food prep Archives - montessori works

monthly bread, may — it’s the experience, not the product, right?

April flew by without bread, whoops! We will aim for two loaves this month to make up for it!

So, I was feeling a little nostalgic when we were planning this loaf of bread, and I went to an old recipe that I remember making about 7 years ago with my stepdaughter (she went through a bread baking kick). I thought it was the first loaf we made together, but looking at the date on Soulemama’s post, I know there were loaves before that!

My nostalgic memory is of a delicious perfect loaf of bread. Unfortunately, I don’t know what happened, but I imagine in was our fault and not the recipe’s. And really, I’m the only one that even noticed the overly dough texture despite the extra long baking time, and super strong honey taste — the family inhaled it!

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our monthly bread–sun bread

We eat a lot in this house, really, a lot. And I cook most of what we eat. Most days I enjoy cooking dinner, making lunches, loading the dishwasher – but like us all, some days I look at my family and think “Didn’t I just feed you yesterday? You mean I have to do this again?”

In an effort to slow down, to be mindful of the creating and the joys of feeding those you love, I decided to add a new rhythm (I like how rhythm sounds rather and routine) to our days. Imogen and I are going to make a new bread once a month and I will share the recipes and the outcome here with you.

^^ Listing all the breads she wants to make. She is pretty sure we need to make bread for January and February, since I did say we would make bread every month. ^^ Continue reading “our monthly bread–sun bread”

cheese cutting – food preparation

I love food prep in the class and at home. It is a wonderful collection of activities that entice and call to almost all children, because really, who doesn’t love to eat?

Food prep activities truly get children excited about working. The works encourage independent choice, which is the foundation of all later Montessori work, general independence and development of confidence, coordination of large and small motor skills, concentration, and the works reinforce a sense of order.

For me they are the perfect practical life work. We have dedicated our top shelf to food prep and we rotate through a different activity about every 2 to 3 weeks.

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Father’s Day French Yogurt Cake

French yogurt cake has been a staple in our house for the last few years. My obsession started after I read A Homemade Life, by Molly Wizenberg (here is her blog post about the cake). Over time we have tried many variations, and finally settled on a recipe that fits our family.

The delightful part of the recipe is that the units of measurement are based on the yogurt container (about half a cup). The lovely and romantic story is that this is one of the first cakes that young French children learn to make. If we lived in France, I would have a darling glass yogurt jar, but since we don’t, I have an old YoBaby yogurt cup that we just reuse.

Why is this a fantastic early baking experience? Well, first it is absolutely delicious. Second, I love it as a transitional baking project. Rather than having all the ingredients premeasured (as I do with other baking projects) part of the work, and the fun, of making this cake is using the yogurt container as the unit of measurement. It adds in that next step in to the baking process. It does require support from an adult, but it is building the bridge to more independence in the kitchen. And, did I mention it’s delicious as well as adaptable?

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basics – my montessori corners

I have tried to think about what would define our home as a Montessori home, because it is, but how? I do not have works for my daughter – she comes to school with me and has a whole class full of works and two wonderful teachers, thankfully that is off my plate – but I still support and develop the basics of all Montessori activities — coordination, concentration, independence and a sense of order. Here are a few ways that I have found that work for our family.

The Learning Tower

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montessori bread work

For the last four years I have always had some variation of bread making as a work in my class. Some years I have started the work as early as October, other years I have waited until spring. It usually depends not only on the children, but also on my level of motivation. This year we are starting post spring break and we will use the rolls that we make for food prep – spreading either butter or peanut butter.

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