premier issue - december 2012

edibleartistsnetworkM A G A Z I N E THE Information Source for Home Bakers & Sugar Artists

P r e m i e r e I s s u e 2 0 1 3

w w w . e d i b l e a r t i s t s n e t w o r k . c o m

Cake International

Birmingham Review

Industry Interview

with Richard’s Cakes

Facebook Contest Winners

TutorialsPhotography Tips

The NewIntroducing

Retail Pack!Satin Ice... already the fondant of choice for professionalpastry chefs, cake decorators and confectioners the world over...is now available in a more convenient 24oz retail pack!

The same great workability, the same premium quality, the same creamy marshmallowy taste. Ask for it atyour favorite cake decorating supply store.

Available in:

For inspiration, ideas and helpful tips, visit our website: satinice.com

White VanillaChocolateIvory VanillaGum PasteRed Vanilla

Black VanillaBlue VanillaPink VanillaGreen VanillaYellow Vanilla

Satin Ice is the Professional’s Choice forPremium Quality, Creativity and Profitability.

RON BEN-ISRAEL, RON BEN-ISRAEL CAKES, NEW YORKwww.weddingcakes.com

My company would not be where it is today without having the privilege of working with Satin Ice”

“

The Twelve Days of Christmas

for Edible ArtistsSung by Marilyn Morrison

On the fi rst day of Christmas my true love sent to me A brand new fondant sheeter

On the Second day of Christmas my true love sent to me Two Brand New Mixers, and a Brand New Fondant Sheeter.

On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me Three Cake Toppers, Two Brand New Mixers,

and a Brand New Fondant Sheeter.

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me Four Days of Rest, Three Cake Toppers, Two Brand New Mixers,


On the fi fth day of Christmas my true love sent to me FIVE AGREEABLE CLIENTS, Four Days of Rest, Three Cake Toppers,

Two Brand New Mixers, and a Brand New Fondant Sheeter.

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love sent to me Six Drying Racks, FIVE AGREEABLE CLIENTS,

Four Days of Rest, Three Cake Toppers, Two Brand New Mixers, and a Brand New Fondant Sheeter.

On the Seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me Seven Silicone Molds, Six Drying Racks,

FIVE AGREEABLE CLIENTS, Four Days of Rest, Three Cake Toppers, Two Brand New Mixers, and a Brand New Fondant Sheeter.

On the Eighth day of Christmas my true love sent to me Eight Edible Printers, Seven Silicone Molds, Six Drying Racks,


On the Ninth day of Christmas my true love sent to me Nine Piping Bags, Eight Edible Printers,

Seven Silicone Molds, Six Drying Racks, FIVE AGREEABLE CLIENTS, Four Days of Rest, Three Cake Toppers, Two Brand New Mixers,


On the tenth day of Christmas my true love sent to me Ten Convection Ovens, Nine Piping Bags,

Eight Edible Printers, Seven Silicone Molds, Six Drying Racks, FIVE AGREEABLE CLIENTS, Four Days of Rest, Three Cake Toppers,

Two Brand New Mixers, and a Brand New Fondant Sheeter.

On the Eleventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me Eleven Tiny helpers, Ten Convection Ovens, Nine Piping Bags, Eight Edible Printers, Seven Silicone Molds, Six Drying Racks,


On the Twelfth of Christmas my true love sent to me Twelve Retail Stores, Eleven Tiny helpers, Ten Convection Ovens,

Nine Piping Bags, Eight Edible Printers, Seven Silicone Molds, Six Drying Racks, FIVE AGREEABLE CLIENTS, Four Days of Rest,

Three Cake Toppers, Two Brand New Mixers, and a Brand New Fondant Sheeter.

edibleartistsNETWORK

Volume 1 Issue 1Premiere Issue 2013

EditorialJoanne PrainitoCreative [email protected]

Cheryl NaughtonEditor

Jen De Guzman RolfeWriter

Janine EshelbrennerWriter

Editorial Offi cesP.O. Box 870614Stone Mountain, GA 30087

ContributorsJeannie GearinGrace Natoli SheldonKen FehnerDave MasonDoug MarranciGracie Prainito

AdvertisingMarynell Christenson770/[email protected]

Subscription ServicesTo subscribe to the magazine please visit www.edibleartistsnetwork.com/subscribe

ProductionDawn LewandowskiPartners Image [email protected]

This symbol denotes that the author is an Edible Artists Network Local Beat Reporter. To join or for more information please visit www.edibleartistsnetwork.com/aboutus/local-beat-reporters.

Edible Artists Network Magazine is published 4 times per year by JC Media, P. O. Box 870614, Stone Mountain, GA, 30087.

From the DirectorHappy Holidays everyone.

So this is what it feels like to realize your dreams have come true! 2012 has been an incredible year for us and what better way to celebrate our one year anniversary than with our fi rst edi-tion of Edible Artists Network Magazine.

This is my favorite time of year, everyone’s sprits seem to lift a little higher and people seem to open their hearts to the joys of the season. As I place the last ornament on our tree, I can’t help but imagine what it would look like in a cookie, a cake,………… come on, you know EX-ACTLY what I’m talking about.

This “collective creative spark” is the driving force behind our work here at Ed-ible Artists Network. Our goal is to continually create a space for artists to come together in the spirit of artistry and camaraderie sharing inspiration as well as information. It is YOU that brings our network to life and provides the heartbeat for this project that we love!

This issue is holiday-themed and provides you with tutorials, articles, and other items that delight and inform. We feel blessed to have such amazing contribu-tors who work so hard to share what they have learned. Contact information for these contributors can be found at the end of each article so please feel free to drop by their sites and Facebook pages and share some love!

