Tips and Tricks - Chapter 2

The important thing to remember is that no matter how hard you try, it’s unlikely that you’ll end up with a realistic recreation of whatever it is you’re trying to represent.  And if you do end up with a lifelike whatever, you’ve probably spent too much time making it.  Time you could spend laughing with the kids.

 I try to “suggest” or give a hint of whatever it is.  For example, if I wanted to represent Rapunzel, I’d focus on the hair.  If you ask someone to describe Rapunzel, they’ll mention the hair first.  Maybe they’ll talk about the tower and how the Prince used her long hair to climb up the tower.  So the best representation of Rapunzel I could make would be her hair. 

 I’d then think about the meal, overall.  What do I want to include nutritionally?  What leftovers do I have that I can use?  What’s in my pantry? 

For Rapunzel, I’d most likely focus on vegetables.  Why was Rapunzel cloistered in the tower to begin with?  Well, her mother craved a certain salad that could only be made with leaves that grew in the Witch’s garden.  So I’d start with a great big salad.  I’d add things to suggest the story.  Then I’d add things to make it a meal.

 So I’d start by planning a salad of lettuce or spinach or other salad greens.  I’d also most likely take the opportunity to include some greens that I like, such as arugula, kale, and radicchio, since I usually have them on hand. If you think back to the story, the Prince falls from the tower and is blinded by some thorns.  Mixed spring greens have some lettucy things that look like they could be a bed of thorns.  I’d definitely make a trip to the store for that.  (I’d wait until I know what else I might need before I actually make that trip) 

What do I want to do for the hair? There are a number of things I could use (see my list below), but I want to make it so that the hair is braided and I want to use it to corral the salad on the plate. So I’m going to use bread. Bread dough is easy to make and there are a million recipes out there, but the trick I’m going to tell you is the quickest way to do the braid that I can think of. Use one of the canned pizza doughs like Pillsbury’s. I used the thin crust so it wouldn’t be too much bread. 

 

 

First, line a baking sheet with parchment and form a ring with the braid on the parchment.I turn a plate upside down on the parchment and draw an outline in pencil, then I flip the parchment over and use that pencil ring that’s showing through from the other side as a guide for making my braid ring.

 

 

Cut the dough log into (number of kids + 1) pieces. You may need more than one package of dough depending on how many kids there are and how big the salad plate is. Then cut each of those into three pieces. Roll each piece into a long “snake”. Then braid three together.  

 

 

 

Repeat this for each child’s dinner. Make an extra in case one doesn’t turn out, or in case someone is really hungry. You can get fancy and brush the braids with egg wash (an egg and some water beaten) to make it shiny. The ring needs to be a tiny bit smaller than the size of your plate, or at least the size of your salad.   

Next, I’d figure out a way to incorporate the rest of the items.  I’m going to do the bed of thorns, maybe some combs or brushes.  I could cut those shapes out of cheese.  How about some sword shapes?  A Prince usually carries a sword.  I could cut those from some carrots, long radishes, or even just use green beans.  Okay, the salad is coming along nicely. 

While the braids are baking, you can make your combs/brushes and swords.  Don’t forget cheese.  It’s easy to decorate with cheese shapes.  You can add some bits of chicken or tuna to the salad as well.  Use your imagination and remember that they don’t have to look exactly like whatever they only have to suggest whatever.

 

I’d dress the salad with a very light vinaigrette made out of mostly herbs, rice wine vinegar and grapeseed oil. 

 

 

I mentioned a list of items that could work for hair.  These are just some suggestions, and I know I’ll figure out more over time:

·         Green: spinach/basil/lettuce chiffonade, Sprouts
·         Red: finely grated carrot (the longer the stroke on the grater, the longer the hair)
·         Blond(e):  finely grated peel of a summer (yellow) squash, flesh from spaghetti squash, pasta
·         Brown: finely grated potato peel (could also be used for red, blonde or purple hair), whole wheat pasta

So that’s how I build a menu for our stories.  Read the story and step away from it.  Then think of the things that you remember most about the story.  Those are the best points to include.  I usually add some component that the boys can “build” or add on their own.  That way they have a stake in the meal and are more likely to eat it.  I don’t worry too much about mess, because we have a ritual clean up afterward.  The eldest uses the broom and dustpan.  The middle one uses a damp cloth. And the youngest points out where the messes are. 

 

Tips and Tricks - Chapter 3 will be about body parts.