You can count the number of hours I’ve spent in cooking school on one hand.  Unless, of course you want to count my 7th grade Home Ec class.  One of my favorite culinary classes was a “pastry & tart” class I took at the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont.  Vermont’s climate lends itself to baking - and for you bread purists - is the home of King Arthur Flour. 

In the Culinary Institute’s pastry class I learned how to make a few tarts, including a crème Brulee tart with a classic pâte brisée crust.  The most useful advice from the pastry chef was:  “when you’re in a pinch, just use Pillsbury’s refrigerated all-ready pie crusts – we’ve found no one notices the difference!”  I’ve used this short-cut ever since.

If you want to incorporate some culinary education into your next girls getaway, here are a few resources to check out:

InfoHub: In-depth directory of culinary packages organized by state for the US and by country for the rest of the world.
website

Shaw Guides: Not quite as organized as InfoHub, but another good source for culinary packages.  website

Active Gourmet Holidays: Very nice resource for culinary holidays in France, Italy, Spain and Portugal.  website

Here are a couple of “gourmet retreats” within the United States:

Napa - Gourmet Retreats at CasaLana: This B&B near Copia offers a series of 3-7 day cooking classes. Guest chefs from nearby Culinary Institute of America teach some classes.  Book early – most spring classes are already sold-out.  website

Santa Fe: Stay within walking distance of the Santa Fe Plaza at the Inn on the Alameda; classes held at the Santa Fe Cooking School.  website

Only want to devote 1-2 hours of your getaway to cooking? Try a Whole Foods class.
If you’re traveling to a city with a Whole Foods Market, chances are they offer classes.  Check out their current calendar of classes and book a class with your girlfriends. website