I am off to learn again!

A few years ago I stumbled upon a very interesting set of classes. You see, we had started a chocolate dipping program at the plant I managed and I needed to learn to temper and dip chocolates quickly. So where did I turn? The internet. Oh, and Peter's Chocolate.

Dennis at Peter's was the guy. He came and showed me how to get the job done and what to watch for in temperature. It was mostly trial and error and sometimes all I got was a bunch of bloomed chocolate. Most of the time it turned out well and we had a new line to present to our customers. It was well received and we hired a young lady to dip full time.

However, I still remembered seeing a class offered at UC Davis. It was run by Richardson Research. I read all about it, checked the prices and showed my boss. He scoffed at the idea of paying for me to attend a series of three - week long - courses for about $6000. He didn't know what the plant would do with out me for the time to begin with, and then there was the 'we're not chocolate purveyors' problem. Even though we had a chocolate line, it didn't provide a very large income stream and he just could not see how it was all that important to the business. Rats! the classes looked like they would really have been good.

Then a few months ago I started thinking. You know that can be dangerous! Thinking about going to those classes. After much discussion and wieghing the classes against other chocolate programs out there, like the CIA's and an online do it yourself program, I've decided to take the classes. I've sent my deposit and got my confirmation and now all I have to do is wait for next April to roll around. I am taking the Gourmet Continental Chocolates class first. Then I will follow with the others.

I now can hardly wait for April 2007.