Arts and Skills Day

Arts and Skills Day

On Feb. 24, we attended the Arts & Skills Day 2007 hosted by School Support Services of Christian Academy in Japan. We could meet English-speaking homeschooling families there. There were several workshops. Our children chose the class "Culinary Wonders" led by a professional chef. Our children have learned a lot from him. After they returned home, we had them write out what they learned from him. Here are some excerpts from their memos.

Health and Hygiene

-The first thing to do when you cook for someone else is to ask if they have any food allergies.

-The second thing to remember is “health and hygiene.” Always be careful to keep clean and not contaminate the food that is being cooked in the kitchen.

-When chefs have colds, many times, they will not be allowed to cook unless there is no other chef who can take his place. When you have a cold, wear a mask and cough towards the floor.

-Careful where you put your hands; you may accidentally put your hands on a sharp or hot object.

-Always wash your hands!

-When you walk, don’t walk like you usually do, walk “determined steps” so that you won’t slip or fall.

-Chefs actually wear something on their head as well as an apron, to keep the germs from contaminating the food.

-If you have a knife in your hand, face the edge forward as you walk.

-One of the things you can do to keep your fingers clean is to scrape out the dirt and nasty things under your nails with something. You can wash your fingers and scrub them against a towel.

Cooking Tips

-When you’re cooking meat, one of the things you can do is preheating the pan a little. Once you put the meat into the pan, the flavor will “stick.” I can’t remember what term he used for this, though.

-Garlic is a chef’s best friend! It is a quick way to add great flavor to the food.

-When marinating a chicken, you need vinegar, soy sauce, pepper, and salt, etc.

-Be creative when you’re cooking. If you find something in the fridge, use some creativity and combine it with something completely different to whip up a small meal/snack when you feel hungry.

-A marinated chicken should cook until all the soy sauce has glazed

In the afternoon, they held a "Show-case" where children did performances such as singing, reciting Bible verses, playing instruments, etc. We sang a piece of J.S.Bach as a family.

We enjoyed fellowship with other homeschoolers and Christian parents there.

Mrs. Flossie Epley, the director of School Support Services