NOT Playing it Safe

He volunteered to make lunch for our guests. "Works for me," I told him.  "What are you thinking you"ll make?"  He decided on fish and chips.

Interesting part of that decision is that he's never eaten fish and chips. Not once.  In fact, he hadn't made fish any part of his diet until three weeks ago.  Now. we try to eat salmon at least once a week.  And now he's decided to make fish and chips?  

And he did.  He printed out a recipe from America's Test Kitchen, went shopping last night, and made them today.  They weren't perfect, could have been cooked a bit longer, but the flavor was pretty good. Our guests had seconds.  That has to be evidence that they were pretty good.

What amazes me is his willingness to try anything in this new hobby of his - like cooking something from scratch that he's never eaten before.  And, being willing to do it for some friends of ours who are coming over for lunch.  How does confidence like that develop?  And how can I pass it on, to students AND to teachers?