Saying that I love my kids' teachers is an understatement. I don't think I fully grasped the importance of a great teacher until this school year. Watching the indelible impressions made on my children day after day by the most caring, nurturing and thoughtful group of educators I have ever come across, is a blessing I shall always be grateful for.
One of my favorite things about Kenya and Chloe's school is that they encourage both the teachers and families to share the traditions and celebrations that are meaningful to them. One of Kenya's teachers is from India and a holiday that is special to her is Holi. Holi, which is also known as the Festival of Colors, is a religious spring festival celebrated by Hindus. For the Holi celebration, each family was asked to bring something for everyone to eat pot luck style. There were a wide array of delectable Indian dishes including potato curry, mango lassi, rice, lentils, (Masoor dal) tandoori, samosas and several different chutneys which kids and parents alike devoured.
I was asked to make Kulfi, a frozen dessert that has a base similar to ice cream, but without all the air whipped into it, so it is dense and solid. Kenya's teacher said it was one of her favorite treats growing up as a child, so I felt a lot of pressure to not botch it! Kulfi comes in all sorts of flavors like pistachio, cardamom and mango, but Kenya's teacher really wanted her all time favorite, plain, which is simple and sweet.
Realizing it might be challenging for me to try to make kulfi for so many kids and adults in my popsicle molds (hunting down 40 sticks after the party was not my idea of a good time), I just poured the mixture into individual Dixie cups, placed wooden sticks in the centers, popped them in the freezer and a few hours later they were ready. All the kids had to do was peel off the paper cup and enjoy.
As good as the pops were, the party was even more amazing. It was a blast watching the kids run around, paint their bodies, put on bindis and enjoy a host exciting dishes, many of which they had never tried before. It was a beautiful, bright day full of color, magic and flavor that I will never forget. Here's to the teachers!
Here's a few sweet faces that visually describe how yummy they can be on a warm summer day:
crissy
October 7, 2012 at 6:25 pm
catherine
October 8, 2012 at 11:47 am
aleesha
August 19, 2012 at 6:17 pm
catherine
August 20, 2012 at 1:07 pm
Preiyanka
May 26, 2012 at 10:59 am
Tamara
May 23, 2012 at 7:52 pm
Kristy M
May 23, 2012 at 12:52 pm
Katherine
May 23, 2012 at 8:19 am
Kristy
May 22, 2012 at 8:33 am
meghna
May 22, 2012 at 7:06 am
Anu
May 21, 2012 at 10:07 pm
catherine
May 22, 2012 at 12:28 am
yeni
May 21, 2012 at 9:48 pm
kamaile
May 21, 2012 at 9:38 pm
Michele
May 21, 2012 at 8:56 pm
Pao
May 21, 2012 at 6:32 pm
Janet Power
May 21, 2012 at 3:10 pm
catherine
May 22, 2012 at 12:26 am
Evelyn
May 21, 2012 at 1:44 pm
Jill
May 21, 2012 at 11:55 am
Darshi
May 22, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Nicole
May 21, 2012 at 11:50 am
catherine
May 21, 2012 at 1:14 pm
Kendall
May 21, 2012 at 11:36 am
Celeste o
May 21, 2012 at 11:13 am
catherine
May 22, 2012 at 12:26 am
Dominique
May 21, 2012 at 11:10 am
Daksha
May 21, 2012 at 10:48 am
catherine
May 21, 2012 at 11:13 am
Natalie Brown
May 21, 2012 at 10:11 am
Rachel
May 21, 2012 at 7:07 pm
Katherine
May 21, 2012 at 8:03 am
catherine
May 21, 2012 at 11:14 am
Sonia
May 21, 2012 at 8:03 am