We baked the simple white bread out of Joy of Cooking. It's just out of
the oven, and we'll have a piece or two in an hour before I take her
home (with the rest of it). She really got into the kneading and was
fascinated with every step. We'll also be packing up some yeast for her
to "wake up" and look at under her microscope.

A very successful adventure. :-)

Thanks to all who responded!

Priscilla
--
"You can't welcome someone into a body of Christ and then say only
certain rooms are open." -- dancertm in alt.religion.christian.episcopal

Priscilla Ballou wrote:


She really got into the kneading and was
fascinated with every step. We'll also be packing up some yeast for
her
to "wake up" and look at under her microscope.

It appears your niece has more interest in microbiology than food
sciencegAs she is more concerned how things work in the microscopic
level... say for example how yeast behave.

At my time when I was a kid I was more concerned what will happen when
I add this to that and what will come out.Why did things resulted in
such and how?
When I was able to make a satisfactory bread I pestered my mom once
again...but she threatened me ....If you want to enjoy your new found
hobby give me a peace of mind....if you insist I will not let you stay
in the kitchen with me anymore.....therefore better ask somebody else
knowledgeable in those matters.
Therefore....with all those questions running in my mind ...
I pestered my elementary school science teacher for answers:
What makes the dough rise, ....she says its due to the yeast and she
show me a microscopic picture of the yeast from a biology book... but
I keep asking how does it happen....by fermentation.....I ask
further.... what is all about?... its a chemical reaction....what is a
reaction?......when things react such as burning of wood.....but dough
is cold?.....its different matter due to enzymes that convert sugars
to alcohol and gas in a different way..... what is this gas?.....
Carbon dioxide the same kind that you exhales and comes out when you
go to the toilet... but I do not find the bread smelly....like peoples
breath and expelled gas from my butt....why its different?.......its
comes from the reaction of sugar and yeast enzymes. It does not have
impurities. that cause the odd smell...
What are impurities?. how was it produced..? how does the reaction
occur?.......
Thats enough!
The teacher glared at me....I am tired of your endless question....You
better study chemistry when you grow up and that will answer how things
happen and how reactions occur......
That it....curiosity it what makes people study science.And it my case
led me to chemistry and ever since then I was not always asking people
for explanation but have to seek the answer personally by literature
search, experiment,mathematical analysis etc.

Keep in mind....
A child hood interest on a particular line is a good indicator what
type of profession it will enter when they grow up.
I hope that she will be as inquisitive as me when I was a kid and not
just want to experience things due to novelty.
Roy

Priscilla Ballou wrote:


She really got into the kneading and was
fascinated with every step. We'll also be packing up some yeast for
her
to "wake up" and look at under her microscope.

It appears your niece has more interest in microbiology than food
sciencegAs she is more concerned how things work in the microscopic
level... say for example how yeast behave.

At my time when I was a kid I was more concerned what will happen when
I add this to that and what will come out.Why did things resulted in
such and how?
When I was able to make a satisfactory bread I pestered my mom once
again...but she threatened me ....If you want to enjoy your new found
hobby give me a peace of mind....if you insist I will not let you stay
in the kitchen with me anymore.....therefore better ask somebody else
knowledgeable in those matters.
Therefore....with all those questions running in my mind ...
I pestered my elementary school science teacher for answers:
What makes the dough rise, ....she says its due to the yeast and she
show me a microscopic picture of the yeast from a biology book... but
I keep asking how does it happen....by fermentation.....I ask
further.... what is all about?... its a chemical reaction....what is a
reaction?......when things react such as burning of wood.....but dough
is cold?.....its different matter due to enzymes that convert sugars
to alcohol and gas in a different way..... what is this gas?.....
Carbon dioxide the same kind that you exhales and comes out when you
go to the toilet... but I do not find the bread smelly....like peoples
breath and expelled gas from my butt....why its different?.......its
comes from the reaction of sugar and yeast enzymes. It does not have
impurities. that cause the odd smell...
What are impurities?. how was it produced..? how does the reaction
occur?.......
Thats enough!
The teacher glared at me....I am tired of your endless question....You
better study chemistry when you grow up and that will answer how things
happen and how reactions occur......
That it....curiosity it what makes people study science.And it my case
led me to chemistry and ever since then I was not always asking people
for explanation but have to seek the answer personally by literature
search, experiment,mathematical analysis etc.

Keep in mind....
A child hood interest on a particular line is a good indicator what
type of profession it will enter when they grow up.
I hope that she will be as inquisitive as me when I was a kid and not
just want to experience things due to novelty.
Roy

Roy wrote:

That it....curiosity it what makes people study science.And it my case
led me to chemistry and ever since then I was not always asking people
for explanation but have to seek the answer personally by literature
search, experiment,mathematical analysis etc.

