IN THE CLASSROOM -- A tasty education

Deirdre Newman

As freshman Meghan Cameron delicately dipped a strawberry into

chocolate and twirled it around, “oohs” and “aaahs” emanated through the

classroom.

Meghan, a student in Janet Dukes’ beginning foods class at Newport

Harbor High School, was demonstrating how to make chocolate-covered

strawberries during a lesson on chocolate baskets.

Dukes’ beginning food class students were elbow-deep in white and dark

chocolate as part of their end-of-the-quarter project. Although the

baskets looked like something only Martha Stewart could handle, the

recipe was actually not that complex, Dukes said.

“I really like when they can learn something that looks difficult,”

Dukes said. “So many students have made these for all kinds of

[occasions].”

The baskets make great gifts for holidays such as Valentine’s Day,

Mother’s Day and the upcoming winter formal, Dukes added.

Dukes has been teaching culinary arts classes at the school for three

years and has helped the program mushroom from three to five classes.

The beginning foods class, which is mostly freshmen and sophomores,

covers basic skills such as safety and sanitation, measurements and

baking. Students cook breakfasts, lunches, dinners and complete meals.

Dukes also brings in professional chefs and parent volunteers, such as

Hennie Sondel, who taught the chocolate basket lesson.

Sondel, who has been volunteering for the past three years, said the

class is a great opportunity for students who may be thinking about a

career working with food.

“Some of these kids are incredibly artistic, and we’ve sort of let

them think that nothing will come of them and that’s really disturbing,”

Sondel said. “Many of these kids who were failing in school are now

coming to school, they love it.”

Sondel demonstrated how to melt the chocolate for the basket, how to

dip the strawberries in the white and dark chocolate to get a “tuxedo”

effect, and how to make a leaf pattern on the chocolate. She told them

not to wash the strawberries, “or else the chocolate won’t stick,” but

that the leaves should be washed before using them.”The nice thing is you

cannot make a mistake,” Sondel said.

Sondel said she especially enjoys seeing the macho football players

carrying the chocolate baskets around to give to their formal dates.

Freshman Greg Miner, who assisted for the chocolate basket

demonstration, said he would consider trying the recipe on his own for

his mom’s birthday.

“It’s cool, kind of hard, but fun,” Greg said.

After the demonstration, the students worked in their groups to make

the baskets themselves.

Meghan said she enjoyed the camaraderie in the class that has evolved

from cooking with her friends.

“It’s fun. Everybody works together,” Meghan said.

* IN THE CLASSROOM is a weekly feature in which Daily Pilot education

writer Deirdre Newman visits a campus in the Newport-Mesa area and writes

about her experience.

FYI

The Culinary Arts program received $5,000 from the California

Restaurant Assn. The president of the Orange County chapter is Ed Lee,

chief financial officer of Wahoo’s Fish Taco and a graduate of Newport

Harbor High School.

The funds will be used to buy equipment and for field trips, teacher

Janet Dukes said.