Class is in session – in the kitchen – at the cross-town homes of Daniel and Mallory Latini and Sally and Kevin Lager.
As many as 30 families are tuned in to Book N’ Cook, a monthly series of Saturday morning cooking classes for children taught via a live-streamed video feed. Urban Seeds Executive Director Maria Marton often serves as the instructor for this partnership with Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library and Legacy Taste of the Garden.
On a stormy July morning, the Latinis’ two oldest kids, Lucinda, 9, and Aviva, 7, each don aprons in anticipation of crafting spring rolls and peanut sauce inspired by Grace Lin’s “Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods.” Meanwhile, neither 10-year-old Ian Lager nor his parents have made spring rolls, so the whole family is learning together.
Mallory says the exercises show children that cooking meals isn’t “magical” – there’s time and effort involved.
“We look for life skills,” she says. “This is a good way for them to be in the kitchen, and I don’t have to facilitate it necessarily. I can be the assistant.”
Recipes are based on books – provided by EVPL – that run the gamut of global cuisines and cultures. Ingredients and tools are furnished by Urban Seeds, at no cost to participants.
This is hands-on learning. At the Lagers’ home, Ian sometimes starts prepping vegetables before the instructor’s prompt. His parents let him move at his own pace but guide him back if the demo jumps ahead of him.
Book N’ Cook started in 2021, and instructors often see familiar faces. The intent is to encourage healthy eating, bring awareness to gardening especially within cities, and show children that they can grow their own food.
“We have families who consistently come every month and every year,” says Erika Barnett, EVPL’s programming manager, and a helper with the classes. “You get to see kids grow up.”
The Latinis and Lagers homeschool their kids, and both sets of parents welcome opportunities such as Book N’ Cook.
“I do a lot of teaching, so I’m always finding new ways for them to learn from someone else,” Mallory says.
