Students in NUHS can try cooking in several different elective classes where they cook a variety of foods, both savory, sweet and foreign.
In basic foods period two class, students kicked off their Monday morning by frying up homemade hashbrowns—giving some a chance to skip breakfast at home and cook in class instead. With a provided recipe, all necessary ingredients, and the option to add chopped onions, students got hands-on experience in the kitchen.
Sophomore Renee Kilgore said, “I don’t like ’em—they put onions in there when I asked them not to.”
However, when asked about the class, Renee said,” I love it—I think it’s a good class to take and everyone should take it.”
While the basic foods class has been offered as a class at NUHS for many years, one new addition to the class is Adrienne Trahms, who completed her student teaching last semester and has been having fun teaching food classes since.
The class focuses on fundamental cooking skills such as knife safety, measuring ingredients, and following recipes—skills that can benefit students beyond the classroom.
“Basic Foods is my favorite class to teach; it’s just so fun,” said Ms. Trahms.
Later in the week, students moved from stovetops to ovens as they took on a new challenge: copycat Crumbl cookies. The hands-on baking experience helped students understand the science behind mixing, baking, and decorating desserts to recreate the popular gourmet chain.
The recipes for the gourmet cookies ranged from Oreo milkshake to churro to raspberry cheesecake, giving students the freedom to pick between several different flavors.
“We’re making sugar cookies. I just love this class—I learn so much,” said senior Skylar Hesse, who looks forward to the food labs in class.
NUHS offers a range of food-related electives for students who want to expand their culinary knowledge. In addition to Basic Foods, students can enroll in Pastry and Design, International Foods, and Advanced Foods. Each class focuses on different aspects of cooking, from mastering classic desserts to exploring recipes from around the world.
