Wednesday
Nov052008
Batter Chatter: Interview with Aran of Cannelle Et Vanille
Wednesday, November 5, 2008 
Cannelle Et Vanille. Some may argue that this means "cinnamon and vanilla"--but those people would be fools. Consult the Dictionary of Cakespy you'll find a far more poetic translation, along the lines of "most beautiful pastry website on the glowing technological wonder we call the internet". Seriously--this is a site with all hits, no misses. Aran, the incredibly skilled pastry chef and photographer behind the Florida-based operation, originally hails from the Basque Country, and that certain European je ne sais quoi has a way of creeping into everything she does, from stunning Îles flottantes surrounded by a web of spun sugar to super-stylish ice cream sandwiches. Let's learn a bit more about her, shall we?
Cannelle et Vanille: I left work to take care of my son and the first year after he was born, I realized I had not been baking enough and something was missing in my life. I didn’t really know what blogs were until a friend of mine introduced me to Cupcake Bakeshop and then I found Tartelette. One Sunday afternoon, I just started a blog out of the blue and I haven’t stopped since.
CS: There's no delicate way to say it: your site is food porn. How does it feel to know that all over the world, people are drooling over your site?
CV: It feels great! I never thought so many people would follow my blog but I love thinking that every dessert I make and every photo I take can make one person smile. It still amazes me.
CS: It seems like a lot of people who begin blogs / sites dedicated to their passion find that it really changes the way they look at the world. How has your site changed life / the way you look at baking?
CV: It really hasn’t changed the way I look at baking. I really just bake what comes to me naturally. But what I have found is that I have struck friendships with people that I would have never met in any other way.
CS: You're from Basque country. What foods do you miss from home?
CV: So many to count… little tiny green peppers from Gernika, fresh fish, red beans from Tolosa, great produce, mamia and my uncle’s puff pastry!
CS: Is the US approach to food and eating really as repulsive as we suspect it is to people from other countries?
CV: “Repulsive” is a harsh word… I wouldn’t say repulsive. I think there are many people in this country who enjoy fine food. I don’t mean expensive food per se, I mean people that know how to identify fresh fish, how to smell bread or pick great fruit. But I think that the masses are still way behind of how food is viewed in other countries such as my own.
CV: “Repulsive” is a harsh word… I wouldn’t say repulsive. I think there are many people in this country who enjoy fine food. I don’t mean expensive food per se, I mean people that know how to identify fresh fish, how to smell bread or pick great fruit. But I think that the masses are still way behind of how food is viewed in other countries such as my own.
Cakespy Note: Clearly Aran is too diplomatic to say "You Big Mac-eating Americans are gross!". But we have our suspicions. Oh yes.
CS: Following up on that point, a while back you actually sent us some of your delectable lemon-olive oil madeleines. Well, I (Head Spy Jessie) personally would like to admit that I hoarded them and shared only one with Mr. Cakespy. Does this make me a bad person?
CV: No, it makes me laugh! It reminds me of myself when I was 7 years old and my grandmother gave me a small white chocolate Nestle bar. I was holding the chocolate bar when my brothers entered the room and I stuffed it all in my mouth, all at once, so I didn’t have to share it with them!
Note from the Head Spy: Allow me to clarify that while Aran was seven during her hoarding incident, I was 26. Yeah.
CS: If you could spend time baking with any figure in the food world--living or dead--who would it be?
CV: It would definitely be my grandfather Angel who was also a pastry chef. A fine one if I may say so. He retired when I was about 9 years old so I never had a chance to work with him.
CS: You have pretty much the cutest son, like, ever. What's his favorite dessert?
CV: He loves everything and it can be a problem sometimes. He particularly likes my banana bread but will try anything I give him.
CS: If pressed, what would you say the next big thing will be in baking or baked goods?
CV: I think small and delicate will stick around. I like the idea of a small treat. I like leaving wanting more. I also think a natural and rustic approach to food is necessary. I don’t think this is a new idea at all, but I see a lot of focus on it once again.
CS: Does your family ever get pissed off that they can't eat dessert til your photo shoot is over?
CV: Yes and they drive me insane! The pressure is always on. I sometimes have to hide things in unexpected places so they don’t disappear before the photo shoot.
CV: It would definitely be my grandfather Angel who was also a pastry chef. A fine one if I may say so. He retired when I was about 9 years old so I never had a chance to work with him.
CS: You have pretty much the cutest son, like, ever. What's his favorite dessert?
CV: He loves everything and it can be a problem sometimes. He particularly likes my banana bread but will try anything I give him.
CS: If pressed, what would you say the next big thing will be in baking or baked goods?
CV: I think small and delicate will stick around. I like the idea of a small treat. I like leaving wanting more. I also think a natural and rustic approach to food is necessary. I don’t think this is a new idea at all, but I see a lot of focus on it once again.
CS: Does your family ever get pissed off that they can't eat dessert til your photo shoot is over?
CV: Yes and they drive me insane! The pressure is always on. I sometimes have to hide things in unexpected places so they don’t disappear before the photo shoot.
CS: What is your ultimate goal as a baker...and with your site?
CV: It’s hard to say. Baking is almost like an impulse for me. Sometimes I feel like an idea comes over my body and I must transform it into something sweet. It’s like purging, otherwise I go insane.
I think as of now, my goal is for me to become a better photographer. That’s where I am at the moment.
CV: It’s hard to say. Baking is almost like an impulse for me. Sometimes I feel like an idea comes over my body and I must transform it into something sweet. It’s like purging, otherwise I go insane.
I think as of now, my goal is for me to become a better photographer. That’s where I am at the moment.
Want more? Get yourself over to Cannelle Et Vanille right away; check out her wonderful photos at flickr. If you're interested in hiring Aran, she's available, baby--she's mos' def your girl for recipe development, consulting and food photography and can be contacted through her site.
addthis_url=''; addthis_title=''; addthis_pub='cakespy';
Reader Comments (3)
Hey thanks for the show and especially for the information, I really like it. Great work, keep going!
iwc replica watches|
With the development of tecnology and economy, more and more people tend to pay more attention to their body. They want to
have better shape and healthier body. Here, I will introduce a good program to you—p90x price. from America.p90x price is classic training DVD
which covers all manner of fitness methods. It include 13 p90x price and
beachbody complete training for 90 days. Please image that you will hve your dreamed body and shape in 90 days.There are also
many other fasion sports included in p90x. they are waiting for you to find.How can you learning languages without Rosetta Stone Spanish dvd. Here, I am not point the real stone in British
Museum. The real rosetta stone is a stone that has Greek, Egyptian script and the words popular during that time.
If you want to learn another language to improve yourself, you can choose this useful software
Rosetta Stone Spanish dvd to enhance your level of languages.
mens watches
breitling navitimer
rolex datejust
breitling Navitimer
panerai watches
bvlgari watches
breitling
annahappy
babylady
annahappy