#TWKatHome Activities
Keeping Cool with Ice Cream
Welcome to TWKatHome, our fun, free online content that helps kids and families explore food and build positive, healthy eating habits. Each month, we will provide activities and ideas for ways to engage children as they learn about food and where it comes from.
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Black History & Ice Cream
Some important African American pioneers in the history of ice cream in the US include:
- James Hemings, who was born into slavery and the first French trained American chef. Hemings was the first chef to popularize French dishes like frozen custard and creme brûlée in the US.
- Augustus Jackson, who’s often called “the father of ice cream,” brought ice cream to the masses. One of Jackson’s big innovations was making ice cream more stable by adding salt to the recipe, which lowers the freezing temperature and enhances other flavors.
- Alfred Cralle invented the ice cream scoop.
Ice cream is enjoyed around the world. Learn more about it here!
Delicious ice cream styles from around the world
History of Ice Cream: From Shaved Ice to King of Dessert
Check out these local Baltimore Ice Cream shops this summer!
It’s also tomato season and time to enjoy fresh salsa, salads, and tomato sandwiches!
What is an heirloom Tomato?
- Scientifically speaking, an heirloom is an open-pollinated variety; that is, the flower is pollinated with pollen from another plant to make a fruit with seeds that can reproduce the fruit, true to type.
- Unscientifically speaking, heirlooms are tomatoes recognized for superior flavor, appearance, or hardiness and were nurtured and saved, to be passed along from one generation to the next.
Make Your Own Ice Cream
You can make ice cream that is quick, easy, and vegan right at home. The creamy texture of the banana or mango imitates the texture of dairy-based ice creams. A food processor works best for this recipe. If you are using a blender, a little liquid (nut milk, coconut milk, or water) can be added.
Here's what you'll need:
- 2 frozen bananas
- 1/2 cup frozen berries
- food processor or blender
OR
- 2 frozen bananas
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
OR
- 2 cups frozen diced mangoes
- 1/2 cup coconut cream
Instructions:
- Place the frozen fruit and other ingredients in the food processor and blend. Pause to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and then keep blending until the fruit is a creamy consistency.
- Serve immediately or store in the freezer for later!
Saving Tomato Seeds Activity
If you like to garden, it's a good idea to save your favorite seeds to grow next year. Here's how!
Here's what you'll need:
- tomatoes
- glass or plastic jars
- a cool dry place to store your jars
- napkins or paper towels
- rubber bands or string
- paper plates
- a spoon
- marker and labels
- strainer
Instructions:
- Choose 2 or more varieties of your favorite tomatoes and cut them open or squeeze them. Remove the seeds with a spoon and place them in well labeled jars.
- Put a little water in each jar, cover with a napkin or paper towel and secure with a rubber band. Store the jars in a cool dry place for 3-5 days for the seeds to ferment.
- When white foam appears on the surface, skim it off. Add water and stir the seeds. The seeds to save will sink to the bottom. Remove any seeds that float on top along with any pulp. Continue to clean.
- Carefully strain out the water. Place your seeds on paper plates. Label your plates with the date and tomato name.
- Let the seeds dry in a cool place for 2 weeks, stirring daily so the seeds don't stick. Once they are completely dry, store them in an airtight contained in a cool, dry place until you're ready to germinate them in the spring.
Check out this great guide for cooking with different types of tomatoes!
Conversation Starters
- What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
- What is the most interesting ice cream flavor combination you have tried?
- If you were going to create a new ice cream flavor, what would it be?
- How many different ways have you tried tomatoes? What is your favorite? In pizza sauce, in salsa, in an omelet?
- What are the benefits of saving seeds from fruits and vegetables?
Book Recommendations
- Tomatoes for Neela by Padma Lakshmi celebrates the kitchen and all the recipes prepared and shared between Neela and her mom. A cross cultural recipe repertoire is emphasized.
- Sophie’s Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller is a humorous story of a girl who befriends a squash, which she refuses to part with until it rots. The life cycle of the squash gives Sophia a delightful surprise.
- Curious About Ice Cream by Bonnie Bader walks readers through the history of ice cream accompanied by photos and fun facts.
- Vanilla Bean by Katie Turner is a story of a picky eater who is faced with a circumstance in an ice cream shop where he tries something new, and likes it!
Summer Harvest Bingo
In the summer, ice cream is a common treat--the perfect way to end a hot day or wrap up a trip to the beach! So while you're at the ice cream parlor this season, try some new flavors and cross them off on the bingo board. We've got nothing against the classics like vanilla and chocolate but we think you'll be surprised by some of these flavors! And who knows, you may just find your new favorite.