Playing with our Food

How often does an adult ask you to play with food? On Monday that was a requirement in Hoke County as our 4-H Agent, Shea Ann DeJarnette, worked with 4-H day campers to decorate all sorts of sweet confections as part of a cake decorating workshop.

The morning was spent doing the prep work. We baked cookies in the shape of Winnie the Pooh's head, we baked cookie lollipops and made candy. Before we took a break to eat some really needed lunch after making these sweet treats we had one more thing to bake. With the help of everyone we made butter cupcakes to serve as a canvas for our creativity.

We all tried to get over the really incredible smells and sat down to eat our homemade lunches we made. Thanks to Ms. Shirley, the life skills program assistant who helped today, she and Miss Shea Ann had a gourmet lunch. Ms. Shirley made a wrap with a ranch flavored spread, ham and cheese on a whole wheat tortilla. It was twice as good as it looks.

After cleaning up from our incredibly yummy lunch it was time to get to work. We started by decorating our candy. That was done by melting more candy and painting it on what we had molded. After being Picasso's with candy we moved on to bigger things, things like cupcakes.

The most important thing to do first was make the icing which is the base of all things sweet. We learned about using decorating bags and different tips to make different designs. Our first practice assignment was to pipe icing then use premade decorations to finish off the look. each of the youth were able to take two cupcakes home with them and then decorated two more. One they gave to Ms. Shirley as a thank you for all her help with the class and the other one was presented to the County Extension Director, Keith Walters. He quickly washed his hands and sampled their work giving them a thumbs up (since his mouth was full) for their efforts.

We were only about halfway through at that point. Miss Shea Ann brought a cake with her that she decorated (with design tips from the youth) and presented to the staff after class. As she decorated the cake she showed us what the different tips can do and made different bags with different tips. Then we used the bags and tips to help us decorate our cookies. We also had gel writers with different colors to help add to the creativity of our youth.

When we got done everyone had four cookies, two cupcakes and a bag of candy to take home. Each youth also had the chance to make their own decorating kit complete with icing bags, two decorating tips, coupler, and several sets of directions so they can practice at home.

We must say a special thank you to Cathy Brown, the 4-H Agent for inviting us to take part in this sweet event, and well as Ms. Shirley for all her help. To all the youth and parents who made it possible, we hope that this was as sweet for you as it was for us.