If you are a Francophile, you are aware that today is” le 14 julliet”, the annual French holiday that marks the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789, which is considered the beginning of the French Revolution and the new nation. As with our 4^th of July, it’s a celebration of independence, and we were fortunate enough to be in Paris last year to see the parade.

I had (and still have) much to learn about “le 14 julliet.” For one, the French do not call it “Bastille Day” as we do here. It’s either La Fête Nationale or le quatorze juillet. Which makes sense, the storming of the prison is not what is celebrated but the events that followed. Why we Americans do call it “Bastille Day” I do not know, but it would be like other countries call our July 4^th “Boston Tea Party Day” instead of Independence Day.

The Avenue des Champs-Élysées was draped in French flags and packed with people. It turns out that the parade is a military parade, a tradition since 1880. We’d never seen a military parade, (part of me kept waiting for the floats!) but it was an unforgettable sight.

Afterwards, the kids could hop on military trucks and tanks and have their picture taken. I have to admit, my first response was "Seriously?"  But when in Rome Paris…

I’ve experienced so many 4^th of July barbeques and fireworks shows that it becomes very easy to forget what we are celebrating. But seeing the Parisians celebrate the modern democracy they enjoy today reminded me to do the same.

Ask any American and they’ll know that July 4^th is also our national day of barbequing, but I’m still unsure what exactly the French eat on July 14^th. So tonight, we’ll enjoy an easy roasted ratatouille, who knows if it is a July 14^th favorite in Paris, but it is a very popular, hearty, and healthy dish that originated in Provence. Bon Appétit!

Tuesday is a great day to take the ferry into San Francisco. At the end of the school year Ella’s art teacher had introduced the class to Andy Warhol (originally Warhola, as my daughter patiently explained to me) and the pop art movement. So we were off to visit the SF MOMA to take advantage of the free admission day (the first Tuesday of the month) and see some of his works on loan as part of the Fisher exhibit.

 But before we made our way up Market, we made our way through the Ferry Building. While the free admission was nice, my main reason for picking a Tuesday was to enjoy the farmers’ market there. Of course, the Saturday market is spectacular, but it’s also crowded, so the Tuesday market was just our speed.

We wandered the Ferry Building debating lunch options. As always, Out the Door (the takeout station for the Slanted Door) won out. It’s those steamed chicken buns, we all love them. With a peach from Frog Hollow we were set, sharing a bench with a million dollar view.

We had happy bellies and were ready to trek to the SFMOMA. It’s such an inspiring place to walk around. Ella thoroughly enjoyed the galleries. My 4-year-old, on the other hand, was more interested in finding the rooftop garden (and café). So up we went, because I figured there was a piece by Mondrian she'd really like.

   Actually, a piece of Mondrian, cake that is. We ordered a slice of Mondrian Cake, intricately baked and assembled to resemble one of Piet Mondrian's Composition pieces. All the desserts were witty plays on art works; a cake inspired by Wayne Theibaud, a Richard Serra Cookie Plate to build your own edible sculpture, etc. And they served the best coffee—roasted by Blue Bottle Co. I made sure to pick up a bag of their beans at the Ferry Building, and then with a few more provision stops (can’t leave the place without some cowgirl creamery cheese!) we were back on the Ferry home.

Yes, Tuesday is a great day to take the ferry into San Francisco.

plum-raspberry crisps that were prepared in individual ramekins...

and a very yummy blackberry ice cream base (which we sampled but it does take at least 3-4 hours to set up properly. However, there were no complaints with our soft ice cream!)

Cost Plus is selling ramekins in sets of 4 for $2.99. Those were the ones I used for our class, sending the kids each home with a little boxed crisp--they were charming! There are sold in a variety of colors; we chose red and blue in anticipation of the patriotic weekend ahead.

And just an FYI, starting in the fall, I'll be posting reminders here a few days before the class occurs. Especially for the City of Santa Rosa classes, it can be difficult to remember that your child is enrolled in a one-day class in July when you signed up for it at the start of the year! If you'd like, you can subscribe to my blog (top right of this page) and then the postings are delivered to your email box. I really appreciate everyone's support with the classes, I love teaching your kids and hope this is helpful. If you have any other ideas please let me know-- l love your feedback, suggestions, and new class ideas. Thanks!

