child-kitchen-msg - 9/25/10

Comments on children being in the kitchen during feast preparation.

NOTE: See also the files: children-msg, child-feasts-msg, headcooks-msg, chd-actvites-msg, chd-ck-clsses-msg, p-cook-child-msg, feast-serving-msg, high-table-msg.

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                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
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From: sca-cooks at eden.com (4/9/97)
To: sca-cooks at eden.com
RE>Children in the Kitchen

<<< As I have stated in earlier posts, in addition to being a cook/kitchen slave, I also am a Chancellor's Minor.  However, I have no children of my own -- I prefer to give them back when I am done.
     
I am looking for volunteer activities for children to do and wanted to know 
how other Kitchen Overlords felt about children (no younger that 8-10) in 
their kitchens.
     
Derdriu >>>

     At the only feast where I was incharge a friend of mine brought his 
     child to me saying he was being punished and that I needed to work 
     him(wink) to the death. Well first I put him to cutting onions because 
     he said he was good with a knife and the person that was already 
     cutting onions showed him how I wanted them done and he did a good 
     job. I then showed him to the dishes and he did that for a very long 
     time because as he washed dishes kept right on coming.  He only had 
     one incident where he back talked one of the lady's of the shire.  I 
     told him to apolagise and he did after I picked him up by his shirt to 
     show him that he had crossed the line of fun and introuble.  After 
     that he didn't even ask he just worked and stayed after feast to help 
     with clean up.

        I think that kids ages 10 and up can help out wonderfully if 
     someone is their with them. Also as a hint if you have servers who are 
     young make sure they can carry a piture of water it will save you a 
     lot of grief.
     
                                Lord Owen ap Aeddan
                                Mooneschadowe kitcheners guild
                                Ansteorra       


From: sca-cooks at eden.com (4/10/97)
To: sca-cooks at eden.com
sca-cooks Re(2): Children in the Kitchen

>      At the only feast where I was incharge a friend of mine brought his 
>      child to me saying he was being punished and that I needed to work 
>      him(wink) to the death. Well first I put him to cutting onions because 
>      he said he was good with a knife and the person that was already 
>      cutting onions showed him how I wanted them done and he did a good 
>      job. 

I'm not sure about the chopping/cutting of anything without parents present
(or parental permission for older kids).  I was at one feast where I took
charge of the kids who volunteered because the Person In Charge Of Feed All Of
Us was too busy to figure out what they could do.  They did wonderfully
rolling dough, putting it pans, and indeed washing dishes.

>I then showed him to the dishes and he did that for a very long 
>      time because as he washed dishes kept right on coming.  He only had 
>      one incident where he back talked one of the lady's of the shire.  I 
>      told him to apolagise and he did after I picked him up by his shirt to 
>      show him that he had crossed the line of fun and introuble.  After 
>      that he didn't even ask he just worked and stayed after feast to help 
>      with clean up.  

Well, this is one way we can teach them SCA customs.  I'm glad they helped
clean up -- I usually lose them to evening dance and parents leaving.

>         I think that kids ages 10 and up can help out wonderfully if 
>      someone is their with them. Also as a hint if you have servers who are 
>      young make sure they can carry a piture of water it will save you a 
>      lot of grief.
>      
>                                 Lord Owen ap Aeddan

We haven't been using too many servers (we've been asking for volunteers), but
I'll definitely add that to my list.

Thank you.

Derdriu
swensel at brandegee.lm.com


From: Christi Redeker
Sent: Thursday, April 10, 1997 6:10 AM
To: 'sca-cooks at eden.com'
Subject: RE: Children in the Kitchen

I love the idea of children in the kitchen.  Whenever I find them willing to
help out I give them very clear instructions and let them help me garnish.
If I am going to have extra children helping I always make them something
special, (pie crust filled with honey and cinnamon, usually).  And create fun
things for them to do.  (I once had kids in the kitchen and had them create
bread dough sculptures for each table and then let the Noble's judge the
creations and then present a prize to the child that one the judging. 

Christi


From: sca-cooks at eden.com (4/10/97)
To: sca-cooks at eden.com
sca-cooks Re: Children in the Kitchen

<<< I am looking for volunteer activities for children to do and wanted to know
how other Kitchen Overlords felt about children (no younger that 8-10) in
their kitchens. >>>

At a recent East Kingdom University held locally, the feast was made up,
partially, of foods cooked in "classes" throughout the day.  One of the
classes was on food decoration, and a number of younger people attended, and
helped.  They were SO good, that the local Baroness made a small token award
to them at the evenings court.

