We the Italians June 14, 2015 - 62 | Page 22

th # 62 • JUNE 12 , 2015 read more about #IT AND US IT AND US: Italian in the Kitchen, a language and culinary arts camp for children By Jacqueline Gowe Italian in the Kitchen Camp was born of a desire to combine my two passions; healthy cooking and the Italian language. It is inspired by my love of Italian cuisine, culture and also the Italian way of seeing the world with a love for cultivating beauty, intelligence and wit. During the week at Italian in the Kitchen the children learn about cooking and food, they tend the vegetable, herb and flower gardens, they sew a button on an apron, they play games outdoors using Italian words, expressions and songs, they pick flowers from the garden and draw a “still life” of foods, flowers and kitchen utensils. During all of these delightful activities the children are introduced to Italian vocabulary, expressions and songs in context while immersed in the activity. This is a very lively week where children are truly 22 | WE THE ITALIANS www.wetheitalians.com and happily engaged in Italian cuisine, language and culture. Italian in the Kitchen focuses on healthy food and wholesome choices. We are constantly challenging the children to think about the choices we make and how our choices affect us and our environment. Why is it important to eat fre- sh and local foods? Why does food taste better when it is prepared from scratch? Why is homemade bread made with so few ingredients compared to store bought bread? How do we pick the leaves from a basil plant so that the plant continues to produce more leaves? How do we recycle and compost in the kitchen?