a school in Italy where I might be able to combine my passions. Slow Food's Università di Scienze Gastronomiche, or University of Gastronomic Sciences, offers a master's degree in Food Culture and Communications. I thought: ahhh, I can combine my love of food and cooking with my love of books/cookbooks. I reasoned: books are conduits of communication. I had in mind to do some kind of analysis of parts of my cookbook collection, and learn about the foods of Europe at the same time. As advanced degrees go, what could be better than that? I applied and I was wait-listed ... but I finally got in! How exciting!Before I knew I'd be accepted, in preparation for the possibility of going to Italy for several months, I did so much tentative pre-planning. How would I pay for it? Where would my family of four, plus my sister-in-law as nanny, stay for all that time? How would my husband be able to get away that long from his professor position? So
I started to work it all out. We found out where Scott could do some work in Europe, too, so he applied for a sabbatical for spring 2009 (approved!). I talked to several former UNISG students. I got the name of a good realtor in Colorno. The children would learn Italian! So would I! I was so giddy about it!However, as you know, because I am not writing a thesis--I am writing a blog post--it did not work out after all. A confluence of events conspired to foil my plan. My non-retirement mutual fund tanked, the dollar-to-euro ratio tipped way out of my favor, Scott got sick (though he's better now) and--what I really couldn't pass up--I was given an opportunity to change positions at work. So I had to decline the invitation to attend UNISG.
Pity that. But I have worked out a plan so that I can do my own kind
of piecemeal education, and study my books all I want in the meantime. King Arthur Flour has courses online and they teach classes in person. June Taylor teaches jam and marmalade classes in the Bay area. Zingerman's has a baking school in Ann Arbor. Murray's Cheese in NYC conducts classes (some by a former UNISG student). Boston University holds gastronomy seminars and conferences. There's always the Fancy Food Show, and so many other 
places to learn about foods and food prep. Even just eating at great restaurants. Thinking about it that way, I honestly hardly feel deprived at all. I have made a reservation at Charlie Trotter's in Chicago for July. So I guess I'll start there.
