Diane and Garritt Pikkert, long time bakers and owners of their own bakery, taught a class of Grade 8 students, the majority of them boys, the process of how to make cinnamon rolls lastThursday.
This cooking class was part of the life skills program at École Fox Run School.
It was very hand on with the students working right beside Diane and Garritt.
In their white aprons students mixed brown sugar and butter together on the pan and place the rolls in the pan. The students then put the buns in the proofer.
Diane said she enjoyed showing the students the process of making cinnamon buns and how the students asked her all kinds of questions.
“I think it’s been great,” she said. “They just love it. I have never done it before so it’s very unique, interesting and neat.”
Some of the questions Diane answered were how the dough is made, why they make the dough, why they put in into the proofer, how long her and Garritt have been baking and how many children and grandchildren they have.”
Diane said the most fun about teaching the students was interacting with them.
While having fun and learning, Diane said she wanted the students to learn that it takes work and time to make something.
“It doesn’t just happen, it takes time and patience to make a good product,” she said.
From start to finish it takes two and a half hours to make the cinnamon rolls, something some of the students were surprised about.
The ingredients to make the cinnamon buns were sugar, salt, oil, yeast and an egg. No additives were used.
Educational Assistant for the school Joanne Sikma said Diane and Garritt were invited to show the preparation of making cinnamon rolls as this is what the couple is known for.
“We want to show the kids the bread rising, how to roll, how to spread the dough, things like that as opposed to making it with the recipe,” Sikma said. “It it basically the preparations and how much work goes into it.”
“It it a great opportunity for them to learn how the bread has to rise, and that kind of stuff,” she added.
Many of the students want to be chiefs and bakers when they are older.
Every week at school the students learn to prepare different meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and dessert. They then use their skills to prepare their own meals at home.
Sikma said they try to stick to the Canada Food Guide to ensure they are teaching the students how to prepare nutritious meals.
“The kids are really enjoying learning this stuff. When we are doing the meals they are bringing the information back home and are preparing some of the meals on their own for their families. They are gaining a lot of independence,” Sikma said. “That’s the number one thing is gaining independence.”
reporter@sylvanlakenews.com