'Culinary Literacy' Classes Being Offered at Phila. Free Library
By Hadas Kuznits
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A national chain of cancer treatment hospitals is bringing its community education mission to Philadelphia with free classes in healthy cooking.
Dietician Kamorin Matterns, with Cancer Treatment Centers of America, says the goal of the classes is promote what they call "culinary literacy."
"Everybody knows about healthy eating in that we need to eat more vegetables, we need to eat more fruits," she says, "but culinary literacy really means, 'How can I take that information and apply that in my own kitchen?' So we want to give people not only the information that they need but the tools that they need in order to apply healthy living principals."
Classes in the series begin this coming Tuesday (Sept. 23rd) at the main branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia.
"The first one (is) gluten-free living, separating the fact versus the fad," Matterns says. "We have an upcoming program on survivorship -- so, cancer nutrition and recipes. There's also a Thanksgiving program coming up, and also we'd like to promote seasonal and sustainable living."
She says teaching at the library will be very different from her hospital classes.
"In the hospital, they're here for a specific reason; but out in the community, we can just have a more broad education piece." She says they are hoping to spread the message of health and wellness and cancer prevention.
The demonstration kitchen in the Free Library, at 19th and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, was unveiled earlier this summer.
The series is free, but those wishing to attend should register by calling 215-686-5323 or going to the library's web site.