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East Oregonian
EAT, DRINK & EXPLORE
Saturday, November 25, 2017
Learning to ski: How to know when your child is ready
By BETH J. HARPAZ
AP Travel Editor
Ski season is starting.
For parents, that may mean
getting kids on the slopes
for the first time. But is there
a perfect age to learn to ski?
Nate Gardner, ski and
snowboard school training
manager at Stowe Mountain
Resort in Vermont, says
that what’s more important
than a child’s age is his or
her readiness. How well
does the child handle other
physical activities? Does
the child separate well from
parents so that she or he is
comfortable spending a few
hours with a ski instructor
and other kids on the slopes,
away from mom and dad?
“Every child develops at
their own rate both phys-
ically and emotionally,”
Gardner said in an interview
for the AP Travel podcast
series “Get Outta Here.”
“That’s going to be a big
factor in whether the child
is ready to learn to ski.”
Here’s some other advice
from Gardner on everything
from planning a family ski
trip to tailoring ski instruc-
tion to a child’s learning
style.
Private versus group
lessons
“Private lessons are great
for one-on-one attention,”
Gardner said. “The experi-
ence gets tailored to you.”
But he added that “kids
learn a lot from their peers.”
Children sometimes have
more fun and get more out
of a group lesson where
they can interact with kids
their age.
Or do a bit of both:
“Maybe a two-hour intro-
duction when we first arrive,
then the next lesson is this
full day group where they’re
getting to hang out with
other kids.”
Pizza, french fries
You may hear and see
“Every child
develops at their
own rate both
physically and
emotionally. That’s
going to be a big
factor in whether
the child is ready
to learn to ski.”
— Nate Gardner,
ski and snowboard school
training manager at Stowe
Mountain Resort in Vermont
Dave Schmidt/Stowe Mountain Resort via AP
This undated photo provided by Stowe Mountain Resort in Stowe, Vt., shows an instructor with young children in
a ski lesson. Kids differ in their readiness and learning styles when it comes to learning to ski, but experts say the
most important thing for parents to consider is making the experience fun.
ski instructors exhorting
kids with the words: “Pizza!
French fries!”
Gardner says it’s a
creative way to help
students configure their skis
right: angle the tips inward
to slow down, like a pizza
slice, or straighten them like
French fries to go a little
faster.
“One thing almost all
kids know is what a slice of
pizza looks like,” he said.
“It’s a triangle! It gets a little
closer at one end and a little
bit wider at the other end.”
Learning styles
How long does it take for
kids to learn to ski?
“It has to do entirely with
the kids themselves, their
age, their developmental
level,
their
emotional
readiness, their willingness
to learn from a stranger,”
he said. “Parents need to
gauge their expectations
based on what they know
of their child’s previous
experiences.”
A child’s learning style
matters too. “Everybody
learns a different way,” he
said. Instructors are trained
to assess the kids and get
the ones who are “doers”
into the activity as soon
as possible, while talking
through the process with
kids who are “thinkers and
listeners and want some
more of the information.”
And always make things
fun and positive. “If each
time is a fun experience,
you’re going to have a lot
more success than you are
dragging them to the hill
kicking and screaming.”
Rent or buy?
Gardner says when it
comes to equipment — skis,
boots, bindings, helmets —
you’re better off renting.
It takes the burden out of
lugging gear from where
you live to the mountain.
It also ensures that you’re
getting the latest, high-
quality gear and that it fits
your fast-growing child
every time. If you end
up doing a lot of skiing,
consider a lease program
where you can trade gear in
at the end of the season.
Be prepared
Dress kids in layers so
they can peel off midday
when the sun is out and
bundle up early morning
and late afternoon when it’s
chillier. Don’t forget goggles
and sunscreen. The snow
reflects ultraviolet light with
greater intensity than even
the beach, Gardner said.
“Goggles are key to
keeping that brightness off
the eyes and keeping the
wind out of the face,” he
said.
