AROUND HOME : Kid Cooks

WHEN a child gets past wondering what Tabasco and chocolate sauce taste like mixed together, it’s time to consider a cooking class. Part of the fun for junior chefs is learning to make favorite kid cuisine such as pizza, pasta and tacos. Foods associated with seasons, such as Halloween treats, are in demand, too; gingerbread “architecture” classes are the most popular. La Cocina in La Canada Flintridge conducts classes for children 6 to 12. One of the most popular is the Great Twinkie Challenge, in which the children have to find alternatives to junk foods. Pizza-making and cookie-decorating classes are popular, as well. La Cocina will also host cooking birthday parties, and depending on the age of the students, they may even get to decorate the cake. Let’s Do Lunch is one of the favorite classes at Let’s Get Cookin’ in Westlake Village. In classes for children 6 to 14, everyone gets to eat the topic of the day. Some parent-child classes also are offered. Children learn to make their own tortillas and pasta at The Kitchen Witch Gourmet Shop in Encinitas. Tots from kindergarten on up are welcome, and birthday-party classes can be arranged.

Cooking instruction for children is practical and fun. Students learn basics, such as how to use knives and other kitchen tools, and how to operate a stove and oven safely. Most of the instructors try to introduce concepts of nutrition along the way. More important, kids become more self-sufficient in preparing their own lunches and snacks, a true boon to any busy parent.

Cooking classes for children are held at La Cocina, 1401 Foothill Blvd., La Canada Flintridge (818) 952-6072; Let’s Get Cookin’, 4643 Lakeview Canyon Road, Westlake Village (818) 991-3940 , and The Kitchen Witch, 127 N. El Camino Real, Encinitas (619) 942-3228.