The new Kids Cook ! Austin store. Article from Addie Broyles, food editor for the Austin American’s Statesman.
Kids’ cookbook author Barbara Beery knows that 3-year-olds have the reputation of being more mess makers than competent cooks, but she says that’s more parents’ fear than reality. (The mother of three has been teaching kids how to cook for 20 years, so she knows they can make a mess, but makes a good point: Isn’t cooking inherently messy?)
Beery recently opened Kids Cook!, a cooking store and activity center on Far West Boulevard in Northwest Austin where kids from 2-12 can come in between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday for 15-minute drop-in activities.
We took Julian recently, and he was pretty thrilled to get to decorate (and then devour) an Independence Day-themed cupcake. (The activities — kids can choose between a healthy one and a sweet one — cost about $11 and include some supplies to take home.)
Beery is also offering scheduled classes ($13.99 to $29.99, including cooking products and tools to take home) for various age groups on Tuesday and Saturday mornings and Wednesday afternoons: toque and toddler (for ages 2 to 5, 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays), koodie (6 years and older, 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays) and general interest (various age ranges, 10:30 a.m. Saturdays).
In addition to the classes, the store offers a colorful selection of cookbooks, cookie cutters, cake molds, candy kits, kid-sized utensils and other adorable products that are as appealing to adults as their young chefs.
Call Kids Cook! at 512-346-3333 www.kidscookingshop.com