Hope your day is filled with family, friends, shade and lemonade!

One of my summer goals is to get out of dodge once a week with the girls on a mini-day trip. I was born and raised in the East Bay, and then moved to San Francisco before heading up to Sonoma County. It’s such a treat (for me and the girls) to visit old haunts and to enjoy that bay breeze. Today we started our adventure at the Adventure Playground in the Berkeley Marina. It’s really an anomaly; a playground of forts and play equipment that are in a continual state of change—thanks to the kids who can earn use of tools and paint and then have at it.

I know it sounds like an accident waiting to happen, but it’s very well organized and the staff ensure everyone ”plays  safe.” We wandered from fort to fort, sawed a little in the workshop area, and then hit the mini zip-line. I haven’t been since I worked at a day camp in the East Bay 15 years ago, and the place felt the same. Adjacent to it is a standard playground and great lunch spots, as well as a perfect cove for dipping your toes in the water.

Here is a link to the Berkeley Marina and Adventure Playground if you'd like to visit:

http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/contentdisplay.aspx?id=8656

Needless to say the girls built up quite an appetite there, so for lunch we headed to another East Bay institution—Fenton’s Creamery. I have memories of going there with my parents when I was a kid, and they both have memories of doing the same with their parents. It’s just that kind of place.  Fenton’s also never changes—they pride themselves on that. Stepping in there, with its marble tables and ice cream parlor chairs, and wait staff dressed in retro black and white uniforms, you feel transported back in time—even if the teens at the table next to you are all texting away while they wait for their sundaes.

And oh, those sundaes. What can be said about this:

Actually, not much. When it arrived on the table, it was the first moment of silence I’d experienced with the girls all day. Millie looked up to the sky as if to thank the goddess of dairy products. The girls were in awe, until Millie said, “Dig in!” And did!

Here is the link to Fenton’s Creamery:

 http://www.fentonscreamery.com/

The girls made a huge strawberry shortcake from scratch for Father's Day. I'm sure you would agree it sure does beat a tie! By the way, the recipe was from Sheila Lukins cookbook Ten: All the Foods We Love and Ten Perfect Recipes for Each.  I have yet to find a dud in this cookbook, and if you don't have it yet, you should treat yourself to a copy, especially since she has all sorts of summery recipes in it. This cake had a terrific texture to it and her mixing methods are a little untraditional, which meant fewer steps, so the kids had an easy time with the recipe from start to finish.

I'm starting to think about our "Summer Desserts" class on July 1st at the Finley Center. I think we'll do this recipe as one of the desserts for the class. (The other two are blackberry ice cream and a peach crisp.) The morning class is full, but I have four spots left in the afternoon class for young chefs ages 11 to 14. Here is the link if you're interested:

http://econnect.ci.santa-rosa.ca.us/Activities/ActivitiesCourseDetails.asp?aid=42&cid=55087

Hope everyone had a wonderful Sunday with all those wonderful dads!

If you have kids, do you ever stop and think how lucky we are to be parents? Not of our children in particuliar, that’s a given, but just how lucky we are to have a chance at enjoying a second childhood as it were. Ella and Amelia did swim lessons last week, and afterwards the girls would be famished. The last day the three of us were sitting poolside chomping on the sweetest, and hugest, slices of watermelon possible. Millie said it tasted like candy only good for you. She was so right!

We were sitting there with watermelon juice dripping everywhere, and I couldn’t believe how lucky I was. Sure, I could see enjoying dainty slices with friends at a summer barbeque, or a watermelon, feta and rocket salad with a glass of pinot grigio, but it would be nowhere near as fun as our poolside slices were.

And the only way I got away with that was because I was a parent. Cupcakes may have forayed into the 18 and up consumer market, but you probably still aren’t going to get many opportunities to enjoy one that looks like a moose unless you have kids. Or at least have purchased Karen Tack and Alan Richardson’s new tome, What’s New Cupcake? The three of us have been poring through it. The girls are on a quest for a new cupcake for Amelia’s birthday party, as it is only two months away. I think they found it, but for now the winner is under wraps. The book is so remarkably creative—so bright—so fun! Giddy fun. What childhood should look like fun. If you haven’t already, you have to check it out. I think it’s better than their first.