Hope Santa is good to each and every one of you, and never forget to follow your dreams, if your patient, they really do come true. Please enjoy this

issue, as much as we have enjoyed creating it for you.

Sincerely,

JoanneP. S. Since our main focus is com-munity the content of the magazine is reader-driven meaning that it is written for you, by you. Let me know if you have something to share or if there is information or sections you

would like for us to add to the magazine or website or if you just have a com-

ment you would like to share. We are here for you so contact me today at [email protected] and together we will con-

tinue to build our community.

2 www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com

Table of ContentsF E AT U R E S

5 Using Facebook for Business Learn how to connect with your customers on

Facebook.

14 Poinsettia Cupcake Tutorial Learn how to make these beautiful cupcakes for the

holidays.

17 Photography Tips from Grace Frustrated with bad pictures? Learn some simple tips

to taking better pictures.

20 Icing Smiles Help Bake a Difference!

22 Cake International Birmingham 2012 Read the review and see the winners!

D E PA R T M E N T S (in every issue)

2 Editor’s Note

6 Facebook Contest Winners

10 Cookie Corner

12 Industry Interview

16 Edible Artist on the Rise

25 Cottage Food Laws

26 What’s New and What’s Hot

28 My Cake Story

30 Edible Art of the Day

On the coverThe cover image is courtesy of Nina Evans Williams of Mon Cottage Cupcakes located on the Island of Anglesey in North Wales. UK. Click here for her website or here for her Facebook page.

www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 3

It seems that more and more busi-nesses are creating Facebook pages, and most are created for all the wrong reasons. Many business owners have heard of other companies who have created a Facebook page and their failing business is now an internet suc-cess story. Well, I’m not saying that hasn’t happened; however, that’s not the reason to create a business Face-book page.

You should create a business Face-book page not only because you have something to say to customers; but more importantly, because you want to communicate with your customers…that means you have an actual conver-sation.

Recently, I bought a new gas grill. Sad-ly, the instruction manual was lacking when it came to using the pizza stone that came with the grill. I burned my fi rst pizza. So, I went online to see if I might fi nd better instructions. Well, the

website wasn’t much bet-ter, so I visited their Face-book page. I asked what I had done wrong. I was very happy when I got my ques-tion answered with some very easy-to-follow instruc-tions. This company is do-ing a couple of things right. First, they are using their Facebook page to supple-ment their website. Sec-ond, and most importantly, they are paying attention to what their customers are saying.

How does that make them money? After all, it’s really nice of them to pay someone to answer customers’ questions, but what are they getting out of having a business Facebook page? Well, how about new products to sell? That’s right! Their customers have turned into their research and de-velopment team. The same folks that loved their grills were also asking why they didn’t have a custom grill cover. Guess what? About a month after I bought my grill, they announced they would have a custom cover soon. It is available now and was well worth the wait! The design is awesome…zip-pers in the right place, so you can get to the storage compartments without removing the whole cover.

Now I could stop there, but I want you to think for just a moment. What else is this grill company getting from their Facebook page? Yes, brand loyalty; but what else? How about this? The strongest selling tool any marketer would kill for…word of mouth. That’s right! Their 19k-plus fans are saying great things about all their products…and because almost 80% of shoppers check out social media sites before making a purchasing decision, this company’s customers positive com-ments are more effective than any paid spokesman or traditional advertising the company may use. Let’s face it, we trust our friends and people do busi-ness with companies they know, like and trust.

Ken is the owner of The Social Gloo, a new media marketing company specializing in social media management for business. Visit Ken at http://www.thesocialgloo.com.

Understanding How To Use Facebook For Business

By Ken Fehner – Owner of The Social Gloo www.thesocialgloo.com

You should create a business Facebook page not only because you have something to say to customers; but more importantly, because you want to communicate with your customers.



edibleartistsnetwork

“Who Takes the Cake” contest DECEMBER 2012 WINNERS

PEOPLE’SCHOICEWINNERS

First Place - Zeynep Yaşar • İstanbul Christmas Cake with a

Santa Girl :)

First Place - Jocelyn Elizabeth • Echo bay

Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch Christmas Cupcakes

Second Place - Tracy Goodson • Salem

Gingerbread House

Second Place - Nina Williams • AMLWCHA little baby asleep while

waiting for Santa all on a cupcake!

One of my favourite christmas cupcakes ALSO SHOWN ON COVER

WHAT THEY’RE PLAYING FOR - First Prize – a beautiful Poinsettia Ceramic Cake Stand (a $75.00 value).

Second Prize – Cupcake Charms: Edible delights to adorn your cupcakes! A set of 12 edible dainty Christmas fl ower fairies are brought to you by Amanda of Tasty Prints.

A very special thank to our guest Judge Richard Day of Richard’s Cakes who has taken time from his busy schedule to help with our contest. And a very special thank you to Amanda Hershberg of Tasty Prints for sponsoring our contest.

We have selected two sets of winners. The Judges choice, and those with the highest votes.

To view all the entries click here.

edibleartistsnetwork

“Cookie Kraze” contest DECEMBER 2012 WINNERS

PEOPLE’SCHOICEWINNERS

First Place - Andrea Rodriguez - Sweet Butterfl y and her

Cookie Christmas cards and gingerbread kids.

First Place - Hiromi Greer and her Gingerbread cookies

Gingerbread cookies decorated with royal icing.

Second Place - Emma Gonsalves and her Sugar on Snow Stacked sugar cookies frosted with royal

icing and fondant fl ower accents.

Second Place - Kim Roberts and her Christmas Poinsettias

Prizes will be awarded to all four winners. A very special thank you to The Cookie Cutter Company for

sponsoring our contest.


