Students to bake and decorate gingerbread cookies for the holidays.
Ginger’s Breadboys has partnered with the Culinary Arts Program at Ballou High School in the District of Columbia to bake and decorate gingerbread cookies this holiday season. The woman-owned LLC will offer students a Classic Gingerbread Cookie Kit as part of a digital initiative called #BallouBakesGingerbreadCookies.
Chef Shanel Howard leads the Culinary Arts Program at Ballou. Her first and foremost criteria for a holiday project was that it sparks joy for her students. Baking gingerbread cookies – a very holiday confection with its spicy aromas - is a wonderful holiday activity. The Chef felt that providing each student with their own Gingerbread Cookie kit along with the baking experience could spark the joy she wanted. It is a nice fit in the curriculum and covers a variety of learning objectives and skills.
The partnership seeks to not only expose students to baking gingerbread cookies, but also will be a stress test on the kit itself. Virginia Bramante, owner of Ginger’s Breadboys, has always wanted to see how the kit stands up to a true novice baking audience. These students will be baking on their own in class without the aid of a parent or grandparent who may have baking experience. Virginia noted, “It is rather exciting, and I can’t wait to see their creations.”
As a learning experience, the effort will touch on culinary baking skills such as dough making and roll-out, mixing royal icing, and decorating and piping, as well as other skills in recipe understanding and planning, reading comprehension, and following written instructions.
Ginger’s Breadboys is keen to gather feedback on the activity and has created an online form for the students; they will be encouraged to fill out the form to receive extra credit. The feedback form will assess how well the kit fits with young adults learning to bake.
Photos and videos will be shared online through various social media platforms and tagged with the hashtag #BallouBakesGingerbreadCookies. Look for postings in mid-December when all baking should be completed.
Ginger’s Breadboys is a woman-owned small business in its 6th selling season. Gingerbread baking kits are their core competency, and each year has seen growth for the company - from gift bundles, branded kitchen linens, and gingerbread house kits, to launching their delicious gingerbread recipe as a standalone gingerbread cookie mix product. Each year has brought exciting new partnerships and efforts. The collaboration with Ballou is the first baking effort and an exciting partnership.
About Ginger’s Breadboys® - Ginger's Breadboys® gingerbread house and cookie kits are a product based on 30+ years of baking experience. The cookie kit replicates a process that produces a uniquely delicious tasting gingerbread cookie every time baked. The house kit takes the user through a journey made simple with easy-to-follow instructions. Each item in the kits has been curated, tested, and perfected for use in the baking and decorating of these gingerbread cookies and gingerbread houses. The unique packaging and labeling exude a nostalgic feel that when combined with participating in the activity make for a truly grand holiday experience. "The experience and memories that can be created with our gingerbread kits showcase the joy of baking and decorating together, especially during the holidays." Read our story and follow the journey on Facebook and Instagram. Trade dress pending.