Our Hometown, Birmingham, Alabama

SOUTHERN BAKING RETREAT

Birmingham, Alabama
August 11–14, 2021

$2,500 Single Occupancy  SOLD OUT
$2,250 Double Occupancy  SOLD OUT
$399 Virtual Baking Pass
$3,000 Baking Participant Plus Non-Baking Guest  SOLD OUT

Grab your aprons—it’s time for some Southern-inspired baking in Birmingham, Alabama, the hometown of Bake from Scratch magazine. During this baking retreat, you’ll get to meet the entire Bake from Scratch team and learn from Brian Hart Hoffman, our editor-in-chief, and the baking and pastry experts in our test kitchen. Plus, Alabama native Julie Tanous, co-author of Food Between Friends, will join us to bake biscuits on Saturday. Learn to master Laminated and Angel Biscuits, bake Lane Cake (the iconic state cake of Alabama . . . yes, we have a state cake!), find out firsthand why James Beard Award-winning pastry chef Dolester Miles’s coconut cake is our go-to, take things to the savory side of baking with Tomato Pie and Farmstand Cornbread featuring our best summer produce, and discover our new favorite sweet rolls recipe (hint: they are a take on the famous Hummingbird Cake).

You have two ways to join: in person and virtual. All attendees will receive a recording of all baking class sessions.

What’s Included
  • Hotel accommodations in Birmingham
  • All baking classes
  • Welcome wine reception, daily lunch, group dinner Friday evening
  • Private coach transfer to/from group dinner on Friday evening
What’s Not Included
  • Airfare/travel to Birmingham
  • Airport transfers
  • Some meals
What’s Included
  • Hotel accommodations in Birmingham
  • All baking classes
  • Welcome wine reception, daily lunch, group dinner Friday evening
  • Private coach transfer to/from group dinner on Friday evening
What’s Not Included
  • Airfare/travel to Birmingham
  • Airport transfers
  • Some meals
What’s Included
  • Access to all baking sessions.
  • Moderation during all baking sessions with the ability to ask questions and interact with Bake from Scratch team.
  • Recordings of all baking sessions.
What’s Included
  • Hotel accommodations in Birmingham
  • Welcome wine reception, Friday night dinner
  • Private coach transfer to/from Friday night dinner
What’s Not Included
  • Airfare/travel to Birmingham
  • Airport transfers
  • Some meals

Have a question about this baking retreat? Contact us.

Reserve Your Space

We’re sorry—dates for this event are no longer available


Wednesday, August 11
Arrive in Birmingham and get settled into the Grand Bohemian, located in Mountain Brook Village, adjacent to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and world-class dining and shopping. We’ll have an early evening wine reception at the hotel so you can meet our team and your fellow bakers. Dinner will be on your own with our list of top restaurants to try while you’re in Birmingham.

Thursday, August 12
Just steps from your hotel room, all baking classes will be held in the Grand Bohemian’s state-of-the-art cooking school kitchen. Lunch, tea, and coffee will be provided, and class will run from 9 a.m. until approximately 4 p.m. Dinner will be on your own with our list of top restaurants to try while you’re in Birmingham.

Friday, August 13
Get ready for another great day of baking—Southern style. Lunch, tea, and coffee will be provided, and class will run from 9 a.m. until approximately 4 p.m. A group dinner will be held at one of Birmingham’s best restaurants. Transportation in a private coach will be provided to and from dinner.

Saturday, August 14
There’s no more proper way for a Southern send-off than a morning of baking biscuits together. Julie Tanous, co-author of Food Between Friends and blogger at Julie and Jesse Cook, will join us as we wake and bake from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. Departures in the afternoon are at the time of your choosing.

 


Accommodations in Birmingham
The Grand Bohemian, located in Mountain Brook Village, is adjacent to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and world-class dining and shopping. Art is everything (and everywhere!) in this contemporary and stylish hotel, where the whimsical décor is inspired by the gardens across the street.

The luxury hotel features a rooftop restaurant and bar, spa, wine-blending experience (you can customize your own label!), art gallery, wellness center, and more. 

If you’d like to inquire about additional nights at the Grand Bohemian, please contact us

Who You’ll Meet
Brian Hart Hoffman, editor-in-chief of Bake from Scratch magazine

Booking
The full price of the trip (100%) is due at booking. Your reservation will be confirmed upon receipt of payment. We accept payment by American Express, Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, and Amazon Pay. Trip prices are in US dollars.

Travel to and from Birmingham
Guests are responsible for getting themselves to Birmingham and to the Grand Bohemian on Wednesday, August 11, when the retreat commences. Guests will be responsible for getting themselves from the Grand Bohemian to the airport or their next destination on Saturday, August 14. Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport is located a quick 9 miles away from the hotel.

Costs
The price of the trip includes all hotel accommodations, all baking classes, some meals, and a private coach transfer to/from the group dinner on Friday evening.

Single- and double-occupancy rates are available. Virtual passes are also available.

Since the trip is nonrefundable, we suggest buying trip insurance through a company like Travelex. You can also check with your credit card company to see if they provide travel insurance.

If you don’t purchase travel insurance, you agree to indemnify us against any charges that might otherwise be covered by your insurance. You further agree that we are not responsible for any costs of cancellation by you.

Your credit card will be charged by Hoffman Media, the parent company of Bake from Scratch.

Cancellation
We reserve the right to cancel this retreat if fewer than 16 participants have signed up by July 1, 2021. We will send an email confirmation to all participants when this number has been met. If Bake from Scratch initiates the cancellation, we will refund all payments. Please note that we will be monitoring travel advisories related to the COVID-19 pandemic closely.

Have a question about this baking retreat? Contact us.

 

Brian Hart Hoffman

 

Can I extend my stay at the Grand Bohemian?
If you’d like to inquire about additional nights at the Grand Bohemian, please contact us.

Is breakfast included?
This retreat package does not include breakfast.

Are children able to attend this retreat?
All participants must be 18 years old or older to attend this baking retreat.

What should I plan to wear during baking classes?
Comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes. Long hair should be pulled back. Aprons will be provided.

Are the baking classes hands-on?
Yes, all baking classes will be hands-on in a professional cooking school kitchen.

If I book a double-occupancy package, will the hotel room have two beds?
Yes, all rooms booked as double occupancy will have two queen beds, based on availability. Otherwise, two people may occupy a king room.

Is transportation around Birmingham included?
Transportation in a private coach will be provided to the group dinner on Friday evening. Guests will be responsible for their own arrival and departure transportation to and from the Grand Bohemian in Birmingham. Guests will also be responsible for any transportation deviations they choose to make to/from the group dinner.

Is this retreat better suited for professionals or home bakers?
Our retreats are geared for passionate home bakers, but professionals are always welcome.

What will we be baking?
Laminated Biscuits, Angel Biscuits, Hummingbird Sweet Rolls, Lane Cakelets, Coconut Cake, Tomato Pie, and Farmstand Cornbread.

Will we have any free time in Birmingham?
You will have some afternoon free time in Birmingham to explore on your own. And we will equip you with our list of favorite bakeries, restaurants, shopping neighborhoods, and activities.

Will I feel safe baking in person with a group of people?
We will follow all local guidelines for social distancing that are in place at the time of the retreat. We encourage all participants to be vaccinated, if possible. Our retreat groups are naturally small due to the hands-on nature of the classes.

What will the virtual experience be like?
Virtual participants will be able to view all instruction during the baking classes. They will also be able to ask instructors questions and chat with other virtual participants.

What if I can’t join virtually for all of the sessions?
We will send recordings of all of the baking classes to all participants within one week of the retreat.

Reserve Your Space