The next big thing: Whoopie Pies

There is a new trend brewing in desserts that will be making its way to bakeries, weddings and event tables this next year.  I’m calling it now, you heard it here first, i’m seeing these things pop up in magazines and blogs here and there and it’s just bound to erupt.  The next trend is whoopie pies.  That’s right, whoopie pies.  They look like mini macarons, yet they have the texture of cake with filling in the centre but they are called a pie.  Creative bakers can go to town on this delightful little treat playing around with filling and shell flavours.

If you don’t know what they are here is a look at the hot new trend, and check out some recipes here, here and here.

via the shopping vine

via the sweet escape

via one ordinary day

via raisin cake

Flour Fancies

I am a big supporter of anyone who has gone through Bonnie Gordon’s cake school and who has come out the other end with a business up and running!

Here is one of Bonnie’s students, Samantha Lee, who started Flour Fancies a couple years ago in Toronto and seems to be doing pretty well racking up press in national wedding magazines.

Samantha offers cakes and cookies all available for order on her website/by appointment.   Her artistic eye and skill result in a great looking (*and i’m sure great tasting) product!   

via flour fancies

via bride.ca

via flour fancies

midnight wedding snack: buddha dog

There were a lot of things that I loved about the wedding I attended last weekend at Hart House (University of Toronto campus).  This post is dedicated to the most creative thing that I saw grace the tables just before midnight: Buddha Dog.  The bride and groom treated guests to make your own hotdogs for a late evening snack and what better hotdogs to select than Buddha Dog.  They are all natural, fresh and locally produced unlike the usual street meat. 

via collingwood-bluemountain

 Buddha Dog is a Prince Edward County born hot dog shop that was created to promote all things local.  From the site, their mission was to “to bring together the best local suppliers – Farmers, Dairies, Bakers, Butchers, Chefs, etc – to make exceptional hotdogs and let it represent the best of their region and culinary tradition.”  From Prince Edward County, they expanded to Toronto and are taking taste buds by storm.   I first visited Buddha Dog last year at their Picton, Ontario depot and had a very tasty dog with some flavour bursting condiments/sauces.  I was really surprised to see Buddha Dog being rolled out at a wedding but hey, why not get creative and expose + treat your guests to your favourite local, small business.  It’s great for business and great for guests alike.  Truly win-win for brand exposure.  Great idea guys!

via acqtaste

dee’s mini doughnuts: a cake alternative

via michelle-s

Dee’s Mini Organic Doughnuts are cute, small, portable, come in different colours and are , get this- organic!  And just who is Dee and where do you find her doughnuts?  Dee’s Mini Organic Doughnuts was founded by ex-retail marketer, Diana Firmage.  She created the recipes from scratch using local ingredients instead of opting for a pre-packaged, processed mix.  The company is slowly expanding locations outside of Marin, California including one that is supposed to be opening in San Fran (I am not sure if it is already open yet).  In a post where Diana was interviewed (read interview here) she states that “their blend (doughnut recipe) is clean and wholesome” and they use whole wheat flour- non traditional for doughnuts.  

via orthogonal thought

I saw a post on Green Wedding Shoes about a couple who chose a doughnut tower for their wedding cake alternative using Dee’s Mini Doughnuts and the end product looked just as great as if they had chosen cupcakes or a full cake.    

Here are a couple other examples of doughnut cakes (doughnuts not from dee’s)

via wedding paper divas

One more example:

via your best wedding

pumpkins

October is my favourite month for a couple of reasons.  First, it’s my birthday.  Second it’s Thanksgiving.  Third, brightly coloured orange pumpkins start to show up all over the place making neighbourhoods, farmer’s markets and city streets just a bit livelier. 

Some fun pumpkin facts:

• Pumpkins seem to be North American in their origin belonging to the gourd/squash family of food classification. 
• Out of all seven continents on the globe, only Antarctica is unable to grow pumpkins (I guess they have to import their pumpkins for Halloween). 
• The US produces 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins a year (that’s a lot of pie potential)
• In the Middle East, pumpkins are used for sweet dishes while in Japan, they are used in savory dishes

Here are some ideas of how to incorporate pumpkins into your event decor from some of the masters in the industry.

velvet pumpkins via house martin

pumpkin pie bites via bakerella

pumpkin center piece via the bride guide by darcy miller

pumpkin with ribbons via goodhousekeeping

And don’t forget a slice of this when you are done admiring the beauty of the pumpkins!

via kate weedie

Sevva Hong Kong

Look at this beautiful cake store in Hong Kong!  Only in Hong Kong can you find a dessert store so over the top in decor and design.  I am off to Hong Kong this week and have been doing a bit of research into spots I want to visit and this is one is high up on the list.

The shop that caught my attention is called Ms. B’s Sweets and it is part of Sevva (pronounced Savour)  the 13,000 sq ft space restaurant/club, located on the 25-floor penthouse of the Prince Building in Central in Hong Kong.  Sevva is divided into four areas including the  Bank Side, Harbour Side, Taste Bar and the Terrace and Ms. B is part of the complex.   

The picture below is the home of Ms. B’s Sweets where confections are decoratively displayed in glass display cases.  The most stunning part of the store is the huge chandelier, originally designed for the British embassy in Rome in the 1950s illuminates the chamber.

Ms. B’s owner, and the creator of Sevva, is  Bonnie Gokson.   If you are not familiar with this name, look her up.  Her CV boasts a long line of successful creative endeavours in the fashion and luxury goods industry including a stint as Chanel Asia Pacific’s former communications director which has certainly helped Sevva gain lots of attention not to mention her sister is Hong Kong fashion guru Joyce Ma, who brought European style to Asia when she founded the upmarket Joyce Boutiques in the 1970s.

via the cool hunter