S o what do you do on a Sunday afternoon?

Some of you probably go to school or yeshivah. But what about everybody else? Do you spend the day relaxing around the house? Do you like to shop? Run errands? Study for tests? Go out for ice cream?

The possibilities are endless and all of them are great. As long as you are doing what works for you.

This past Sunday I joined a group of girls in Boro Park who decided to spend their Sunday afternoons learning how to bake. The class was held at The Peppermill on 16th Ave. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I got there but it turned out to be a wonderful experience. We learned some useful and interesting baking tips. Plus the girls made new friends and had a super fun time!

The Peppermill is the local kitchen accessories and gadget store and it’s quite busy here on this Sunday afternoon. The store is filled with rows upon rows of cool and clever gadgets for cooking and baking. I hear somebody comment that “It’s like a toy store for ladies!”

But I don’t have time to linger because I’m on my way to the back room at The Peppermill where the real fun is happening. Here I meet Mrs. Chayaleh Horowitz the baking teacher and about ten girls ranging in age from nine to twelve. We’re all sitting on barstools around a huge stainless-steel table. Chayaleh tells us that today we will be baking and decorating Chanukah cookies. Yesss! 

Meet The Peppermill’s Teacher and Students

Chayaleh totally loves her job here at The Peppermill. “Here we can laugh and talk and use our imagination and be creative” she says. And then she whispers to me “I don’t know who’s having more fun here me or my girls!”

She likes to challenge her “students” by teaching them her tricks of the trade. “You’d be surprised how quickly they learn the techniques ” she tells me. “I give them the tools and they use their imagination.” So far this class has learned how to bake rugelach and babka butterfly cupcakes tarts and emoji cookies.

I ask the girls which was their favorite class so far. Miriam says she enjoyed making kokosh cake. Yittie says it was the emoji cookies and the rugelach. Risi tells me she actually baked the babka with her friends at her bas mitzvah a few weeks ago. And Goldie adds that she really enjoys baking at home ever since she started taking this class.

There’s a lot of giggling during class and an easy friendly chatter even as the baking begins. Most of these girls didn’t even know each other before but it looks like they are now becoming good friends. (Excerpted from Mishpacha Jr. Issue 689)