As many of you know, I'm currently taking a baking course at Zingerman's
Bakehouse.  This has quite simply been the best vacation of my life.   

Here are pictures:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/25693201@N06/?saved=1 

18 responses total.

Wow, thanks for sharing those.  I'm not a baker and I'm in awe of your 
skills.  I'm also suddenly hungry. ;-)

Feel free to stop by the Bakehouse and where Bake! is - come over and
ask for me and I'll give you something.

And no I'm not joking.  I'm getting TONS of stuff to take home.

Is it just me or is nobody wearing a hairnet?

Looks yummy!

No one is wearing a hairnet.  So?

And yes, it is yummy.  VERY yummy.

MMMM. I would so drop by the bakehouse but I am making an effort to eat
less sugar. I wouldnt be able to resist those yummies. It looks like a
lot of fun though. I am glad you are enjoying yourself. 

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm,,those sticky buns

I took another Bake! class today - Fancy Schmancy cookies.  I was
instructed on Russian Tea Cakes, Lime Shortbread (holy crap good!),
Pfefferneusse, and Chocolate Macaroons.  They are all great cookies, but
the macaroons are pretty much just this side of heaven.

And it's looking like I'm going to do another Bake-cation this summer,
as they have one that looks incredibly interesting and I just happen to
be in town for a cousin's wedding the weekend before it.  

BTW, on a Zingerman's related note, they bailed me out today, as I
needed 6.75 ounces of cake flour and 8 ounces of sugar for a tres leches
cake.  The recipe came in weight, not volume.  When I asked if they
could weigh it out for me and I'd buy it, Shelby said not a problem,
immediately weighed it out for me, and gave it to me free of charge. 
(And my tres leches cake looks fantastic.)

Mary bows in awe.  Again.

Brooke, it sounds like you need to set up some kind of bake shop!
Good deal with getting the sugar and flour from Zingerman's.  I can't
remember the last time I've been to zing's. Some day...

I was at Zing's yesterday, picking up a holiday gift of cranberry pecan 
bread and a jar of strawberry champagne jam for our neighbors, who are 
amazing neighbors by the way.  It was a madhouse.  I was standing next to 
one of the owners for a few minutes (Ari) and he was just looking at it 
all, either in shock or awe or both.  I know I've not known many retail 
experiences quite like it.  

Inside Zing's the holiday spirit was alive and well but it was a different 
story outside when it came to finding a parking spot.  Ruthless.  Ugly.  
Cutthroat.  I walked a few blocks and skipped most of the violence. ;-)

Now I know why Santa parks on roofs.

I bet Zingerman's would be a fine place to shop for Christmas presents.
I'm hoping Ari was feeling good about the whole thing yesterday.  Now I
just wish there was something that they could do to improve the parking
situation...

What made it especially difficult was that it was raining quite hard.  
People didn't want to walk in slush, wind AND rain.  A few blocks away - 
no problem.

We get into holiday feasting with the best of 'em.  I made a Quiche 
Lorraine for brunch this morning served alongside a fresh fruit salad of 
strawberries, blueberries, grapes, kiwi and bananas. That was about 10am.  
With morning coffee, at 6:30, it was cinnamon rolls.  

For dinner it's a traditional turkey dinner with pumpkin pie for dessert.

Friday, it's high fiber cereal, skim milk, and regrets. ;-)

SOunds like Mary's was the place to be for fine dining today [and/or
wherever she was eating]!

I did have brunch at my dad's today.  But the problem with eating
elsewhere is no leftovers!  I ended up just fixing some oatmeal for
dinner. And had half a piece of fruit cake while finishing a movie...
What kind of Christmas dinner is that?? Not a good one, in my mind.  I'm
hungry again but am not going to bother fixing anything more this
evening--though I should. Sometimes when I go to bed hungry, I don't
sleep so well. 

damn...you bitches can cook

I made bread the other day and it turned out better than I thought it 
would. The only problem I have is that it costs more to make than store 
bread. I think if I find a cheap source of yeast it'll be better.

   I'm using the recipe from The Joy of Cooking, 1953 edition. The
   reason 
for that is that I'm not into the new fangled way of doing thangs. Give
me  50's cooking anyday. ;)

I wish I was more competent in cooking and baking, 1950s or otherwise.  

I did used to make bread with a bread machine; something happened to the
 machine a number of years ago, so I haven't had home made bread in
ages.

We buy bulk yeast and can give you some.  Big bag from our buying club.
You can get a used bread machine at Kiwanis for about $10 or on ecycle
probably for free.  Jim likes to knead the dough himself and just use the
machine to bake it.  Gets to make heavier bread with more rye that way.

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