{"id":4941,"date":"2013-06-21T10:52:08","date_gmt":"2013-06-21T15:52:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cottrillcompass.com\/blog\/?p=4941"},"modified":"2013-10-05T21:47:16","modified_gmt":"2013-10-06T02:47:16","slug":"why-baking-classes-amigas-del-alma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cottrillcompass.com\/blog\/2013\/why-baking-classes-amigas-del-alma.html","title":{"rendered":"Why Baking Classes? (Amigas del Alma)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday Shari had another baking class, and it was a great success!<\/b>  So – how did all this get started?<\/p>\n

Back in 2009, Shari, Mayra and Aurora started doing baking classes<\/a> in Jes\u00c3\u00bas Mar\u00c3\u00ada.  I should mention Tiffany too, who was there for the first class even though she wasn’t living here at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n
\"Amigas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Around the same time they also did a baking class in Santa Barbara.<\/p>\n

This was the beginning of many more baking classes in both communities.  So – what are they all about?<\/p>\n

The ministry, known as Amigas del Alma<\/i>, was described by Rod this way back when it started:<\/p>\n

The phrase “Amigas del Alma” has two meanings in Spanish. The common meeting [sic]<\/i> is “soul friends” or “best friends.” The second meaning is “friends of the soul.” Obviously the purpose of this dynamic trio is to reach women through different creative events, principally…are you ready for this…baking and cooking. So far, Shari has helped the women make banana muffins, and Tiffany assisted in making Christmas cookies. [original post<\/a>]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Amigas del Alma<\/i> has evolved quite a bit in over three and a half years, and the “amigas” have changed over time.  But here’s the basic idea…<\/p>\n

How it works<\/h3>\n

It’s nice to have a specialty, and Amigas del Alma<\/i> has specialized in desserts<\/i>.<\/b>  Yes, it could have ended up much broader, but sticking (more or less) to desserts has brought a nice focus, specialization and expertise.  Shari has also tried to bring recipes that are less known here in Mexico City.<\/p>\n\n\n
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Actually, dessert-making here is not especially common.  You can buy cakes at the store, and you might make flan or rice pudding, but there’s not the variety that there is when it comes to other types of food.  Not to mention that many Mexican women use their ovens more for storage than for baking!<\/p>\n

Shari usually hands out the ingredients and what-to-bring list a week early (not the recipe itself – that would take the fun out of it!).  Everyone brings their ingredients and what bowls and utensils they can.<\/p>\n\n\n
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Then at the class, Shari goes through the recipe and everyone bakes more or less together.  Some share ingredients, others bake their own thing – and it kind of depends on what’s being baked.  But everyone wants something to take home! \ud83d\ude42 <\/p>\n

As the goodies are in the oven, someone leads a short, simple devotional.<\/p>\n

As time has passed, Shari has learned a lot (as have the rest of us!) about what and how to teach!<\/b>  For example, how to explain things in a culture that often just doesn’t have the specific words that we use in Canada when we bake (how do you “cream”?  or “fold”?).  Or what things are natural to those of us who have grown up baking, but are foreign to those who haven’t.  (For example, a pie is not a stew – you can’t just put everything in at the same time and mix it like crazy and throw it in the oven!)<\/p>\n

Some things we’ve more or less invented<\/i> Spanish names for – fun!<\/p>\n

\"Let's<\/center><\/p>\n

Why it’s so cool<\/h3>\n

There are a lot of reasons why the baking class has been an awesome ministry!  For example:<\/p>\n\n\n
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