Critical Review Two

SUMMARY: On the National Public Radio website, I found an audio clip of a talk show named Weekend Edition Sunday where a professional cake decorator was a guest on the show. The cake decorator was familiar with the members of the show, and decorated many cakes for their children’s birthday parties. On the episode, the cake decorator shared some of her techniques with the host. She shared the technique that you use to make stars with icing.
RESPONSE: I thought that this source was very helpful. I was able to see a technique used to create stars with icing. The decorator used an icing bag with a certain tip that was specially designed to make stars. The decorator also taught us how to do a shell border. When you begin to decorate a cake you have to fill an icing bag with icing. However, “the key is not to fill the bag too full with icing” (“Valentine’s”). I thought that this was a great tip, because it is easy to overfill the bag and then squeeze icing everywhere when you are trying to decorate. Overall, this source was very good because it gave verbal instructions on different techniques and tips, and it came with pictures to go along with what the decorator was saying.

"Valentine's Day Cake Decorating for Dummies." Weekend Edition Sunday. (10 Feb. 2008): Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Alabama Virtual Library Remote Access. 24 Mar. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=avlr.

Critical Review One

SUMMARY: On this episode of Ace of Cakes, the team was catering for the Second Annual Green Carpet Event for the Girl Scouts in Maryland. They made giant replica cookies that were detailed on the outside and the inside. The team was also doing a scale replica of the Oak Alley Plantation House in Louisiana for a groom’s cake. It needed to be perfect because the groom was an architect and would be able to notice the fine detail. The team’s final project was a cake for a furniture company. They exchanged new chairs in the bakery for this cake.
RESPONSE: I thought that this episode was very entertaining and informative. When they were making the giant cookies, I was able to see them use a lot of different techniques with the cakes. They used a combination of fondant and icing to make the cake look very realistic. Katherine was in charge of the Girl Scout project and she said, “If I was stranded on an island, I might pick the tagalong” (“What’s Up Cookie?”). I would definitely have to agree with her; tagalongs are my favorite Girl Scout cookies. It was really amazing to see giant cakes turn into the world’s biggest Girl Scout cookies!
Another really amazing creation was the Oak Alley Plantation House. The house itself has many intricate details and columns around every side, which would seem to make it hard to replicate. However, they were able to pull it off. In the end, the cake didn’t even look like a cake. It was so well decorated that it looked as if someone had made a model house out of wood and paint. To me, it is absolutely incredible that people are able to do that with icing and sugar and fondant.
“What’s Up Cookie?” Ace of Cakes. Food Network. 3 Mar 2009.