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Teaching culture through cooking

Yazel Cazares, who will be graduating this June, presented a Mexican Cooking Class on April 19 for her senior project.

Cazares is one of the founders of the successful baking students who will sell food at the Tuesday night farmers market under the name “Lovin’ Oven.” Her dream is to own her own baking business. Currently, the “Lovin’ Oven” operates out of the kitchen at the Valley of the Moon Teen Center.

For her senior project, she demonstrated how Mexican food is made. With the help of advisors Rebecca Hermosillo, Suzanne Young and Jean Hopeman, Cazares planned the event, gave out recipe cards and showed attendees how to make tamales husks, chiles, moles and masa for tamales. She then showed guests how to make beans, rice, empanadas de camote, flan and how to peel a mango. Finally, she taught guests how to make hibiscus flavored drinks and papaya drinks.

The class began with a tour of “La Favorita” market, where she discussed shopping for the correct products before cooking.
Cazares donated the $300 proceeds from the effort to the Teen Center’s baking program. She plans to offer more cooking classes this summer at the center.

For more details about Sonoma Valley Teen Services, call Hermosillo at 939-1452 or Cristin Lawrence at 812-3960.