Summer Fun

By Chef Ed Dychauco

Thursday, April 14, 2011

THE sun is up and the weather is hot and humid. This would only mean one thing -- summer is undeniably here! And what to do the next two months would be and should be not only excitingly fun but educational as well.

With so many summer offerings and activities available in and around the city and all over the country, everyone is sure to find something stimulating that should fit their fancy and at the pace they want. Be it indoor hobbies or outdoor leisure interest. Try to ask and check around.

Let’s start with something that needs physical endurance, something that is done outside, or in an open space, like sports.

Popular sports that comes into our mind is basketball during summer leagues, we also have badminton, volleyball, football, soccer (getting popular because of the Azkals’ win), swimming, lawn tennis, golf, martial arts, boxing (because of Manny Pacquiao, of course), kick boxing, billiard, baseball, table tennis and many more.

Many started as kids and excelled eventually. Some started as “sidekicks” and learned the skills through watching, observing and thereby, practicing gradually until they became good at it.

However, there also a lot of outdoor interests that would be good for “bonding” moments with family and friends.

Aside from the physical activity one gets, it also gives so much fun and thrills. And these could include camping, hiking, wall climbing, mountain climbing, rappelling, horse-back riding, cycling, motocross, gardening, fishing, traveling, island hopping, snorkeling, photography, bowling, swimming, ski-boarding, surfing, zip-lining and river rafting.

Indoor activities would include arts and crafts mostly, like dancing, singing, painting, sculpting, embroidery, modeling, acting, designing, learning a new language, speech development and so many more. But there is one thing is that is sure to top them all -- culinary arts!

Be it baking, cooking, cake decorating, sugar flower making, and the like, this will surely make a lot of people enjoy and become passionate about their new found love! Being a foodie myself, I leaned a lot through observation and experience. And I am so blessed to have my sister Gloria who is a great culinary artist! It is through her that I became familiar with a lot of food and its preparations. It is through her that I became what I am today. Although I should say that it also runs in our genes.

My maternal grandmother was a very good cook, so is my mom. So I am pretty sure that I inherited the love for good food from them and gradually developed my God-given talents through practice and teaching.

And so this summer, Pots & Pans is again offering several exciting summer culinary arts sessions to those interested. It can be on a one-on-one basis (tutorial), or a group. Classes are held everyday, unless otherwise specified. Children as young as seven years old can be accommodated provided that they can already understand basic procedures.

Special classes for a group of 10 or more can be arranged. Modules can also be replaced accordingly if needed to suit your needs. Please visit our website or drop by Pots & Pans, 12th-16th streets, Nazareth, Cagayan de Oro City.

Come on, enjoy summer. Learn and be productive! (Website: www.potsnpans1976.weebly.com; email ad: potsnpans1976@yahoo.com)

Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on April 14, 2011.