Getting culinary savvy for college
When our oldest child left for college last fall, I knew I would miss him terribly. But would he miss or even think about home? We’re really close, but Solomon is an independent guy and had spent plenty of time away, so I was pretty sure he wouldn’t be homesick. I was happy to call him weekly, but I wasn’t sure what might prompt him to initiate a call or text.
The answer? A cooking question: “How do I make that chicken? How much lime do I use in that dressing? What salad should I bring to a party?” Even without a kitchen in his freshman dorm, Solomon found plenty of opportunities to cook at friends’ houses and on team trips.
When he left for college, Solomon was among the more kitchen-savvy (and enthusiastic) boys in his crowd, but some of my friends worry that their kids don’t have even the most basic cooking skills they might need in their next phase of life.
College students tell me they cook, or at least aspire to, for a number of reasons. Some of the biggest are wanting healthier or tastier food than what is available on campus, saving money, being creative, managing food allergies, or just craving something homemade when they’re hungry.
Sometimes the realities for college and university students, especially with no car and no kitchen, keep them from cooking much until after their freshman year. But Solomon reported that he had some of his best times last year cooking for or with friends. He was particularly psyched to get invited back to the home of some senior girls he’d befriended to cook more meals after he made them “Purple Pancakes.”
So what basic cooking skills do kids need? Here are basic techniques kids may want to master this summer. In my experience teaching kids in the kitchen, I’ve learned not to assume that everyone knows what may seem obvious to more seasoned cooks:
WIELD A KNIFE
The biggest and most undervalued key to having good knife skills is keeping knives sharp. Even an inexpensive, easy-to-use sharpener can turn your dull blades into well-honed slicing-and-dicing machines. Teach your child to sharpen knives frequently, and have them learn to safely and effectively hold and use a chef’s knife. YouTube videos and practice can be very effective teachers.
BOIL WATER
If you can boil water, you can make pasta, rice, hard-boiled eggs, mashed potatoes or steamed vegetables. If using a gas stove, turn the heat as high as it will go without the flame extending past the edge of the pot. Cover to bring the liquid to a quicker boil.
SAUTÉ
If your kid can melt some oil or butter in a skillet, they can scramble or fry an egg and sauté vegetables, tofu or meat. Make sure the oil or butter is hot before adding the food, and stir occasionally with a spatula or spoon to keep food cooking evenly. If using a non-stick pan, preheat it with the oil or butter already in the pan, and use non-metal utensils to avoid scratching the surface.
BAKE AND ROAST
I’m guessing your child has baked cookies at least once. But if not, teach them about preheating the oven, buttering or oiling the pan to make cleanup easier, setting a timer so food doesn’t burn, using mitts to take hot pans out of the oven, knowing the difference between baking and broiling (we broil to brown the top of food quickly), and using high heat to roast vegetables or meat quickly and effectively.
DO THE DISHES
It’s not glamorous, but remind kids about the importance of cleaning up after eating, including wiping down counters and closing packages tightly so food bits don’t attract critters.