My Little Chefling

I have a little chefling at home; Sara. We love being together. In the kitchen.

When she was a few months old I would put her in the pram and take the pram to the kitchen. There, talking to her (Read: Mum blabbering and baby smiling) many a cake were baked. Curries too.

Later when she turned I would pull a warm rug and her kitchen toys all the way to the kitchen. She loved throwing a bowl here and a plate there and would be very happy copying me.

This changed a little when she turned two. Like her mum she developed a love for "reading" cookbooks at night. She would take my copy of Cupcakes and Muffins by Ann Nicol (At five still her favourite) and would tell me which one she'd like to eat the next day. 

At three, she spent most of her time in her play kitchen. Her favorite game being chopping wooden vegetables and fruits and making a wooden roast chicken for her dad and me. To that she would add her much-loved spices; star anise and cinnamon. Setting up her own restaurant and hosting her food show are the other two.

A new issue of Good Food gets her as excited as me and together we bookmark recipes that we'd like to try. Hold on before it seems like cookbooks are all she reads and playing cook is all she does let me clarify she does read books that children of her age should and paints and runs and does her puzzles and basically creates chaos at home:) More about the games she plays here

She turned five a couple of months back.

Many of her interests have changed over the last five years. At two, she wanted to be "cheft" (Read : Chef). At three, she wanted to both an artist and a gardener. Last I checked with her she wanted to be a ballet dancer, princess and a fairy. I tried explaining her that being a princess is not really a profession and being a fairy is a tad difficult but then I let it because she does look really cute with her wings and tiara. At times she even sleeps with her wings on.

Having said that, there is one thing that has not changed in the last five years. Her love for food is what has remained the same. We bake. We cook. We share our meals. 

I love having her with me in the kitchen. The questions that she asks, the advice she gives me, the talks we have, the mistakes she makes and the mess she makes, All of this and more makes my day brighter.

Cooking for and with Sara. 

Join us in creating magic in the kitchen. Simple recipes that kids her age can cook/bake with a little help from us, cooking games and toys that she loves to play with, cookbooks for mini chefs that we have enjoyed reading together and more.

Food for thought
Lunchbox and kids
Understanding and appreciating Ramadan

Cookbooks for Mini Chefs

Books by Amy Wilson Sanger
Let's eat by Beatrice Hollyer
I will never ever eat a tomato by Lauren Child

Playing with food and more

Because she loves teaparties
Do you believe in fairies?
Food for thought: Games she plays
Eating Stories : I will never ever eat a tomato
Playing with food: This time with Lego
Playing with food: Solar System
Halloween: Orangey Goodness
April Fool's Day Strawberry "Drink"
Marshmallow Pops for when they are bored

Kitchen playmates
Painting plates with food
Playkitchens: DIY Inspiration

Cooking for and with Sara

Tomato, Goat Cheese and Basil Squares
Tea Bag cookies
Potato fritters
Brown rice, spinach and pomegranate salad
Lego Piñata KitKat cake
Fairy theme birthday party
Carrot and raisin cupcakes with cream cheese icing
Roasted cherry tomatoes, basil and cheese pie
Roasted seabass,with tapenade and cherry tomatoes
Stone fruit crisp
Java plum frozen yogurt
Mini chocolate and vanilla muffins

Leftover Potato Blue Cheese and Onion Pizza

Hoisin Chicken with a bean salad
Deviled Eggs

Images: If you like any of the pictures on the blog and would like to use those please write to me. I put in hours of work behind each post and would love to share it with you but it would hurt me if  use those without my permission.Just ask!