No Toque For Me

Well, apparently I won't be going to the Culinary Institute's Baking Boot Camp any time soon. That's a four day, all day program at their Hyde Park campus (north of New York) where they teach you basic skills that are useful in baking, and, in an associated course, in pastry-making. I wanted to go, and apparently, they found out, because as of January, they're not offering them. The pages for the courses are still there, but if you look at their Upcoming Courses page, here, there's no mention. Plus, I'm sort of on the clock, here -- if I want IBM to pay for it (and that would be nice - part of my hi, nice having you, please leave now exit package), I need to take the course by this June. My wife says no problem -- if the course becomes available, and its after the period when IBM would pay, then we'll pay for it ourselves. Which I think is very generous of her. I won't do it, because I don't think I'm worth paying a couple of thousand dollars for skills to amuse myself with. Perhaps I'll simply buy their books - the Breakfasts and Brunches one, or the Baking at Home one. At a total price of about sixty dollars, I think we can afford that -- and I can justify it. Course, both of these books are available from our local library.... as is Amendola's excellent Bakers Manual, and a couple of other baking-related books that I keep on a wish list at Amazon so I can tantalize myself. It'd be nice to take the course.... but, free? This is good, too.