WHAT THEY’RE PLAYING FOR - First Prize $30.00 and for

Second Place – a $20.00 gift card.

Thank you Janine for making this contest a huge success, with more than 74 entries, Ja-nine (our guest judge from www.sugarkissed.net) certainly had her work cut out for her.

We have selected two sets of winners. The Judges choice, and those with the highest votes.

To view all the entries click here.

NaughtyCupcakesChocolate Hi-Hat

Surprise CupcakesBy Jen De Guzman Rolfe

DOWNLOAD THE PDF

Naughty

Not just for the holidays, and not just if you’ve

been naughty…

THE BEST “HI-HAT” cupcake recipe and information comes from Martha Stewart, so I’m not going to reinvent the wheel here. But, if you know me, you know I have to do my own little tweaks to something I already love. So, just what makes these cupcakes so naughty? It’s a few special ingredients:

• Devil’s Penis Chilies (they can be any dried chilies you have around)

• Chocolate-covered popping candy (any popping candy or Pop-rocks)

• Salted Burnt Caramel (*the whiskey or any preferred alcohol added to the caramel is optional. I added a few teaspoons into the caramel mix.)

You’ll end up with a cupcake with a lovely depth of fl avour, as well as layers of wonderful textures.

So I actually didn’t use Martha’s cupcake recipe; I halved my normal salted dark chocolate espresso & soured cream cake recipe. I chopped up the chilies very fi ne and added them to the batter. You just want a hint of chilli instead of a hot, spicy cake. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes.

Have your caramel and popping candy ready, and be sure to remember which tops go with which cupcakes, so they fi t properly.

Then, this is how you create the heart-shaped cone in the middle of the cupcake: use a sharp knife to cut out a cone shape.

Pull out the cone, then cut the top off. You will use this to cover the hole back up.


Jen De Guzman Rolfe, is an ex-pat Californian foodie now based in the UK and is the owner of Jen’s Just Desserts. Please visit her website at http://www.jensjustdesserts.co.uk/.

1

3

4

5

2

Fill each hole with caramel – about 3/4 way full, then add your popping candy, then another layer of caramel on top.

Now this part is fun!

Replace the cupcake tops.

Be sure you pour your melted chocolate glaze into a taller/deeper glass jug or bowl. If you use a shallow bowl, it won’t be deep enough to dip your whole hi-hat.

& Decorate as you wish.

Then, make your marshmallow frosting as per Martha Stewart’s Hi-Hat Cupcake recipe. Then, dip, bab, DIP!

You can eat it straight away, whilst the chocolate is still gooey. Yum! Hope you enjoy your naughty cupcakes… and the special holiday season.

You don’t actually have to dip the entire marshmallow top in, as some of the chocolate will drip down. Your dipped hi-hat cupcake should then look like this:


6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14Click here for more tutorials or to share your tutorial.

Click here for more tutorials or to share your tutorial.

Stained Glass Cookies

By Janine Eshelbrenner

What You Will Need To Make Stained Glass Cookie Ornaments

• Your favorite sugar cookie recipe

• Holiday cookie cutters (This tutorial uses a candy cane, gingerbread man, Christmas tree, and mini Christmas tree.)

• Green, red, and brown gel food coloring

• Green and red hard candy (such as Jolly Ranchers or Life Savers)

• Straws

• String, twine, or thin ribbon

How To Make Stained Glass CookiesSince you will not be decorating these cookies with icing, you can add color to the design by dying your cookie dough.

Start by preparing your sugar cookie dough and separating it into three equal sections. Add a few drops of red coloring to the fi rst section, green to the second, and brown to the third. To avoid making a mess, incorporate the coloring into the dough by making an indent in the dough with your thumb, squirting the food coloring into the indent, and folding the dough over the indent. Knead each section of dough until the coloring is spread evenly throughout. It is best to perform this step while wearing gloves unless you want you your lovely skin tone to be replaced with festive food coloring stains.

Next, roll out each section of dough to your desired cookie thickness. Use your cookie cutters to cut the dough into holiday shapes, removing sections from the center of each one where you want to have the stained glass effect. To remove a tree shaped center from your Christmas tree cookies, use a slightly smaller Christmas tree cookie cutter. To remove small circles from your Christmas tree and gingerbread men cookies, use a straw. To remove rectangle sections from your candy cane cookies, use a sharp knife to cut the shapes by hand. Also, use a straw to cut holes in the dough at the top of each cookie so you can string them up as ornaments later.

Place the cut dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet and set it in the freezer for about 15 minutes before baking.10 www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com

COOK

IE Cookie OrnamentsCO

OKIE What You Will Need To Make Stained Glass

Cookie OrnamentsCO

OKIE Cookie Ornaments

COOK

IECORNER

Problem: You’re on the naughty list and you will be extremely embarrassed if your kids

see you pull coal out of your stocking again this year.

Solution: Instead of disappointing

Santa Claus with the same old decorated sugar cookies this year, impress him with

stunning stained glass cookie ornaments.

DOWNLOAD THE PDF

How To Make Stained Glass Centers for Cookies


Janine Eshelbrenner is the creator and author of the blog sugarkissed.net, where creative sweets are made simple! She has a passion for creating sugary treats that are easy to bake and decorate.

6 9

While your cut dough is chillin’ like a vil-lain in the freezer, prepare your candy for the stained glass centers. Unwrap all of your green and red hard candy and place them in separate sealed Ziploc bags. Use a kitchen mallet or rolling-pin to crush the candy into tiny pieces. You may want to muffl e the noise with a kitchen towel. Then again, you may just want to bang along to your favorite Christmas tune.

