"Having cakes as a business certainly changes things for me - I don't now sit at home doing a cake for the fun of it anymore. But it's an extremely happy and pleasurable business to run because people are generally buying cakes for celebrations." - Jane Asher
Cakes, cakes, cakes! When I got the invitation to attend the Cake Couture Exhibit at The Podium, last February 18, Saturday night, I didn't entertain any second thoughts in my mind. Basically, I'm really a lover of food, a "foodie" in my own right. I love to taste and explore different cuisines and types of food and that includes desserts which when spelled backwards, will read as "stressed." And since they're the exact opposite, lavishing into luscious desserts will ease-out the stress, which I find very effective.
It is really sufficing to our own palates even to our sights eyeing those fabulous and unique creations of the masters (pastry chefs) with their masterpieces. Wanna grab the idea of what I'm talking about? Let me tour you to a place where cakes, wines, sweet music and lovely people blend to achieve perfection. Let's savor every bit of everything that these masters has to offer. Let's go!
For a fresh start, (definitely!) the Podium's Atrium was filled with fresh floral designs and arrangements exclusively made by the Institute of Philippine Floral Techniques located at 2101 Madre Ignacia St., Malate, Manila.
There was sweet and oozing music played by the band. Hmmm... that sets the mood ;-))
Wines were provided by the
Philippine Wine Merchants (PWM) headed by its Sales & Marketing, Corporate Communications, the very accommodating, Mr. Jorge J. Joseph, belonging to the largest family-owned retail wine and spirits in the country today.
Mr. Jorge J. Joseph of PWM
These exquisite wines are giving me the "chills." hihihi
Gervy herself with her very creative daughter
What's so amazing with our cakes? We use chocolate as our icing instead of the usual fondant. We carefully wrap our cakes with melted chocolate (dark, white and even colored). They might appear the same as fondant cakes but once you try a bite, you'll be surprised that it's chocolate! - Gervy
Another Cake artist,
Ms. Judy Uson creates the cakes of our dreams for our most special day.
Ms. Judy's signature and acclaimed here in the Philippines and worldwide is her sugar flowers as evidently seen in the picture above. According to her, "If a painter's medium is oil or watercolor, my medium is sugar."
Ms. Maite with one of her "masterpieces," those flowers were all edible and according to her, was so difficult to make, it needs a lot of patience, perseverance and passion; a work of art indeed!
I couldn't help myself not to have my picture taken with this majestic masterpiece and of course its cake master, Ms. Maite herself. Have you noticed all the dangling chandelier-like adornments around the cakes? So nice and elegant right? Btw, those aren't edible huh! ;-))
Behind these awesome and luscious cake creations lies not just a beautiful face but a very friendly and bubbly Pastry chef, she's no other than Denise Jao of
Dolcelli Cake.
Oozing with flavor, Strawberry Shortcake and one of my faves, the Red Velvet Cupcakes
The not so sweet and very delish Mangoes and Cream Cake and the Dolcelli Cakes
The very pretty Pastry Chef, Denise Jao has also shared with us, her very authentic creation, the "Avocado Sansrival" (one of her bestsellers) which really made me and my friends excited and lurked to the idea of tasting it soon. ;P We've also learned that Dolcelli Cake offers delivery as well as catering. Hope you'd check her website.
Of course we're all familiar with
CCA as in Center for Culinary Arts, Manila, right? We've met Chef Trisha R. Ocampo, who's very accommodating and has a brilliant personality actually. According to her, CCA has a satellite branch at the 5th level of The Podium that also houses function rooms which are available for private parties, seminars and office gatherings and they also provide the catering matters.
Chef Trisha R. Ocampo
They also offer short courses for the youngsters who wanted to try it out in the kitchen at their very tender age. Kids will be able to appreciate not only the culinary and baking-pastry arts, but would also be educated with the cuisines of different cultures. Just check-out their website for more info and details.
Another cake master by the name of Joy San Gabriel of
Joy San Gabriel Culinary Arts Studio had caught our attention. She's a very grounded, simple and well-rounded person and it really reflects to all her cake creations and desserts.
She combines simplicity with elegance and taste...
One of her bestsellers is her "mini brazo de mercedes," you'll definitely enjoy her customized and personalized character cakes too. Her "food haven" is located at 20 Bayani St., Galas, Quezon City, just check her website for more details.
And last, but definitely not the least, is Pastry Chef Charmie Villaroman- Matabang of
Chocolate Avenue. Don't be deceived by her looks, she really looks younger than her age, Charmie is only in her early 20's and has started baking since her college days with her friends, classmates, relatives who served as regular clients and even referrals has worked due to "word of mouth," she says.
Would you believe that this cutie "pinky" and stylish cake was all designed by Charmie's hubby? Oh I tell you, this lovely couple truly has what it takes.
On the other hand, Charmie has created this elegant-looking cake in black and yellow, oh how I love the synchronicity! I asked her, if anyone has ever ordered that cake from her and she replied, no one yet, she thought of it as her "dream cake," and I smilingly told her, that could be mine too, who knows and why not? ;-)
That was a very delightful evening... everything was perfectly blended. I get to meet the top pastry chefs in town, taste their "heavenly creations," and enjoy the rest of the night with my blogger-friends. Towards the end, I've come to realize how creative and talented the Pinoys really are, they can be leveled up with other renowned and internationally acclaimed Pastry chefs. This cake couture truly exhibits Filipino ingenuity. It was another Valentine treat to remember indeed and I do hope that we should have more like this catering all "our very own."
Thank you to my friend Gigi Moraleda for the endorsement and to Ms. Juvy Alimario for the invites.
