"You can say this for ready-mixes - the next generation isn't going to have any trouble making pies exactly like mother used to make. "

BAKING!!  Hurray!  At least "hurray" for one measly week; we have to interrupt baking to do a  2 week session on Food and Beverage Management!  But, back to baking... Tuesday was Pate Brisee or Pie Dough and Sweet Dough.  Translated into dishes we made Quiche Lorraine and two sweet fruit tarts with Almond Cream.  I'll tell you this, no dishes were as well received in my home as the Fruit and Poached Pear tarts!  Hmm's and Yum's and so forth were heard for minutes on end.  Forks were busy attacking my sweet little tarts and no one was bothering to plate them either.  It was a little off-putting considering all the desserts I have made over the years and never had that kind of response before!  I think the apricot glaze on the top of the fruit not only made it beautiful, but was an extra added bonus flavor.
I asked the Chef why he only uses butter in the crusts and not lard or shortening since I had always heard it makes a flakier crust.  He just cocked a substantial eyebrow at me and said, (French accent) "Because it tastes better."  And there you have it.  This Pate Brisee was very flaky.
We blind baked the crusts of course, removed the beans and then finished baking to get the bottom nice and done.  Interestingly enough,  we blanched the bacon for the Quiche Lorraine instead of frying it... ugh.  I asked the chef why we blanch it (doesn't that sound disgusting?) and he said so the bacon is not crisp and therefore will not break the custard when it is cut into wedges.  He was right - it did not break that beautiful, smooth, egg-y custard, but I think I might risk the knife-like crispy bacon. :-]
Yesterday was Pate a Choux.  I have made many gougeres (sp) and so have experienced the Pate a Choux dough, but we made eclairs and profiteroles and cream puffs that looked like swans and iced Napoleon's.  I have never been so sick of desserts in my life - and I didn't even eat any.  You know,  intensive cooking is sometimes like sewing a dress... by the time you have completed the project you look at it and say, "Well, it looks good and I really liked the whole idea, but now... I am just over it!"  Maybe that is why when someone cooks for you it tastes so much better than if you cooked it yourself - generally speaking that is. 
We also learned how to make a tiny parchment paper cone for piping tiny streams of chocolate.  I like the idea of a tiny little squeeze bottle better, or even a tiny little disposable pastry bag with a tiny round- holed tip.  It took me twenty minutes to create that tiny little cone.  :-)