Chef Zac Leads an Apple Adventure

Junior Kindergarten students recently shared an autumnal culinary lesson taught by Parker parent and Quest Executive Chef Zac Maness.

Students from each graderoom took turns visiting the Kindergarten’s Cucina Bambina, where Chef Zac awaited them with apples in hand. He began the lesson with some general information about apples—including the fact that there are more than 2,000 varieties in our country alone—and introduced students to eight types of apples that he picked at an orchard in Michigan during the past weekend.

Chef Zac provided slices of each variety of apple to students and asked about the similarities and differences as they sampled each one. Some were sweet, while others were tart. Some were super crisp, while others were softer to bite. In asking students which variety they thought would make the best applesauce, Chef Zac informed them that the Quest Staff prefers the Golden Delicious variety for its balance of sweetness and softness.

Next, Chef Zac turned students’ attention to the process of creation and passed around a pot of sliced Golden Delicious apples that had been softening on the stove since the lesson began. Each student tried their hand mashing the cooked apples before returning the pot to Chef Zac so he could finish the sauce with a sprinkling of cinnamon and squirt of fresh lemon juice.