By Charlene McKellar
The Haldimand Press
CALEDONIA — Rabiya Azeez of Rabi’s Grand Kitchen in Caledonia, in partnership with the Haldimand County Public Library, will be offering a virtual cooking class to finish off March Break this year. The class, which will take place over Zoom for a fully interactive experience, is on Friday, March 18 from 4-5 p.m.
Azeez suggested that the event is most appropriate for kids ages 5 and above with the whole family participating. She went on to say, “Cooking together as a family is a very rewarding experience,” and further in a class environment, “these events can lead into forging long lasting friendships.”
Katrina Krupicz, Community Outreach/Inreach Coordinator of the Haldimand County Library, spoke about how the partnership came to be: “After talking to Rabiya on the phone, listening to her ideas, we thought we would jump right in and offer a virtual cooking class for families over the March Break.”
Krupicz explained that the lack of available kitchen facilities has prevented the library from offering cooking classes in the past. However, “Rabiya has the teaching and cooking experience, the kitchen, and the technical set up to facilitate online cooking classes.”
Azeez has offered virtual cooking classes in the past and has been advocating for programs such as these for years. She added, “One silver lining about COVID-19 is all about adapting into virtual sessions effortlessly.”
Kupicz noted that though many March Break activities are geared toward children, “this cooking class is an opportunity for families to do something fun together, as a family.”
She went on to say that “getting kids involved in the kitchen helps promote numeracy and literacy…. Then when they are all done, they get to eat their homework – and who wouldn’t love that?”
Those who participate in the class can expect to make no-bake date bars and a mango lassi, which is similar to a creamy smoothie.
The cost to register is $5 per family and it is asked that people register by March 11, 2022. Each family is responsible for purchasing the ingredients from a list that will be provided.
Kupicz hopes that the library will be able to offer more classes in the future. She also invites participants to explore the library’s print and digital cookbook and magazine collections to “find additional inspiration for their creative pursuits.”
Azeez wanted to say this about the endeavor, “We follow the ‘Support Local’ slogan, curating economic growth, community harmony, and inclusiveness…. I once again thank Haldimand County Public Library for this March Break gift!”
To register, email
kkrupicz@haldimandcounty.on.ca.
