Recipe for Level I

Recipe for Level I: Bruschetta with Oven Roasted Tomatoes, Basil, and Percorino Romano

Begin by cutting two to three pounds of mixed tomatoes, include, homegrown, cherry, and heirloom varieties. Cut into bite sized bits and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Set your oven at 300. Then toss in extravirgin olive oil, 2 - 3 cloves of peeled and smashed garlic broken into pieces. Next tear fresh basil leaves into pieces and sprinkle on top. Bake from 1 - 1 1/2 hrs, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cut a large baguette or other bread of your choice into half inch slices, douse with olive oil and grill until charred, turn and repeat. Remove and smear three times from left to right with a large clove of raw garlic. When tomatoes are ready, spoon a mound on each bruschetta, sprinkle with percorino romano and olive oil. Serve immediately.

The Secret Life of Vegetables

Today officially marked the second year of the FCP. The emphasis this year will be to take the knowledge we learned about food and make our lives better. I thought of many ways to approach this topic but the best way to drive home this message was to get the kids back into the soil. As a child we loved playing in the dirt. I had each Level I chef plant an egg carton garden. They actually got back in touch with Mother Earth. Level I had always daunted me but this year there was something different. I felt more at ease with the children, just being myself, but at the same time knowing that I am giving them life altering information that could one day impact them. I moved freely among them showing them how to put the seeds in the soil and then cover them with another layer of soil. The smallest thing amazed them. I felt so blessed that God had chosen me for this mission. This year's beginnings went very smoothly compared to the chaotic start of 2009. Even though I slept well, there was a bit of angst when I got out of bed. My mind was immediately put at ease, when a generous donation from my company came though and also a good friends donation of fresh basil. I had a great idea about what the kids would make with basil and tomatoes, and since we had just plant them, the first thing that came to mind was brushchetta, only mine will have a twist.

Running Out of Time

You know that small dark place in the pit of your stomach that rears it's ugly head when you are about to do something new, it makes you forget what you've practiced, hear things you don't, be afraid when you're not, or even look fate in the face with dark glasses. I came to class that day with very little, a short speech on ratio and proportion, a brief segue way into French baking techniques and a demo on how to butter the small tins that my store had donated to the project. I had started to worry if I would have enough time to pull this off. The mixer and all the ingredients had been preped, a swap out pound cake was waiting in the wings, but I knew these kids would want to see their cakes baked and finished. It's like waiting for Christmas morning. Feeling pressed, I rushed them through the buttering demo and breezed into the kitchen to start the cake making process. Mind you, I am a very didactic person and did not want to omit a single detail on how to make this cake. Of course, I took too long and we had to rush filling of the pans, but we did get them into the oven with 15 minutes to spare. Unfortunately, the oven was slow and it would take not only the 15 minutes but another hour before my little brood of pound cakes would be ready to make their debut. Sadly, my students were long gone and so were the staff. I stayed behind to make sure that all their little cakes were baked perfectly and cooled so that the next day each child would come in to find their overnight treasures. I could see the disappointment on the face of each child as they left and wondered about the fate of their cakes. Sadly, their teacher had run out of time. Continued.

Let Them Eat Cake

Level 2 came with a new set of rules that I was about to learn. This group, though, more animated was to my surprise more easily influenced. I heard varying degrees of chatter about the newest this and that. Thinking that I could rely on what I had learned about children from Level 1 was short lived. Each group came with its own set of rules. Its thrilling not to know what you are going to do next, but at the same time scary not to know what to do at all. I was preplexed. Knowing that I wanted to teach this level baking but what? Cookies were to trite and cupcakes, expected. Then it dawned on me to teach them how to make a cake. Not just any cake but a pound cake, one with a tender golden crumb delicately flavored with lemon, almond and vanilla. At the same time they could learn about ratio and proportion based on the original French recipe for a Quart Quartre (equal parts of flour, sugar, butter and eggs). I decided that each child should make his own cake. I was able to procure some cute little tin baking cups that were perfect. I had never baked in the church's oven but I prayed that it would work. I made a just in case cake to take with me to class. Again, the stage was set and I was ready for the curtain. Continued

Recipes for Level 2, Pound Cake with Lemon Drizzle

Before you start make sure that all your ingredients are at room temperature, especially, the butter, eggs and milk. Butter and flour a large angel food pan and set aside. Sift together 3 cups of flour with 1 teas. baking powder and 1/2 teas. salt. Repeat two more times. This makes for a lighter cake. To 1 cup of milk add a teaspoon each of lemon, almond and vanilla extracts. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer cream 3 sticks of soft butter until light and creamy. I like to use the european butter because of the higher fat content. Slowly add in 3 cups of sugar little by little. This should take about 5 minutes to do. Scrape bowl on bottom and sides and with the mixer running on medium speed add six eggs one at a time beating well after each egg. To this add 1/3 of the flour mix and fully incorporate. Next add 1/2 the milk mix, and continue, adding the flour mix last. Be careful not to over mix or the cake will be tough. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in a 325 degree preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool in pan 30 minutes before turning out right side up on a serving plate. With a toothpick or skewer make holes all over cake. Mix together the juice of one large lemon and add 1/2 cup of sugar. Before sugar completely dissolves spoon over warm cake. This cake keeps well for one week and longer if frozen.

