Cupcakes and Catfish: Food Club Spans the Spectrum
By: Kendall Haney,
Jr. Infectious Disease Correspondent
From cupcakes to catfish, the first monthly meeting of the International Food Club that occurred on October 6, 2014 proved that students attending the K12 International Academy have varied tastes. The nicest and most enthusiastic food moderators ever, Jennifer Matuza and Stephanie Butler, demonstrated their impressive knowledge of the culinary world while creating a warm virtual environment for students to chime in with their own food favorites.
The meeting started promptly with introductions from both club sponsors. Ms. Matuza hailed from the garden state of New Jersey and said she enjoyed making granola. She credits her mother for teaching her how to cook. Ms. Butler, who is from Arizona, referenced her German heritage and said some of her favorite foods include potatoes, cabbage, and pork. Her fondest memories of learning to cook revolved around family gatherings.
The primary purpose of the meeting was to kick off a year of food, and allow students to get to know each other a little better through a topic everyone in the room seemed to love—their favorite snacks. Most students were from the United States, but a few were from outside the continental U.S.
Soon the conversation tilted from snacks to spicy. Students learned about ‘Scoville units’ and how the scale of these units determines how spicy a food is. From bell pepper to ghost pepper, and everything in between, students could use the scale to determine how much heat they could handle.
Fun food facts that might be useful in a trivial pursuit game was also a part of the hour long meeting. Hippo soup in 6000 B.C. was the first soup ever, honey never spoils, and the nutrient content in some foods were all part of the discussion. In addition, the dangers of pop and popcorn were hinted at, and the answer as to why was promised in upcoming sessions.
Ms. Matuza and Ms. Butler invite all students to come ready to salivate at the next Food Club meeting. Bring your appetites, they say, because you will leave the class ready to satisfy an expanded palette.