Keep in mind....
A child hood interest on a particular line is a good indicator what
type of profession it will enter when they grow up.
I hope that she will be as inquisitive as me when I was a kid and not
just want to experience things due to novelty.

grin Emma's dad went to MIT and is interested in everything. He's
currently playing a role as a science and tech resource at her
elementary school and taught her fourth grade class's unit on
electricity. (He's an electrical engineer by training.) He and I both
have encouraged Emma to be curious about the natural world and how
things work since she was a tiny kid. She was hatching butterflies and
looking at bugs through a magnifying glass at an early age. Lately
she's shown a lot of interest in rocks and minerals, although I'm not
sure if her interest is scientific or aesthetic (probably both). She is
wildly artistic and won a city-wide prize for poetry in second grade.
We have no idea what she'll end up doing with her life, although she's
insistent these days that she's going to be a fashion designer. ;-)
Heck, she's 9!

Priscilla, proud aunt

Roy wrote:

That it....curiosity it what makes people study science.And it my case
led me to chemistry and ever since then I was not always asking people
for explanation but have to seek the answer personally by literature
search, experiment,mathematical analysis etc.

Keep in mind....
A child hood interest on a particular line is a good indicator what
type of profession it will enter when they grow up.
I hope that she will be as inquisitive as me when I was a kid and not
just want to experience things due to novelty.

grin Emma's dad went to MIT and is interested in everything. He's
currently playing a role as a science and tech resource at her
elementary school and taught her fourth grade class's unit on
electricity. (He's an electrical engineer by training.) He and I both
have encouraged Emma to be curious about the natural world and how
things work since she was a tiny kid. She was hatching butterflies and
looking at bugs through a magnifying glass at an early age. Lately
she's shown a lot of interest in rocks and minerals, although I'm not
sure if her interest is scientific or aesthetic (probably both). She is
wildly artistic and won a city-wide prize for poetry in second grade.
We have no idea what she'll end up doing with her life, although she's
insistent these days that she's going to be a fashion designer. ;-)
Heck, she's 9!

Priscilla, proud aunt

She is
wildly artistic and won a city-wide prize for poetry in second grade.
We have no idea what she'll end up doing with her life,
Heck, she's 9!
Priscilla, proud aunt
Hmnn,....that is interesting.... Kids have a lot of dreams and
ambitions what they will do when the grow up.....I agree ....You have
reasons to be proud of.... As you niece has multiple interests!
But from what you describe he is lover of the arts......and literature.
Poetry is good outlet for venting emotions......I remember.....I had
something similar......during my teens I used to write love letters to
my first love in poetry. The lady was pretty delighted and she had kept
that notes until now in his precious memories box.
She loves the rhythm and rime and how it evokes my deepest feelings
for her.g.

although she's
insistent these days that she's going to be a fashion designer. ;-)
Ahh,,,, that reminds me of a lady baking student many years
back......I was one of the part time tutors in baking school and one
of my colleagues( fellow teachers) in the baking class had a good sense
of humor.
Right at the start the girl seems to have some difficulty in getting
bread out of the oven satisfactorily. Say specifically, the loaf bread
comes out with slightly caved sides,; buns and oven bottom loaves had
shrunk sides.
Anybody who understand breadbaking understand that bread fault. In
order for her to improve her skill but not hurt her feelings...
That particular teacher in the bread class told her.....
I think you will become rich and famous......The girl was astonished,
......how?
You can be a fashion model or fashion designer.....The girl asked
further....How can that be?
You had an eye for curves.....your bread looks pretty sexy to
me......I know you ....will be a loss to the baking world but a gain to
the women's fashion....Think about it...
The lady student was surprised.....and bit puzzled.... whether to get
angry at the comment, or pleased at the complementg.
What happened after that .... She still persisted in baking and she was
doing well with her products and was employed in a retail bakery.
She eventually married a baker co worker and had their own
bakery....but surprisingly the bakery teacher prediction did come
true....
This woman had a knack for clothes design as she sewed most of her own
clothes as a hobby and people took notice of her attire and was asked
by a number of women (who learned that she made it herself),...that if
she could possibly do for them as well. Gradually she was putting more
time on designing and creating women's clothing than in the bakery
and established her won boutique and left the baking to his husband.

