These baking retreats sound like heaven

Have you ever dreamed of learning to make croissants while taking in the sights of Paris? Or how about learning to bake new treats while relaxing in pristine natural beauty with breathtaking views? If these activities sound idyllic to you, we have fantastic news. Bake from Scratch magazine, is now offering baking retreats in some amazing locations. 

According to the Bake from Scratch website, these culinary tours “bring together a global community of bakers through custom curriculums led by some of the most inspiring professionals in the baking world.” The first three tours are being held in diverse locations, each in its own way perfectly suited for a great baking adventure: San Francisco, Tutka Bay (Alaska), and Paris and Beaune, France. 

Unfortunately, the San Francisco class is now sold out, but there are still spots available for the other two tours. The French retreat offers  baking classes at La Cuisine Paris and The Cook’s Atelier, plus a guided bread bakery tour in Paris, a cake decorating class in Paris, and a meet and greet with Dorie Greenspan. That sounds like heaven to me. The Alaskan class is a bit more laid back, combining baking and cooking classes alongside yoga, wine and cheese tastings, and relaxation with a hot tub, sauna, and other lodge amenities.

Culinary tourism is a fast-growing segment in the travel world, and for good reason. It brings together travel and food to help tourists create an authentic taste of place, and it helps local communities celebrate and share traditional foodways. It’s my idea of a dream vacation, although most of these tours are pricey. Excuse me while I run out to buy a lottery ticket and dream of baking croissants in Paris.