PRO BAKING I

                  

This is our neighbor at our studio ...The New School of Cooking.  What a great neighbor to have.  Anne is the owner of the business and it's a wonderful place, it's also nice when Anne brings over this amazing flourless chocolate cake!  2 years ago I took a Crepes class and loved it. I bought 2 crepe pans and have made many sweet and savory crepes over the years.   I love to cook and love to bake and I was checking out their schedule and I have always wanted to take their Pro Baking I series.  It's on Sunday from 9:30 - 1:30 for 10 weeks.  So, I'm going for it...here's what it's all about.

PRO BAKING
The professional baking program teaches the foundations of classic baking technique for
anyone who loves to bake and wants to understand baking in depth, or for students who
are interested in a pastry career. We will teach technique as well as the chemistry of
baking so that students will truly understand what they are making. Classes meet once a
week for four hours and emphasize seasonally appropriate ingredients. Each student
works on their own. Students can miss two classes and receive their diploma.

CLASS 1 Quick Breads: Muffins, Scones and Quick Breads
CLASS 2 Custards, Bread Pudding and Ice Cream
CLASS 3 Soufflés, Pate a Choux and Pastry Cream
CLASS 4 Tarts, Pies, Cobblers and Crisps
CLASS 5 Chocolate Tasting, Double Chocolate Cake with Milk Chocolate Buttercream;
Flourless Chocolate Cake with Ganache Glaze
CLASS 6 Classic White , Cake with Buttercream; Meringues
CLASS 7 Artisan Breads
CLASS 8 Flat Breads and Brioche
CLASS 9 Puff Pastry and Croissants
CLASS 10 Complete Puff Pastry and Croissants

I have decided to take this program over the summer.  I wanted to take it last summer but I was so into my pottery that I didn't want to give up 4 hours on Sunday to do it.  But, I must say that I haven't thrown pottery since November.  I feel a bit like a poser, because on my "about me" link I say that I'm a potter....well I am a potter, but I haven't been that into it lately.  It's OK, it's not my full time job, it's just a love of mine and sometimes it's good to take a break.  It was a very rainy cold winter here in Los Angeles and my studio is in the garage...a non-insulated garage.  It was cold, wet, damp, freezing, windy, cold, cold, cold...I had NO desire to get out there and throw. 

I have been cooking much more and I like a warm kitchen to a cold studio any day.  I would like to take some pottery classes/workshops while I'm in France but for now I'm into cooking and baking.  I'm super excited and can't wait to start.  Unfortunately it doesn't start until June 1st, but that will be here before you know it. The do have one that starts in a couple weeks but it's during the week until 10:30 at night and I just can't do that...I'm in bed by 9:00 -9:30.   Summer is easy for us - we work Tuesday-Friday from 9-1pm.  So we have Saturday, Sunday and Monday off and the afternoons free Tuesday-Friday.  It's something to look forward to over the summer.  Look at all I'll learn.  And my teacher is Carol, who I know well, her daughter Pearl took classes from us, she's an amazing teacher & cook.  If you live in Los Angeles I highly recommend the new school of cooking!  I'll be blogging about my experience too, so stay tuned.  I think I'm most excited about week 10 - Croissants...I have tried so many times to make croissants and I just end up with dinner rolls.