Heavily recommended.

My wife has often made a children's activity out of part of each feast that
she has made.  Making sugar plate shields that children can paint coats of
arms on with food coloring, or cookies they can decorate, or having them
mold bread dough into swords for baking.  Stuff like that.

I love and admire my wife.

	Tibor


From: mfdenton at postoffice.utas.edu.au (The Cheshire Cat)
Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 15:04:12 +1000
Subject: SC - asbestos undergarments (silly)

Geneveive wrote:
>Who seems to be making more public mistakes than usual lately and is
>looking for some asbestos undergarments.

   They'd also be handy for long periods shuttling roasts from a rather hot
oven to the table ready to be taken away by the servers, or cleaning the
ovens while they were still on. Let me know if you find any.  Could use
some extra protection.  Last time I was in the kitchen I was crouching in
front of the oven, lifting out a roast when someone let little terrors
(children) into the kitchen.  Little kids have no regard for the safety of
others and playfully gave me a push.  Sianan's balance, not very good at
the best of times, went off and she fell forward banging her cheek against
a *VERY* hot grille.  To this day I still sport an interesting lattice of
scarring on my cheek and forehead.  Not too noticable, but still there.

regards
- -Sianan


Date: Tue, 14 Oct 1997 15:17:10 -0500
From: "Decker, Terry D." <TerryD at Health.State.OK.US>
Subject: RE: SC - horror stories (was re:  fake intestines)

>This one didn't happen to me personally; but I was there for the whole thing.
> A feastocrat asked the 12-year-old daughter of the head of my house (from a
>family of really great cooks) to "be in charge" of an entire course.  She
>patiently researched and (with lots of help) recreated the recipes -- a
>lovely beef dish and a green olive soup; and no, Ras, I don't have the
>recipes or source <grin> --  and had us over for dinner a couple of times
>trying them out.  I think they were perioid rather than period; but she
>worked her little heart out and the test runs were terrific!
>
>She showed up the morning of the feast, armed with notes and information...
>and was told by the Great and Mighty Feastocrat that, since she was so young,
>she was not allowed to touch the knives or come near the stove.  He refused
>to take her advice on the dishes and prepared the recipes HIS way.
>
<deleted>
>	- kat

How amazingly discourteous.  I am the tyrant of my kitchen and I
probably treat people badly in the heat of the moment, but to invite a
guest cook into your sanctum, then slam the door in their face, that is
truly atrocious behavior.

You have given me a wonderful idea for a small local feast.  Have the
children who are interested in cooking research and prepare the dishes
with a small group of adults providing overall supervision and support.
Keep the feast between 30 and 50 people, so it won't be murderously
tiring on the cooks.

I don't know when I'll be able to do something like this, but I am
certainly going to keep it in mind.

Bear


Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 13:14:39 -0500
From: "Decker, Margaret" <margaret at Health.State.OK.US>
Subject: SC - Horror story

This occured about 15 years ago but it's one that I've never forgotten. I
was heading up the prep crew for a very large feast and one of our helpers
was the single mother of a two year old. It was his nap time so she put him
on the floor behind where she was working on a blanket to sleep. some time
later he woke up and none of us noticed him so he wandered out of the prep
area and into the ajoining kitchen. The head cook was removing a very large
pan of roast beef and the juices were about an inch deep in the three inch
high pan. The baby walked up to him at just the wrong moment and in order to
not damage either the child or the roasts the cook managed to burn himself
all down the front of his tunic with hot meat juice. A quick thinking
assistant pulled the tunic off, washed the cook down and hollered for the
local chiergion who happened to be a Doctor. While the burns were very
painful the quick action saved the cook from permanent disfiguration, we
learned never to allow unwatched children anywhere near a busy kitchen.

Margarite du Battenhelm


Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 08:52:58 EDT
From: DeeWolff at aol.com
Subject: Re: SC - Worst feast ever...

In a message dated 10/18/00 7:58:26 AM, dminmin at hotmail.com writes:
>  The last feast I cooked someone made the 
>14 yr old helping out leave, since there is supposedly a rule against 
>children in the kitchen.  This was brought about by an accident at a feast
>according to the pronouncer of said rule.
>Maddalena

News to me! But it would change my entire focus in the SCA........I teach 
kids to cook in the SCA.