Going Back to School

After a most brilliant, acapella, handclapping song the kids made me feel welcomed. I gazed out at their beautiful faces trying to see each separately, innocent, trusting and nonjudgemental. I felt a heavy weight on my shoulders. Only my best would do. I introduced myself as Charles, but later learned that these children were being taught respect, manners and graciousness, so henceforth I became Mr. Charles or just Chef. Armed with my borrowed copy of Green Eggs and Ham and the slight formality of asking all their names we began to read. I started to become the child within and totally lost tract of the time line that I had been given. The kids were responding and I was in a zone. We were having such a good time with Dr. Seuss, I forgot we still had to make mayonnaise. My lovely director whispered to me that I had 30 minutes. I could not believe that an hour had passed this quickly and the kids had not been fed. Not to worry, a whole army of hands rushed to the rescue. We must have had ten people peeling eggs; with me looking like a star, I demonstrated to the kids how to transform an ordinary egg into something called mayonnaise. They even joked about the way I pronounced it with my southern accent. All being said, with the help of God and all the backup, I got the job done, the children were happy and hopefully learned something new. One little girl as I was leaving ran up and hugged me and said "thank you" another little guy said, "goodbye chef." The seduction was now complete. My next trial was Level 2, will I be able to retain my title of Iron Chef? Continued

Recipes for Level 1: Mayonnaise and Egg Salad Sandwiches

For the Mayonnaise: To the bowl of a food processor add 1 whole egg at room temperature, the juice of a small lemon, 1 clove of garlic, smashed with the back of a knife, one and a half teaspoons of Dijon mustard, then salt and black pepper to taste. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in one half cup of extravirgin olive oil. Keeping the motor running, slowly add 1 cup of vegetable oil. The important thing to remember is to add the oils very slowly so that the emulsion can take. The sound of the machine changes. It is a good idea to check the consistency of the sauce, if to thick a bit of lemon juice, to thin, more oil. Good homemade mayonnaise is not claggy like store bought but smooth, thick and creamy. One large egg will usually emulsify one and a half cups of oil.

For the egg salad: Put one cup of mayonnaise into a bowl (the rest keeps in the fridge a week tightly covered). Slice in 10-12 cooled, boiled eggs, I cup of frozen green peas that have been blanched in boiling water for 1 minute and cooled, and one half cup of freshly chopped dill. Gently toss together until all in well incorporated. Chill. Make sandwiches on the bread of your choice. We used a good crusted Italian white bread called Pagnotta. For a variation add lettuce and tomatoes and even bacon and avocodos.

These are the recipes we will be making in the next post. I suggest you make them and eat along with us. They are easy and delicious, at least the kids thought so.

How to Boil An Egg

Blessed with a beautiful day, and all the things I needed to make this work, I entered the church to the curious stares of all assembled. Confidently, I walked into the kitchen armed with an entourage of equipment and ingredients. The director introduced me to the summer interns that would be helping me with the kids. I was then informed that the young kids would not come into the kitchen but could observe through the pass through. I also met two charming volunteers, ladies, that would assist me. They were an older group and just delightful. Each followed my instructions to the letter. However, they began to doubt my ability when I instructed them to start the eggs in cold water, bring to a boil then shut off the fire and time for 15 minutes. The eggs should be cooked perfectly I exclaimed. They both looked at each other and one said, "I have been boiling eggs for 60 years, but never, have I made one like that, are you sure you know what you are doing?" I assured her that this was cutting edge culinary technique and yields a perfectly boiled egg each time. With the kitchen and staff organized to my liking it was time to meet my class. Two tables were placed in the dining room with 10 kids at each. Each had an apron and a wooden egg to ponder. Little did I know that before I started my class, I would be grandly seranaded by the entire group. Continued

