fall 2009
celebratedliving.com
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1205: HavingwatchedChefmixhoney
challah, a slightly sweetened eggdough, ina
stand-upmixer, we each scale sixhunks of
dough, then roll each into strands tobe
braided. Thebaker-to-benext tomedares
request a rehashof thebraidingdirections.
“Wherewere
you
?”Chef snaps, but he
smiles ashegoes over the entwiningproce-
dureagain. “Bread is aprocess,”Chef philos-
ophizes. “It’s somethingyoumakeover time.”
1300:TheCIahasnomesshall.Whatever
studentsprepare is theirmeal. So itgoeswith
boot campers.Webreak forabuffetofdelecta-
blespreparedby Italian, seafood, anddessert
classes that includesstuffed lobster tail, lasa-
gna, paella, andmoltenchocolatecake. It’s like
asupersizepotluckataglobal family reunion.
Webakersstandout from thecrowd, finely
dusted in flour.
1340:We race toprepandbake off all the
now-raiseddoughs. Thebaguettes are
scored, loadedonto trays, and transferred
into the ovenon linen conveyors.We alter-
nate 2-inch scissor-cuts into the sides of
some of thebaguettes to create “epis,” a
french style of baguette that looks like
stalks of grainbearing ears of bread. The
challahs get an eggwashpre-baking.We
stipple focacciawithour fingers, brushwith
olive oil, and sprinklewith rosemary. Sour-
doughs aredumpedonto trays and scored
with tick-tack-toe-boardpatterns.
1510:The finishedgoodsbegin toemerge
from theovens looking likeprofessional prod-
ucts. I askchefErichow I canget results like
theseathome, shortof gettingasecondmort-
gage to buy aWolf range. He confides the
secret: ahalf-inchbakingstone, apanofwater
in theoven for10minutesbeforebaking, anda
SuperPeel, apizzapeelwithaclothcover that
rotates tosafely loadandunloaddough (see
superpeel.com).
1545:Only thedividingof spoils remains.
Whilecramming inmouthfulsof pizzaand
garlic-Parmesan flatbread, cadetsshoveba-
guettesand loavesof seeded rye, braidedchal-
lah, ciabatta, focaccia, sourdough, andall the
rest intopaperbags. I takeenough to fillmy
carry-onduffel andearmark the rest foraho-
tel picnic later thatnight.
1610:Wesaygoodbye tochefEric,whose
tough lovehasshapedus—andour loaves—
strengtheningour resolve togo forthand
makecrustybreadon thehome front.
1620:looking likewe’ve just lootedaCorner
Bakerydelivery truck,we leavecamp theenvy
ofotherchefs-in-trainingwhoarestilldeep inthe
trenches.Takingpityonapairofdesserttrain-
ees, Iofferanolivebranch:my loafofciabatta.
afterall, Icanmakeanotherbackatbase.
COOKING
Bread Making Boot Camp
PREP SCHOOLS
These schools whip nonprofessionals into
food-fighting shape with practical, hands-on training.
The
Culinary instituteofameriCa
(pictured) inHydePark,
New York, as well as satellite campuses in San Antonio and
The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in
California’s Napa Valley, offer classes ranging from one
day to one week in styles from Asian to hors d’oeuvres.
ciachef.edu
Ballymaloe Cookery sChool
in Ireland’s southern County
Cork is run by Irish celebrity chef Darina Allen, proselytizer
of local, seasonal foods, on a farm where students get a
chance to pick in the gardens or milk the cows. Classes
range from afternoon demonstrations to 12-week certifi-
cations. cookingisfun.ie
The Paris campus of the prestigious
le Cordon Bleu
offers
short courses in topics such as terrines, petits fours, foie
gras, and traditional bread baking, that range from two
hours to four days. The school also teaches amateurs at its
campuses in London, Ottawa, and Tokyo. cordonbleu.edu
The
frenCh Culinary institute
in New York City, which
boasts chef Jacques Pepin as a dean, offers amateur culi-
nary, baking, and bread courses, plus hands-on recreational
cooking sessions, at its offshoot, The International Culinary
Center. (888) 908-2873, internationalculinarycenter.com
