I taught them to cook vidya4 - Flipbook - Page 42
40
Autumn Term
We’re quickly done, which is the point of convenience, and
they file past carrying plates of tarts piled with pastel coloured
foam. It’s a joke giving them a mark for following instructions
from a packet of chemicals but they’ve packed them away and
they’re off.
It’s the end of the school day and Cynthia puts the kettle
on. We wrap our hands around warm mugs of tea and share a
slice of beige, foam-topped tart. A spoonful of creamy, caramelly
froth melts in my mouth. Nutritional value of this pudding – bah
humbug. Who cares? Thankyou Mr Food Chemist for this taste
sensation.
‘By the way Cynthia, it’s my birthday.’
‘Let’s click our mugs together and say ‘Cheers’ Jenny.’
I think if she knew me better she’d give me a hug.
The cheese tasting
‘Class, today we’re going to make some cheese and have a cheese
tasting.’
‘Eew, Yuk … cheese,’ comes the grumble from the back of the
stools.
I need sour milk for my lesson to show how curdled milk is
used to make cheese. I usually squirt lemon juice into fresh milk
to make curds, but my food funds are short so I search out old, half
empty milk bottles which lurk around the school. They’re stashed
in places where teachers hide, drink tea, smoke and escape from
being caught to cover lessons or do extra break or lunch duties.
Students are round my table and ready to start.
‘How do you think people found out how to make cheese?’
‘Dunno.’
Gavin hasn’t been to my lessons for ages. The relief of having
a class without Gavin is enormous. The rest of us can get on and
don’t have to watch for Gavin’s angry outbursts or wanderings
around the room, stealing other people’s food. This must be his