Time to Cook

98 degrees.
Blue skies.
100 kids, ages 7 -18.

What would you do?
Well, the youth group at Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish (TNTT Đức Mẹ Hằng Cứu Giúp) held a cooking competition as part of their summer camp.

It's not a new endeavor.
It is a Thiếu Nhi tradition to submit their members to the grueling task of cooking on charcoal and without their moms.
This year, they were provided fresh bass. Scales and all.
I wondered what sort of lunch we were going to have.

"Nước mắm... nước mắm!" came a loud cry.
Fish sauce?!!?
The youth leaders and I chuckled.
No matter how Americanized these youth are... they know it is the authentic fish sauce that makes the food.
A recent Top Chef winner was Vietnamese and not shy about using fish sauce.

I caught two little girls cleaning fish.
I was mesmerized.
They had lime green kerchiefs on, placing them no older than 10.
Yet, they were handling their fish with the ease of virtuosos.

Kady commanded three pots.
Sauteed beef, egg omelets, and bok choy soup.
Her group, Matthew Gẫm, was a picture of lively cooperation.

Two hours later, we were enjoying shish kebobs, fried fish in tomatoes, and an endless array of egg omelets.
I wouldn't know who to give the winning cooking trophy.

Definitely, they all won for enduring the heat, no injuries from the knives, and appreciating what their moms do for them every day.

ps1. See more photos of the camp
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=8195&id=100000809273640&l=ae36278014
ps2. Top Chef winner Hung Huynh
http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/top-chef-winners-tips

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