Local Kids Bake to Benefit Food Bank

Local youngsters ended four days of cooking classes at with a bake sale Thursday afternoon, adding another item to their menu after a sun-filled summer week: lemonade.

Staff member Angela Gamez said the center’s classes, including the youth baking class taught by Kim Billingsley, are full of children looking to be engaged in fun activities.

“The kids put a lot of effort into this sale: the cooking, learning how, advertising it,” said Billingsley, adding that the sale’s proceeds will go to a local food bank.

And aside from refreshing summertime lemonade, the children’s selection of baked goods was as varied as it was tasty: apricot thumbprint cookies, zucchini bread, banana bread, low-fat cranberry pumpkin bread, coconut macaroons, chocolate chip cookies (with and without nuts) — and even doggie biscuits.

Class participants ranged in age from 11 to 13 and included students from Livermore, Danville, Dublin and beyond. Billingsley said some of her students were recent arrivals from outside the U.S.

Austin Hutson, an 11-year-old going to this coming school year, said he was happy to expand his cooking skills.

“I love cooking with my mom and dad at home but this is the first time I’ve baked,” he said.

Maya Duggal, a 12-year-old who goes to school in Danville said she enjoyed making the thumbprint cookies most of all. Hutson said he agreed with her. Students personalized those cookies by pressing their thumb onto the dough. Hutson was also glad their goods would benefit the needy.

But the children’s least favorite part of four days of cooking classes?  Dishes.

“I’m not a professional at this yet, but washing dishes was the hardest thing,” Hutson said.