Crystal Faircloth, Staff Writer
My 14-year-old was graciously accepted into the early college program at Southeastern Community College this year, and when I say graciously, I do mean it on their part, because the teenage angst is strong in this one. My moody child does however have a beautiful soul and a tender heart that he displays readily so I hope that somehow his dad and I have rubbed off on him in the best of ways.
He knows how to run any computer or electronic device that confuses us older folks, and he has mastered the art of running a vacuum and the washer and dryer. So, when he was asked to pick a field of study for his high school career, he chose the Easter egg of skills that I thought had escaped him: Culinary Arts. Notice I said the word thought.
Turns out, this kid can run my Kitchenaid mixer better than I can.
Two months into his studies he came home with a delicious cookie in hand. It was one of those huge lunch lady cookies filled with chunks of chocolate and buttery goodness. “Mom, I brought this one home just for you, and I have the recipe,” he said. Hallelujah! He really is his mother’s son!
For weeks we had planned to replicate this treasure, but we always ended up busy or exhausted by the time we all got in the door and got settled for the evening. The cookie hiatus ended this week when I finally set my mind to taking the butter out of the fridge to actually reach the desire room temperature recipe suggestion. One trip to the grocery store later, my boy ran to the kitchen to bake after shucking off his backpack and coat from school.
He carefully mixed and measured, took my guidance in stride, and scooped cookies onto baking sheets. He read each step before combining ingredients and questioned anything he was unsure about. This is the nature of the beast when learning to cook. He waited patiently as those doughy rounds rose and spread in the oven, and we carefully took them out when they were golden brown.
The taste was perfection, and he now has his first entry in our family recipe book. I couldn’t be prouder of that man-child of mine. I always thought I’d have to have a daughter to pass down the generational pie recipe to, but my Bay will do just fine in the kitchen beside me as we prepare those sacred holiday meals.
It was only his second attempt in our kitchen, but I love how the creation of yet another family cook is working out.
