What you got cooking?

As I drive in our driveway my mind starts its usual rant, "What will I cook for dinner?" Then as I open the door an aroma hits me. Oh yeah, it's Thursday, my son is cooking! How many of you are splitting your sides at the impossibility of such a thing as a teenage boy making the family dinner?

It's at this point I would like to give a tribute of gratitude, to my mum and those like her today who encourage their children into the kitchen. Sometimes I cooked because life was busy and we pitched in where we could. Others, I cooked or baked simply because I wanted to. I'm sure I must have made a mess and taken longer than she would have but I don't remember any trouble over it. I should ask her though, how many times my dinner offerings were burnt or ill flavored. I know my older brother would say there was plenty of burnage because my mind was not fully on the job. I think I burnt my first lot of potatoes, no water in the pot apparently. When it was my sisters turn to start cooking, even if she didn't know what temperature to boil on at least she knew to put water in the pot.

Yes,the modern life style has a lot to answer for, especially the lack of family time around food preparation and the eating of. But the long term advantage of allowing kids time in the kitchen is immeasurable.

I have precious memories of my Gran, sitting on a kitchen stool holding the mixing bowl to herself while using a wooden spoon to beat the butter and sugar. I must have asked her once why she did it this way " because the warmth from the body helps soften the butter". No microwave in her home back then.

We also had a large vegetable garden which my Grandpa gave us a hand with whenever they came to stay . He also kept his own rather large veggie garden, which I learned latter was not just for their own supply but for folks in need as well.

These are the things that shaped my food interest. They are representative of a bygone time. The important thing here is to realise that our precious downtime can be used to enrich our family lives. It may feel like a sacrifice to spend longer in the kitchen with a child than we would by ourselves. On the other hand we are equipping them for "life on the outside" of the four walls of home.

By the time I left home, three weeks into my 19th year, I was a confident cook. ( Thanks Mum )

Whats available for the kids of today to encourage them into the kitchen?

One thing I can give to my kids is time and space to make their own mistakes in my kitchen where I can help them sort it. Where they feel free to experiment a little with different flavors and cooking styles. They can also learn that tricky thing called timing, getting a meal so that everything finishes cooking at a similar time.

I kid you not, Thursday is my 15 year old sons night to cook. I can leave instructions for him if I need to and know that dinner will be underway before I get home.