Source: Tap Into New jersey
Burlington County’s youngest cooks have a new place to develop their culinary skills through a new program at the Burlington County Agricultural Center (BCAC).
The class was held in the Farmhouse Kitchen and was led by the Kathryn Simon, the BCAC kitchen manager/program coordinator, and Amanda Rodriguez, owner and operator of the Rod Homestead in Haddon Township. It was the first of a series of special culinary workshops the Agricultural Center has planned for children between the ages of 7 and 13.
During the class, the kids got the chance to smash garlic for sauce, kneed and stretch dough, and chop tomatoes, vegetables, and fresh mozzarella for toppings. The class also covered kitchen and food safety lessons, and basic nutrition. At the conclusion, students were able to enjoy their own creations both at the farmhouse and at home.
Burlington County Commissioner Deputy Director Tom Pullion was in attendance.
“Our Burlington County Parks System has activities, events and programs for all ages and interests and our Agricultural Center and its Farmhouse Kitchen is a fantastic place to learn about farming and how to use locally grown products to make into delicious meals and snacks,” Pullion said.
“The addition of the new Kids in the Kitchen series gives our youngest budding chefs a taste of cooking in a commercial kitchen with instructions from cooking pros. As a foodie and amateur chef, I was thrilled to watch these kids interact and learn the ins and outs of the kitchen.”
Rodriguez, who is an instructor at the Agricultural Center’s numerous cooking workshops and culinary classes, said teaching children the art of cooking is one of her favorite activities.
Young students who missed the pizza-making class have other opportunities to learn kitchen skills, as other upcoming Kids in the Kitchen classes include St. Patrick’s Cupcake Making on Sunday, March 12 and Earth Day Celebration Cookies on Saturday, April 22.
Registration is required for all classes and there’s a $40 fee for each participant. Classes are drop-off but supervising adults are welcome to attend and watch.
In addition to cooking classes, the Agricultural Center plans to hold a Kids in the Garden series of classes, along with adult gardening workshops and seminars devoted to raising backyard chickens. The center also hosts the County’s weekly farmers markets each Saturday in the spring, summer and fall.
The Burlington County Agricultural Center is located at 500 Centerton Road in Moorestown.
For more information about the Burlington County Agricultural Center and its upcoming events, download the Summer 2023 Program Guide.