And I love the help in the kitchen. Kids are a great asset. It's a shame we 
often overlook them. My best helpers are under 18. They don't throw their 
weight around (I'm Count so and so) and they don't take it personally if all 
you have left to do is chop the onions.

Andrea M.
(who lives in the East<rules, what rules?Got any tea? Boston Harbour is 
looking a bit pale>)


Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 09:42:15 -0400
From: Angie Malone <alm4 at cornell.edu>
Subject: Re: SC -children in kitchen:was worst feast ever...

At 11:57 AM 10/18/00 +0000, you wrote:
>On the topic of kids does anyone know of any rules restricting those under 
>either 16 or 18 from the kitchen.  The last feast I cooked someone made 
>the 14 yr old helping out leave, since there is supposedly a rule against 
>children in the kitchen.  This was brought about by an accident at a feast 
>according to the pronouncer of said rule.
>Maddalena

My Dad owned a restaurant in NJ and there were certain pieces of kitchen 
machinery a child under 16 couldn't use. These were things like the meat 
slicer, the automatic dishwasher (very hot water), the grill, and the hot 
dog machine (one of those flat roller things that the hot dogs sit on and 
cook, I am probably missing some of the other machinery I couldn't touch(I 
was way under 16 yrs old).

Laws might be different from state to state.  Basically use common sense.

    Angeline


Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 10:38:34 EDT
From: CorwynWdwd at aol.com
Subject: Re: SC -children in kitchen:was worst feast ever...

>On the topic of kids does anyone know of any rules restricting those under 
>either 16 or 18 from the kitchen.  The last feast I cooked someone made 
>the 14 yr old helping out leave, since there is supposedly a rule against 
>children in the kitchen.

Rules vary from Kingdom to Kingdom as well as from State to State. Speaking 
from experience, I'd check it out with both authorities and know how solid 
the ground was on which I stood in the future. Any actual rules are written 
and are available for reading in either your Kingdom or State lawbooks.

I've found a lot of people who should know better assume there are rules 
where their aren't any, or are just making it up as they go along for 
whatever reason. I always assume the former, as I never attribute to malice 
what can be explained by ignorance. I'm not saying this is the case, and 
naturally, common sense should rule, but I find it's better to know the rules 
beforehand if possible.

I have also found it's easy to forget just how young some of our young people 
are, which is another reason to use common sense (as if it WERE common <G>).

Corwyn


Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 09:45:03 -0700
From: "Laura C. Minnick" <lcm at efn.org>
Subject: Re: kids in kitchen, was: SC - Worst feast ever...

deborah minyard wrote:
> On the topic of kids does anyone know of any rules restricting those under
> either 16 or 18 from the kitchen.  The last feast I cooked someone made the
> 14 yr old helping out leave, since there is supposedly a rule against
> children in the kitchen.  This was brought about by an accident at a feast
> according to the pronouncer of said rule.

I've never heard of such a thing. It is my experience that kids are more
careful- perhaps because they are more conscious of what they are doing-
and that it is absent-minded (or in-a-hurry, or drunk, or worse) adults
who have the nasty accidents. When my son sliced his hand a couple of
weeks ago, it was because someone else bumped into him, not because he's
14.

Sounds to me like someone simply doesn't want to take the time to
supervise a youngster.

'Lainie


Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 10:41:20 -0600
From: "Hoon, Twila" <HOONTW at libra.unm.edu>
Subject: RE: SC -children in kitchen:was worst feast ever...

I am not sure what (if any rules) the Outlands has about kids in the
kitchen, but I do know that they provide help in inumerable ways and some of
them are more safety concious then the adults.   Even if the Kingdom (or
site) has a rule against the kids being in the kitchen (or the dynamics of
the kitchen or what is being cooked -such as HOT oil) they can still assist
at a satelite location.  During pre-feast preparations I often have several
tables set up just outside the kitchen for those tasks that are suited.  For
the Midwinter feast I am doing, one of the planned activities for young
members to do is to help assemble and display the desert banquet.  If anyone
told me that I could no longer let the children assist (and learn and
particiapte) I would have  a huge problem.  Thankfully, my Baron and
Baroness as well as group seneschal wholeheartly support this _inclusion_ of
young people.

Saffia al Sabia


Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 12:25:54 -0700 (PDT)
From: Nisha Martin <nishamartin at yahoo.com>
Subject: SC - Kids in the kitchen

And I love the help in the kitchen. Kids are a great
asset. It's a shame we often overlook them.

