Thursday, July 10, 2008

A Cautionary Tale

Once upon a time there was a famous school for baking in the City of Venice. Although graced with stunning architecture, enhanced by the clever window treatment the Venetians invented called blinds, and located on a stunningly beautiful lagoon the Venetians were never the less a restless bunch that sought adventure and new experiences especially in the epicurean sphere. The head instructor was famous for sending out master bakers who's culinary master pieces delighted the Venetians. But the bakery business is more than just dough and yeast, you are only as good as your last pie crust and the baking teacher was desperate for something new to tickle their jaded palates.

He sent a young apprentice abroad and when he was done with her he was told to roam the fair cities of Verona, Cremona, Parma, Mantua, Padua, and other places in Italy Cole Porter didn’t mention, looking for the tastiest confections.

After squandering his master’s money in the flesh pots of Rome he was eventually summoned home so he picked up a few things at a Pepperidge Farm store and started back. It was a long trip and the lad got hungry, one by one the bags of cookies and pastries disappeared. As he approached the outskirts of the water sodden city a committee of local luminaries greeted him with much fan fare. The Doge himself greeted the apprentice and congratulated him for his long hard journey. The lad gave the venerable old man his last bag of Florentine Pogens and went to see his teacher.

The baker, seeing he was empty handed asked what he had to show for his efforts. The young man replied: “I am sorry teacher, The Doge ate my homework.”

The people of Venice rioted and caught The Doge, Pietro IV Candiano knocking back the last of the tasty morsels. Furious, they locked him in the palace with his son and burned it to the ground.

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