Sue:
Arlette N. Braman, the author of the wonderful kids' cookbook Kids Around the World Cook! shares both international recipes and culture with the kids and a real love for food.

Her book is a terrific starting point for kids to learn how to cook.  Not only are the recipes easy to prepare but they are very exciting and varied.

Arlette's own childhood fueled her interest in preparing meals with international flavors and ultimately in writing Kids Around the World Cook!.  With both of her parents being outstanding cooks along with her Polish, French and Spanish heritages she experienced dynamic dining.  Mealtime was an event of colors, textures and flavors from around the world.

Arlette has focused the recipes in her book on foods from other lands. The information and recipes in Kids Around the World Cook will give children an instant around the world tour of countries and a taste of foods from many cultures. She wants kids to know about what children eat in different countries.

Not only does her book Kids Around the World Cook teach about cooking it also teaches about culture. Her "tasty tidbits" are little "bites" of information about the recipe the child is preparing.  For example, Arlette  offers up what other people eat with chilled soups in her recipe for Polish Strawberry Soup.   These tidbits are excellent points of interest as they can broaden a child's culinary horizon.

Kids Around the World Cook! is a great resource for all families and is very effective for home education and providing activities for groups of children.

Sue:
Thanks Arlette for talking with me today about your book Kids Around the World Cook! : ).

Childhood Memories

It sounds like your childhood was full of exciting and delicious foods. What was your favorite dish and why?

Arlette:
It would be difficult to pick one dish as a favorite. My dad, who did most of the cooking in my family, made so many wonderful ethnic dishes.

I associate many of those dishes with fond childhood memories or with feelings of "comfort."
For example, his macaroni and cheese will always remind me of dinner with my family on a Friday evening. That's one of the reasons I included it in the book. Plus, it's a great all-American recipe. I still love home made macaroni and cheese. Other favorite dishes include pierogi, (my Polish grandmother's recipe is the best!), paella, and a boiled dinner of meat, cabbage, potatoes, and chorizo, a Spanish sausage. Easter brings back memories of a meal of cold ham, kielbasa, and various salads. One of my fondest memories was at Christmas.

My sisters and I got nougat from Spain, called turrón, that was hidden in our stockings. The candy was packaged in small wooden boxes that were secured using the tiniest of nails. A narrow red ribbon was tied around each box. The anticipation was almost as delicious as the nougat.

Cultural "Tidbits"

Sue:
I love your book Kids Around the World Cook; not only is it a terrific cookbook made especially for kids to use but it gives them so much more. What gave you the idea to include little "tidbits" about the history of the recipes and their culture?

Arlette:
I think it's important for kids to understand why they are cooking a particular recipe or why that unusual ingredient is necessary to the success of a certain recipe. This information helps kids build mental connections. Also, I love doing research and finding that tidbit of information that may not be in the mainstream. Sometimes I use older edition books rather than current ones because these books often will contain information not found in recent edition books.

I also interview people and search the Internet hoping to find what I think is interesting. In doing so, I like to pass that knowledge on to children. I believe it gives kids a more in depth understanding of the
topic, in this case world cultures and their foods. In Kids Around the World Cook!, the Cooking Up Some History, Tasty Tidbits, and What's in a Name sidebars about the food, culture, or recipe give kids an awareness of and connection to that particular culture
in a fun way.

"Similar, Yet Diverse"

Sue:
Today so many cultures are just being blended into one. Cooking and food seems to be a unique and meaningful way for kids to learn about other cultures, what they eat and why. What do you think is the most important aspect of your book Kids Around the World Cook ?

Arlette:
As with my first book, Kids Around the World Create! and now with Cook!, I believe the most important point I tried to make was that in many ways we (people from all cultures) are similar in that we all create art or bake bread or make wonderful desserts. But we are able to demonstrate our unique individuality and diversity in the way we make that bread, or that cake, or that piece of jewelry. For example, I used a theme approach for both books. The first section of Cook!, Wet Your Whistle, presents beverage recipes from different cultures illustrating that all cultures make beverages. After each recipe, I include a "Culture Link," which is information about another culture that makes a beverages or recipe using similar ingredients as the featured recipe, but this culture creates something that is different and unique. It was my way of linking our similarities while celebrating our diversity.

Foods That Kids Can Make

Sue:
The glossary at the end of your book is super-
very complete and easy for kids to understand. What do you think is the biggest misconception about food in our country as it applies to our children?

Arlette:
I don't think we give kids enough credit when it comes to trying new and different foods. Kids can be adventurous eaters if given the chance and opportunity. I often tell my two children, ages 11 and 13, (and believe me, they can be extremely picky!) that unless they taste the food, how can they say they won't like it! I never force them to eat what they don't like, but I encourage them to at least try.

Plus, when kids are involved in the planning and preparing of the meal, they are more willing to give it a try. My goal with Kids Around the World Cook! was to include recipes that kids could make on their own or with adult help for the main meal dishes. Food is a wonderful way to expose children to many diverse cultures and to new and interesting tastes. I'm not suggesting we all cook from scratch every night. Everyone is so busy today and it's easy to rely on fast foods. But if we try to make a meal with the help of our kids at least once a week, we might be quite surprised by what our kids will want to eat.

Book Excerpt from:
Kids Around the World Cook!:
The Best Foods and Recipes from Many Lands
by Arlette N. Braman, Jo-Ellen Bosson

Mexican Hot Chocolate
Reprinted with permission of the author.
All rights reserved. ©2000 Arlette N. Braman

see this recipe

Interview 1: Kids...Cook!
Childhood Memories
Cultural "Tidbits"
"Similar, Yet Diverse"
Foods That Kids Can Make
FREE recipe:
Mexican Hot Chocolate

Interview 2: Kids...Create
Connecting Cultures
Special Holidays
Basic Craft Materials
FREE Craft:
Indian Welcome Message

Kids Around the World Cook!:
The Best Foods and Recipes from Many Lands
by Arlette N. Braman, Jo-Ellen Bosson

An international compendium of recipes introduces kids to a world of delicacies that are easy and fun to make. What do Jamaican kids eat for breakfast? What do Japanese families have for dinner? What kinds of treats do Norwegian children have for dessert? Kids Around the World Cook! helps young readers develop an appreciation for other cultures by introducing them to a banquet of recipes from around the world. Kids learn how to make lots of fun meals, including: Indian Sweet Lasi (a yogurt drink), Ethiopian Injera Bread (a thin pancake-shaped bread), Polish Strawberry Soup (which is served cold on hot summer days), and Japanese Kushiyaki (meat and vegetables broiled on skewers). The recipes come from many countries around the world, including the United Kingdom, Mexico, Israel, Cuba, Egypt, South Africa, and Thailand, among many others. In addition, text and sidebars supply plenty of background information on cultural food traditions to help kids learn as they eat!

Kids Around the World Create!:
The Best Crafts and Activities from Many Lands
by Arlette N. Braman, Jo-Ellen Bosson

From Italian carnival masks to Egyptian jewelry,a fantastic collection of Earth-spanning activities Kids Around the World Create! is an excellent way for parents and teachers to introduce children to dozens of diverse cultures from around the world and throughout history. Each of the projects and activities in this collection is original, fun to do, and accompanied by a host of interesting facts about the culture. Author Arlette Braman helps kids recognize the similarities between cultures as well as appreciate the value of diversity. Perfect in the classroom or at home, the many multicultural projects include making an Egyptian bead necklace, designing an Amazonian Indian headdress, sculpting an Inuit spirit figure, and many more. *Includes original activities from many countries, including India, Ghana, Japan, Korea, and Mexico *All projects can be done with easy-to-find and inexpensive materials