Over the past few months of home instruction, Calais School culinary students have been cooking in their own kitchens, making meals, side dishes and desserts.

Teacher Kelly Walsh was inspired by the many photos her students shared with her of their culinary creations and so she decided to compile many of them here in a special musical slide show. The show features Mother’s Day breakfasts ranging from delectable pancakes and omelets to dips, pasta salads, cakes, cinnamon rolls, pizza and barbecue. Please watch the show. We promise that it will make you hungry.

“Our goals focused on different recipes using ingredients the students had at their homes,” Walsh said. “For an example, Mr. Tulloch came up with a simple pasta salad recipe but what we received was several, unique dishes unlike the original recipe!”

Walsh said the photos the students submitted of their assignments “looked so appetizing that it was suggested by Mrs. Reich to document them into a slideshow. We are so proud of our students! Not only did they cook for themselves, but they cooked full meal for their families too.”

The food fundamentals class is composed of 53 students in the high school and 12 plus programs. In the work-at-home portion of the class during the pandemic, Walsh asked students to design a menu for their own restaurant, practice measuring by doubling recipes and also watching videos about food safety and dining etiquette.

In April, Walsh said she stepped up the assignments by encouraging students to start cooking for themselves. Students tried recipes for pasta salad and a cake in a mug using ingredients they had in their homes. The class ended with three assignments where students had to cook full meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner. “I am so proud of what the students accomplished,” she said.

The program had its challenges during the home instruction, Walsh noted. “Teaching online was a new format for them, but they responded nicely to the different work I provided.”

The slide show also promotes the school’s culinary program.