Edible Columbus Winter 2010 : Page 16
Young Palates SNOW DAYS Food-focused winter adventures turn meals into memories By Rachel Tayse Baillieul As the regular growing season ends, families need not forgo exciting food experiences. It’s easy to the beat the blahs by exploring the local food scene in wintertime. Establish a new family ritual to strengthen bonds for years to come. Or, spice up the dreary days with a field trip or family cooking challenge. CREATE FAMILY RITUALS When the year comes to a close, school breaks, holiday celebrations and visits from relatives can throw the family routine into chaos. It is sometimes difficult to maintain healthy eating routines and home cooking during this busy time. Yet the smells and tastes of holiday cooking are the perfect background for creating new meaningful family rituals. Meg Cox, author and parent, writes in New Family Rituals, “The special power of the ritual is that it can slow time and heighten our senses, and by doing so, we can intensify and deepen our family ties.” Enrich your winter by creating a new family practice that will build long-lasting memories. You might celebrate the first day of winter by stringing local popcorn and hanging it on branches for the birds, or ring in the New Year with cocoa, made from scratch with Snowville creamery milk. Perhaps this year and every future January 1 you will plant an indoor herb garden to bring new life to your culinary pursuits. Simple rituals that involve many senses and draw on the interests of the whole family are the most memorable. PRACTICE CREATIVE COOKERY Cooking and eating challenges help families fight the winter doldrums. One family might choose to purchase an unfamiliar vegetable every time they go to the grocery store. Older children can help research cooking techniques and everyone can enjoy tasting the new recipe. Another creative challenge is to transform your dining room into a restaurant. Children can write the menu, take orders, set the table and serve each other. Maybe they will be inspired to take on the role of the dishwasher! 16 Winter 2010 edible columbus
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