The most positive reaction was puzzlement over how we were going to make a mock fried chicken with cornflakes. The worst reaction was the gagging noise made by Amir Leon as he imagined the end result. (He insisted it was involuntary, he couldn’t help it.)

We reminded these 10-year-olds that they needed to keep an open mind. And we talked about how one could politely express that food did not appeal — without “yucking someone else’s yum.”

“I don’t care for it,” or “It’s not my cup of tea,” are acceptable, after everyone has had a chance to taste the food and decide for themselves.

So we plowed ahead with the recipe. Of course the kids loved the chance to smash the corn flakes in the zip lock bag. Then each child got a turn dipping drumsticks in a milk and egg mixture, and then coating each with the cornflake crumbs and laying them on a sheet pan.

Cassandra Callazo shared how her mother prepares drumsticks, by putting seasonings in the palm of her hand, then rolling the chicken in it. “It’s the Puerto Rican way,” she said.

The pan was placed in the oven to cook and Miss Belinda explained how a meat thermometer would determine that the chicken was thoroughly cooked, when it measured 165 degrees. Next, we started on the braised greens, removing the tough stems and chopping the kale and broccoli rabe, before it was blanched and then plunged into a tray of ice water to stop the cooking. The recipe suggested drying the greens with a clean, damp towel and Kevin Peralte took it one step further, creating a tourniquet with the dish towel and squeezing out every drop of water. While the greens were being sautéed, I showed Amir how to squeeze a lemon with tongs, if a juicer was not available. I placed the half lemon in the fulcrum of the tongs and squeezed it, releasing the juice. He did me one better, saying, “This is how the Dominicans do it.” He laced his fingers together and placed the half lemon between his palms and squeezed. “Even better!,” I said.

Once the meal was served, the reviews came in strong.

“I didn’t think it was going to be good,” said Kevin. “But it was scrumptiously good.”

“I learned to never judge a book by its cover,” wrote Estefania Baustista, who also employed the new expression she learned. “These greens are SO my cup of tea!” she said.

Amir agreed with her: “How are these SO good?” he asked when he tasted the greens.

As for the chicken, his assessment was a stark departure from what he first imagined: “I thought it was going to taste like a dirty rag with a damp flavor. I think it tasted to the level of Gordon Ramsey.”