| Date | August 12 & 13, 2023 |
| Instructor | Sarah Owens of Ritual Fine Foods |
| Level | Beginner to Advanced |
| Costs | $360 per person |
| Location | Brot Bakehouse School and Kitchen, 38 Meade Rd., Fairfax VT 05454 |
We are thrilled to welcome Sarah Owens, baker, recipe developer, and cookbook author as our guest teacher again this summer for an in-person workshop where we will dive deep into the world of whole grain baking, something Sarah's extremely knowledgeable and passionate about.
Sourdough can be used to create more than just bread, and, in this class, we will explore using it in sweet and savory wholegrain pastries as both an agent of fermentation and an ingredient that avoids waste.
Over two days, you will learn to use a wholegrain starter to fully ferment cake batters, cookies, dough, and pie crusts using northeast-sourced stone ground flours. Through mixing, shaping, and baking recipes with peak seasonal ingredients, we will discuss and practice how to unlock unique flavors and digestibility.
Each participant will complete the process of baking pastries with local flours from scratch: from hand-mixing, to fermenting, and finally baking, decorating, and tasting. While the recipes are waiting to be baked, we will discuss the chemistry of using a starter, especially in combination with quick leavening such as baking powder and baking soda. You will leave with a solid approach for converting your favorite traditional recipes to becoming fully fermented and wholegrain or how to simply sneak in a little starter to recipes mixed and baked shortly thereafter. You will receive handouts with these recipes and guidance to continue the baking adventure at home with a wholegrain starter culture.
Refreshments, lunch on day one, a baker's breakfast on day two and plenty of tastings from the bakehouse will be available during the workshop.
Timing of class: August 12, 2023 from 9 am to approx. 3 pm (incl lunch break) and Sunday August 13, 2023 from 9 am (breakfast and talk) to approx 1 pm (tasting, time for Q&A)
Please note: End times are estimates and can vary - please allow extra (travel-)time as we work with bread cultures, the weather, temperatures and skill levels in the group. We also like to offer plenty of time for Q&A's and discussion rounds during this workshop.
About Sarah:
Sarah Owens (she/her/they) is a former ceramist, professional horticulturist, and celebrated James Beard award-winning cookbook author of Sourdough (Roost Books 2015), Toast and Jam (2017) , and Heirloom (2019), who specializes in fermentation and sourdough baking. Her writing seeks the intersection between the natural world and the most celebrated aspects of living.
Sarah believes that food is a powerful medium for storytelling that can anchor a community in shared experiences and traditions. After working as the curator of roses at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and baking professionally for over a decade in Brooklyn and Queens, she now lives in Sonoma County California where she writes, bakes, and defends her small backyard garden from marauding deer. Sarah's most recent unique recipes and whole grain baking workshops can be found on her Patreon platform and website www.ritualfinefoods.com
Please be aware of our class and cancellation policy:
- Full Payment is due upon registering for a class. We understand that there will be circumstances whereby you will need to cancel your course or change the date. Given 30 days or more notice we are happy to offer a full refund or credit towards another class or workshop at Brot Bakehouse School and Kitchen.
- If we need to postpone or cancel a class either a full refund will be given, or you can use your payment as a credit towards any future class.
- If you need to cancel 30 days before class date a full refund minus Eventbrite fees (10% of ticket price) will be offered if we can refill your booking. Otherwise no refund can be issued, but we can offer a class credit; valid for 3 years.
- If you need to cancel 24 hours before class no refund can be issued.
COVID-19 Pandemic Notes:
As we return to in-person classes this summer we will place the safety and well-being of all class attendees first. At this time we will have the following steps in place to ensure everyone can have a safe and pleasant experience baking with us.
In addition to having a maximum number of 8-10 participants the classes will partly be outside -weather permitting- and move into the well-ventilated bakery as needed. We will continue the social-distance protocols and if required ask students to wear a mask when indoors.
We will always follow the rules and guidelines of the Vermont Department of Health when holding our classes. This could mean travel restrictions for people arriving from out-of-state, or new quarantine requirements later in the year. We also reserve the right to cancel any class should it be deemed necessary. In this case, a full refund will be given.
Please contact us if you have any questions!