A play date and sweet potatoes

I recently took Nico to see a show I was covering for Mommy Poppins. When I told him it was called Potato Needs a Bath, he said: "I'm going to jump out of my chair and eat that sweet potato!" Then he let out a devilish laugh. I guess his statement shouldn't have surprised me. Nico could live on sweet potatoes if he had to. I try to roast a bunch every week to have on hand for snacks or a side dish. I cut a bunch into cubes, scatter them on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, some salt and pepper and then roast at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until tender, stirring once before they're ready. To give them a golden, crunchy coating, I keep the skins on.

When it came time to see the play, Nico left the main character alone. He actually sat still throughout the entire show, in awe of Scottish puppeteer Shona Reppe and her colorful cast of fruits and vegetables. Even I got a real kick out of the clever set and script and of course loved how fruits and vegetables played starring roles. Read my full review on Mommy Poppins and find out about other NYC theaters that produce plays specifically for preschoolers.

Photo credit: Douglas McBride