COOKING:
Custard trials...
We cooked two types of custard; traditionally made with eggs and milk, and the other with custard powder. It was generally agreed that the traditional one was nicer, but another time we might make it a bit sweeter. Abbie also felt it tasted rather to eggy, but there's not much can be done about that ~ perhaps more sugar would change that a little. The powder version was quite uniformly disliked and was really quite tasteless! Problem is, my children have got rather to used to the taste of Birds 'ready to eat' version of custard and neither tasted anything like that!
The powdered custard was improved by the addition of cocoa and a little extra sugar ~ then they ate it! I meanwhile happily finished off the traditional version, which I thought was delicious!
All about Eggs...
Then last week we made a little back-track and had a lesson 'all about eggs'. We talked about how to tell if eggs are fresh, how to store them and how to use them. We talked about their numerous uses and how to prevent curdling them when you add them to things (which of course we had practised the week before with the custard). Each of the children then practised breaking and separating one egg ~ which left me with a few eggs to find a use for ~ so so we made pancakes (as not everyone is fond of omelette, which would have been my first choice). The children asked if they could make chocolate pancakes, and as we'd already had lunch and this was just for fun, I conceded ;-)
They made up the mixture and from Joel down to Lilo they all made their own pancakes, and of course they then spread Nutella on them too.
ART:
We are all quite grateful to see a few sunny days at last; sunny enough for us to be able to begin to take lessons outside. We took art outside a couple of weeks ago and, appropriately, painted butterflies :D
These were oil-pastel and ink. The children had the choice to outline in oils and paint in ink, or colour-in in pastels and wash over with ink. The results were quite lovely, but most of the children struggled not to make a mess with the oil pastels because they are so smudgey.
In order; Stitch, DD, Phoebe, Abbie, Lilo, Mine & Chip's (started but not finished). I don't think Joel kept his :(
This week we did a bit of Lichtenstein Pop-Art, because it was simple and relatively easy, but it still took a long time, and these are the only finished two - Abbie & Phoebe's. I'll put the others' pictures up as they emerge.
4 comments:
Ah the big 'how to store eggs' debate! Many an argument over that. My understanding is if in the US they should go in the fridge because they wash their eggs which removes some protective coating, allowing air to permeate. Then for best baking results you have to remember to take them out of the fridge to warm up before you use them. In the UK we leave that coating on the shell as we don't wash 'em so they don't need to be refrigerated.
We don't store ours in the fridge because our kitchen is almost always cold anyway! We have a ceramic chicken for them to huddle together in ;)
But yes, if kept in the fridge an hour at room temp' before use was the advice given in the book.
Hi Caroline! What a fun surprise to see your lovely comment on my blog :! SO glad to hear how you're doing; while I swing by here every now and again, I completely missed how Jake has now officially moved into adulthood. Congratulations (and a Mama hug of solidarity because I'm sure it's bittersweet). I recently made Bear promise to me that he will not get any older than 7- you think he will hold true to that?!)
so fun catching up!
TJ
I love the pastel and ink pictures. We often use oil pastels but haven't added an ink wash so that needs to go on the "to do" list.
I've just updated my UK Christian home educators blog list and included yours. Hope that is OK.
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