Learning from the Teens through Tiramisu

tiramisu

This past week I had been feeling like sweet sixteen again. My American cousins, M & T, now both in their teens, are back in town for their summer break. Three years ago, they get excited over toys from Burger King. Now during those times they are not with their Ipods, we are chatting about clothes, fashion and boys of course!

After several consecutive days of mall-hopping, I was thinking hard about other activities we could do together. So I tried to rewind back twelve years to when I myself was a teenager and attempted to recall what I would really enjoyed most. I loved being treated as an adult – doing activities that made me feel grown up and mature. And then it was decided, we shall get our hands dirty by making some tiramisu. An easy enough adult dessert for the teens.

I taught them how to work the espresso machine, separate egg yolks from
its white, fold stiff egg whites and how to dip and assemble the
ladyfingers really quickly, then gave them free reign in the kitchen.

In the end, there were some yolk mixed into the whites, the chocolates
were not chopped even and the kitchen was in a semi-mess. But we all
had a fabulous time. The tiramisu tasted great (they got excited when
I added the Kahlua generously because they were underaged still for
alcohol).

And I was sixteen again with the opportunity to relive my teenage years
and do some of the things I never had a chance before. Yet I was also
the adult, with the opportunity to instil in these young ones the
important experience of making food at home for your loved ones.

Now, M is religiously copying her favourite recipes from my cookbook library so she can try them at home. And now I can understand, education is really the key for a better future.