not much to say, but… March 26, 2008
Well I actually have a lot to say but little time. I promised myself I would post AT LEAST once a week. I think I missed last week.
Last week I got the opportunity to go back to The French Culinary Institute with my friends Anne and Gretchen. We all met at FCI’s Classic Pastry Arts class in 2004. Last Wednesday FCI had an Open House for prospective students and asked Anne back to do a cake decorating demonstration. I should explain that Anne has her own cake business. She is an amazing cake designer, you will be dazzled and amazed when you go visit the website for her shop, Pink Cake Box.
Here we are at Anne’s shop in Denville NJ.
Anne and I met the morning of our first class in the Starbucks across the street from the school. Then we both befriended Gretchen during class. After we graduated in August of ‘05 we all went in different directions. Anne had been working on her cake business thru school, and continued with that as well as taking a job as the Pastry Chef at Il Cappricio, Gretchen went to work in the school’s restaurant kitchen as the Pastry Chef for L’Ecole, (Gretchen is now the Sous Pastry Chef at Craftsteak!) and I went off and tried my hand as an assistant to the Pastry Chef for Bouley Bakery. (Ech!That is a WHOLE other story for another day!) We all stayed in touch and tried to see each other as much as we could while navigating between our new busy jobs and the fact that we live in New Jersey, Long Island and Manhattan! In late March Anne called me to see how I was liking the bakery business. For many reasons, I was more than ready to quit before she called! The short story is… I went to work with Anne in Morristown NJ, in her mom’s kitchen where Pink Cake Box was born. I am very proud to have been a part of that beginning growth of her “baby”. I worked with her until this past September, when I decided I wanted to do more than cakes, but mostly I just could not do that commute anymore!
So last Wednesday I offered my help if she needed it for the demo at FCI. She gratefully accepted my offer and here we are with a half decorated cake! I really admire what she has done and how far the business has grown in such a short amount of time. It was fun to be working side by side again. 
This week I am knee deep in red velvet cake. Tomorrow I start a 1st birthday cake for Dylan, with a cute monkey and other fun sugar decorations. I hope she likes it! Pictures will be posted by Friday night or Sat. I hope! I know there was more I wanted to say, but this will have to do.