Cheverus Stories

If you work in any kitchen, you've got to know some French. From "sous chef" to "mise en place" to "hors d'oeuvres", food preparation and the French language are interconnected. Recently, Cheverus students got a hands-on French lesson when they participated in a French pastry class led by Katherine Slevin of the "c. love cookie project". In preparation, students learned about the history of some typical French pastries, watched a documentary about the best pastry chefs in France, and learned all the food vocabulary they would need to make the delicious, but difficult to perfect, French macarons. 

They got to put what they'd learned in action, and French flew around The Root Cellar's kitchen as Ms. Slevin guided two teams of kids, who competed to make the perfect macaron. And they could not have had a more qualified teacher. Ms. Slevin majored in French in order to follow her passion for baking, which led her to France, where she spent time working for the world famous Pierre Hermé, who has an entire cookbook devoted solely to macarons. 

But it was after a life-changing experience working with Syrian refugees in Greece that Ms. Slevin decided to start her own mission-driven cookie company, where she trains immigrant women in baking, and donates twenty-one percent of sales to local organizations working with immigrant communities. Ms. Slevin's cookies are available at Coffee by Design and other local businesses. 

This week, Cheverus students will put their knowledge to the test by putting on a traditional French pastry sale!