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Sesame Season
I wrote about the wonders of baking gingerbread with children in my post last week. I started the post reminiscing about my father’s forays in the kitchen making Italian cookies from his childhood....
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The Sure Thing: Be a Chef
This past month, I have learned that inspiration for teaching and life can come from many places: a photograph of a curled up Dachshund, a simple quote from Shakespeare, a 2nd grader’s writing...
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Kitchen Literacy: Constructing Japanese Fruit Sandos
It was February turning to March and the bright and motivated 5th grader, Hadley, whom I have been teaching privately for the last three years suddenly became dull and bored. Nothing could spark her...
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Poetry Chefs
January and February are long stretches in the world of teaching. The frigid, gray days of the northeast make these teaching times even longer. When I had a classroom to myself, I always found ways...
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Consider the Pomegranate
When I was a kid, my favorite treat was fruit, and my favorite fruit was apples. I loved trying new varieties. I loved to cut them in boat-shaped wedges, rounded triangles, and circular disks. The...
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Kitchen Literacy: Luck of the Irish
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! For years, I would bake Irish soda bread and read leprechaun stories with my young students. There is nothing like the smell of fresh-baked bread while listening to...
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Persimmons in Winter
Persimmons are a new fruit to me. I began eating them only two years ago. They were not widely available in grocery stores. They are seasonal and show up in the produce aisle for a few short weeks...
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Pumpkin Time Celebrations
I love October in the Northeast. Green turns to gold and orange, and deep plum. The outside world is burnished a tawny brown. The smell of pumpkins and apples is in the air. Fall is a time to...
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Jingle, Jingle, Gingerbread
I enjoy three things: children, cooking, and holidays. Last week, I was able to put all three together. Nothing says “HOLIDAY” like gingerbread, so I decided to make gingerbread houses with our 1st...
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Cozy Comfort on Blustery Days
Winter has arrived in the Garden State! Temperatures are in the twenties and in the teens with the wind chill factor. Snow covers the ground and icicles hang from rooftops and railings. I want to...
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Celebration: Women’s History Tea 2.0
I love March and April because they signal the beginning of spring. All around us are signs of rebirth: budding trees, unfurling blossoms, birds gathering in song on still bare branches. Every spring,...
View ArticlePomodoro Fresco: A Love Story
My heritage is Italian, so naturally I love tomatoes. I’m sure there are people of Italian heritage who don’t like tomatoes, but I haven’t found one yet. My love of tomatoes surely came from my...
View ArticleFinding Tranquility in a Cup of Tea
When life gets more hectic than I wish, I turn for moments of solace. Those moments often include a steaming cup of tea. As soon as I put the kettle on, I start to relax.
View ArticleGrateful Harvest: Baking in Kindergarten
This week, I had the treat of baking with kindergarteners. We transformed their four small Halloween pumpkins into a sumptuous dessert: Bread Pudding in a Pumpkin Shell! To my surprise, there were...
View ArticleCooking Inspiration from The Pasta Queen: Poetry and Passion
I have been binge watching Nadia Caterina Munno, the Pasta Queen. She is incredibly passionate about Italian food. Her show is a treat alternating from places in Italy to her kitchen in Florida. She is...
View ArticleThe Art of Poetry: Eating Our Words
I'm not sure what I like to do more: write poetry or make delicious things to eat. I do know that children love to prepare food because of sensory stimulation it entails. Making food from scratch is a...
View ArticlePoetry & Pasta: Kindergarten Wordplay
My love of poetry extended into May this year as I read aloud to our Kindergarten classes. I had read my poetry and facilitated poetry writing with students in 1st through 5th grades in the month of...
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