Hey I love the questions Lori! I was half scared to check the board and see someone say, "hey what's with this chick, is she self-absorbed or what!?" Because os all of my talk about me me me! Really, it's the cakes I want to focus on. And I guess I don't want to come off as some goon! So, I was thrilled at your questions. Call me paranoid, but I know that some people can really take this posting thing and run with it, so I want to keep it real.
Well, I didn't learn how to use dummy cakes. Actually I would have used a real cake, 'cept this kind lady who belongs to the San D Cake Club told me that I should. So, in short, I learned...
---styrofoam is expensive! I spent 28 bucks to make 2 cakes.
---styrofoam makes a lot of mess and acts staticky and is a pain.
---royal icing IS the way to go, but dries fast. Either pray for rain, or use a little 1/8th teaspoon in one batch of glycerine (found at cake deco stores) and it helps the spread go a little easier. Found that tip in a Elaine Mc Gregor Wedding cakes book. She's from UK.
---expect the job to take forever
---leave time to dry in between coats. At least 2, but 3 is good.
I used raw egg whites instead of meringue powder, because it was cheaper. And, no one is going to eat it anyway.
The Thai cake is what is used in important ceremonies like Funerals, weddings, entering of the Monkhood and House Raisings. It's kind of like the shape of an elongated hershey kiss.
It's going to be turmeric colored yelow, and rose red and dark kelly green. Thai people love color! Then there are these little leaf type things that hang around the bottom half of it, kind of like an open lotus blossom, but inside out. ***I know this is getting funkier by the moment*** But, you've gotta go for the unique and unusual. I WANT TO WIN. So, it's different.
Wow Lori, I can't remember the rest of the questions...So, I'll post a part two!
Valarie
:D :D :D
Okay, Part II
I learned lots :eek: of techniques. And the funny thing is, as I was making these cakes, I'd grab a technique from one cake and then use one from another, as I was creating, to trouble shoot and make this cake a go! For instance, it's really hard to coat an odd shaped cake smoothly with a spatula, but on one cake in class, a carved rabbit...realistic looking too. I hated this goofy looking rabbit, reminded me of something farmers would like, like when you see those farm scenes painted on saw blades. (Long before Martha I suppose). Anyway, you use a fan shaped paint brush, "never used before, only for food"...as my teacher would say, like Duh! Anyway, it smoothes out the icing like a charm, and you can used a spray bottle of water to help the frosting give a little. It works good.
Our teacher taught us everything from making roses to gumpaste flower carts, basketweave cakes, 3 different royal frosting flower classes, scrolls and other pastillage, sugar eggs, tons.
I'm taking a class this month, one day at Jane's cakes in Montrose. There is a lady from Tenessee flying in and will teach us flowers all day long. 75 bucks.
I taught myself fondant, after being sick and tired of searching for a teacher. I have bought excellent books, new and used. I love Debbie Brown's stuff. Look on Amazon.com for them. Ebay can be tricky,'cause you can end up paying more than you should. But, I have found some good resources through them. I don't buy everything, and some one on this board told me to check out books at the library. Being the budget gal that I am, this has worked for me. The garden kneeling pad is a hot tip. Thanks! No, I'm not a member of ICES yet, but will join as soon as I recover from my weekend (finances again!) and the gumpaste class. Oh, I will be going to an Ices breakfast in San Diego. It's the morning of the last day of the Cake Show. I do belong to the California Cake Club (3 C's) and go to the Sunday Socials that Frances Kuyper holds once a month. Wow, too much to mention. Maybe someone will read this and say, hey e mail this stuff instead, but maybe someone else will find it helpful.
:o
[ March 07, 2001: Message edited by: blueribboncakes ]