Where to go
While Colorado, Utah,
Vermont and other snowy
states with big mountains
get the headlines when
it comes to skiing, many
states have ski areas on
smaller mountains that are
less expensive and easier for
families to get to, especially
if they’re just starting their
kids out in the sport. Online
listings show the U.S. has
ski areas in some 40 states.
On the other hand, if
you’re looking for a full-
fledged vacation where
skiing is just one part of
it, “then look for more of
a destination resort that’s
going to offer the fine
dining, the nice hotel rooms,
maybe a spa,” Gardner said,
in addition to good skiing
and a ski school.
Booking
Plan ahead and call
the resort to get the best
value. “The best prices are
typically for folks who buy
in advance so that’s going
to help you save a few
dollars,” he said. “If you
come to the resort with no
information and just walk
up to the ticket counter, I
can tell you almost every
resort in the country, that’s
where you’re going to pay
the most.”
January is the industry’s
“learn to ski and snow-
board” month, when many
resorts offer discounts and
special programming. Some
states also offer freebies or
discounts to kids in fourth,
fifth or other grades.
Apricot Almond Coffee Cake
is a special treat for holidays
By SARA MOULTON
Associated Press
Phil Mansfield/The Culinary Institute of America via AP
This photo provided by The Culinary Institute of America shows a charcuterie box.
Edible gifts are always a huge hit, especially at busy times of the year.
The gift of some mind-blowing
cheeses is just a click away
By THE CULINARY
INSTITUTE OF AMERICA
Associated Press
Gift-giving is supposed to
be fun, but if you’re an adult,
by now you’ve learned that
choosing gifts is one of the
more stress-inducing aspects
of the holiday. Luckily, here
at The Culinary Institute of
America, we’ve learned a
no-fail strategy for gifts that
keeps us on the “nice” list.
Food is almost always the
answer, and your holiday gift
list is no exception. Edible
gifts are always a huge hit,
especially at busy times of
the year. We can enjoy them
in our pajamas at the end of a
long day and they are usually
something that you don’t get
to eat every day.
The best presents are
ones that we wouldn’t get
for ourselves (we’re all set
on socks this year, Mom),
and for food, that usually
translates to something a
little bit decadent, unusual, or
hard-to-find. And decadent,
unusual, and hard-to-find
just happen to be three of the
defining characteristics of a
good cheese.
Sure, most of us eat cheese
every day. But most of us
don’t eat amazing cheese
every day. It’s expensive, it’s
not a health food, and it’s not
readily available at everyone’s
local grocery store. Luckily,
in today’s global marketplace,
mind-blowing cheese is one
click away, with high-end
sellers offering delivery of the
aged stuff, the grated stuff,
and even the smelly stuff,
right to your doorstep.
Cheese preference is
personal, but unless you
know your loved-one’s
favorites, you can never go
wrong with a nice assortment.
Cheeses, like wines, are hard
to narrow down into a few
categories, but in very general
terms, you can classify them
as hard, soft, and semi-soft/
semi-firm. For a nice gift, if
you choose one from each of
those categories, you have a
well-rounded selection.
CIA instructor and cheese
guru John Fischer says, “I
like to have both a theme and
variety at the same time. For
instance, the basket could be
all French items, but there
should be a range of cheese
from soft to aged, mild to
stinky.” Themes that relate
to a friend’s interest are also
a fun way to explore new
flavors. If they spend a week
skiing in Vermont every
year, give them a sampling
from the state’s abundant
creameries.
If you just don’t know
where to start, we’ve put
together a collection of our
favorites. Use it as a cheat
sheet for a gift basket that
anyone will love.
For cheeses, we started
with Garrotxa, a Catalan
goat’s milk cheese that is
semi-firm (so, not dry like
an aged Manchego, but not
soft and runny). It has a touch
of sweetness to contrast its
peppery flavor that makes
it an ideal dessert cheese,
though it’s no slouch at a
cocktail party.
Next, we chose a
Camembert. This one is more
familiar to even indifferent
cheese-eaters. It is soft and
creamy, with an edible,
bloomy rind (yes, it’s mold.