When I have done kitchens at camping events, sometimes
the only reliable help I could count on was the kids.
I go out of my way to try to find things that they can
do that is actually something that needs doing, not
just something to keep them busy. 4-5 year olds can
butter or mayo bread for the sandwiches.(You just have
to make sure the little hands are clean.) They can
peel potatoes and carrots. Older kids can help haul
water, wash dishes, and cook. Kids always seem so
eager to help, I hate to discourage them. They lose
that helping spirit so often , I dont want to do
anyhting to help squash it. Sometimes (rarely it
seems) when there is nothing to do, I will explain
that I already have enough help, and too much help,
isn't help at all. But to check back with me either
after the meal, if they want to help clean up, or
earlier the next day. It takes patience to work with
kids. A lot of times, you have to show them exactly how
you want things done. But most of the time, they are
eager to please, and quick studies.

 Now that I have a two year old, I hope that someone
(besides his mom) will take the time to teach him to
be useful around the kitchen when the time comes. He's
not quite ready for it yet. But that is my two cents
worth. 

Nisha 


Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 16:00:35 -0400 (EDT)
From: Jenne Heise <jenne at mail.browser.net>
Subject: Re: SC - Kids in the kitchen

> When I have done kitchens at camping events, sometimes
> the only reliable help I could count on was the kids.

*grin*
Lo, these many years ago, I was involved with the founding of what later
became the EK Page program. I was also just starting doing dayboards. When
Ben the Steward was looking for things for his roving band of helpful
teens to do, they got sent tome, where they cut bread (I once had 100
loaves of bread sliced in a single morning-- with dulll knives... ),
melons, etc and peeled things and washed things and carried trays and ran
errands... The youngest ones (6 to 8) ended up washing and picking over
grapes. These kids were eager to work, liked helping out, and amazingly
never gave me a minutes trouble.
- -- 
Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, mka Jennifer Heise	      jenne at tulgey.browser.net


Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 13:33:51 -0700
From: "Jeffrey Miller" <eogan at amazon.com>
Subject: Re: kids in kitchen, was: SC - Worst feast ever...

From: "deborah minyard" <dminmin at hotmail.com>
> >I've never heard of such a thing. It is my experience that kids are more
> >careful- perhaps because they are more conscious of what they are doing-
> >and that it is absent-minded (or in-a-hurry, or drunk, or worse) adults
> >who have the nasty accidents. When my son sliced his hand a couple of
> >weeks ago, it was because someone else bumped into him, not because he's
> >14.
> >
> >Sounds to me like someone simply doesn't want to take the time to
> >supervise a youngster.

I've got a million other things to do than baby-sit someone elses kids while
I'm trying to cook a meal for 150 of my closest friends.  I honestly have
tried to give things to do to kids under ~16, and with only 1 exception,
they all vanished as soon as their attention span ran out or one of their
friends ran through with something more exciting to do - roughly 10-15
minutes in either case.

That said, I have had one youngster who not only stuck around, but ended up
being a part of the regular kitchen crew.  yay!

I'd love to have more kids involved when I cook, but it just hasn't worked
out.  I try every time a child asks though, and continue to have an open
mind on the matter.

> Actually the accident was a gas explosion from a problem with the stove gas
> line.  I think the worry was an insurance issue.  I checked the kingdom book
> of law and haven't found anything so I wrote the seneshal, will let ya'll
> know what he says.

Hrmm... I'm more worried about handing a knife to a kid and having them cut
themselves and then having the parent drag me and my shire into court. :(

- -j-


Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 17:02:30 -0500
From: "Rhonda & Chuck Leggett" <leggettr at netzero.net>
Subject: SC - children in the kitchen

	I have been following the posts regarding kids helping in the
kitchen at events. I have 4 daughters ages 18mos, to 9 yrs. The older three
are always eager to find a way to help at events. They regularly do
water-bearing ( the 9 yr old did3 consecutive hours last Gulf Wars)
and serve beverages at events. The system they use is for the 5 year old to
ask if anyone would like a beverage then guide the older kids with the
pitchers to the tables where needed. The younger one also serves seconds on
breads and such. They also manage to find things to do in the kitchen. The
older ones (7 & 9) stir pots, mix lemonade, run errands around the site, and
prepare trays of bread, cheese, and butter for serving. The younger (5)
empties garbage bags and fetches ingredients from the ice chest, organizes
serving platters, etc. The girls also help with kitchen clean up by checking
the tables for remaining trays and platters after the feast and drying the
dishes.  These girls have done these chores of their own free will. It was
actually their idea to begin helping. They started helping me with kitchen
clean up when the oldest was 6. They now work in the kitchen whether or not
I am there and even work at events outside our Barony.

