This quarter, our Culinary Arts class made a decision: we would work together to cook only one meal, but every element of that meal would be made from scratch, using only whole foods and nothing processed.
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This decision was inspired by our discussion of Michael Pollan’s idea that one “shouldn’t eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food" --  the opposite of our highly-processed western diet. 

After much debate, we chose a student favorite as our meal: Bratwurst and sauerkraut. Our first week, students studied the process of lactobacillus fermentation and applied their knowledge to begin making sauerkraut. We then learned how yeast and gluten work, and baked our own rolls. The following weeks had students spicing and grinding their own sausage, researching flavor combinations to mix mustards from mustard seeds, and stuffing their homemade sausage mix into casings. 
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The process will culminate in a feast the students are certain to never forget!

​New students complete a checklist of steps designed to help them understand what they can expect during their time at NSA, including reviewing their Course Progression Plans, analyzing their aptitudes and interests, and setting goals for academic and personal growth development. By the end of the students’ Orientation period, they are fully engaged in the NSA process, and ready for continued success.