What was this cooking all about...

To write what we did during those 9 days together would take at least another 9 days…

Photos can speak for themselves more or less. Together with short review of each day is going to be totally enough. Some things are just impossible to transfer with this simple blog. Who didn’t experience cannot feel all that we know ;). Memories and things we’ve learned and shared are deep in our brains, stomachs and souls :). Here it’s just a piece…

Day 1.

After a long journey finally participants arrived to Jagodne Wielkie. Staff already working since some time to get things ready! WELCOME to JAGODNE WIELKIE! Getting out from the bus, finding the rooms, time to rest and finally DINNER TIME!

The boss is really amazed with all participants! Try to keep this image till the end :)

The evening – time for games, few energizers outdoor till we see each other… mosquitoes want to have their dinner too!...we moved inside and continued the games. Spoons and pans…not for cooking this time!

Day2.
Time for official welcome to Active ingredients...what's on the programme today? Introduction...team building...team building... and once again team building ;) as a side effect getting to know each other, the  area, the schedule, setting up the rules...and cooking! Or was it the other way round first games, presenting the exchange, treasure hunt, cooking and welcome party...and team building as a side effect... :)

Day 3.
Let's start with the serious stuff...3 days of cooking workshops ahead of us. Basic ingredients and some basic knowledge a a warm up for the project. In the morning we learned how to mix ingredients, and warmed up our imagination for perfect flavours...does matching ingredients work only in the kitchen?...ofcourse not! It's a philosophy of life ;) After short introduction and setting the rules for the kitchen we moved to a hand on experience. From the effects of our "playing with knife" excercise we've prepared a soup, bruschetta and a delicious salad. It was just a beggining of the project and it tasted so good! In the afternoon we've learnt napkin folds and became the fastes service ever...never mind about the water on you suit and plates in pieces! Should we open the restaurant? :D In the evening Spanish night! Simply amazing!!!

 

Day 4.

It's time to check how Europe tastes. Morning session was dedicated to origins of ingredients, map of european food-stereotypes and...PASTA WORKSHOP...a bit messy but we still had fun...at leastthe photos indicated that ;) Do you want to know why we chose pasta for "Tastes of Europe"...it's simple...almost every country arround Europe produce their special and traditional pasta or dumplings that they'reproud and famous for...and in fact they're all made from similar basic ingredients...so we decided to check how it tastes fresh and homemade. In the afternoon time for CANOA - it was just amazing! The weather was perfect! Time to explore the lakes! After 4 hours of paddling we were totally exhausted...but still with some energy for maltese night. If Malta is like the maltese night...then we want to go to Malta!!!

Day 5. 

It's unbelievable it's already half of the exchange. Time goes defenitely too fast! For a change we've started the day with creativity...Posh Organic Potato Theatre ;) 3 drama troups trying to invent the true story of the Potato. So hilarious and so creative! After that cooking session - risotto. In the afternoon mid-term evaluation. Time to talk and share thoughts and feelings. Difficult but important. The results appeared in the following days :) Later afternoon we've started preparations for the camp fire by the lake. Back to the kitchen to prepare the food! Wood - checked, food - checked, napkins - checked, news box - checked, cameras - checked, bug spray - checked, lamps and torches - checked. Everyone outside the house and off we went to the camp fire area in the forest by the lake! That's how campers spend each evening in Mazury...

Day 6.

Now it's time to use our imagination, skills that we already have and move on to some creative cooking! In the morning after some warm-up games we did one of the most enjoyable workshops! After blind groups' division we were give the pots with the same ingredients. Each group had to create their own dish, present it to the others and write a recipe. The results were just amazing! Unbelievable how good and how different dishes you can prepare from the same ingredients.

In the afternoon we concentrated on the cultural traditions and art. We've discussed festivals, costums, ingredients and traditional dishes and shown the results of our group discussions on the posters. Later on some of us continued with sculpting the wood. It was a difficult job...cooking is a piece of cake comparing to this ;)

In the evening it was time for Polish night...welcome to the Polish wedding! ;)

Day 7.

Today a BIG DAY! Festival in Miłki! Morning bussy...very very bussy...everyone running around. collecting stuff, preparing food for presentation, warming up before traditional dances, recharging cameras, puting on the t-shirs, collecting the music. 13:30 everyone ready and here we go TO THE FESTIVAL! It turned out to be a great event! Everything went good. The weather was perfect. People came to see us. Susscessful cooperation with Local Cultural Center of Miłki :)

Day 8.

After a very bussy Sunday it's time to relax a bit. Time for excursion! We went to Sztynort, small village with an old German palace and a very famous sailors marina. It was nice relaxing morning...only the rain changed our picninc plans a bit..but we didn't mind and moved inside the sailors' bar and continued activities atracting people's attention. Sharades on movies and food kept us bussy for a while...surprisingly there were a lot of films connected with food. When the sun came back again we moved to explore the marina and the village.

For the afternoon we had another cooking mission...one of the last ones unfortunately...

On the way back to Jagodne Wielkie we stopped at the supermarket. Devided into groups we were given 25 złote and had 15 minutes to decide what we're going to cook and collect all ingredients. Let's start the race and see who comes first! Then back to the bus and back to Stara Szkoła to begine the cooking time. And again the results were so good!

In the evening farewell party...we couldn't believe the exchange was almost over...so much fun in such a short time and such an intensive work!