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What's Cooking for CTE Month & Valentine's Day?

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and a Chocolate Swiss Roll are on the menu in Mount Si’s Baking 2 Class this week!  To celebrate CTE month, we made a sweet visit to another Career & Technical Education program that provides our students with hands-on experience using baking tools, techniques, and recipes resulting in delectable desserts made from scratch. 

Mount Si’s Culinary Arts program, a popular CTE elective among students, has continued to expand with the addition of Teacher Monica Nelson, a former professional baker/pastry chef who teaches Creative Cooking, Baking 1 and Baking 2.

Working in teams of four, the advanced Baking 2 students got right down to business, making the most of their class time. They followed the assigned recipes, measured flour using a scale (for a more precise outcome), sifted dry ingredients using a sieve, separated egg yokes, whipped egg whites and folded them into batter, piped frosting and hand-crafted edible roses, lined baking sheets with parchment, operated electric mixers and ovens, carefully rolled hot sheet cake to prep the Swiss Roll for filling, and expertly washed their dishes and tools. At the end of the period, all enjoyed sampling their sweet red-velvet creations.

Additionally, a few students are also making future plans that involve baking: 

  • Two students were practicing techniques they will demonstrate at the Skills USA State competition March 28.  Congratulations to Zack Graham who placed 1st at the Regional Baking contest, and Faxon Zeigler who placed 3rd. 
  • Also, Zeigler, a junior, is considering a college in France that offers a three-year culinary program, among other contenders for her plans after graduation. 
  • And, Senior Hailey Blodgett shared her plans to major in business at Boise State, then return to the Snoqualmie Valley to pursue her dream of opening a bakery! Based on photos of stunning cakes she recently made-to-order for a birthday party, she’s already off to a promising start!

What’s your favorite thing about baking?

Student answers:

“The process of baking -- following each step of a challenging recipe. It’s very rewarding to get great results and to know I can do it."

“Learning something new, that I never would have known how to do before taking this class.”

“I like that I can make things during class. I’m so busy with school, homework and a job, that I would never have the time, or the equipment, to make these things at home.”

Baking for CTE Month

A young person in a white sweater and purple hat is standing in front of a whiteboard displaying text and pointing at it in a classroom setting.
A smiling woman in a kitchen is cutting into a red meat dish on a baking tray, with kitchen appliances and a bright yellow wall visible in the background.
The image shows two people in a kitchen, one decorating a cake and the other preparing a drink.
A group of young people gathered around a table, engaged in what appears to be a baking or cooking activity, with a cake or dessert visible on the table.
A young woman with glasses is smiling and standing in a kitchen setting, with other people visible in the background.
Hands holding a banana and peeling it in a kitchen setting with various appliances and utensils visible in the background.
The image shows several people in a kitchen, with one person decorating a cake on a counter while others observe or assist.
The image shows a group of people in a kitchen setting, with one person in the foreground focused on preparing something on the counter.
The image shows a baking tray filled with neatly arranged yellow rose-shaped pastries or dough pieces on a parchment paper-lined surface.
Three young women are standing in a kitchen, surrounded by various cooking utensils and appliances. They appear to be engaged in some kind of food preparation or baking activity.
A smiling young woman wearing a Portland, Maine sweatshirt is holding a smartphone in the foreground, with a group of people visible in the background.
A young person wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt stands in a brightly lit classroom or kitchen setting, holding a metal bowl.
Four young women are gathered around a kitchen counter, preparing what appears to be a cake or dessert. The background features colorful cabinets and appliances, creating a vibrant and lively setting.
A young man wearing a black hoodie with text on it stands in a brightly colored room, with a red velvet cake visible on the table in front of him.
A hand holding a smartphone displaying a birthday giraffe cake with the text %22Happy Birthday Jack%22 on the screen.
Two people, a man and a woman, are standing in a kitchen and appear to be preparing or decorating a cake. The kitchen has an orange-colored backsplash and various kitchen appliances visible in the background.
The image shows a whiteboard with a %22BELIEVE%22 sign and a list of %22Creative Cooking%22 items, including %22Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes%22 and %22Mini Red Velvet Cake%22.
A person's hands are decorating a white frosted cake with yellow rose-shaped decorations, with a tray of additional decorations visible in the background.
A group of young people, likely students, are gathered around a kitchen counter, engaged in what appears to be a cooking or baking activity.
The image shows a group of young people, likely students, standing in what appears to be a kitchen or cafeteria setting, with various food items and appliances visible in the background.
Two individuals, a man and a woman, are standing in a kitchen setting. The man is wearing a navy blue sweatshirt and a baseball cap, while the woman is wearing a green sweater. They appear to be working on something, with the woman holding a cake and the man standing next to her.