Remove your chilled dough from the freezer and bake until the dough is just set. This will probably be half the total baking time that your recipe calls for. (I bake mine for four minutes.)

Remove the cookies from the oven and carefully scoop a small amount of candy into cutout centers of each one. The candy will melt and spread so you do not need to completely fi ll the area.

Set the cookies back in the oven to bake for the remaining amount of time. (I bake mine for an additional four minutes.)

Remove the cookies from the oven and use the pointy end of your boo boo stick, a toothpick, or sharp knife to pop any large unwanted bubbles in the candy. You will need to move quickly as the candy will start to harden and stick to anything it touches.

Let stained glass cookies completely dry before storing or stacking them. Keep in mind that the candy will be sticky.

To turn your cookies into ornaments, simply loop some pretty string, twine, or ribbon through the hole you created at the top of the cookies. And if you are having guests that you really want to impress, string the cookies together to make stained glass cookie garland.

Just a few easy steps and you will have the most stunning edible holiday deco-rations on the block. And Santa will be sure to visit your house fi rst to get his cookie fi x!




Industry InterviewRichard’s Cakes, Manchester England

The team at Richard’s Cakes has har-nessed the power of the Internet to cre-ate an international following, amassing over 34,000 Facebook “likes” in just the past year. With the addition of local classes and Internet-based video tuto-rials, Richard and his colleagues have succeeded in establishing a baking community that allows them to share their insight and bake and decorate creative, beautiful cakes. Richard kindly agreed to speak with us about his jour-ney and provide some tips for up and coming bakers.

Richard opened his fi rst shop with the help of a grant from the Prince’s Trust. A charity led by Prince Charles, whom Richard has met on multiple occasions, this organization provides support to young entrepreneurs. After receiving a grant that matched his personal invest-ment, Richard opened the doors to his bakery and, ever since, has dedicated his time and talent to creating gorgeous, one-of-a-kind cakes for his customers.

After paying his dues for many years, Richard and his team found interna-tional success with the establishment of their Facebook page. Richard, when asked what surprises him most about today’s industry, replied that the power of the World Wide Web has proven to be an unexpected asset to his company. “The Internet opens so many more hori-zons and avenues,” Richard comment-ed, “so that’s what we want to explore.”

With this surge in attention has come the ability of the team at Richard’s Cakes to expand their operations. In ad-dition to continuing to offer diverse, deli-cious cakes, the company has launched baking classes for residents within its

local community. In an effort to reach out to the international fans of its work, Richard’s Cakes has also posted video tutorials to share new techniques with other bakers.

Starting a bakery, like starting any business, is a challenging experience; however, Richard and his team have succeeded through their hard work and undeniable talent. As a piece of advice to up and coming bakers, Richard en-courages them to remain patient, main-tain realistic expectations, and practice, practice, practice.

Want to hear the full interview? Click here.

Learn more about Richard’s Cakes by visiting the company’s Facebook page and website.

Richard with Prince Charles

Richard in the 80s with one of his fi rst cakes.

Emma (manager) with her infamous 50 shades of grey cake

Melissa who runs facebook

Shop

Our cake decorator Hannah with ‘Fizz’ off

Coronation Street

PoinsettaCupcake

TutorialBy Jeannie Gearin


Poinsettias and pastels are a beautiful addition to

any holiday table. Here is a cupcake project to try even

if you have never made gumpaste fl owers before.

Poinsetta

Supplies Needed:• Rolling pin

• Pasta roller (optional)

• Small Poinsettia cutters, 3 sizes

• Petal veiner

• Foam square

• Foam pad

• Pink luster and pearl dust

• Super Pearl luster dust

• Pixie Dust

• Paint brush

• Ball tool

• Pink, white and green fondant with tylose powder added

• Cupcakes

• Pastry bag with large round tip, such as Ateco #807

• Buttercream frosting

• Piping gel

• Multi colored pearl dragees

• White sugar sprinkles

Procedure1. Roll out pink fondant as thin as parchment. If using a Kitchen Aid pasta

roller attachment, set it to #5. I combined two different poinsettia cutters to get the variety of small petals that I wanted. The fi nished fl ower will have two outer rows of 5 petals and one inside row of 3. Cut about 13 – 15 petals per cupcake for the amount you wish to make, allowing for breakage and fl ower variety. Three green leaves are needed for each cupcake.

2. For each petal, place in the center of the veiner, press fi rmly but gently with the foam square. Then, move to the foam pad and roll the outside edges with the ball tool. (Picture #1) Take care to just ruffl e and thin the edges without losing the veining. Set on egg foam or similar surface to add shape to petals as they dry. (Picture #2) Allowing to dry overnight is best, but the petals are very thin and may be dry enough to dust after several hours.

3. Mix the petal and luster dusts together and carefully brush color onto the dry petals. (Pictures #3 and #4) Once the petals and leaves are dry, it’s time to frost the cupcakes. With a large round tip and buttercream frosting, pipe a large mound on the top of the cupcake. Place three leaves into the icing at opposite angles. Use the largest petal and space evenly to make a circle of 5 petals. (Picture #5) Use the medium size petal and alternate (Picture #6) this row of fi ve between the fi rst row, slightly tilting the petals upward. End with the smallest petals in a tighter row of three. Add a small bead of piping gel in the center and attach dragees to the center. Sprinkle with sugar crystals. (Picture #7)

Jeannie Gearin is a cake decorating instructor at several locations St. Louis, MO. She has been sharing her passion for baking and decorating for over 20 years. Visit her at www.thepastrytip.blogspot.com or https://twitter.com/thepastrytip.

