Friday, April 9, 2010

What about this cake?

I am often asked about certain cakes. How much it serves or how much it costs. So I thought I would explain the 3 cakes I am asked about the most.

The Pretty Box Cake with the bow on top.


This cake, for example: if the tiers of this cake were to start with a 10 inch square on the bottom and ascend to a 4 inch cake on top, it would serve 82 people. Or at least that is how many servings I gauge this cake will feed. You can start with a 12 inch or 14 inch and even add another layer for a larger serving number. Or reduce by a layer for less. Now the 82 serving cake would start at $626.00 and can range to $872.00 depending on flavours chosen. *

This next cake is one that I use to embellish my web pages.
I call it The Calla Illusion Stem Cake.

It can be made to serve 56, 69, 86 or 105. In it’s petite size, 56 servings, this cake’s cost starts at $528.00 and can range to $724.00 depending on the flavours chosen. It also has an acrylic stand inside the cake that requires a deposit of $125.00, which is refunded when the stand is returned. *







This last cake has a Rose Ball and Cascading Blossoms.

This beautiful cake can serve 60, 75 or 94 without changing the ‘look’ too much. More servings would require additional tiers being added. Depending on flavours chosen this cake is would start at $762.50 and range to $1025.00 for a 75 serving cake. *






*(These cakes are all priced with 2010 prices and subject to change)

Thursday, April 8, 2010

I gotta ask why?

I'm a little off cake topic here but I just had to!

This past Easter weekend we took our daughter to an annual Easter hunt with friends. They have fair sized piece of property with a few acres to hide goodies on. The potluck food was outstanding! We indulged in frittata, curried chicken (OMG!!!), scalloped & roasted potatoes a berry tart I recently found a recipe for in this month's More Magazine and so much more.

Now after the kids are done hunting we go and check to see what they missed. We send them out again with some hints and see if they can find the rest. After the kids quit, all chocolate is fair game!!! I found this Ciocori Egg (Distributed by Crown Sales (1338432 Ontario Ltd.)) that the munchkins missed. I brought it to the eats table to enjoy a little chocolate and now here's the thing I gotta ask WTH were they thinking?!!!

Take a look at the prize........it's a plastic shot glass with glass charms. Yes like those things you put on your wine glass at a party to identify your beverage container. Now seriously! Who puts a shot glass in a child's Easter egg????
Upon reading the label the first line does say "TOY NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN..." .... maybe they should have left it at that!!

Monday, April 5, 2010

AMAZING WEEKEND !!!

I (we) recently had the opportunity to travel to The Toronto area for celebrity cake classes at FlourConfections. The award winning Food Network star Mike McCarey of Mike’s Amazing Cakes, was the celeb of the day (2 days + really)

Now I didn’t make this journey alone. I have been conversing with another local cake maker/teacher over the internet but we made plans together without having really met each other face to face and off we went on our trek to the “Big Smoke”

On arrival my roomy Lorrie was keeping updates on her FB for her hubby and others too follow.

Me I was wired for sound with the impending excitement!!!

First order was to scope out the room. Me being the germ-a-phoebe that I am. Lysol wipes the entire room. Next is check the sleeping arrangements. As I peel back the bedding it becomes apparent that the sheets were NOT changed EWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!
A little chat with the front desk and a clean set of sheets later. (I did not expect to have to change my own sheets in a Hotel!!!!)

So out to dinner we went. All is as it usually is. I no sooner tell my new roomy that I seem to be a magnet for restaurant screw ups and the waitress returns to tell me what I asked for in not available. We laugh!!! Another item is forgotten by the waitress before our meal ends, but I have become so accustomed to these things it's now like water off a ducks back for me…. But it is still funny when you wait for it to happen.

We then make a pit stop at the LCBO for a 4 pack of Margarita Ice. I brought some homemade salsa to enjoy and a Marg goes awesome with it!!! Unfortunately there was none on the shelf. But hey the sign in the window say’s “Next closest store 705 Kingston Rd E.” Well that sign is just a cruel joke! We pump it into the GPS and arrive at….. a laneway to an empty field, no building at all, hmmmmmm (insert much more laughter here). It is not looking good for acquiring any Margs here !!! LOL So off to the next LCBO only to find they don’t have any either. Now you would think in a major metropolis like the greater Toronto area it would not be so difficult to find a decent Marg! Alas I must decide not to drive all over hells half acre and just settle for a bad substitute. LCBO you disappoint me!

Back to the room for a nightcap and a not so good nights sleep (far too much excitement rattling around in my head waiting for class). Morning arrives and when we open the curtains ACCKKK!!!


Oh Please No!!! Don’t let this be true! Right outside our window is 2 Orkin trucks. Man could it get any worse? Hopefully it is NOT what we think it is??? A closer look reveals…..

an entire fleet…….. just here for a meeting. But man my heart started to race there for a minute!!! HA HA HA

Mr. McCarey my brain is full, may I be excused?

Okay so now for the good stuff. Being in the same room with your idol is just…..OMG I’m lost for words…… This turned out to be the most fun class I have ever taken, anywhere at any time (yes that includes HVAC classes and being the only girl!!) Seriously how can spending 2 days in a class that smells like chocolate, tastes like chocolate and is all about chocolate NOT be fun??? Especially when it is being taught by none other than Mike McCarey,

The Encyclopedia Britannica of chocolate modeling.

His assistant (also named Mike) is full of energy and eager to help in anyway possible and absolutely hilarious to watch. I laughed so hard through this class my abs hurt!

A lot of technical stuff was touched on and if you listened closely all the time there was a constant barrage of info coming at you. I’m not sure chocolate will be my forte (my hands are very warm) but it certainly will come in handy with a few projects coming up this summer.

I really can’t thank Mike enough for sharing the way he did. Seeing some of his work close up and getting full explanations of how some intricate details were done, was just the bestest EVER!!! There really is nothing like learning from a master!!!

Here is one of the elements of the class. All apart and waiting for a little magic to happen.


Here it is in its completed form….


I met some great people at this class. I had an awesome time with my roomy! It was nice to see old friends. Thanks Lisa, Scott & Karey. Hope to do this again sometime.
Watch for all this new found information in future cakes!!!