CUTTING CLASSES

The aroma of cooked onions filled the kitchen at Renaissance Academy, and 12-year-old Abby Steben announced her olfactory approval.

"It's like heaven on a lunch plate," she said.

Before the morning was out, Abby would assist in filling up that plate with tacos.

She and several other children, ages 12 to 15, participated last week in a culinary arts camp at the private school on Pine Hill Road.

The campers learned knife skills, basic cooking methods and the importance of keeping cooking areas and implements sanitary.

They shared pouring, mixing, chopping and stove duties, unconcerned with folk sayings about what too many chefs can spoil.

They made salsas, desserts, pizzas and salads, all under the watchful eye of Anthula Blasingame, a chef instructor who teaches cooking to children and adults throughout the Tampa Bay area.

"Watch out, guys. Coming through with a hot pot," Blasingame warned as she toted a simmering pan of whipping cream from the stove to the kitchen island as the group prepared vanilla custard ice cream.

Blasingame's husband, Derrick, was on hand to help out. His presence was a payback of sorts. He is the chef at Saint Leo Abbey, and his wife assisted him recently at the abbey's 120th anniversary celebration.

The two chefs met and romance blossomed when they were students at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.

Cooking with Anthula Blasingame was nothing new for some of the campers. Several participated in culinary lessons with her at a program for home-schooled students.

A second week of the culinary arts camp at Renaissance Academy is happening this week.

Blasingame said camp attendance varied slightly each day. On this day, there were eight children. Joining Abby were Christina Serrano, 12; Rebekah Drake, 14; Maggie Lyons, 12; Nick Davies, 14; Ashly Osbron, 14; Jakki Osbron, 15; and Melissa Nicholas, 12, who is Blasingame's sister.

Eight students, it turned out, was a nice number because Blasingame said 10 is about the limit.

"Over that it gets a little crazy with the knives," she said.

Everyone appeared to handle the sharp tools without any trouble, slicing onions, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro and whatever else Blasingame dropped before them.

Good pals Melissa and Christina proclaimed chopping vegetables one of their favorite parts of camp.

"It's really fun," Melissa said.

Then she chopped some more.