaxaca, Mexico, imparted the basics of kitchen safety and hygiene, composting and recycling, and nutrition, all within a three-hour session. And at the same time, lead instructor Ninfa Raigosa infused the morning with helpful food preparation tips that even as adults we don’t always learn early enough in our culinary lives. But best of all, it took place within the context of preparing recipes which are fun for children to make --- with the dreaded green salad snuck in at the end.

Cooking Up Some Fun. The idea of offering cooking lessons for young boys and girls came to fruition as a result of two phenomena.  Firstly, often in the course of fielding inquiries for cooking classes from tourists visiting Oaxaca with their families, Chef Pilar would be asked whether or not children could attend.  Of course age has always been a factor, but often requests have had to be rejected so as to ensure that classes proceeded in an orderly fashion without undue disruption, for the benefit of the mainly adult aficionados of Oaxacan cuisine. 

Secondly, many Oaxacans are at a loss for what to do with their children once school is out for summer vacation.  While certainly activities abound in Oaxaca, relative to what’s available in larger urban centers, they’re limited.  Why not offer a two-week cooking course in July?

The initial cooking class was held on May 1, 2010, and was intended as a precursor to forthcoming summertime cooking courses, and classes during other holiday times throughout the year. For tourists traveling with children, timing should be perfect.  And for multiple families traveling together at any time of the year, this could be just what the pediatrician ordered. 

The bonus for American and Canadian children is that with a mixed class of Mexican and foreign visitors, and bilingual instruction, the kids are bound to learn some basic kitchen and ingredient words in Spanish, if not through direct teaching, then certainly through osmosis.
 
The Chef. Of course Pilar Cabrera’s reputation as a national figure on the Mexican culinary scene has long been established through her “House of Flavors” cooking school and downtown Oaxaca restaurant La Olla, and more recently through her forays onto the international stage (food festivals in Toronto and San Antonio, with upcoming dates in Austin and Stratford).  She hand-picked Ninfa Cecilia Raigosa Paras to head up this new initiative for two reasons.  Firstly, Chef Ninfa arrives with a diversity of experience, including educational training (at the Rocatti Centro de Estudios Culinarios), in catering and banquets, at various restaurants, and in specialty bakeries (i.e. Deli Cupcakes and Dulce Nectar).  Secondly, and perhaps key, is Chef’s Ninfa’s uncanny ability to relate to children using her amiable personality and warm smile – and just like Pilar, she’s bilingual. 

Exposure to International Dishes. The summer, 2010, two week course will present participants with an opportunity to learn to prepare menus from different parts of the world, each day represented by the cuisine of a different country.  Subsequent series of classes will likely follow suit. Groups interested in single lessons will be able to choose from a selection of international menus, but there will inevitably be restrictions in terms of dishes requiring stove-top preparation, out of an abundance of caution.  According to Chef Pilar, “children’s safety must remain the foremost consideration.”

About the Author. Alvin Starkman has a masters in anthropology and law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School.  Now a resident of Oaxaca, Alvin writes, takes tours to the sights, is a consultant to documentary film companies, and owns Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast (www.oaxacadream.com), a unique Oaxaca bed and breakfast experience, providing Oaxaca accommodations which combine  the comfort and service of Oaxaca hotels with the personal touch of quaint country inn style lodging.
 
Article by Alvin Starkman. Images courtesty of Alvin Starkman. Copyright 2010. 
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