Now taking this anecdote into consideration better watch your
niece(were she able to make a good bread and was she able to maintain
it repetitively g?
Happy baking ...!.
Roy

She is
wildly artistic and won a city-wide prize for poetry in second grade.
We have no idea what she'll end up doing with her life,
Heck, she's 9!
Priscilla, proud aunt
Hmnn,....that is interesting.... Kids have a lot of dreams and
ambitions what they will do when the grow up.....I agree ....You have
reasons to be proud of.... As you niece has multiple interests!
But from what you describe he is lover of the arts......and literature.
Poetry is good outlet for venting emotions......I remember.....I had
something similar......during my teens I used to write love letters to
my first love in poetry. The lady was pretty delighted and she had kept
that notes until now in his precious memories box.
She loves the rhythm and rime and how it evokes my deepest feelings
for her.g.

although she's
insistent these days that she's going to be a fashion designer. ;-)
Ahh,,,, that reminds me of a lady baking student many years
back......I was one of the part time tutors in baking school and one
of my colleagues( fellow teachers) in the baking class had a good sense
of humor.
Right at the start the girl seems to have some difficulty in getting
bread out of the oven satisfactorily. Say specifically, the loaf bread
comes out with slightly caved sides,; buns and oven bottom loaves had
shrunk sides.
Anybody who understand breadbaking understand that bread fault. In
order for her to improve her skill but not hurt her feelings...
That particular teacher in the bread class told her.....
I think you will become rich and famous......The girl was astonished,
......how?
You can be a fashion model or fashion designer.....The girl asked
further....How can that be?
You had an eye for curves.....your bread looks pretty sexy to
me......I know you ....will be a loss to the baking world but a gain to
the women's fashion....Think about it...
The lady student was surprised.....and bit puzzled.... whether to get
angry at the comment, or pleased at the complementg.
What happened after that .... She still persisted in baking and she was
doing well with her products and was employed in a retail bakery.
She eventually married a baker co worker and had their own
bakery....but surprisingly the bakery teacher prediction did come
true....
This woman had a knack for clothes design as she sewed most of her own
clothes as a hobby and people took notice of her attire and was asked
by a number of women (who learned that she made it herself),...that if
she could possibly do for them as well. Gradually she was putting more
time on designing and creating women's clothing than in the bakery
and established her won boutique and left the baking to his husband.

Now taking this anecdote into consideration better watch your
niece(were she able to make a good bread and was she able to maintain
it repetitively g?
Happy baking ...!.
Roy

She is
wildly artistic and won a city-wide prize for poetry in second grade.
We have no idea what she'll end up doing with her life,
Heck, she's 9!
Priscilla, proud aunt
Hmnn,....that is interesting.... Kids have a lot of dreams and
ambitions what they will do when the grow up.....I agree ....You have
reasons to be proud of.... As you niece has multiple interests!
But from what you describe he is lover of the arts......and literature.
Poetry is good outlet for venting emotions......I remember.....I had
something similar......during my teens I used to write love letters to
my first love in poetry. The lady was pretty delighted and she had kept
that notes until now in his precious memories box.
She loves the rhythm and rime and how it evokes my deepest feelings
for her.g.

although she's
insistent these days that she's going to be a fashion designer. ;-)
Ahh,,,, that reminds me of a lady baking student many years
back......I was one of the part time tutors in baking school and one
of my colleagues( fellow teachers) in the baking class had a good sense
of humor.
Right at the start the girl seems to have some difficulty in getting
bread out of the oven satisfactorily. Say specifically, the loaf bread
comes out with slightly caved sides,; buns and oven bottom loaves had
shrunk sides.
Anybody who understand breadbaking understand that bread fault. In
order for her to improve her skill but not hurt her feelings...
That particular teacher in the bread class told her.....
I think you will become rich and famous......The girl was astonished,
......how?
You can be a fashion model or fashion designer.....The girl asked
further....How can that be?
You had an eye for curves.....your bread looks pretty sexy to
me......I know you ....will be a loss to the baking world but a gain to
the women's fashion....Think about it...
The lady student was surprised.....and bit puzzled.... whether to get
angry at the comment, or pleased at the complementg.
What happened after that .... She still persisted in baking and she was
doing well with her products and was employed in a retail bakery.
She eventually married a baker co worker and had their own
bakery....but surprisingly the bakery teacher prediction did come
true....
This woman had a knack for clothes design as she sewed most of her own
clothes as a hobby and people took notice of her attire and was asked
by a number of women (who learned that she made it herself),...that if
she could possibly do for them as well. Gradually she was putting more
time on designing and creating women's clothing than in the bakery
and established her won boutique and left the baking to his husband.

Now taking this anecdote into consideration better watch your
niece(were she able to make a good bread and was she able to maintain
it repetitively g?
Happy baking ...!.
Roy