Forget Alaska, lets go to the beach

So, I'm the first to admit... I'm not really into politics, it's not my life, and I certainly wouldn't have a birthday party focused around anything political... call me crazy. My friend Michele, however, is truly into politics, and because of this, the people at work decided it would be great to throw her a "make fun of Sarah Palin" surprise party. The idea was to have food and decor that would go along with Alaska, and many things Palin. When mooseburgers were suggested, I stepped in and offered to bring a chocolate mousse torte... I think that satisfied the need for moose. Below are pictures of the cake.

Yes, the moose IS wearing a fondant party hat

Top Angle

Cake shown with a slice cut out... showing the layers.

A single slice of cake... bittersweet chocolate torte, dark chocolate mousse layer, milk chocolate mousse layer, and a white chocolate mousse layer, all covered by a semi sweet chocolate ganache.

Did I mention it was chocolate?

-Wendi-

When Science and Cakes Collide

Yeah, so here's my way of thinking:

Cakes are baked.

Baking is a science.

Science geeks eat cake too.

I had a request from my good friends Steve and Jan to make a "Shmoo" cake for a going-away party for Jan's lab mate Mike (he's going to MIT...yeah, I know smart people).

So for those who aren't in the know, shmoo is the nickname for a G-protein coupled receptor in yeast......hey, you're lucky, this is the short version of a shmoo, what I got (because I asked) was a much more complicated, intricate explanation by Steve (who's also a science smarty-pants)... well until he saw my eyes glaze over and took pity. My only response was "what colors you want on that?"

So here, in all it's scientifically accurate glory (or as accurate as you can get with pumpkin cake and cream cheese icing), may I present the Shmoo Cake.

And here's a view of the backside (upside? top side? other side?) of the Shmoo. Please note that the black line do-hicky does indeed cross the thingyboo 7 times -- yes, 7 times! because that's key to the doojigger process of the thingy making it, ah...and it comes close to the circle with the Beta because...because...oh hell, it was in the drawing and that's why it's there. Science rules!

(post-Post note: apparently the official term for the "black line do-hicky" is "signalling pathway." Pshaw, like who doesn't know that... :/

Another notch in the cake post!

Another successful venture into the wedding cake world (whew!). Don't get me wrong, I didn't go into this thinking it was going to be a piece of cake (yeah, I went there). It's nerve-wracking to put a wedding cake together, especially when it's one of your closest friends and even more so now that I know Cake Wrecks is waiting in the wings just in case something goes horribly awry. My inner perfectionist and I had a couple run-ins, but in the end the happy couple was just that, so all good.

Here are a couple of photos for Show-n-Tell.

Not a big chocolate fan myself, but this photo makes me want to bite into a huge slab of chocolately goodness. My first foray into homemade chocolate icing too (it was yummy).

Final assembly took place at the cake table. Wasn't going to chance it pre-transport (discovered as we bounced over the miles of pockmarked and pitted roads between Laura's house and the reception place that GA tax dollars are NOT going into road improvement).

You know, "even" is SO overrated.

Fun is being given three buckets of fresh flowers and being told to "have at it."

Final product. Got a two-thumbs up from Laura and Todd. The cake itself was comprised of a chocolate-chocolate bottom layer, a pumpkin-marshmellow cream cheese middle layer, and a chocolate-chocolate peanut butter top layer.

Close-up of one of the side "boutonnieres" (and yes, that's a sprig of rosemary).

Despite the patented k2 pre-cake freak out, the bumpy roads, the sweat and swearing, and all the chocolate (that was a lot of chocolate), it was all worth it to help make Laura and Todd's day special. Happy Wedding to them and many well wishes!

An additional two cents

Read previous post first, since this one relates ... (elevator music is currently playing in my head).

The gig went well, I agree. Week nights are definitely tough, but Kathy and I got through it, which means we can do anything!! (except perhaps leap tall buildings in a single bound...although, I've never tried... it could happen!)

It was really nice to be able to add to our ever-expanding list of menu items. I feel very confident by the time we get the business officially launched, we're going to be well-prepared with many previously tasted items...

That's about all I have for my two cents... of course I had to add!!

