“Cooking with Andy” Passes Along Delicious Recipes

By Jonathan Weaver

Add in less than a teaspoon of vanilla and just a pinch of cinnamon to the recipe for French toast and now a group of local teens can make Andy Nelson’s technique any time they want.

The 3rd Avenue teen taught six other kids how to cook the dish last night during the first “Cooking With Andy” activity at Ford City Public Library.

Nelson, 13, said it only took him seconds to learn the recipe for French toast at Ford City Junior/Senior High this past school year.

“It’s that easy,” Nelson said.

Library Volunteer Tina Bowser, of Ford City, said she was impressed last year when Nelson would tell volunteers what he cooked at home (such as meatloaf and chicken, potatoes and grilled cheese.)

“We’ve been probably wanting to do a cooking class since last summer with the kids in the neighborhood to teach them some skills cooking from scratch,” Tina said. “It’s a way to develop some team-building too, and it’s a skill in this busy world we have right now that they don’t have.

“In this busy world, there’s not a lot of time to learn. It’s so much easier to cook in a microwave.”

Tina – a biology teacher at Lenape Tech – added that learning from another kid might help young students focus and feel at-ease.

“We felt that the younger kids would feel better having a peer teaching them,” Tina said.

Several of the participants have tried to make French toast in the past, but commented on their taste buds’ approval Thursday evening.

Best friends Mayson Kelly, 10 of Worthington and Bridget Kilgore, 10 of West Kittanning said they have limited cooking experience – mainly involving chocolate.

The pair of future West Hills Intermediate fifth graders even saved a slice for their families.

Future Thursday evening cooking sessions - including lessons on how to make loaded baked potatoes, fried eggs and grilled cheese sandwiches - will also be led by Nelson’s friend 10-year-old Chasze Lundy of Manorville. Lundy said his cooking experience revolves around eggs.

Library Director Anita Bowser praised Nelson, and recommended kids aged 10-15 register by this Tuesday for the free hour session on how to make the loaded baked potatoes in order to have enough ingredients.

“(Nelson’s) a good kid – he’s very helpful. He’s here almost every day,” Anita said.

Nelson – also a regular library volunteer - said he would like to have a blue chef’s hat before this Thursday’s lesson.

 

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