Jeanie is a Local Beat Reporter

DOWNLOAD THE PDF

15www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com

1

5

6

7

2

3

4

Click here for more tutorials or to share your tutorial.Click here for more tutorials or to share your tutorial.

the best of the three. Well of course my Mom won but I came in second, and my poor brother took dead last. It was a ton of fun and you can really create anything you can imagine with some fondant and a little imagination.

I have found I can create anything out of fondant. give me a textured mat and it’s Christmas all over again. I especially love to make cupcakes and decorate them with buttercream, and edible glitter.

So have you guessed who my Mom is yet? That’s right! It is Joanne Prainito

one of the founders of Edible Artists Network.

My favorite dessert to eat is my Mom’s French Silk Pie. My favorite holiday dessert is Christmas cupcakes with a

handmade Santa on top, my friends just gobbled them up. When I bake I feel great because I feel like I can do any-thing. Did you know that my mom met BUDDY on Cake Boss? And that’s the reason why I like to bake.


Edible Artist on the RiseBy Gracie Prainito

Edible Artist on the Rise is a column written by one of our youngest bakers, Gracie Prainito. In each issue Gracie will bring you her unique perspective on the creative art of baking. Below is her un-edited story:

Hi my name is Gracie. The reason I am writing this is because I want to tell you why I like to bake. I like to bake because

I get to bake with my mom and spend-ing time with my Mom is great fun. She has taught me everything I know and I guess that’s why I enjoy it so much. I started baking when I was fi ve and I just turned 9 in September.

Fondant is my favorite! You can create many great things with fondant. When my Mom pulls out the gumpaste and

fondant I know it’s going to be a great day. I remember not too long ago my Mom was working on an Angry Birds cake – she had to make all the charac-ters right down to the pig. She allowed my brother Frank and I to join in the fun which started a little friendly competi-tion. We both decided to make an an-gry bird, and have our Aunt Cheri Judge

Gracie is our youngest Local Beat Reporter and is a third grader in Addison, IL. If you have any questions for her please email us at [email protected] and we will be sure to forward your questions to her.

Me! Mom’s

Frank’s

Food Photography Tips

So you just made this awesome cake and you want to share it with the world but you need a photo of it…As much as I would love for you to call in a pro-fessional food photographer (me to be exact), that is not always possible. So here are a few quick tips to get you started.

To me, it’s all about the light, and natu-ral light is the best way to go

We are going to give you some tips to take a nice picture of your beautiful home-baked item.

And let me say that photographing cakes is not easy to do. It depends on the color and texture of the frosting against the color of the cake and the amount of detail you want to get. An all white cake can be diffi cult as well as a dark cake with white frosting can

be a crazy challenge. It’s all about the light…SO…let’s get started.

#1. Grab your camera, cell phone, what-ever you want to use.

#2. Turn off the Flash (we are going for natural light here). Set your camera on auto exposure.

#3. Take your plated cake and put it in front of a window…no windows in the kitchen…go to the laundry room or den or whatever. Ideally the window light is coming from behind and/or from the side…this gives you nice directional but soft light, which gives you contrast and makes the food look pretty. Pick a window with soft light coming in not harsh sun-light streaming in. Maybe you have glass doors with light coming thru, you may have to get on the fl oor.

#4. Now, get as close as you can. If you have a close-up or macro setting on your camera, use it. (That is what I used). We don’t want to see any pets, shoes, newspapers, etc. Use a plain background: a placemat or a kitchen towel. I used my black kitchen table.

Use your elbows to brace yourself if you can. …if you own a tripod…you may want to use it. Available daylight is not as bright as it looks. You may have to adjust the exposure if your camera has that feature.

OK, take a picture

How does it look ….Have the window directly from behind or to the side.. You will have to experiment and see what you get. Walk around your subject. Look at it from all different angles. Shoot from directly overhead. Then crouch down and shoot from a low angle and then also shoot from a three quarter angle.

Just keep experimenting and you will develop a system. Happy Shooting.

Grace Natoli Sheldon has been a working commercial food photographer for the last 35 years. Her work can be seen in magazines, cookbooks, menu boards, restaurants, movie theaters, billboards, art galleries, airports…to name a few. She is fortunate enough to love what she does everyday.



Commercial Kitchens

By Doug Marranci

The last few years have brought about a revival in small business ownership. In particular, baking and cooking enthu-siasts have hatched businesses from their own kitchens. Unfortunately, they may fi nd their aspirations dashed by the Cottage Food Law, which prohibits entrepreneurs in some states from sell-ing homemade goods. In an effort to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit of small business owners while enforcing the letter of the law, commercial kitch-ens have become a popular alternative to cooking from home.

If you are looking to build a business on your culinary talent, a commercial kitch-en may be the best place to start. These kitchens are rented to individual cooks, bakers, and culinary organizations by the hour, with rates refl ecting the amount of time in the kitchen to which you are entitled each month. With com-mercial kitchens becoming more and more popular, they have begun adding to their services. For example, The Edge Kitchen, a new commercial kitchen in Kennesaw, Georgia, works as more than just a space for food preparation; this kitchen serves as an incubator for small businesses, offering guidance, re-

sources, and valuable kitchen access to small business owners looking to grow their enterprises.

A non-profi t partner of Kennesaw State University’s Coles College of Business and The Edge Connection, The Edge Kitchen is unique in that it helps its rent-ers develop their businesses. Through the expert guidance of professionals at The Edge Connection, you will receive the practical education you need to en-sure that the business side of your en-deavor develops as nicely as your cata-logue of recipes.

Commercial kitchens are the perfect in-cubators for small businesses because they allow you to concentrate on grow-ing your organization without having to worry about paying rent for a kitchen all your own. Many small businesses fi nd themselves needing a commercial space but unable to meet the fi nan-cial demands associated with a private kitchen. Additionally, instead of concen-trating your fi nancial resources on sup-plies, commercial kitchens provide all the equipment you need, including pots, pans, mixers, freezers, storage contain-ers, and more, so that you can focus on growing your business.