No, it is not gross).
Though Camembert comes
from the same-named region
in France, true Camemberts
are becoming harder to find,
due to increased regulations
on raw milk cheeses. Luckily,
several American dairies are
producing Camembert-style
cheeses that hold up to the
classic iteration.
Finally, the little Bijou
from Vermont Creamery
is made in the style of a
traditional French Crottin de
Chavignol. This soft-ripened
goat cheese is velvety in its
creaminess, slightly tart, and
relatively mild. You might
think goat cheese isn’t your
thing, but this is not like the
dollops of chevre you’ve
picked out of your salad.
If you’re expecting
overnight guests during the
holiday season, you might
want to stock up on the
ingredients for this recipe.
Doing so will allow you to
throw together a knockout
coffee cake for breakfast, a
special treat that features a
cream biscuit dough packed
with intensely flavored
dried apricots, layered with
almond paste and glazed
with apricot jam.
The right ingredients
are crucial. You want
California apricots because
they’re much more tart and
apricot-y than the Turkish
variety. As for the jam, the
first ingredient listed on the
label should be apricots,
not sugar, because this cake
is all about the balance
between the sweet almond
paste and the tart apricots
and jam. Likewise, be sure
you’re using almond paste
and not marzipan. The latter
is too sugary.
The dough is also key,
so take care to measure
it correctly. The best
way is with a scale, not a
measuring cup. One cup
of flour should weigh 4 ¼
ounces, but if you pack it
tightly into a measuring
cup, it’ll weigh much more,
and your cake will turn out
tough and dry. If you don’t
own a scale, fluff up your
flour, sprinkle it loosely into
a one-cup dry-cup measure
and scrape off the excess
with a straight edge.
Finally, when adding the
heavy cream to the flour
mixture, take care not to
overmix the dough. The
longer you work it, the
more the gluten develops
and the chewier the dough
becomes. Not good. It takes
a careful baker to make a
tender coffee cake.
———
Sara Moulton is host of
public television’s “Sara’s
Weeknight Meals.” She
was executive chef at
Gourmet magazine for
nearly 25 years and spent
a decade hosting several
Food Network shows,
including “Cooking Live.”
Her latest cookbook is
“HomeCooking 101.”
Sara Moulton via AP
Apricot almond coffee cake.
Apricot Almond Coffee Cake
Start to finish: 1 hour 10 minutes (40 active)
Servings: 12
• 8 ½ ounces (about 2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon table salt
• ¾ cup (about 3 ½ ounces) finely chopped
apricots, preferably California apricots
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
• 6 tablespoons apricot jam
• 3 ounces very thinly sliced almond paste
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Into a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar,
baking powder and salt. Add the apricots and lemon
zest; stir well. Pour in the heavy cream and stir just
until combined. Dump the dough on the kitchen
counter and knead it a few times or just until it
comes together. Divide the dough into two parts and
roll out one-half on a lightly floured surface into a
9-inch round. Transfer the round to an ungreased
9-inch round pan and gently press it to fit evenly.
Brush the top of the rolled-out dough in the pan all
over with about ½ of the jam and arrange all of the
almond paste slices in one layer on top.
Roll out the second piece of dough into a 9-inch
round and transfer the round to the pan, placing it on
top of the almond paste. Press gently to fit it in the
pan and make sure the cake is even in thickness.
Bake the cake on the middle shelf of the oven
for 18 minutes or until a toothpick, when inserted in
the middle, comes out clean. Meanwhile, in a small
saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the remaining
jam. When the cake comes out of the oven run a knife
around the edge of the cake to loosen it and let it
stand for 5 minutes. Invert the cake onto a large plate,
re-invert it on to a rack and brush the top with the warm
apricot jam. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition information per serving: 229 calories;
100 calories from fat; 11 g fat (6 g saturated; 0 g
trans fats); 34 mg cholesterol; 200 mg sodium; 29 g
carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 11 g sugar; 3 g protein.