Into The Fire

No matter how much we do something, there is always a little angst the next time one starts something new. My first class was to be in five days and being someone who flies by the seat of his pants, I still had no plan to speak of except to read Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss to Level I, (kindergarteners to 2nd grade). They were, I thought at the time to be my biggest and most daunting group. I racked my brain. What could I teach that would be easy, interesting and something that each child could do with adult supervision? Again a moment of clarity, EGGS. Hence my first class was given the title, "All About the Egg." The subject matter could segue into a myriad of topics; chickens, birth, creation, proteins, fats, cholesterol, all of which I felt a bit advanced for my audience. I had gotten advice on teaching children from all quarters, parents, former teachers, teachers, educators and just plain folk. Little did I know that their level of intelligence was on a par with much older children, than, when I was a child. Boy was I in for an education myself. I formulated a plan and wrote my recipes and said a prayer that it all goes well. This was my maiden voyage. Not only would it test my mettle but the very future of the project hung in the balance. There would be no cause to fail. The freeway was the first time I sweat, this was to be the second, as I marched into the fire. Continued

I Can See Clearly Now

Traumatic experiences like these always gives one cause for personal reflection. Even though I had looked death in the face, I had also survived. I walked away shaken but unharmed. Was the Force truly with me? Had I personally been given this mission because no one else on the planet could do it but me? Having come out of this with nothing more that my car being out of alignment, I happily chose to believe the latter and surged forward with a newly found zeal. With the instincts of a thousand hunter gathers before me, I decided even before I knew what I would be teaching each group of kids, that supplies and ingredients would be required. Where does one find food? Why, at a supermarket, of course. The first one that I came to was in my neighborhood. I approached the manager, a charming lady of great stature with a cheery smile and demeanor to match, and forthrightly asked for a donation. Expecting to get a lot of doublespeak and red tape, I was pleasantly surprised when she said that her store would be glad to help. Having leaped this hurdle the second was easy. I also work at a specialty food store with a wonderland of ingredients, so I expected nothing less of my corporation. My general manager was more than happy to oblige. Somewhere a path appeared and was brightly lite with my next move. I could not wait to make it. Continued

Bratwurst March 15, 1995 - November 2, 2009

It has been a few days since I have made any posts to this blog. Sadly, I had to euthanize a beloved pet, that I have had all these many years. He has been one of the best sous chefs in the business and shall be truly missed. With him in the kitchen, I never had to clean one thing from the floor. Brats, as he was fondly called, had loss his sight, hearing and control of all bodily functions. He had even lost the ability to stand. It broke my heart to do it but I know that it was best for him. I feel somehow he knew and was happy with the decision. As I sat with him in my arms at the vet's office, he actually had a smile on his face. I was unable to watch the procedure but knew the instance he passed on from this life. That was the connection we felt. Now I must move forward alone without him but he will always be with me in my heart. I thank all of you that read this to bear me this indulgence. Charles Henson

Angels, I See Angels

What goes through your mind when faced with mortality, is beyond me, I just knew at that instance I was not going to die. Karma, fate, the good deeds, divine intervention, call it what you want but at that moment, I remember turning the wheels sharply to the left and the car being lifted off the ground. I ended up in a grassy knoll on the side of the expressway. Visibly shaken and profusely sweating, I began taking stock of what had just happened. I had just survived a near death experience, my little car that could was still running and I was free to go. Anyone who does not believe in God at this point can stop reading. Cautiously moving off the knoll, I felt that my little car had incurred some damage. I drove very slowly for about two miles and then stopped to ask directions. I stopped at a gas station where this nice latin lady did not speak English but there was another man who spoke a little and assured me that I was going in the right direction. At this point I just wanted to get home. I felt like Dorothy in Oz. Again I found a street that was on my mapquest direction, but, do I turn left or right, again I make the wrong choice, the difference now is that I could see the downtown skyline and I knew however lost I was that I would eventually make it to the Emerald City. Continued

Chaos Theory

After a brief tour of the facility and being introduced to a few key players (the lady in charge of discipline was my favorite), I was shown the kitchen. It was adequate enough, cabinets, a refrigerator (crammed full of juice boxes), double sink and to my surprise a restaurant stove. I could do this. The director and I worked out a plan, I was to come every Tuesday at 1 pm and would have 20 kids each time starting with Level 1, K-2nd grade, then Level 2: 3rd-6th grade, Level 3: 7th-9th grade, and the infamous Level 4 Teens (I love them). Knowing the plan, I started to think of the next step. Form a menu, procure the materials and create the lesson plan. No problem. Little did I know that I was about to make a terrible mistake. Starting back, I got out my trusty mapquest directions and started to reverse the course in my mind. It was rush hour and at some point I made a wrong turn and ended up at an octopus of an intersection where 8 streets converged with a railroad track running through. With only 30 seconds to decide and a thousand cars behind me, I chose a street where there were no cars, bad mistake. I began to hear a symphony of horns all hearlding my impending doom. I had turned down the exit ramp of the freeway. When I realized what I had done, there was a city bus and an 18-wheeler coming directly at me. Continued