Culinary tour of other countries

What is Christmas like in Southeast Asia? Or Latin America? Or Germany? That is what the kindergarten and first-grade classes from Lincoln Elementary got a taste of Wednesday as the Mt. Pleasant High School culinary class served up delicacies from other nations.

Senior Cade Warner, 17, brought a laptop computer to the commons area of the high school while partner Calysta Wilson, 18, brought a plate of homemade crab rangoons. Two classes of first-graders who were visiting for the morning sat at tables throughout the area. Warner and Wilson gave a presentation obout Vietnam and the Christmas traditions that are celebrated in that part of the world. Warner explained to the elementary classes that in Vietnam there were areas that celebrated Christmas.

'We are explaining what they eat and what they do and how they celebrate,” Warner said. 'We were told the kids were learning about other countries and we wanted to implement the food aspect.”

As Warner showed a video contrasting American and Vietnamese Christmas traditions, Wilson offered a rangoon to the members of Gloria Schmitz first grade class. Ganon Rodgers, 7, took a bite of the rangoon, turned his nose up and set the half-eaten puff down on the napkin in front of him.

'I don't really like it, but I like it a little,” he commented.

Schmitz said the culinary arts presentation was tied into her class' study of social studies and culture.

'I like it because it gives the older students the chance to work with the younger children,” she said. 'The younger kids get a chance to see what they are going to do when they get older.”

As the first-graders rotated between tables, they got to try chips and slasa as part of the Latin American cuisine and ginger iced cookies as the German dish. This was the second year the culinary arts department had held the demonstration for the elementary school students.

High school Culinary arts and child development teacher Marjorie Beckman said last year the event had featured other countries and was held in the spring.

'We try to do something different every time,” she said.

She said the culinary arts students at the high school would be doing projects with food trucks this coming spring and many members also participate in Iron Chef regional events. The students have won the competition four times.