I wore pig tails, played hide-n-seek, jumped double dutch, danced in the talent show and felt safe, secure and loved while attending Family Focus Community Center Evanston. I was in grade school and my only responsibility was homework and Saturday chores. How simple my life was back then. Only if I now could find a time machine. I guess I have found one of sorts as I am now an adult sharing my love and gift of pastries, chocolates and confections to small children that once looked like me at Family Focus Community Center Evanston.
Three girls showed up, one being new. They were giddy and ready to begin. Recipes ready, we read aloud. Digital scale and ingredients were placed before them. My buttercream tastes a lot like butter one said, so upon her suggestion we added more vanilla. Their buttercream needed more sweetness so together they decided to add half the amount of sugar. First time was 12 ounces, second time, 6 ounces more. Sharp knives cut fingers I repeatedly reminded them as they cut softened butter into pieces. Pastry bags and tips look a lot easier when watching on television. They held, squeezed, made circles, lines and started over when decorating chocolate and coconut cakes with buttercream. They smiled and asked questions, always working clean and never contaminating ingredients by licking buttercream off fingers.
