One of the most popular activities at Camp Mesorah is Culinary Workshop led by Sharon Frier and Lacey Kalb. In this unique workshop campers learn how to cook a variety of tasty and nutritious meals and snacks, in a safe and fun setting. They have the opportunity to be creative and experiment with different cooking techniques utilizing fresh, locally grown ingredients and flavors from around the world. Camp Mesorah, cultivates its own garden on campus where organic produce and herbs can be picked daily and then used in the meals and snacks made during Culinary Workshop. Campers gain the confidence to creatively take recipes to new levels by blending sweet and savory elements. They also are encouraged to try new foods; one camper recently stated that before coming to Culinary Workshop, she never ate vegetables, and now she enjoys many of them. As proven in studies, when children learn how to cook with vegetables, they are more likely to eat them.

Each year, Lacey and Sharon create a theme for the summer. Previous themes included “International Cooking” and “Cooking with Color” (natural, of course). This year’s theme is “M-E-S-O-R-A-H” and each week a different food is made beginning with each letter of Mesorah. During the first week of camp, workshop participants made “mac and cheese” muffins topped with assorted diced vegetables, mozzarella sticks with marinara sauce and delectable mint chocolate chip cookies and ice cream.

The Mesorah Culinary Workshop also offers cooking options for children with allergies and special dietary restrictions such as gluten-free needs. No matter what their food passion, Mesorah’s Culinary Workshop offers a delicious experience for all campers.