Every once in awhile, I come across someone who says, “I don’t know how to cook”. Usually, I can’t resist saying something like, “You mean, you’ve chosen NOT to learn how to cook.”

I must confess that I am wary of people who chose NOT to learn how to cook. It is completely beyond my comprehension. Perhaps they don’t care about food? (That also escapes my understanding!) Maybe they have someone cook for them: a family member, paid staff or restaurants? ANYONE can learn to cook and I believe everyone SHOULD learn to cook.

We’re doing our best not only to teach Mia how to cook, but to encourage a love of cooking. She  likes to help with real work, it is a fun way to spend time together, and, in the process, she learns so many things besides “just” how to cook.

Recently we made Swiss chard and ricotta stuffed crepes. And Mia helped with both the crepes (making the batter) and the stuffing.  Here are some photos of that process…

• First five pics are mixing up the crepe batter
• Last two pics are mixing up the stuffing (ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, swiss chard, yellow onion, and mushrooms)
• Mia is holding and pouring large containers of liquid all by herself
• Mia is multitasking with adding the flour and mixing it in
• She takes this work very seriously
• This little girl is three and already knows more about cooking than half the population

Holding steady

Adding milk & cream to the eggs

Mixing it in

Adding flour poco a poco: tap, tap, tap

Multi-tasking: adding flour and then mixing it in

Later, mixing up the stuffing: ricotta, parmesan and sautéed chard/onions/mushrooms

Alas, I can’t find the photo of the finished product but will add those when I do.

Here’s to your cooking!