TheJuniorCitizen - Connecticut Junior Republic

Photo: Francine SpencerCJR Students Enjoy Culinary AdventuresStudents enjoy learning about food preparation and traditions in CJR’s culinary arts class. Picturedabove is instructor Emily Mullen making Thanksgiving pies with a group of students.CJR culinary arts instructor EmilyMullen has been teaching boyspractical skills in the kitchen formore than 20 years. During that time, shehas seen a number of her students return totheir homes, schools and communities, anduse the skills and interests they developed atthe Junior Republic to obtain after-schooland post-high school jobs in the hospitalityand restaurant industry. Some studentshave even gone on to further study at suchprestigious schools as the Culinary Instituteof America in Hyde Park, New York.While Ms. Mullen and her students taketheir work seriously, the holidays provideunique opportunities for creativity andamusement.At Halloween, Ms. Mullen spiced up themenu for her students by getting into theholiday spirit. What boy can resist makingand eating recipes like Squashed Frogs,(a Halloween-themed confection); DeadMan’s Meatloaf (a variation on the old standard- in the shape of a body); GnarledWitch’s Fingers (a novel version of bakedchicken breast); Strained Eyeballs (spookydeviled eggs), or Brain Dip and BleedingHeart Jelly? There is just enough of themacabre and grotesque for teenaged boys totake special glee in making, serving and eatingthese recipes.CJR students also explore the differencesand similarities in the ways people celebratemajor holidays, including Thanksgiving,Christmas and Hanukkah. “For Thanksgiving,”said Ms. Mullen, “we create a ‘mixup’meal, and prepare a variety of dishesthat might appear on a Thanksgiving table.We actually include a number of recipesthe boys bring from home,” she said. “Ifthey can not obtain a recipe for a particulardish, we find one,” she noted. As a partof the lesson, the boys use the internet tofind recipes and information about traditionalThanksgiving foods such as turkeyand pumpkin. “We also research the ethnicholiday traditions of each student andexplore the various foods that appear onthe Thanksgiving table of each group representedin the class,” she said.At Christmas, the boys have made a traditionalcodfish dish from Portugal, collardgreens and smoked turkey neck bones withFrank’s hot sauce (an African-American tradition),Arroz con Gandules (rice with pigeonpeas, a Latin American dish), roastturkey and stuffing (an American custom)and General Tsou’s chicken.“Our boys learn how to make GeneralTsou’s chicken from scratch and it is verygood,” said Ms. Mullen. “For many of ourstudents, take-out food is a big part ofthe holiday tradition in their homes. Thisparticular dish is one that many of the boysassociate with the Christmas holiday,” sheexplained.In addition to learning how to preparetasty, nutritious menus and how to presentfood attractively, CJR students broadentheir appreciation of culinary traditionsand ingredients. Ms. Mullen also designsher classes to ensure that students learnlessons that are transferable to all their futureendeavors.“The culinary arts class teaches boysthe importance of teamwork, respectingothers, and that you get out of life whatyou put into it,” said Ms. Mullen. “If youinvest a lot of work into a culinary project,”she observed, “you get great results.”Much emphasis is placed on organizationalskills. “The very first thing my studentslearn is the concept of ‘mise enplace,’ which means ‘everything in itsplace’ in French,” stated Ms. Mullen.While learning to cook, boys begin toappreciate the importance of meetingdeadlines. “There are almost always timeparameters when you are cooking,” saidtheir teacher. The boys also develop asense of personal pride. “That’s a skill!”stated Ms. Mullen emphatically.In culinary arts boys learn to multitask,take responsibility, and share withothers. “Most of my students need tolearn not to be afraid of making a mistake,and how to build on that experience,” shesaid. According to Ms. Mullen, manyCJR students are afraid to let others seethat they have made an error. In theculinary arts class and throughout the CJRprogram, students discover the importanceof supporting one another.“After safety,” said Ms. Mullen, “this iswhat I look at most closely when I grademy students -how supportive are they oftheir peers? You cannot learn in an environmentif you’re not feeling safe, andany one of my boys can tell you this,” shesaid.In Emily Mullen’s eyes, cooking is agreat confidence builder. “The boys getresults almost immediately and they loveit when they can share food with theirfriends. All the kids on campus know wehave labs in culinary on Thursdays,” shechuckled. “My students get mobbed bythe other kids and staff when they leaveclass with their leftovers.” Beaming, shesaid, “Of course, my boys just love the attention!”THE JUNIOR CITIZEN / HOLIDAY 2006 3