Time for Lunch

   Each day in the office our 4-H Jr. Chef Day Campers are learning to prepare a different meal.  Today was lunch.  Joanna Rogers, our Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program Assistant (EFNEP) led today's cooking challenge and boy did they have some edible fun.

  We started our day however reviewing the past two days of what we learned and what we liked.  Two very different and important aspects of what we do in 4-H.  Our youth said they learned how to use a knife, cut and chop items, read a recipe, and learned about the different things that go into the foods they love to eat.  They were also brave and tried new things because they had fixed them and thought they might like them (and they were right).   Our youth also learned about the hard work it takes to follow a dream and open your own business.  However they said they weren't scared of hard work if it meant they could follow their passion. 

We split into our teams today and one headed to the kitchen to start working on sliders and the other headed outside to work on their own hand made charcuterie boards.  While in the kitchen they worked on hamburger sliders, and sides that included fries, a fruit cup, and one group even worked on chicken sliders in case we had some folks who weren't keen on hamburgers.  Our groups also experimented with desert.  One group made s'mores bites while the other group made an Oreo bite.  During lunch we had to get our official taste tester, Kareis "Ramsey" Britt, to come in and give a professional opinion.  She said both were wonderful and she would not turn down other one, but the s'mores bite had just a little more umph to it.

  After cleaning up our cooking and eating mess from lunch we let our food digest over some Chopped-Jr. Chef.  Then it was time to recreate Chopped the pie version with the pies we brought back from our field trip from the Slice of Pie Company in Raleigh.  We had three pies; Chocolate Chess, Keylime, and Lemon with a Raspberry topping.  Each child got a sample slice and we did a thumbs up if they liked it, sideways if it was ok, and down if it wasn't their favorite.  The chocolate pie was their absolute favorite.  Although the Keylime and Lemon pies had some who felt they were the best...the group overall went with chocolate and really enjoyed the pie crust on all of the pies.

  To work off the calories we went to the Robeson County Farmer's Market in Downtown Lumberton for a quick scavenger Hunt.  Our youth had the opportunity to talk with the Market Manager, Marie Amsdill and learn what a CSA is.  They spoke with farmers, craft vendors, and others to learn more about what they do at the market and gained some great insight into what the Farmer's Market provides.  They also made a new friend in Mr Crochet who talked with them about his crocheting work.  ll the youth said they could have stayed and talked with the vendors all day long.  We reminded them that their parents can come back and shop there every Saturday from 7:30 am-noon, and on Wednesdays from 3:00 pm-6 pm.  It's a great place to find farm fresh produce and locally hand made or grown gifts while supporting our local farmers.

 

When we came back to the office we talked about the rest of our week and our learns and likes for the day.  We also said goodbye to our beloved teen volunteer Kennedi Lyons.  Today was her last day with us as she was headed to college orientation at NC A&T Thursday and Friday and will have a busy Summer as she finishes her term as a State 4-H officer.  Over all we had a great time cooking up fun in the kitchen.  If you would like to see all of our photos from today, please click this link.