Thursday, February 28, 2013

Ahh, the power of cake....

Halloo out there!!
Yeah, I had another hiatus, sue me! I don't think that exactly makes me a criminal, and I came back so that's all that's important! Anyhoo, I come back to you all a little bit older, and a little bit more seasoned as your dear Caker Maker. And I'm gonna tell you something I don't often tell people;
Making Cakes is a stress inducing, labor intensive, white knuckle thrill ride!!
I speak the truth here! I want to clear up any inkling of an impression that you all have that my profession is in ANY way, easy, relaxing, or meditative! My job is NOT for the faint of heart.
A while back, as I was surfing the web, I came across an article someone wrote that gave me one of the biggest laughs ever. It was an article that gave a list of something like the 'Top Ten least stressful jobs in America"...........
And guess what was number 4?
Yeah.
That's right.
I believe anyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I have no right to judge someone else's life experience and influence my own experience on it, but if we were going off of MY experience, Cake Decorating wouldn't be anywhere near the top ten.
I want you all to be clear on one thing I've learned in my years making cake; NEVER doubt the power of cake! There truly is something mystical about it, and it never ceases to amaze me on the effects it can have on people. I've seen people laugh with joy, scream in anger, render themselves flabbergasted, moan orgasmically, and even get down on the knees and pray over it.
So, I ask all of you, with something THAT powerful, do you think handling it on a daily basis would be relaxing????
I think not.
Anyway, my career certainly has been a roller coaster of an education. And my learning in this art will probably never end, but I do look at myself now and can only marvel at how far I have come. My bakery is rapidly approaching wedding cake season, and this year, I seem to have become the one leading the charge in that area. If you would have told me that two years ago, I would be in the position I am now, I would have ran for the hills.
But there's a moment not only I, but any cake decorator out there lives for. A small moment mind you, but a big one nonetheless. It's that moment when they see it. That customer who came to you with a dream of something beautiful and delicious, and usually no comprehension of what goes into making that dream a reality, sees it in front of them, after all your toiling away on the cake turntable, mixing icing, piping flowers, airbrushing, stacking tiers, etc. And they react in any of those ways I described earlier..... It makes ALL of that stress worth it!
I have no idea what this year is going to bring for me in my cake making adventures, but I'm going forward with as much confidence as I can muster, because let's face it, it certainly wont be dull. And besides, I'm hopelessly addicted to this silly profession!
So fasten your seatbelts kids! It's gonna be a bumpy ride!
Sincerely,
Your Caker Maker