- Date: January 18-21, 2024
Epicurean Retreat: Art of Bread
BECOME AN EPICURE
Epicure – noun: a person who cultivates a refined taste, especially in food and wine; connoisseur.
Immerse yourself in a hands-on, educational bread-making experience during this all-inclusive, two-day, three-night epicurean retreat. Our Executive Pastry Chef at The Farm at Brush Creek will lead you through a robust itinerary learning timeless baking techniques with a dash of innovative expression. Master the art of sourdough, discover the world of pasty as you learn about dough lamination, and perfect the baking process each time with tips and tricks from chef.
To reserve online, click ‘Book Now’ and ‘Check Availability.’ Next to the room of your choice, click ‘View Offers’ and select the Art of Bread Retreat to redeem.
ALL-INCLUSIVE RETREAT ITINERARY
Thursday Arrival:
- Welcome Reception and Cellar Tour with the aromas from the Bakery before Dinner at The Farm’s fine-dining restaurant, Cheyenne Club.
Friday Morning:
- Begin your day with fresh, farm-roasted coffee, and what better to pair with it than a fresh-baked scone?
- Make your own sourdough starter and conquer any intimidation you may have towards this first step.
- Learn techniques for hand mixing, the importance of ingredient order, and types of preferment.
- Next master the skills of folding and shaping your dough for the perfect loaf.
Friday Afternoon:
- For lunch, indulge in a selection of gourmet sandwiches on perfectly salted, flaky yet soft sourdough bread, followed by freshly baked cookies.
- Continue your bread-baking journey with shaping and proofing in the bakery.
- Apply your artistic talent, learning how to score your dough to add a decorative touch, as well as to control oven spring.
- Hot from the oven, enjoy tasting and taking notes of your finished sourdough bread.
Saturday Morning:
- Discover the delicate, yet delectable world of pastry, beginning with how to operate a dough sheeter.
- Next, learn all about dough laminating and the art of patience in creating those buttery flaky layers.
- Put your new knowledge on the baking sheet as you try out the lamination of croissants.
Saturday Afternoon:
- Relax for another indulgent lunch with gourmet sandwiches and roasted Greenhouse tomato soup, followed by Chef Keisha’s selection of desserts.
- Learn the importance of physical cues of doneness to perfect the baking process each time, and review different baking techniques, such as steam injection and water baths.
- Finish preparing your laminate pastries and get ready to bake!
- For the final and flavorful finale, taste your baked treats hot out of the oven while you discuss colors, aromas, visual presentation, textures, and of course flavor of your finished product.
Saturday Evening:
- Celebrate your epicurean journey with a final farm-to-table dinner at the Cheyenne Club with paired wine and spirits.
Sunday Departure:
- Enjoy a cozy breakfast by the grand fireplace and panoramic ranch views from the main lodge before departing.
