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Seventh-graders create dessert artfully
By PAULETTE LASH RITCHIE CITRUS SPRINGS -- The work stations held the potential for something very tasty, withflour, mixing bowls, spoons and vanilla pudding mix. And the Citrus Springs Middle School seventh-grade family and consumer science class was just about to see what they could do with it under the guidance of Seven Rivers Hospital food service director Michael Marino, who is also an executive chef. He had come to the school to show the students how to make puff pastry swans. "I'm doing a cooking demonstration and we're teaching them how to make pate de choux, a cream puff dough." Marino said. The chef, who has a daughter, Brittany, in one of the classes, had been invited by teacher Marian Wood. At the signal to begin, the students rushed to the sinks to wash their hands. Then, Marino gave the first instruction: boil the water, butter and salt in the pots on the ranges. Not so hard. Next the students added sifted flour to the water mixture. "That looks nasty," said Leah Steed, 12, as she stirred the lumpy concoction. As the mixture became smooth, though, her opinion of it changed to "looks like Play Doh." At another station, the chef stopped by and told Ashley Hill, 13, her dough looked perfect. "Really?" said the astonished child. When it was ready, the students scooped the dough into balls and plopped them on baking sheets. Others had pot-washing duty. Leah was faced, once more, with dough in one of its less appetizing modes, dripping with dish water. "This is nasty," she observed again. As the swans' plump bodies baked to a golden brown in the ovens, the students were instructed to pump "S" shapes on the baking sheet to make swan necks and heads. The students turned out a very diverse population of swans -- big heads, long necks, crooked necks and lumpy necks. "It's a good thing we're eating these and not showing them," Leah commented dryly. Chelsea Carter, 12, stood observing Tom Hallenberg, 14, while he adjusted a wayward neck with his fingers. "I don't know if I want to eat these," she said, "fingers all over them." Finally it was time to slice off the tops of the baked bodies and fill them with vanilla cream, topped with whipped cream. Marino handed a big bag of cream to Megan Edwards, 12. "I don't know why he trusts me with this," she said. Marino told them to take the tops of the puffs, cut them in two and insert them into the cream to make wings. The head and neck piece went on last to finish the artistic dessert. "Now what do we do with them," asked Chelsea, holding up her finished bird. "Eat 'em," said Wood. "Mmm, mmm," was all Leah had to say. PATE DE CHOUX (cream puff dough)11/4 cups water 4 ounces or 1 stick butter 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups sifted flour (approximately) 6 large eggs Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease two baking sheets In a pan bring the water, butter and salt to a boil. Add the flour to the water mixture and whip. Cook over low heat, continuing to stir for about five minutes. Put the cooked dough mixture into mixer. Start at slow speed and mix for about two minutes to cool mixture slightly. Add eggs one at a time until well incorporated. Fill the pastry bags and pipe out preferred shapes. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. When cooled, cut and fill the puffs with a favorite filling. Makes about ten puffs. Puffs can be made in the shape of swans, baskets, eclairs and minipuffs and can be filled with whipped cream, pudding, tuna salad or chicken salad.
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