Check out this interesting article in USA Today about the Show, Cake Boss on TLC. Buddy Valestro is the "boss" and they air on Monday evenings at 10pm on TLC (in my area). On the side (to the left) is a smaller article about Charm City Cakes.
http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2009-07-28-cake-boss_N.htm
Amazing what they are able to charge for these works of art! You'll notice the minimum charge for Duff's cakes is $1000.00 and the minimum for a cake from Carlo's Bakery is $11 - $15 PER SERVING!!!! WOWZA! Imagine... you want a cake to feed 25 people for a Birthday Party. You order it from Carlo's Bakery in NJ. You are charged at least $275.00!!! If you get a cake that looks like the cakes I do with the detail, you are looking at $375.00. Wrap your head around that one for a minute!! HOLY COW!
So... when the bakery tells you a cake to feed 50 people is going to run you in the vicinity of two hundred with the detail you want, you can do a happy dance at the huge bargain you are getting! And make sure you laugh at those people that ordered a similar cake and paid 5-6 times as much! And you had no idea you were a bargain shopper!
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Wedding cakes and fresh flowers
I love the look that fresh flowers on wedding cakes. I’m always amazed how an undecorated cake can just POP when the fresh flowers are added.
However, there are some things that need to be considered when planning fresh flowers on a cake.
Tell your florist these are going on a cake. The flowers should be organically grown, free of pesticides. The florist should take extra care to prevent the flowers from passing across a work space that has had pesticide treated flowers on it, to avoid cross-contamination. The objective is to try to keep the flowers as food-safe as possible.
Even still, I’ve met florists who didn’t know the toxicity of a flower. Most know that poinsettias and calla lilies are toxic flowers and should not come in contact with a cake but did you know that hydrangeas as a very toxic flower?
The flower stems should not be pushed down into your cake. The flower stem will leak water and unless you’re willing to drink the water out of a flower vase, I doubt that you’ll be willing to eat cake with flower-water-waste in it.
Some decorators cut the stems off as close to the head as possible, then use buttercream icing to “glue” the flower to the side or top of the cake. At cutting time, the flower and the icing glue is removed from the cake.
Like most cake designers I prefer to add the flowers to the cake myself. Why? Because the final look of a cake will have my name on it, and if someone places the flowers inappropriately or unattractively, then it’s my reputation on the line.
Here is a link to toxic, VERY toxic and safe flowers: http://www.blueirissanctuary.fatcow.com/id181.htm
However, there are some things that need to be considered when planning fresh flowers on a cake.
Tell your florist these are going on a cake. The flowers should be organically grown, free of pesticides. The florist should take extra care to prevent the flowers from passing across a work space that has had pesticide treated flowers on it, to avoid cross-contamination. The objective is to try to keep the flowers as food-safe as possible.
Even still, I’ve met florists who didn’t know the toxicity of a flower. Most know that poinsettias and calla lilies are toxic flowers and should not come in contact with a cake but did you know that hydrangeas as a very toxic flower?
The flower stems should not be pushed down into your cake. The flower stem will leak water and unless you’re willing to drink the water out of a flower vase, I doubt that you’ll be willing to eat cake with flower-water-waste in it.
Some decorators cut the stems off as close to the head as possible, then use buttercream icing to “glue” the flower to the side or top of the cake. At cutting time, the flower and the icing glue is removed from the cake.
Like most cake designers I prefer to add the flowers to the cake myself. Why? Because the final look of a cake will have my name on it, and if someone places the flowers inappropriately or unattractively, then it’s my reputation on the line.
Here is a link to toxic, VERY toxic and safe flowers: http://www.blueirissanctuary.fatcow.com/id181.htm
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