CHARDCORE: Jason Burr, principal of John Witherspoon Middle School, writes to thank Princeton School Gardens Cooperative for funding of the part-time edible gardens educator position for the school year 2017-18. The funding, provided by a partnership between the bent spoon and Whole Earth Center of Princeton, makes possible the seed-to-table efforts of Priscilla Hayes, master gardener, under way in the school’s Food Science course and also in the 501c3’s JW Cooks+Gardens program under the culinary direction of Chef Michelle Fuerst. That’s Mr. Burr with a celebratory bouquet of just-picked Swiss Chard from the JW Edible Gardens – in December!
PPS Cooks+Gardens
PMS Cooks+Gardens: Ice cream and cookies
Chef Michelle Fuerst and Master Gardener Priscilla Hayes created a stellar send-off menu for JW Cooks + Gardens students for the last class: salad from the school’s edible gardens, followed by frozen yogurt with gingersnaps! Students put their own spin on the yogurt – some used New Jersey’s Sweet Sourland Farms maple syrup, others used molasses and one made a vegan version with coconut milk. Students practiced knife skills by dicing candied ginger for their cookie dough. Thanks to everyone who makes this after-school program possible: our funders, McCaffrey’s Food Markets and Church & Dwight Employee Giving Fund; Jason Burr, principal at JW and other administrators at Princeton Public Schools; Janet Gaudino, 8th grade science teacher and our advisor for the program; all our volunteers who ensured safety and empowerment for participants. Where would we be without each other?
PMS Cooks+Gardens: Personalized garden pastas
Students in JW Cooks+Gardens this week used garden greens they grew to make pasta-based dishes in their kitchens. With each kitchens’ members making decisions jointly, each pasta was different: One added homemade meatballs, another stuck with greens, another added both, and one made a lovely pasta fagioli. Thanks to Chef Michelle Fuerst; to Master Gardener Priscilla Hayes; to Janet Gaudino, our faculty advisor and 8th grade science teacher, to Jason Burr, principal, to all the volunteers who ensured kitchen safety and good practices and to McCaffrey’s Food Markets and Church & Dwight Employee Giving Fund. Overheard: One student reporting to Chef Fuerst that she had already made parathas, which the class learned last week, for her entire family! These programs are changing the way children see themselves!
