My Newspaper Blog March 2013

Well, this week I have been very busy with no time to do any form of baking, including making any cakes, much to my Grandson’s disapproval. I write this from the UK; my first port of call was a visit to the Squires Kitchen cake show. This event is held annually in Farnham and it’s a delight to attend whenever it’s possible.
Squires produce a number of magazines, one being the Wedding Cake Magazine, which is a wonderful magazine for us ‘wedding-cake makers’. It provides a good design source, with photos of hundreds of cakes from all over the world. When I have time I do send some of my own work to them, and I’m happy to say this work normally gets included in the magazine.
So, back to the show; besides the fact that there were lots of new products on display and available to purchase (I didn’t buy too much – promise!), there was also a gallery display of wedding cakes by some of the leading cake makers in the UK, which really was a treat to see. This gave me lots of new ideas and inspiration for making ‘bespoke’ wedding cakes here on Ibiza this coming season. Of course you all know this is my passion, and hence my cardinal rule when baking, in fact it’s the rule with all cooking: Cook with love and passion! Then you never go wrong.
I watched several demonstrations, including my favourite sugar-craft artist Alan Dunn – Mr Perfection himself! As always, I came away awed by his artistry. I also had the opportunity to watch a demonstration by Paddi Clark not only a renowned sugar craft artist but also a teacher par excellence. I watched Paddi make a peony in a totally different way to my usual method, and consequently I’m now looking forward to trying this superior method myself on my return to Ibiza. Of course, I gained several other great tips which will help me immensely!
To create the peony flower using Paddi’s technique involves making at least 30 individual wired sugar petals. These are then dusted with edible colouring, and finally joined together. Add to this some hand-made sugar leaves. Voila! A beautiful edible peony! (hopefully!)

I’ll try this out and post a picture of the finished result! (Please Ed?)
In the meantime I leave you with a picture of one of last year’s wedding cakes – ‘one I made earlier’.

‘Till next week, happy baking
Ibiza’s Queen of Cakes. xxxxx