Originally posted on 4/26/2010
I'm sure I mentioned that I was judging at Bonnie Gordon's Cake Show, didn't I? I'm sure I've mentioned - perhaps even more than once - how much I enjoy a nice hunk of cake, with thick buttercream icing, non? Like this one from Bonnie....
Anyhoo...yesterday I was a panelist on the National Post's Shelf Life column, tasting, ugh, tofu. Ten freakin' blocks of tofu. Raw. Right out of the pack. Just slice off a bit from the anemic brick of hippie, vegan, righteousness and try, just try, to think of something clever, funny, even interesting to say...I dare you! Then multiply that by ten.
But today happened, and my world was in balance once again, and oh boy, there was cake alright. Dulce de leche, lemon, peanut butter, mango, chocolate, you name it. And I tasted 'em all. And then I popped a Pepto Bismol, then a Tums, then another Tums, and my heart, she still burns!
But it was worth it. I had fun. It's very cool to be invited into these odd little sub-cultures...this one being the world of uber-high end cake design.
Approximately 800 fans of piping and fondant passed through the Artscape Wychwood Barns to gaze upon one over the top cake after the other. In reality, all Styrofoam and icing. Who knew so many people cared about cake as much as this?
Oh, and the best part of all? I got to march around the room, proudly wearing my judge's ribbon, and officiously clutching my clipboard.
The winner was Isabelle Loiacono of Enchanted Sweets, who painted 24 carat gold onto her masterpiece.