What Class Have I Taken Lately?

I've taken two classes—a floral class and a baking class—not at the same time.  This doesn’t include the various number of workout classes.  Let’s just stick to the floral and baking classes for now.

I imagine fairies would hang out here.

There was a “Woodland Stump” class with Bloom Florist Collective at pot & box several weeks ago that I took.  I’m never sure how it all comes about, but I’m given various floral and after thoughtfully placing each floral, magically the arrangement is beautiful.  It helps that Bloom Florist Collective chooses amazing flowers and greeneries.  They also demonstrate—they start off with a bare container or in this case, a small wood stump.  Sue from PassionFlower was the florist teaching the class.  She puts some moss around the trunk, adds various flowers and VOILA—beautiful arrangement.

handmade bird's nest added by my girl

I basically make an attempt to copy hers and somehow it looks fabulous too!  I’m always proud how it turns out and very surprised that it works out.  There is a possibility that my designs aren’t that great and it’s only in my imagination, but it still feels good.

Second class was a pizza making class at Zingerman’s BAKE.  As my friend told me, “what you know how to make pizza, you could teach a class”  What flattering words.  I’m a self-taught (via various tv cooking shows and cookbooks).   It never hurts to learn more about something I love—making and eating pizza.

Three years ago, I took a croissant making class with my husband at Zingerman’s BAKE!  It’s a fun activity to do together or alone.  My husband is my sous-chef, so it’s beneficially to have him take the class with me.

Our friend’s husband took the “Pizza:  The Other American Pie” class last year and I love that he had a wonderful end product and was able to reproduce it.

We went with another couple.  My girlfriend, C, who is not a cook.  I don’t think she’s even the sous-chef in her house.   The pizza she made looked gorgeous and I’m sure it tasted yummy.  It’s how I feel from my floral classes, I’m amazed that I created that!

our finished deep dish pizzas

We made two different types of pizza: New York crust and Chicago deep-dish crust. 

Zingerman’s BAKE! Has everything set-up and pre-measured.  Firstly, the instructor (in our case was Nikki) demonstrates – mixing all the ingredients and showing us the technique for the Chicago-style crust.   After she’s done, we do the same thing.  It’s hands-on.  It’s hilarious that C thought her and her hubby were going to work as a team.  We aren’t.  We each do our own. 

We put the mixed dough in a container so it can rise and we start the next crust—NY-style—after watching Nikki demonstrate.   Once again, everything is pre-measured.  It makes things go quickly and in all probability ensure the recipe will turn out correctly.  Since baking is a science, accurate measuring is crucial. 

We let that dough rise, Nikki’s dough is done rising, so she starts to stretch the pizza dough with her two hands.  That’s the most intimidating portion of the class—really? Stretching the dough without it tearing?  Watching experienced people doing something always makes it appear easy.  I was very doubtful that I would be able to stretch the pizza dough so easily.  I was sure that I would tear it.   She stretched the dough and topped it with fresh mozzarella, homemade tomato sauce, fresh basil.    There are three different “cooking” methods—two are baked in a conventional oven: one on a screen and one on a pizza stone and the last one in a brick fired oven. 

Eleven minutes pass, after all of them were baked, we sample all three baking methods of the NY-style crust.  They are all delicious.

We took half of our Chicago crust dough and made our own.  This is a crazy recipe, 1# of low-moisture mozzarella cheese and ½-lb of raw sausage.  The woman next to me who looked like she was in her 20’s maybe even 30’s and was with her husband (maybe) who looks like he was well over 40-y.o.  the age difference wasn’t so startling, the sunburn she had and the fact that they’ve been together for 22-years cringed at the 1-pound of cheese.  She might have even vocalize, “yuck.”   Yes, I kept looking over to see if she was in her 40’s.  I know, I even say 40 is the new 30, but I’m sure I couldn’t even pass as a young 30-year-old.

Amazingly, we each baked 2 pizzas in class that we got to take home and dough to make 3 more pizzas!  Since we both took the class that was 4 cooked pizzas and dough to make 6.  Crazy, but that’s why I take the class—some knowledge and all the grub to take home.  These were wickedly awesome pizzas too.  We gave some to our lovely neighbors and to our lovely babysitter.