Though it was hard for all of us to come back on Monday from a relaxing, two-week winter break, we had a new grade level waiting for us in the kitchen upon our return. 7th graders bring a different kind of energy to the classroom, and Esther and I can only marvel at how many inches they’ve all grown since the last school year. For their first class back, the students are making a black-eyed peas dish from Ghana that includes red onion, coconut milk, greens from the garden, and at least ten different spices.

On Thursday, we weren’t able to see our regular 7th grade students due to a writing assessment and instead went on holiday in Spain hosting two Spanish classes, one specifically designed for native speakers. Though a standard kitchen class has the students broken up into three tables with each table preparing the same dish, this time each table made its own tapas recipe and prepared enough food for the entire class.

My table made a refreshing salad of sliced avocados, supremed red grapefruit, grapefruit-balsamic-mint dressing, and toasted pepitas. Esther’s table prepared patatas bravas by roasting red fingerling potatoes and made fresh aioli with eggs from our chickens by hand. Many students couldn’t believe it when they learned that mayonnaise was as simple as an egg yolk and olive oil and loved the deep color of the aioli as compared to a store-bought product.

Mr. Geiken, the Spanish teacher, led his group in shelling and then frying almonds and marinating olives (picked in the ESY garden and brined by students in November) with thyme, marjoram, garlic, and citrus zest. Everyone delighted in the variety of dishes we had to enjoy, learned new vocabulary (almendras, toronja, aderezo), and engaged in heated discussions about which plate was the tastiest.

Making grapefruit supremes

The finished salad

Almonds in their shell

Shelling the almonds in the mortar and pestle

Almonds transformed!