Eight-Day Baking Retreat in Paris

A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege to participate in an eight-day baking retreat in Paris and Beaune, France. Lots of tiring hours were spent in the kitchens/classrooms learning from some top-notch pastry and savory chefs. The retreat was an excellent opportunity to learn new techniques and to correct some bad habits - which I hadn't even realized were bad! I learned that I am not great at making Charlottes - my lady fingers kept toppling over making the pastry look like Stonehenge, instead. I worked a lot on my piping skills which seemed to improve, and I conquered my fear of Macarons.

The retreat was a reminder that, no matter how busy our lives, we should always take time to focus on our passions and to learn. Doing so is an essential element of self care. If we don't take care of ourselves, how can we ever be of service to others?