       There really isn't much for kids under 18 to do  in the SCA other
than children's activities at events and my girls quickly become bored with
that. They have learned several A&S projects and enter every competition
they attend.They took the time to find for themselves things to keep busy
and be able to participate in the game. They have also found other ways to
help. My oldest is a page and my 5 and 7 yaer olds are ladies-in-waiting to
Baronesses. I think if everyone would take only a moment of time to think
there can be many things found to help children learn to be productive
members of the SCA. The early lessons last the longest.

Lady Tabitha Baker


Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 18:23:10 -0400 (EDT)
From: Jenne Heise <jenne at mail.browser.net>
Subject: Re: kids in kitchen, was: SC - Worst feast ever...

> I've got a million other things to do than baby-sit someone elses kids while
> I'm trying to cook a meal for 150 of my closest friends.  I honestly have
> tried to give things to do to kids under ~16, and with only 1 exception,
> they all vanished as soon as their attention span ran out or one of their
> friends ran through with smething more exciting to do - roughly 10-15
> minutes in either case.

Two points: if the situation at the feast is such that you feel you need
to be 'babysitting' someone else's kids, the tasks to be done may be
beyond their skill level. Or you may run your kitchen in such a way that
people with minimal cooking skills (such as kids) just don't work out,
because they do require more feedback and supervision.

2nd, having kids work in groups or at least pairs is the most successful,
I've found, unless you have a kid who just likes cooking or just likes
hanging with adults.

> Hrmm... I'm more worried about handing a knife to a kid and having them cut
> themselves and then having the parent drag me and my shire into court. :(

Being accident prone myself (It's not a dayboard until Bunny cuts
herself), I guess I don't take much notice, but then I'm dealing mostly
with 12 and up who can be trusted with knives not to cut body parts _off_.
We've had kids cut their fingers: we wash the cut out and send 'em to the
chirgeon. No biggie.
- -- 
Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, mka Jennifer Heise	      jenne at tulgey.browser.net


Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 17:08:21 -0700
From: "Jeffrey Miller" <eogan at amazon.com>
Subject: Re: kids in kitchen, was: SC - Worst feast ever...

From: "Jenne Heise" <jenne at mail.browser.net>
> Two points: if the situation at the feast is such that you feel you need
> to be 'babysitting' someone else's kids, the tasks to be done may be
> beyond their skill level. Or you may run your kitchen in such a way that
> people with minimal cooking skills (such as kids) just don't work out,
> because they do require more feedback and supervision.

Hmmm... its more a matter of people dropping by the kitchen several times a
day and volunteering their children for duty.  The kids don't want to be
there, the parents don't know what to do with their kids, and just assume
that the kitchen is a good place for the kids to "learn what the
SCA/service/etc is about" - a valuable lesson, but one the parents should
have primary responsibility for teaching, not I.

I do actually have several sets of tasks I reserve for people with little or
no cooking skills to perform; however, I've found in general that most kids,
even when they want to be there in the kitchen, haven't shown the attention
span such that I can entrust them with a critical task (and believe you me,
in a small kitchen, with the exceptionally small staffs we've worked with,
it's -all- critical).  That said, there certainly have been notable
exceptions, and I appreciate them and look forward to having them in my
space anytime they like.

There is also an issue with what exactly they can do.  For example, I am in
no way comofortable giving anyone else's children knives, unless the parent
themselves is there to supervise.

> 2nd, having kids work in groups or at least pairs is the most successful,
> I've found, unless you have a kid who just likes cooking or just likes
> hanging with adults.

Perhaps.  I've had quite a bit of experience working with children outside
the SCA, but what I'm doing in the kitchen is WORK, not play, and unless a
child REALLY wants to be there, they'll disappear sooner or later... and if
I need those apples peeled by golly, I need them peeled! :-)

> >Hrmm... I'm more worried about handing a knife to a kid and having them cut
> > themselves and then having the parent drag me and my shire into court. :(
>
> Being accident prone myself (It's not a dayboard until Bunny cuts
> herself), I guess I don't take much notice, but then I'm dealing mostly
> with 12 and up who can be trusted with knives not to cut body parts _off_.
> We've had kids cut their fingers: we wash the cut out and send 'em to the
> chirgeon. No biggie.

