girl scouting...

...at an event I'd heard about back in the fall. And found that my planned weekend in TN, was the same as when this really fun event occurred. P. has been working for several years with older girls, in late middle and high school. Listening and discussing, talking and suggesting, helping the girls come up with ideas for events they would like to attend, learning life skills that will assist them in becoming capable and productive adults. This one was about cooking.

But not just cooking any-old-thing. Something they would really enjoy preparing and then consuming: homemade pizza. There is a new business that has recently opened in downtown Chatty., devoted to helping people develop cooking skills. Offering lots of different classes on a variety of themes. They have actually only been open a couple of weeks, and the class these eighteen girls had was nearly the first official one for the business: Sweet and Savory.com.

I volunteered to tag along, and hoped to be useful. So tied on an apron first thing, and said 'what can I do?' Was given a flour measuring job, and got to work. The couple that owns/runs the business have a lot of cooking experience, and seemed to be very well organized. They also have a lot of funds tied up in the furnishings, in an old renovated brick building. Professional tools like four commercial stoves/ovens, a dozen Kitchen Aid mixers, proofing boxes for yeast dough, all manner of tools to provide a wide variety of meals. Plus all the ingredients they will need to share their skills and teach other people who are interested how to prepare good eats.

The girls made dough from scratch, put it in the proofer to rise. Then learned how to make mozzarella cheese from scratch. You have to have 'starter', but it was remarkable seeing that clump of white gummy stuff turn into cheese. Then made the sauce. They put it all together, with choice of toppings, and baked personal size pizzas which they enjoyed eating. He provided recipes, with step by step instructions for doing it all at home, and I do hope they will show off their new skills and make more pizza before it all goes bad sitting in the fridge. Really interesting, and pretty impressive. I know the nature of teens is that they can be hesitant, tentative when trying something new, especially in front of peers. But I am hoping they will be impressed enough with their new skills to be willing to reproduce the pizza at home and show off for family.