Telluride's Ah Haa School: Breadmaking 101

29 Aug Telluride's Ah Haa School: Breadmaking 101

The Ah Haa School for the Arts in Telluride has classes for all ages, on any number of subjects. Along with our enthusiastic fellow students, Telluride Inside… and Out was getting smart about making bread (no, not an investing class) at the home of Larry and Sally Simpson on Saturday, August 28.

Our "professors" were Carole and Milt Quam, long-time breadmakers from California. As Milt puts it, "Carole and I regard ourselves as 'serious home bakers'.  We’ve been baking seriously for the last 15 or so years. Originally we identified with a group of whole grain bakers, most doing their baking in wood-fired ovens. There were some very talented bakers, as well as oven builders in that group."

Milt and Carole had made a batch of no-knead focaccia and ciabatta the day before so the bread could take its time rising, and be ready for baking on Saturday. The couple demonstrated, then had the participants get their hands in the dough, as they/we made two new batches. We saw the whole process, just in reverse order.

When the prepared bread was out of the oven, we all enjoyed the tectures and tastes, accompanied by some excellent cheeses and wines. The setting looking over the east end of the San Miguel Valley along with the changing weather, just added to a perfect Telluride afternoon. Thank you, Milt and Carole Quam, the Ah Haa School, and especially Sally and Larry Simpson, for providing such a spectacular venue.