Age is Just a Number: Breads on the Go!

You may or may not know this, but spouse-man wants to be a baker when he grows up.

Many moons ago, when we first got together, I introduced him to all kinds of culinary horizons – up to that point his diet consisted of a great deal of hamburger helper, pop tarts and soda – and he had never eaten a fresh strawberry. Yep, that’s the kind of creative culinary delights he experienced in his prior marriage. This is in no way suggesting that my culinary views are superior – just…different. (Really, what good wife in America does not fix strawberry shortcake one time in the summer?) Different, for example, in that I buy giant bags of wheat straight off the truck from Montana, grind it into fresh flour and make my own bread. It wasn’t long before spouse-man took over this task, in fact I don’t even remember the recipe anymore. Soon after, he took on other baking experiments; most successful. While I still am the main cook – he the main bottlewasher – he has become quite handy in the kitchen.

Thus the interest in becoming a baker. Last year he discovered an artisan bread baking school in Italy. Yeah, I see your ears go up. It was tough NOT to scramble around to look for a credit card, pack a bag, and hit the Buy Now button on Travelocity – in that order. Alas, responsibility kicked in and we haven’t left the continent yet. Sigh. But the seed is planted. After all, I did promise him a trip to Italy when he graduated from college.

In pops an email from Carl this week. I don’t know Carl personally, but he is somehow associated with this school in Italy. He is warning us that they are setting dates for next year’s classes and wants to know if spouse-man is still interested, and interested enough to help him (and other interested parties) plan the timing. I am salivating, if not for the bread alone, this because me/moi/I am allowed to come along for some token price just to be a guest. Get out the ballet shoes ‘cause my toes need protection from all the hopping around I am doing! I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…save enough money in a year to do this trip!

So Carl signs off with:

…..I’ll note your dates and get back to you soonest