Now we sit back, come up with new foods, and wait for the calls to start rolling in!! :)

In the meantime, everybody should wish Kathy good luck with the wedding cake she's got on the horizon for this coming weekend!! :)

-Wendi-

Whew!

The catering biz is definitely NOT for wimps -- don't let anyone tell you otherwise! Extremely exhausted, but oh-so happy with another successful "do" under our belts.

Congrats to Prema for valiently defending her dissertation, reclaiming her life, and letting us help her celebrate the occasion!

Goodies on the Table of Plenty included:

Assorted Vegetables with Farmers Market Tomatoes and White Bean Hummus Dip

Thai Crostini with Garden Fresh Thai Basil Pesto, Marinated Tofu, and Shiitake Mushrooms on Lightly-toasted Baguette

Pineapple Tuna with Slivered Almonds in Choux Paste Puffs (a fav with the under 4' crowd)

Skewered Cumin-Lime Chicken Bites (they may seem plain in appearance, but the taste more than makes up for it, they have a surprisingly crisp and refreshing flavor)

Greek Crostini with Feta Spread and Artichoke Hearts on Toasted Olive Bread

Mixed Fruit and Cheese Tray with Assorted Crackers (included strawberries, blackberries, champagne grapes, figs, dried apples, dried mango, dried apricots, Farmers Market camembert, fresh mozzarella balls, white cheddar, and Havarti with dill)

Beef Bruschetta with Marinated Beef and Horseradish Cream on Lightly-toasted Baguette ("beef on bread" is always a hit)

Lemon 'Tart'lets with Lemon Curd Cream filling and Fresh Blueberry in a Phyllo Cup (the sweet tooth equivalent of Lays, can't stop at one...and no one did)

Not shown are Wendi's Signature Stuffed Mushrooms with Italian Sausage and Fennel (see previous post), Kathy's Super Secret "Don't Ask Me for the Recipe" Sweet-n-Sour Meatballs, Chocolate Chip Brownie Bites, Minted Brownie Bites, and Marzipan Pops (marizpan rolled with dried fruit and dipped in milk chocolate -- SO addictive).

(Just a note -- we do try to use herbs from the garden and produce from the Farmers Market whenever possible, because we are all about supporting local business.)

So after seemingly hours of prep and last minute assembly, what makes it all worthwhile is watching people continue to stuff their faces while claiming they are too full to take another bite.

We rock. (We have mentioned that lack of modesty thing before, right?)

Stay tuned for more good things to come and thanks for reading!

k2

Cakes of a different breed...

I am the first to admit it... Cakes are not my biggest strength... don't get me wrong, I can hang with the walmart cake decorators, but thankfully I work alongside Kathy, who does have the cake strength... The following are just a couple cakes that I've done.

This is the cake that I did for Em's completion of her thesis for grad school. It's fun... and please note, the decorating was done completely with plastic bags... for some reason, there were no tips at the house!! Now, now, cakewrecks... nobody had to pay for it!!



This was a cake I did for Jessica's birthday. It was a simple two layer yellow cake, seperated by, and frosted with a citrus buttercream...

This is one of my favorite cakes to make... Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. Three types of mousse, a brownie bottom layer, and fully covered with ganache. It happens to be quite lovely when cut...

That's all I have... there are more, but they are far less pretty to look at, so they are staying in the vault!! :)

Food pictures are fun!!

-Wendi-

Some Cakes: A Retrospective, Part I

Though the blog is new, the fun with food has been going on for awhile. So for your viewing pleasure, I'm tossing in some k2 cake creations from earlier this year. Never thought that baking would end up being my thing, but baking is pretty precise and I'm pretty anal, ah, detail-oriented, so it's been a good match.

Baby Shower Block

Wedding "Blues"



I Heart Crayons (before)



I Heart Crayons (after)



Happy 58th Birthday, David Cassidy!



Darcy's Farewell Cake



Okay, this was actually done a couple of years ago, but I like to call it Meredith Before



And we'll call this one, Meredith After



Okay, that one not so edible unless you enjoy diapers and baby sock roses, but still...cake! Wendi is working on some of her photos as well, so more tasty food for the viewing to come.

k2