Saturday, January 4, 2014

BREAD BAKING AT THE VIKING SCHOOL......5 Hours in Dough Heaven!!

You all remember awhile back when I
dragged the Boss to the French Cooking
Class at the Viking School here in Atlanta....
Click on the Link and You can read about it HERE......
Well....being on a winning streak
(Ted's Montana Grill $1,000.00
Gift Card winner for November!!)
After reading my Blog Post
The store manager....Analia....
offered me another class of my choice....
I felt bad picking the most expensive class
But I really really really wanted
 to take a bread baking class....
A big Shout out to Analia because this class
DID NOT DISAPPOINT!!!!
Five hours of playing with Dough.....
What could be better....??
Actually.....five hours spent with
Tom Selleck.....but I won't go there :)

You all know how I feel about Tom.
I have been baking the No-Knead recipe
for a few years now since kneading bread
is not first on my list....but I have always wondered
if traditional bread baking is as hard as it appears....
It is not.....We made so many different things
in five hours...it was amazing....
Being a cook for 45 or so years I started my
baking career back in High School when I won
"Home Economics Student of the Year"....
for my infamous Pineapple Upside Down Cake...
Which the family cringes whenever I bring this up....
You can also read about that HERE.....

I have to admit it is worth the read
should you have the time.....
Yes....I still have the Trophy in my Pantry!!
But baking to me has always been messy....
Lot's of stuff to get dirty and flour everywhere....
Things have not changed....But get yourself a cold
drink.....and prepare to satisfy your inner Ina Garten
because Baking and the finished results is extremely
satisfying.....
You know your meant to be a baker when the feel of
dough on your hands makes you Happy....
I walked in to class and knew immediately that I knew our
Instructor/Chef......For years Sandra was the manager of our Local
Williams Sonoma and a more
enthusiastic person you would not want to meet...
Her love of all things Food oozes from her....
Being Italian also helps because there is nothing
Like cooking or baking side by side with
an Italian women to make you feel like your
Family....
It was like baking with Jersey BFF Nunze.....

That handsome man next to her would be her
Sidekick in both Baking and in Life.....
Her Lovely Husband Jim....
Getting started....a little yeast....a little
flour.....soon to be a lot of Bread...
Dough Ball!!

The hands of a baking artist..... 
Handling the dough like a mound of Gold.....
Jim gave us a demonstration on making
A Danish Kringle
(Kringle means pretzel in Danish)
This had a homemade almond paste center
Wait until you see the finished product....
On went the Almonds.....

The smell alone was intoxicating.....
The Taste was even better!!
 
Getting ready to form Cranberry Spice
Dinner Rolls....
Perfect class size.....there were only five
of us....very intimate....much fun....

Classmate Nike wondering who gets the job of
Cleaning up this mess....
I said baking is messy....of course this is Times
Seven People and an industrial size island...
 
Yup.....Time for a glass of wine....
I had a Coke to keep me going...
At least my feet held out...

I'll decline for all your sake Not to
post the x-ray of my foot...
They didn't tell us lunch would be included.....
Fabulous Chicken Salad with grapes.....on a bed of
Fresh Spinach....
with
Italian Raisin Walnut: Pan co'Santi
a Little sparkling San Pellegrino with a twist!
Jim with his Danish Loaf.....
I didn't realize....but he resembles Paul Newman!
The hardest working girl in the Baking Business....
Assistant and cleaner-upper
Moniqua...
Thank you for taking such good care of
Us!!
Parmesan/Black Pepper
No-Knead Bread
Fabulous....
Miss Sandra....
Thank you for making this such a fun
Class....
Your energy is contagious!
Cranberry Spice Dinner rolls.....
perfect for Fall or Winter
waiting and watching....
perfectly done Ciabatta.........
See I told you.....Perfect Ciabatta..
French Baguettes....hot out of the oven....
and cranberry rolls....
Our Bounty....
Where's the Brie?
And the Butter??
I know what your thinking......
Yes...we got to wrap it all up and bring home
a Big Shopping bag filled with bread...
Our wonderful group.....
Nike....Jim...Sandra....Me....Elizabeth....and Artie


Here' a quick re-cap of what we did today....
we made...
Classic French Baguettes
Multi grain Health Bread
Italian Ciabatta
Cranberry Spice rolls
Quick and Easy Brioche

Demonstrations....
Jim Lahey's No Knead Breads
Danish Kringle

I can't thank Analia enough for the
opportunity to experience this
wonderful class...
Viking by far has the Best Cooking and
Baking classes that I have ever been to..
If you ever have the chance to attend one of their
Classes....Run to sign up....
You will not be disappointed....
 It Might make you feel like
"A Food Network Star"....


www.vikingtogo.com

10 comments:

Jojo said...

Sounds absolutely fabulous and looks like wo much fun!

Peg said...

It's just after breakfast and I'm still drinking coffee and your post has made me hungry already! I wish there were a Viking store near me so I could take those classes. All the breads looked beautiful and delicious! How way New York?

The Quintessential Magpie said...

I am STARVING! I would eat one of everything in this post. What fun! And a $1000 gift certificate??? Girl, you are livin' right!

Happy New Year!

xoxox

Sheila

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Sue this is so you! I know how much you love to cook and your food is always amazing. Now this bread baking class has given you a new avenue to explore. Looks like so much fun and a glass of wine is always fun when baking or anytime!
hugs, Linda

Cheri said...

How fun and that bread looks so yummy!

Marigene said...

Sounds like a fun class to take. For years I baked all of our breads, then somewhere along the way, I got lazy...only do it once in awhile, now. Those cranberry rolls look interesting.
Happy New Year, Sue!

Chatty Crone said...

Wow so much to say if I can remember. You do sneak pictures of us when we are not looking - but I think they come out better that way.

How is your foot and ankle?

Glad you had a friend to go with.

I tell you that pretzel with the almonds looked good no great. And you got lunch too. Man I could go for some of that right now!

I did not know you had won that beset homemaker award - but I am not surprised.

Sandie

Barbara F. said...

Looks like a fantastic time! I'd love to do this. And to take all those delicious loaves home, is worth the price of admission. I enjoyed my classes at the Viking School in Nj when I won a Peroni beer contest.

Happy New Year Sue! xo

Artie said...

Sue you are so right - it was fun, fun, fun! By the end I was mentally finished and definitely "breaded out" with all the samples - but...as you said, nothing a good glass of wine couldn't fix!
Good time, good people - my family loved the breads we made.
I'll certainly do it again!

Roydon said...

Thank you Sandra for sending this to me. Looking forward to being a part of the fun energy and expertize you give towards your passion. I have had the pleasure of accompanying Sandra and Jim in the kitchen (with a glass of wine) that I highly recommend it!!!