Это предварительный просмотр рецепта "Peach Cobbler Pastry Braid".

Рецепт Peach Cobbler Pastry Braid
by Julie Ruble

I wrote this post as part of the Plugrá Butter Brigade. Thanks, Plugrá, for sponsoring this post and for making my favorite butter! I use Plugrá in pastries, especially, since its low moisture content ensures a flakier texture.

My 8th year students are completing a project to deepen their service passions this year. “Projects” in my class aren’t just projects; they’re journeys designed by the students themselves within a supportive framework I provide. Some of the kids have taken off. Their path was smooth and they fell right into the service fit for them. N.S. continued work she had already begun serving at her dance studio, where she was inspired daily. I.P. created bluebird habitats on our campus last year and decided it was a natural segue to rebuild our beekeeping program this year.

For many kids, though, it’s been a challenge. This is far from disappointing to me: this is exactly what I expect and prep them for. We call the inevitable obstacles during their project work “mountains and moats.” They require collaboration, problem solving, analysis — the very skills I want them to develop. This is where learning happens. My job is to support kids as they learn how to react responsibly to these situations. The unexpected part this year is that I’m facing plenty of mountains and moats myself.

One group of kids has inspired me more than I’ve inspired them, I’m sure. Their service plan was to mentor elementary school kids at a local after school program. From the very beginning, building the relationship with the program has been difficult. Communication is disorganized and sometimes we’ll be told one thing and then find out another is true. After trying to schedule many times, a few students finally went for their first visit. Two of them have now visited three or four times and formed sweet bonds with the kids there in spite of all the struggles.

“Well, since we can’t go, we’re going to get ice cream instead.”

In the space of about 5 minutes, they had processed their disappointment, switched gears, and made all the necessary parent phone calls to plan a fun afternoon. I remember marveling at their resourcefulness — though admittedly a kind of resourcefulness I hadn’t anticipated them needing for the project! We’ll call it ice cream resourcefulness.

A few days later I was picking up dinner from a local mediterranean deli (#realtalk, y’all: I almost never cook my own dinner. Teacher life.) and my car died. I’d had a hard day and this was not in my plans. I settled in to cry and whine and thrash about for a bit but then remembered my students’ ice cream resourcefulness and made a different choice. I put thrashing on hold, opened my takeout bag, put my feet up on the dash, and ate some chicken curry instead. After relaxing for a bit and watching the world go by, wouldn’t you know that my car started right up? I drove home rested and happy. My students don’t even realize how much they teach me while I’m trying to teach them.

I think developing the habit of pausing before reacting would solve 90% of my struggles. Do you need a happiness pause? Need to find some ice cream resourcefulness? No need to wait for your car to break down: whip up this super simple, delicious peach cobbler pastry braid, pour some coffee, and take a moment to just be. I even made you a video to show you how simple these gorgeous braids are. Hope you enjoy!