Doug is the founder of Independent Kitchen Solutions which helps match small business owners with commercial kitchen space. For more information about The Edge Kitchen or renting commercial kitchen space please contact Doug at 404-987-6958, or www.TheSharedKitchen.com. His Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/TheSharedKitchen.

** all images were taken at The Edge Kitchen.

Getting online is easier than you think. Grow your business by attracting new customers today!

As a small business, your website is a vital piece of your marketing and branding efforts.

We Specialize in…● Easy-to-Use Website Design for small businesses ● Search Engine Marketing● eCommerce Development ● Affordable pricing● Brand Recognition ● and above all ...

customer satisfaction!

Trailblazer’s Edge - Web Experts that Boost Your Profi ts!

www.trailblazersedge.com • 404/[email protected]

The Cookie Cutter Company offers low cost, high quality cookie cutters in a hundreds upon hundreds of styles. Our pricing, combined with our wide selection of designs and fast shipping, makes The Cookie Cutter Company a leading provider of unique bakeware items.

Created with the idea that baking should be fun and easy, The Cookie Cutter Company seeks to offer buyers a one-stop site for their design needs. Our knowledgeable staff is eager to assist you with everything from decorating ideas and tips to product care and recipe suggestions.

Visit us today!www.cookiecuttercompany.com



Help us Bake a Difference!

By Icing Smiles

Childhood illness changes the life of a family forever; for children and parents alike, it can be hard to fi nd hope and joy in the midst of fear and uncertainty.

At Icing Smiles, our mission is to cre-ate special memories during a diffi cult time by providing unique, custom cel-ebration cakes to ill children and their siblings. The impact each special cake makes is profound. Each culinary work of art provides the family with a smile, a laugh, continued hope , and for a few moments, an escape back into a world of normal childhood experiences.

Icing Smiles started less than three short years ago with one hobby baker

and a dream to touch the lives of chil-dren around the globe. Now with over 3,000 Sugar Angels (our volunteer bak-ers), we serve all 50 states, and we are currently launching operations in Hol-land with Canada and Australia in the incorporation phase. We could not serve without our volunteers - from our bak-ers to our admin team! If you would like to get involved as a baker or admin vol-unteer, please visit our website at www.icingsmiles.org for more information.

The Icing Smiles story is richly told on our facebook page at www.facebook.com/icingsmiles. We invite you to take a look at our smiles!

IcingSmiles_CC1.indd 1 6/24/2011 8:35:30 PM

Cake International

BirminghamBy Dave Mason


The Cake International – Sugarcraft, Cake Decorating & Baking Show at the NEC, Birmingham 9-11 November 2012 was a huge success. Launched in 1994, Cake International is renowned for being the event to go to in the cake decorating and baking industry. The show is so popular that the advance ticket sales for Saturday sold out for the second year running.

Our local beat reporter Dave covered the event from the showroom fl oor. Here’s his review:

I drove for more than four hours to at-tend the show and was glad that I did! This is the fi rst time I have attended Cake International and I was really im-pressed by the exhibits, product sales – basically the entire show!

The exhibits were held to a high stan-dard and the fl oor was organized very well. I really enjoyed looking at all of the products for sale. I was like a child in a sweet shop and I couldn’t get enough! Next year I will remember to bring more money with me!

Cake International was a great place to meet a lot of my cakey friends from Face-book and I also enjoyed meeting some of the “celebrities” of the cake world.

There was so much to see and do that one day was just not enough time to see everything. Next year I will exhibit and spend the whole 3 days in London.

Here are some snap shots I took at the show:

Queen of Hearts Couture Cakes – Silver Winner Queen of Hearts Couture Cakes – Bronze Winner

Best in ShowNICHOLAS SMITH


For a list of all winners or more information about the show please visit Cake International at

www.cakeinternational.co.uk/birmingham/2012/competition-classes

Cake Rise – Gold Winner

Heidi Clapham – Gold WinnerMade of 100 % chocolate not modeling

chocolate but carved chocolate.

Agnes Art Cakes – Gold Winner

My Little Shop Of Cakes – Gold Winner

Cakes by Heather Jane – Bronze Winner

Vale Cooking and Fun – Gold Winner

A former builder, Dave swapped his cement mixer for a food mixer in 2011and the rest is history! Since that time Dave has found

great success in designing and creating customized cakes for his clients. You can contact Dave and view his creations at http://www.davesalloccasioncakes.co.uk.

http://youtu.be/GycF1o-pGi4 -

Video overview by Paul Bradfordhttp://www.youtube.com/user/

paulbradfordcakes


Anna of Emily Made a Wish – Silver WinnerEmily Made a Wish – Silver Winner

Cottage Food LawsAre you considering a home baking business?

by Quincella C. Geiger

In the past couple of years, there have been lots of talks, discussions, articles, blogs websites and books dealing with Cottage Food Laws and how to start a Cottage Food Business. With that said, I’m assuming that most everyone is familiar with Cottage Food Laws, what they represent and how they work. But, just in case you haven’t been keeping up, here’s a brief description:

Cottage Food Laws (sometimes re-ferred to as Home-Food Processing Rules, Cottage Food Rules or Baker’s Bills) govern baking/food preparation businesses that are operated from the home kitchen. Cottage Food Laws al-low a person to legally bake and pre-pare non-potentially hazardous foods from their personal kitchens and sell them on a small scale, generally di-rectly to consumers and farmer’s mar-kets. In a few states sales are allowed to businesses like restaurants, grocery stores, coffee shops, etc.

