Hi, I'm finally back,
It's been a crazy summer with all sorts of unexpected twists and turns but here's the good news: I'm headed to LA and SF to shoot a pilot for a possible TV series based on my pizza book. I can't give out any details till I get back, which won't be for a couple of weeks, but it's very exciting and will include a number of pizza luminaries and some interesting features. We're looking at it not only as a television series but also as a web series, with most of the instructional material in the "webisodes." So, there's lots of hope and, if it gets to the next stage, some possible glory. We'll know soon and I'll post all the details here.
We had a wonderful focaccia class at A Southern Season last weekend in Chapel Hill. It was the first time I've done a class totally on focaccia and, I have to say, the results were very exciting. I'm beginning to line up a couple of teaching tours to promote the new book, but may also do some more of these focaccia classes because they're so much fun. I'll post the dates as soon as they're firmed up, but we're working on Texas and California now (and Salt Lake City too), with some east coast dates and the Cleveland area also possible. Most of these will be in the spring and summer of next year but, as we are increasingly learning each year as time accelerates and gobbles up space, it will be here before we know it.
A couple of upcoming dates for this year: Sept. 26 (pizza) and Oct. 17 (recipes from the new book, "Artisan Breads Everyday") at Johnson & Wales (JWU for short) here in Charlotte. I'll be repeating the pizza class at JWU on Jan. 16. Also, we'll be doing the "Artisan Breads Everyday" class at A Southern Season on October 31st (Halloween) for anyone in the Research Triangle area (we had one fellow who flew all the way in from Mexico for the last class at A Southern Season, so it's certainly not limited to the locals--in fact it's a beautiful place to visit). That's all I have on the books for 2009, as school begins in a few weeks and I have classes to teach at JWU, but next year I plan to go to as many places as possible to demonstrate the new techiniques that many of you helped to create. If you know of any cooking schools that might want to have me, please let them know how to reach me at recipetesters@yahoo.com It would be better to have them contact me rather than have you send me the name of the school, as I'd prefer to limit this communication only to places that really want me to come and understand the costs of bringing in "travel teachers." I do get a lot of requests to come in for book signings and such, but the most effective trips are the ones where I can teach a class. As soon as I have firm dates I will post them here.
Just heard from my publisher that the official publication date for the book has been pushed back to the end of October, so, for those who have been patiently waiting, it will be a few weeks longer but still in plenty of time for the holidays.
As you can see, lots of new things coming. Check back from time to time for updates--I'm not a tweeter and my Facebook skills are still non existent (my apologies if you're waiting for me to "accept" you as a friend--I'm still totally lost there but hope to get help when the students return and can show me how it works; till then, please know I'm not rejecting you--just lost in the weeds). Many of my summer plans to come up to speed and update this blog with photos and links, and do videos at Pie Town have been waylaid by these new opportunities but, eventually, it will all come together. I appreciate your patience with me and your continued support. Will post again when I return from California.
More soon....
Peter
