When I was a kid I spent a lot of time playing with my food.
My mother didn’t mind. In fact she encouraged me.
Especially when it came to dough. Because there are some things that you can only learn how to make by getting your hands messy. You have to play with them until you understand what the proper consistency feels like.
Pie crust, for instance. So many people seem to be afraid of pie crust, but I’ve been playing with pie crust scraps since I was old enough to stand on a chair and reach the counter. To me it was like play dough: roll it out, squish it into a ball, make snakes, whatever. By the time I was in college I could make pie crust solo without any problem. [There’s a story from college about an apple pie, a light bulb, and a really tall person, but that’s a tale for another day.]
When I wasn’t mixing up dough of some kind, I was experimenting with my own personal concoctions (usually involving nuts, chocolate, and other gooey substances.) Sometimes I even remembered to wash the dishes afterwards.
And I wasn’t the only one playing with food. When my dad decided to make pita bread or pot stickers, the guests were all expected to help. And when I was in high school, one of the highlights of the parties we hosted was making egg rolls. (Admission: we did not make our own egg roll wrappers. There was enough mess going on without that.)
But what a happy mess it was!
Of course, when I had children I encouraged them to play with food, too.
And I must have done something right, because son #1 occasionally reports on his own food experiments. Once, when left to his own devices for several days, he decided to make Chicago style deep dish pizza–from scratch. That’s my boy!
And as I write this, son # 2 and selected friends are at my parents’ house playing with food. Including pie crust. (Also funnel cakes, pot stickers and bread.)
But I think the ultimate in playing with food is shown in this video:
Bonus Idea:
Want a fun (but potentially messy) food activity for your next party? Try blindfold sundaes. Set out all your favorite sundae fixings on a table like you were making a sundae bar, (but set up outside or someplace with an easy-to-clean floor.) Then choose a partner. Partner 1 is blindfolded. Now Partner 1 must make Partner 2’s sundae while Partner 2 directs. Verbal instructions only! Start with the ice cream already dished out. Partner 1 is instructed which bowl to pick up, then which toppings to put on top. (If you’re lucky, some of the gooey stuff will actually land in the bowl.) When Partner 1 has finished his masterpiece, switch places. Then enjoy the yummy sundaes.
Kathy Rupff says
Love it! What an inspiring, fun, and creative post!
Lisa says
Always happy to encourage others toward creativity (and good food!)
Shelly says
Loved the video you shared! That photographer is genius!!!
Lisa says
I remember seeing his stuff before in a magazine, so I went hunting for him and found this cool video. However, I do not have that much patience when it comes to playing with food.