the grand finale...

so suffice to say i'm still amazed that it's october 3rd. as in a new month, and the end of my cakesperience in my cake design and technique program.

let me first start by describing the final project. as a class, we selected the theme of enchantment. the reason why i liked the theme of enchantment was because of the many ways it could be interpreted. enchantment evokes thoughts of magical incantation, mystery, all that is unusual and unexpected, of being under a spell, and all that is wonderful and made of magic. there were SO many ways to take that theme and apply it to cake. that is also one of the things i always loved about our class: the many ways we interpreted themes and assignments. it was a lot of fun to work with such an interesting collection of talents. the ideas that everyone came up with were spectacular and each one, seriously unique!

so obviously it was exciting for me to see how (and if) i was able to take my concept and bring it to life. i wanted to design something that i had never seen done before. i wanted to challenge myself and be as ambitious as i could fathom, without sacrificing execution, because let's face it, it's not great if you can't finish it in time. and when i tell you that i worked as fast as i possibly could, as hard as i know how to, for every single second we were allowed to work, you bet i did!

i had a vision of this cake one night while eating dinner out with the family and this idea came to me and the second we, as a class, selected "enchantment" i just KNEW this was going to be my cake. i had to do it, and it's what motivated me to lug a pasta machine all the way to school just so i could cut down on my flower production time and not have to hand roll all the petals. that little machine SAVED me!!! can i just tell you how difficult it is to jog up and down three flights of stairs with a full backpack AND a duffel bag with a heavy Italian-made electric pasta machine and pair of chef clogs? i mean, TIRED and SORE doesn't begin to cover it!!

i guess that's the funny thing about cake. at least for me. it's all about having a place to put my heart and soul. i just adore the creative process. for me, it's like breathing. it's necessary, like air. i need it. and it makes me happy. not many people understand that about me.

SO, my design is something i'm very proud to share with my little world - just think: metamorphosis. when someone looked at my cake, i hoped that they would feel magic, lightness and a lift of spirit. that was what i was hoping to achieve.

i employed lots of techniques including fondant overlay, tinting, embellishment and sugar paste work. but mostly i wanted pay homage to my journey through cake school and as a way of honoring all the beautiful lessons i have learned from my teachers. and you KNOW i wanted to use my cake to practice all that i have learned from my cake guru, the sweet genius himself, Chef Ron Ben-Israel. [you ARE watching the new show i hope!!] he has taught me so much in the few days i got to spend learning from him. it was such a dream come true for me. [sappy or not, i don't care. i've literally talked about wanting that for YEARS!] i continue to practice, pouring over his lessons through my notes and drawings and diagrams. i sincerely love the time i got to spend there! AND sugar paste flowers?? that is something i want to continue to develop. it's the obvious next step! practice, practice, practice! if only i can plot out the next few experiences and challenges!

my french is quite rusty - despite the fact that i used to teach it, and despite the fact that i still occasionally dream and think in french, but the title of my cake is 'mes fleurs sont des papillons' which is rough french for 'my flowers are butterflies.'

a surprising twist to our final evaluation was that we were surprised with some amazing artists who would be critiquing our cakes and offering their feedback and knowledge. i was honored to have Anne Heap (of Pink Cake Box), alumnus of FCI and someone i've admired for quite some time be the juror to evaluate my work. it was pretty fabulous! and it felt really good to hear some great thoughts about my cake! it was such a pleasure to meet her!! yay!

we had a wonderful graduation ceremony the next day. even Chef Ron was there to impart a few words of wisdom and i guess probably see our finished work too! i laugh at myself at what an excitable cake-geek i can be. even now, having met and talked with Chef Ron before, i still get excited for the opportunities afforded to me through this "cakesperience." my husband says i'm 'adorkable.' [shrugs] i guess that's probably about the truest thing ever said about me *smile* and i'm sure Chef Ron is probably used to it.

so i also included a link to a little musical montage [LINK] that i made for some far away family and friends so they could see how i spent my graduation day - it basically features my day from beginning to end, as well as shows some of my classmates and even some of their impressive work as well. it's mostly just a slide show, but the background music really quite sums up this whole thing pretty nicely :o) and i have always loved the line: "...every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." and that's what it always is. over and again, you have to embrace life and the changes you're given, and the chances you take as well. just turning pages in a book. [and writing it as you go...] i have to say i'm going to miss this experience, miss some of the friends i made and will miss the city, the energy... the running through the nighttime subrails, the train rides, the chaos, the cake school.

mark twain said: 'twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. so throw off the bowlines. sail away from the safe harbor. catch the trade winds in your sails. explore. dream. discover.'

and that's exactly what i plan to do.

thank you so much for reading!

and as always, more to come.

so much more!

xo

m

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