Cottage food kitchens have not been approved in all states. Currently there are 26 states with Cottage Food Laws, 9 states with very restricted Home-Food Processing Rules, 3 states with Pending Legislation, 7 states with Peti-tions for laws and 5 states that have no Cottage Food Laws or initiatives. In the states where laws have been ap-proved, the rules and regulations vary.

They can be restrictive and limiting.

So, before you start to gather bak-ing ingredients, utensils, supplies and put the word out that you’re starting a home-baking business, here are a few very important things worth noting, considering and checking in to:

a) Most cottage food states have an approval process which includes business license and/or permits. If you’re not approved, you’re not le-gally in business.

b) Not all types of foods are allowed to be processed in your cottage food business. It’s important to check the list for your state. The item(s) that you plan to make and sell might not meet approval.

c) Typically, you are not allowed to sell products online (via the internet) or sell outside of your state.

d) In most states, sales are limited to consumers/individuals. Mean-

ing…No sales to restaurants, coffee shops, stores or any other establishment that will resell the products.

e) In most states there is a limit/cap on the dollar amount you can make per year.

f) Last but not least…It is very im-portant that you create a plan that outlines your vision/goals for the business and how you plan to op-erate the business. Your plan does not have to be lengthy or formal. Only if you’re planning to approach a lender for start-up funds does it need to be formal.

To make sure you’re on the right track: don’t work from assumptions, fi nd out where your state is in the mix, do the necessary research and planning. Re-member: Cottage Foods Laws and Regulations vary from state-to-state.

Interested in fi nding out the Cottage-Law-Status of your state?

Click here Cottage Food States

Interested in fi nding out more about a plan for your business?

• An Informal Basic Plan Outline

• A Formal Business Plan Outline

Much success with your Cottage Food Venture!

With more than 20 years of experience, Quincella is an expert in home baking ventures. Her book “Bringing Home the Baking” deals specifi cally with Commercial Kitchen start-ups and operation. For information on Cottage Food Laws and Cottage Food Kitchen operations please visit her at http://www.bringinghomethebaking.com.




What’sNew & What’s HOT!

By Staff Writers


Satin Ice Fondant - The New Retail Pack!

Artisan Extract Gift SetSonoma Syrup Co.www.sonomasyrup.com

Sofi Award Winning Extract Gift Set . Includes (3) 4oz bottles of Vanilla Blend Extract , Almond Extract and Lemon Extract . Adorned in a beauiful kraft gift box, tie and lemon bar recipe post card.

Vanillablossom Pure Madagascar Vanilla ExtractVanilla Blossom Flavorswww.vanillablossom.com

Pure Vanilla Extract made from Madagascar Vanilla Beans. We also supply Vanilla Past e, Vanilla Beans, 18 cm and up, extract ion grade to Prime Grade. Packed in 1 kilo vacuum bags or glass tubes.

Satin Fine Foods, Inc.www.satinice.com • www.facebook.com/satinfi nefoods

Satin Fine Foods is a global manufacturer of Satin Ice Fondant cake icing. The choice of professionals worldwide!

Fondant is now more popular than ever and has become not just a trend but a staple in cake decorating. With all this new energy comes demand from new customers!

Our new consumer-friendly retail pack offers the hobbyist, home-baker or novice much greater accessibility to the same premium fondant the professional’s use...in many more convenient locations!

Available in 24oz packs with 10 different colors and fl avors, the exciting new product is widely available at cake supply stores and online retailers.


Photo Frost Holiday Colored Icing Sheet Sampler PackPhotoFrostwww.photofrost.comwww.facebook.com/photofrost

Holiday Colored PhotoFrost Icing Sheet Sampler includes each of the following colors red, green, blue, white, silver, and gold.

Winter Cookie Cutters The Cookie Cutter Company www.cookiecuttercompany.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Cookie-Cutter-Company/125229387565696?ref=ts&fref=ts

The Cookie Cutter Company offers a wide assortment of various styles and sizes of winter themed cookie cutters. (Snowflake, Wool Cap and Mitten shown)

CakePlay Isomalt NibsCakePlaywww.cakeplay.comwww.facebook.com/pages/CakePlay-LLC/135693783119964?ref=t s&fref=t s

These fun holiday lollipops were made from CakePlay isomalt and edible images. They were created by melting clear CakePlay isomalt nibs, then pouring into cookie-cut ter shapes that included edible images. After cooling and hardening, they were decorated with holiday sprinkles.

My Cake Story

By Staff Writers


Several months ago we posted this question on Facebook “What inspired you to break into the Cake (Cupcake and Cake Pop) Decorating/Baking business? in an effort to get to know all of you a little better. We were so fascinated and inspired by your stories that we started a permanent blog on the site called “My Cake Story” to allow all of us to share our stories.

Here are some of those stories:

KiKo Pops https://www.facebook.com/KiKoPops

I was asked to be the captain of my Jazzercise Relay for Life team last year. I accepted nervously. I needed a way to raise money for our team. I saw Cake Pops for the fi rst time on the cover of a magazine in a Dr.s offi ce. I was hooked. I knew right then that I had to make them. Our team raised $5000 to help put an end to cancer! Everyone loved the pops and kept asking me to make them for different occasions. So I continued. And KiKo Pops was born. I love combining my love for cooking and my art. I used to make wedding cakes. I loved making them, but they were very labor intensive and took so much time. Cake Pops are tiny works of art that puts smiles on people’s faces. That’s why I love them. It’s almost time for Relay For Life again. I better get to baking.

