Help your kids cook up an interest in food

I open the door to a back room at the West Seattle PCC, and the sounds of happy toddlers erupt. The 2- and 3-year-olds have just gotten an introduction to cooking in a course that had them making fruit salad, cookies and the savory equivalent of gingerbread houses using whole-grain crackers, hummus and vegetables.

More than one of the participating moms has been here before with other, older children -- a testament to the notion that such small children can learn some basic skills in the kitchen.

Tyler Yamamoto is, at 3, an old pro in the kitchen, where he and his dad create smoothies his mom Alisa gushes over. But she says she wanted to "get an idea of other things he could or should do in the kitchen." The PCC course is a "fun, low-pressure class" that introduces new skills, as well as new, healthy foods.

The healthy aspect is something that Ellice Ellenhorn also appreciates. She brought her son, Noah Chriqui, to the class -- one his older sister had attended when she was about 3. "It gave us a chance to have a special outing together," she says, "and I liked the idea of another adult introducing healthy foods to my kids. It often makes a difference not coming from a parent."

Ellenhorn says that busy parents who don't always have the time to cook with young children may find cooking classes for their youngest tots a great way to bond over the makings of a meal. "The price of the class was small compared to the fun we had and the memory we created," she says.

Despite the young age of the participants, the class is one of the more popular ones offered locally by the co-op, says Marilyn McCormick, manager of PCC Cooks. "The children's cooking classes almost always sell out, and almost always before any other classes we offer," she says. Along with classes for toddlers, PCC offers courses for 4- to 6-year-olds (both the toddler and preschool classes are for children and their parents), elementary-age kids and teenagers. They also have cooking camps during school vacations and summer.

Topics for upcoming spring classes include tea parties for boys and girls, pie-making and dishes from France and Asia. Each class costs $30 for members and $35 for nonmembers. Three-day camps are $90/$115, and five-day camps are $150/$175. For more information, visit PCC's Web site.

Across the lake, Sur La Table also offers cooking classes at its Kirkland store that are designed specifically for kids. Kimberly Davis, corporate chef for the organization, says there is increased interest in cooking classes for kids because of the popularity of cable TV's Food Network. "They are so eager and cute," she says of the foodies-in-training.

Courses offered at Sur La Table are all for kids 6 and older -- old enough to be dropped off by parents -- although there are special classes for parents and children, including one around Father's Day, and a mother-oriented tea-party class. Among the upcoming classes: "Teens in France," Feb. 2, and a Valentine's-themed course Feb. 16. Most classes cost around $50. Summer cooking camps are more expensive. More information is available at Sur La Table's Web site.

Both Davis and McCormick say that safety is emphasized in all classes, from washing hands to safe knife skills in the courses that include cutting. At Sur La Table, the kids are often given smaller chef's knives to fit their hands, and at PCC, McCormick says cutting is done in a separate area with closer supervision.

Surprisingly, Whole Foods Market locations in the Seattle area haven't jumped on the kids'-class bandwagon -- at least not yet. Theresa Crim, marketing and community-relations coordinator for the Bellevue store, says they're launching a program in March and will begin to publicize their kids' camps for the summer, including an edible-garden camp and one on natural health care for preteens. They'll also begin weekly cooking classes designed for kids. Look for updates on the Salud! calendar this spring.

A few organizations, such as Kaspars Catering, offer summer-vacation cooking camps for kids, and other organizations offer cooking classes that, while not specifically aimed at kids, are popular with them. NuCulinary, which offers classes through Uwajimaya, has kids as young as 11 come to their classes, says course director Naomi Kakiuchi. The sushi-rolling classes are a particular hit. They also do cooking classes for kids' birthdays and other occasions.

If you have a child who you think is ready for a class that isn't designed for kids specifically, call the teacher or sponsor and see if they're amenable to having your child participate. "You'll know if your child is ready," says Kakiuchi.

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