Even the music I’m enjoying I probably never would have heard unless I had kids. It’s Here Comes Science, by They Might Be Giants. I’ve felt like I was 18 all week, when I first fell in love with them and listened constantly to “Birdhouse in Your Soul,” “Anna Ng,” and “Don’t Let’s Start.” (I had their cassettes. Do my kids even know what one looks like?)

A few years back, they started writing kids’ music, and it is insanely good. Amazing melodies, clever lyrics-- it may be “kids’ music” but you forget it is. (I find myself humming “Triops has Three Eyes,” when I’m alone in the car.) I’ve fallen in love with them all over again, but this time in more of an eternally grateful that they did this sort of way. As any parent knows, for every one good children’s song, there are masses of shrill and annoying ones, and if your kid falls for one sung by a dinosaur, you’ll be listening to it over and over, in the car, at home, in your dreams. We’ve been spared thanks to TMBG.

So that’s what our summer has been about, eating watermelon, admiring cupcake books and rocking out to “Meet the Elements.” I can’t complain and I hope your summer is shaping up to be a good one too!

Enjoying a break after a morning in the kitchen!

We had a blast at our Summer Luau class at the SR Finley Center last week. The kids prepared a Hawaiian inspired meal of chicken kebabs with pineapple rice, fruit kebabs as a side, and for dessert we baked up a batch of "island cookie bars" to round out the meal. This wasn't this most authentic representation of Hawaiian cuisine. But the recipes for the class were borrowed from a Patacake Party--that is, this menu could be done as the activity for a Luau birthday party at home.

We started the class in the kitchen with our cooking lesson, and once we were done preparing the meal, the kids strung together leis made with straws and foam flower cut outs. The ages of the kids ranged from 5 to 9, and all of them enjoyed this activity.

I purchased the lei kits at Michael's Crafts.

The kids then donned their new leis and sat down for lunch. Originally we had planned an outside meal, but it had sprinkled in the morning so we made do. Afterwards we tried a limbo contest. At home that, and a hula hoop contest would have been a great way to end a party.

We made a double batch of our dessert so it could be packaged up to go home. When doing a Patacake Party for a client, we always make sure that a sample of what the kids baked is packaged up as a party favor. I do this for most of my classes as well; since parents are not at the class it's a great way for the kids to share what they accomplished, and also to stave of too much sugar at once.

Here is the recipe for our island cookie bars--enjoy!

Island Cookie Bars

Coconut and macadamia nuts give this standard bar cookie a tropical flair.

Ingredients: 

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups coconut flakes

1 12 ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy. 

Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl, and then add to the batter, mixing until just combined.

Add the coconut, chocolate chips and (if using) macadamia nuts and mix until just combined. 

Spread the batter evenly in a lightly greased 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean.

Allow to cool slightly and cut into bars.

The month just flew by. We've had some wonderful classes over at the Finley Center and the Windsor Community Center: the kids did a fabulous job with our April in Paris class, cooking up a French bistro meal for 30+ in just two hours! And we had our third mother's day tea as well as our first mother's day tea for tots. I love the opportunity to create meals and moments with all our talented young chefs!

But now we're thinking about the end of school, and summer is almost here. It really hit me when my eldest, who usually comes home with a Monday homework packet, instead came home emptyhanded and with a huge grin on her face. Homework days are done, and school is done in a matter of days.

How will you celebrate the end of school? If you're looking for ideas, here is an article I wrote for education.com about hosting a carnival. I hope everyone enjoys these last few days until the summer kick-off arrives!

http://www.education.com/magazine/article/host-end-of-the-year/

a trip to the farmer's market with my little ones when they really were little ones. You've gotta start them young!

If you're looking for an idea on what to do to celebrate Earth Day, here is an article I wrote for education.com on the topic. It includes a recipe for a simple asparagus carbonara for after your next trip to the farmer's market--enjoy!

http://www.education.com/magazine/article/celebrate-earth-day-edible-adventure/