The latest aspect of the vast education programme associated with London 2012 has been unveiled.

Let’s Get Cooking Around the World aims to encourage pupils to learn new language skills as well as culinary arts.

It aims to unite interest in the games with recipes from competing countries and language lessons.

Recipes and resources are available for seven countries that are major competitors in the Olympic Games: UK, Mexico, Canada, India, Brazil, China and South Africa.

Organisers claim, for example, that pupils will pick up Portuguese vocabulary while making a mango and banana smoothie from Brazil, and then learn how Portuguese explorers colonised parts of South America.

London 2012 board member and world triple-jump record-holder Jonathan Edwards attended the launch at Eldon Junior School in Edmonton, north London, last week.

“The development of language skills couldn’t be more important as we prepare to welcome the world to the Games in 2012,” he said.

“Hosting of the Games gives us a great opportunity to use links with the 205 competing nations.”

The project is being co-ordinated by the School Food Trust. Recipes are available at www.letsgetcooking.org. ukCookingAroundtheWorld.