Chef of the Month - CharlieMeet Charlie, a weekly Taste Buds chef.  Charlie is always so enthusiastic about coming to cooking class and trying new ingredients.  For Halloween, Charlie dressed up as Mario Batali (right down to the orange crocs!).  Charlie loves to make different salads.  He loves lots of different rice and grain dishes, picking different fruits and vegetables to go with them.

When he is not cooking he always is pretending to cook.  He "cooks Soup" with sand on the playground and at the beach.  He stirs the "soup" in the bathtub.  And he mixes all the condiments and liquids on the table or counter into a homemade soup "mixture."  He is very creative, dipping everything into different sauces to "see how they taste"  He is a great experimenter.

Age: 3.5
Neighborhood: Upper East Side
First Culinary Creation: Pancakes on Sunday morning with his dad.
Favorite Recipe: Pancakes "tacos" with bacon or sausage and syrup
Favorite Kitchen Utensil: Whisk

Chef of the Month - ZOE!!Meet Zoe, our January Chef of the Month!  Zoe takes weekly cooking classes at Taste buds, she is a pleasure to have in our kitchen, always excited to cook and taste new things!  Zoe says her cooking classes are the highlight of her week.  She especially loves story time and her FAVORITE book to read is The Donut Chef.

 Zoe really loves helping out in the kitchen at home and at her grandparents' house, too. When she hears her Grandma's Kitchen Aid mixer, she runs into the kitchen and says, "Zoe wants to help!"

Age: 2
Neighborhood: Hudson Heights
First Culinary Creation: Applesauce Muffins
Favorite Recipe: Soba Noodle Salad
Favorite Kitchen Utensil: Whisk
Favorite Cooking Fact: You have to wash your hands with soap.
Wants to Cook Next: Chocolate-Chip Cake (chocolate chips are her favorite ingredient)

Chef of the Month - VeronicaMeet Veronica, our December Chef of the Month.  Veronica takes weekly cooking classes at Taste Buds, has attended numerous summer camps and even had her birthday with us!  We love Veronica's enthusiasm for cooking and willingness to try new things.  Veronica is a great help when we have younger kids in the kitchen, she always lends a hand when needed.

Age: 8
Neighborhood: Gramercy
First Culinary Creation: Chocolate Chip Cookies
Favorite Recipe: Spinach Quiche
Favorite Kitchen Utensil: Wooden Spoon
Favorite Cooking Fact: You need to butter the pan before you put in the batter
Wants to Cook Next: Layer Cake

Veronica's quote in response to hearing that they've been selected as Taste Buds "Chef of the Month": YES!

We look forward to continuing our culinary adventures with Veronica!

T'is the season for Gingerbread Houses at Taste Buds!The Taste Buds elves are thrilled to report that we are gearing up for a great Gingerbread House season beginning in 2 short weeks. Our gum balls, chocolate kisses, and candy canes have been ordered and soon, we'll start transforming our kitchen into a Winter Wonderland (think Candy Land meets homemade cookies fresh out of the oven). It's going to be festive, jazzy, cozy and oh-so-delicious!

Join us in the warmth of our Taste Buds' Kids Kitchen as we play holiday tunes, drink hot chocolate and get to work on our masterpiece Gingerbread Creations. Our first class is the Monday after Thanksgivings (11/28) and we can't wait to start spreading our holiday cheer. All classes are designed for children as young as two on up to chefs in their tweens. Most classes are "family style" for children to enjoy with parents, caregivers, or other adult friends. We even have a few special adult BYOB classes.

So grab some friends, bring your creativity and let's get decorating!
Advanced registration required. Class schedule available here.

Chef of the Month - SamanthaMeet Samantha - our November Chef of the Month. Samantha has joined us for our Kitchen Play Dates all summer long and is always eager to make more than one recipe. She is so enthusiastic about cooking and we enjoy having her in our kitchen! Samantha loves to cook and especially enjoys using her hands to help mix and shape dough. She is also happy to lick the bowl clean when she is done cooking. Samantha recently joined us for Halloween Scary Snacks where she made creepy spider pretzels and ooey gooey dirt pudding with gummy worms!

Age: 7
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Favorite Food: Red Velvet Cake (which she helped make from scratch)
Favorite Kitchen Utensil: Electric Mixer

Chef of the Month - SamanthaOur August Chef of the Month is Samantha! Samantha has attended several of our camps this summer and has cooked everything from rainbow cupcakes to chocolate pizza. We love having Samantha in our camps because she is always enthusiastic and eager to cook and try new recipes. She is also a great helper with kitchen clean-up. Samantha has thoroughly enjoyed camp this summer; not only has she learned various new recipes, but she has also made many new friends with her Taste Buddies.

Samantha has enjoyed cooking at home and at the Taste Buds kitchen very much. She has even been inspired to create her own recipes. One of the things she has learned at Taste Buds is that if something does not sound good, it will be good. Moreover, if a dish sounds good, it will be good! Samantha's favorite aspect about cooking is that she gets to eat what she makes.

Age: 9
Neighborhood: Upper East Side
Favorite Food: Lobster
Favorite Kitchen Utensil: Cheese grater, Whisk

The History of the Snow ConeAs summer heats up, what better way to cool down than munching on an icy-cold Snow Cone? A Snow Cone is a made up of a combination of shaved ice, flavored with various syrups. Some popular flavors include cherry, lemon, and watermelon. Snow cones are crushed either by hand or by specialized ice-crushing machines.

The Snow Cone was first seen in the Texas State Fair in 1919. Nearly two decades later, Ernest Hansen of New Orleans, Louisiana invented the first known ice block shaver. He was inspired by Italian ices, but wanted to make a refreshing treat that was more sanitary and slightly more sophisticated. His wife began to create fresh syrups, and the Snow Ball was further developed. Over time, the name Snow Ball has evolved into Snow Cone and is enjoyed by many worldwide. Popular places to find Snow Cones include carnivals, fairs, and stadiums.

What are Snow Cones called in other locations?
In Puerto Rico they are known as Piraguas, in Mexico they're called Raspados, and in Hawaii they are referred to as Shaved Ice.