Gaining independence through the basics

Mindy Hawkins discussed the finer points of making a grilled cheese sandwich with eight Laguna Beach High School students Thursday.

Hawkins, a vocational education teacher at the school, spoke of the difference between cooking the sandwich in a microwave, which is quicker, or allowing the cheese to melt slower while the bread crisps atop a griddle.

The classic lunchtime favorite and milkshakes were on the menu.

“You guys will be living on your own and have to make lunch,” said Hawkins, who walks with nine students from the high school to the Assistance League of Laguna Beach twice a month to cook and perform other tasks, such as placing price tags on CDs and DVDs.

The Assistance League, a nonprofit philanthropic organization, sells the CDs and other items at its thrift shop, called the Turnabout Shop.

Students have prepared crepes, chicken-topped salads, pizza, pasta, even an ice cream cake, freshman Danielle Treadwell said.

Hawkins leaves menu planning to the students.

“It’s a huge process,” Hawkins said. “There’s voting among the kids; we treat it as a democracy.”

Students brainstorm the ingredients they need and work within a budget, according to Hawkins.

Students collect cans from school and recycle them at a local grocery store, then use the money to purchase food, Hawkins said.

Treadwell has gleaned a few cooking techniques during the class.

“I’ve learned how to flip things, not burn things and not let things stick,” Treadwell said.

The class divided time between the blender for milkshakes made with cookies and cream ice cream and the griddle, or microwave, for sandwiches.

“The goal is for [the students] to replicate this on their own,” Hawkins said. “At first we were doing fancy recipes, but that was a bad idea.”

The students, who include freshmen Natalia Law and Moorea Howson, sophomore Andy Kemp, juniors Eric Curras and Alex Martin, and seniors Alina Fiocca, Tyler Fisher and Andrew Arredondo, learn other skills throughout the week.

Once per week they set tables at area restaurants such as the White House and Sundried Tomato, and also learn how to work a cash register.

After preparing one of their meals at the Assistance League, students eat together at tables set up in a room adjacent to the kitchen.

“We encourage the social, conversation part of a meal,” Hawkins said. “We’re giving them skills because they will be on their own.”