Even 12 year olds though have parents who can sue... and yes, it IS a little
paranoid of me, but all it takes is one, and poof! ...in debt (and court!)
for the forseeable future..

All that aside... I DO try to encourage kids - the SCA is insular and
unwelcoming enough to new folks (and children) without me shooing interested
people away from my kitchen, no matter what their age.

- -j-


Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 18:18:34 PDT
From: "Bonne of Traquair" <oftraquair at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: kids in kitchen, was: SC - Worst feast ever...

>Hmmm... its more a matter of people dropping by the kitchen several times a
>day and volunteering their children for duty.  The kids don't want to be
>there, the parents don't know what to do with their kids, and just assume
>that the kitchen is a good place for the kids to "learn what the
>SCA/service/etc is about" - a valuable lesson, but one the parents should
>have primary responsibility for teaching, not I.

My rules: Kids up to and including 10 yrs old may only help with whatever 
their adult is doing. Their adult is the one directly supervising them.  If 
their adult ends up socializing, and won't adjust their behaviour on 
request, goodbye to both of them.

Same rule applies to serving feast with the additional rule of 'must be in 
kindergarten'.  I learned not to say 'school' because of the number of 
people who think daycare is school and therefore their 4 yr old could pour 
from pitchers because he goes to Montesori.  Sorry, no. Oops at school are 
one thing, Oops at feast are too much of a hassle.

I don't feel that proclaiming this rule is blowing smoke and etc. as stated 
by someone earlier.  My kitchen, my rules. IMO, the feast cook shooing away 
a 14 yr old was being overly cautious, but I don't know their experiences so 
I'll just say that they have the right, as cook, to set such a rule.

Bonne


Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 11:39:15 GMT
From: "deborah minyard" <dminmin at hotmail.com>
Subject: SC - Re: kids in kitchen, 

Answer from the kingdom seneshal:
There is no Atlantian law re: children in the Kitchen.

There is no Corporate law w/ ages at all except where holding an office is 
concerned.

Current proposed Children's policies for the Minister of Minors also has 
nothing concerning this area.

Maddalena


Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 09:07:56 EDT
From: DeeWolff at aol.com
Subject: Re: SC - Re: kids in kitchen,

dminmin at hotmail.com writes:
>Answer from the kingdom seneshal:
>There is no Atlantian law re: children in the Kitchen.

Sounds like someone overeacting due to a bad happening. This is a common 
occurence in the SCA. The next time someone tells you that no kids are 
allowed, ask their parents if it is okay and make sure the  minor waiver is 
signed.

This is enough to satisfy the "rule" makers.

And I heartily encourage you to continue to teach the children.....the 
youngest child I have taught in an SCA kitchen has been 4 (she had minimal 
hand to eye coordination, but she loves to mix things. I gave her tasks that 
I knew she could handle and were not time sensitive to me. And the funniest 
thing.....Her parents said she ate everything at the feast saying "I made 
this, or I saw how they make this". She ATE everything, not bad for a "picky" 
eater.

It takes alot of patience and you must be concise with your directions, but a 
happy kitchen it will be. I like to have (medieval or Renaissance) music, and 
I encourage chatter as well. I learn from them as well. (Pokemon, BackStreet 
Boys, Britney, their families,etc.) It's amazing what they talk about.

Andrea M.
(A Seneschal who cooks and loves children in the kitchen) 


Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2010 13:01:40 -0700 (PDT)
From: Euriol of Lothian <euriol at yahoo.com>
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Teens in kitchens was New Pennsic Rule -
	Update	from the Source!

I love having kids helping in the kitchen, especially the teens. Sometimes it 
can be a challenge with younger kids, but I do try to find something within 
their abilities.

Last year I cooked lunch & feast in a field kitchen, and it was the Barony's 
teenagers & pre-teens who cleaned-up and packed down that filed ktchen with one 
adult who knew were things went. Those kids were awesome that day (and they 
usually are)

Earlier this year a did an all day sideboard and I had two teens at my house the 
night before doing the prep cook. These two just finishing up their second year 
at the county vocational school culinary arts program. They made getting the 
food preped so much easier, and one broke down 40 pounds of chicken leg quarters 
to drumsticks and thighs as well as a 10 pound brisket into stew meat.

My oldest son was one of these teens and has decided on a career?to be a chef 
based on how much fun he has working in the kitchen at SCA events.

Euriol 

<the end>
Edited by Mark S. Harris	child-kitchen-msg	12 of 13