Extra Cheese Please!

My husband and I have been married for nine years. Marriage is interesting growing up you believe in the tv/ movie version...trips to exotic locales, two kids perfectly clean and well behaved, family dinners on the table every night...you know the drill. Then there is reality. Yes my husband and I both have successful careers, we have an amazing daughter who lights up our life on a daily basis but in the past nine years we have had two parents battle and beat cancer cancer, our daughter has been diagnosed with Autism, we both have been committed our careers---we have had a lot piled on our plates that has been our doing. Before we knew it we quickly realized we were becoming yes men and losing track of what allowed us to accomplish everything- each other. Who do we say no to- our daughter, our spouse, our daughters school or her therapies, our work- it took us a long time to learn to prioritize what is truly important. We are still working on it.

My husband and I are the perfect match- like a great Cabernet and chocolate, the Masters in April, Brie and french bread, Mac and cheese! One is always made better by the other. To celebrate our 9th anniversary we renewed our vows. This was the one of the most nerve racking cakes I have ever made- partly because it was an expression of my love for my husband, but it was really artistic. My husband truly is the cheese to my Mac- we make the perfect macaroni and cheese.

The cake was delicious. Chocolate chi pound cake with bittersweet Buttercream. I only wish we could have eaten more of it. Here is to many more years to the perfect pair!

Vegan Can Be Good, No Mint Please

When I take an accounting of my immediate family and close friends it is amazing how many dietary restrictions there are. There is my dad, brother, mother-in-law, step sister, cousin, and god mother. My daughter was part of the reason I started to do cakes. My daughter who is GFCF (gluten free dairy free) could not get a birthday cake that would taste good let alone appeal to someone in under 60 set. Everyone assumes vegan means cardboard. Not so- it can be full of rich flavors and fresh ingredients.

I was so excited to do a cake for my long time friend and my daughters god mother- a vegan. She has an amazing sense of style with an exotic twist. Chocolate cake with fresh raspberries and chocolate Buttercream.

We gave it to the restaurant to bring out. It was a beautiful cake with hand painted gold accents- it had an exotic Indian vibe with rich teals and deep purples. The cake stood on it's own. But to my dismay when the restaurant brought out the cake they had added mint sprigs to the cake. Not just laying on the plate but sticking out of the top of the cake like antennas. I was horrified, but tried to roll with it. People were more in shock the cake was vegan than by the mint sprigs.

It was delicious- it even won over to two men at the birthday dinner.

Handed The Reins

I have been asked, "what do you do?". I have never had an answer when it came to my cakes. It was time I had an answer.

I make cakes that encompass a strong flavor profile with a modern sensibility. I do not want want to be given someone else's idea that I need to duplicate-- that has already been done. In a nut shell: a cake must taste as good as it looks.

I was was asked to do a cake- with little to no direction: whatever you want to do, the party colors are orange and green. The only direction was given on flavors: How about vanilla cake with chocolate. That is what I don't do: vanilla- boring. Flavors should be rich--maybe Tahitian vanilla bean with bittersweet chocolate. I asked the client to trust me- stretch. Chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream with fresh raspberries. Vanilla cake with Expresso syrup and chocolate Buttercream.

I still had to tackle the orange and green- this was tough- green or orange is not exactly an appealing fondant color. I talked it over with my trusted assistant- my daughter. Monarchs she said. That was it. A cascade of monarchs trailing down a beautiful Kelly green cake. The cake tasted as good as it looked. By the way, the client called and said: "the chocolate cake with the raspberries was the hit."