Boobala Cakes https://www.facebook.com/pages/Boobala-Cakes/185080344842394

I’ve always been a baker and have been encouraged over the years to go into the ‘biz’ by many friends and family. last year my hubby came home from work talking about some cake that his co-worker had bought and shared (and paid 55.00 for). He was talking about this cake like it was another woman.. I mean really.. that’s my thing.. baking cakes.. anyway, I took it as a personal challenge and did some research, found a cake recipe that sounded close, made it and sent it to work with him. Long story short, she told him she would pay ME $55.00 for my cake cause it was way better than the commercial one. And so, it began.. and we celebrated our one year anniversary in December and are enjoying our success very much!

Join the fun! Click here

and tell us how you got started.


Sugar Momma’s Custom Cakes and Cookies

https://www.facebook.com/pages/SugarMommas-Custom-Cakes-Cupcakes-Cookies/112374258799677

I got into caking because of my 3 children!! I couldn’t fi nd a good cake artist in the area. I did go to school for art, so I thought..how hard could it be??? So, I started making cakes for their birthdays. The beginning wasn’t pretty at all..so many cake disasters!!! It has now become a passion of mine and now I am hooked!!! And that is how “SugarMommas” was born!!!!

Tasty Prints www.tasty-prints.comOn October 10th, 2010 my fellow USCG spouse was diagnosed with stage 4 myoepithelial carcinoma. We are a close knit community of women residing on a remote Alaskan island and we were all shocked to learn of Adrienne’s illness.The USCG Spouse’s association quickly pulled together to organize a

fundraiser for this sick mother of two young children. A silent dessert auction and luncheon were planned and I committed to baking an incredible cake in hopes that it would raise lots of money for Adrienne and her familyI had never decorated a cake before! I searched the internet, watched videos and researched recipes. I decided to make a fondant gift box cake with an elaborate bow on top. I must have been crazy! As I mentioned before, I live in Alaska and there are almost no cake decorating supplies here! All of the tools for my fi rst fondant cake came from the hardware store and I learned to make everything (fondant, gum paste, cake, frosting, etc) from scratch. To my surprise the cake turned out gorgeous! The bow was elegant and my homemade fondant looked great! I am pleased to tell you that my cake raised over $200 for Adrienne!Sadly Adrienne lost her battle with cancer in August 2011. Since then I have started a small baking business and I donate my cakes to charities and local fundraisers every chance I get. I still make everything from scratch. I love experimenting and developing new products for cake decorating.I feel blessed that in my quest to help another I discovered my passion and talent for sugar art.

Jen’s Just Desserts https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jens-Just-

Desserts/270072873002724

Lovely idea... I started seeking the comfort of the kitchen when my mom passed away a few years ago & discovered my passion for all things baking/decorating-related (& friends/family really raved about my efforts). so, after turning 40 last year, i decided to go legit & register my business, undergo environmental health tests/inspection, etc. i still have a full-time job, so baking is a great escape for me creatively :-)

KC Cakes https://www.facebook.com/Kccakes

As for me, I’ve always enjoyed food so baking came pretty naturally to me. I got a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science/Nutrition and soon after turned my kitchen into an experimenting lab with one aim to create the best tasting recipes from scratch. After my daughter was born in 2009, I was motivated to learn how to decorate so I could make her an awesome birthday cakes. The summer of 2010, I took a couple of Wilton classes at a local Michael’s Store and started decorating cakes for family and friends shortly after. It’s been a great experience. I now teach Wilton courses at a local craft store and loving it!

Edible Art of the Day

A Year in Review


Edible Art of the Day is a dedicated to showcasing the best edible art from around the globe! We’re continuously inspired by the impressive talent of our members, here are a few of our favorites.

To enter your cakes click here.

Aileen Lara – Cakes by Alyanna

Sara Trull – Court House Cake Company Liz Compton – Lady Bird Cake Company

Cakes By Lorinda

31

The Stripy Bear Cake - Jane Moreton

Eat Me Cupcakes - Elizabeth Simpson

Beaux Delices - Elizabeth Watt

Gifted Heart Cakes - Emma Waddington


Michelle’s Cake Designs - Michelle Eriquezzo

Little Miss OC’s Anna Sarmiento Bespoke Cakes of Oxford - Nikki Hayes

Cakes by Nina - Nina Rogers


33


Did You Know…you can print the tutorials from this issue?Printable versions are available in an easy-to-follow format. Take a moment to download and/or print these items and create your own tutorial library courtesy of Edible Artists Network Magazine.

www.edibleartistsnetwork.com

More tutorials available at www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.comHave a tutorial you would like to share – create an account on our website an upload yours today.

Jen De Guzman Rolfe, is an ex-pat Californian foodie now based in the UK and is the owner of Jen’s Just Desserts. Please visit her website at www.jensjustdesserts.co.uk/.

Janine Eshelbrenner is the creator and author of the blog sugarkissed.net, where creative sweets are made simple! She has a passion for creating sugary treats that are easy to bake and decorate.

Jeannie Gearin is a cake decorating instructor at several locations St. Louis, MO. She has been sharing her passion for baking and decorating for over 20 years. Visit her at www.thepastrytip.blogspot.com or twitter.com/thepastrytip.

Naughty Cupcakes Stained Glass Cookies Poinsetta Cupcakes


What’s YourCRAVING?

• Tutorials• Recipes• How-To Videos• Business Tips • Inspiration• Supplies Locator• Networking • News, Trends & Events• Weekly Newsletter

EdibleArtistsNetwork.com is your fun, FREE cake & confection connection for advancing your art and growing your small business.

www.edibleartistsnetwork.com

34

premier issue - december 2012

Documents

brand new mixers

brand new fondant sheeteron

true love

new yorkwww

days of christmas

cake toppers

days of rest

agreeable clients