Tuesday
Dec252007
Batter Chatter: Interview with Karen Rivera-Gorski of The Painted Cake in NJ
Tuesday, December 25, 2007 
For the Cakespy Crew, the holidays mean New Jersey. For us, it's the NJ Shore (Belmar to be exact), where Head Spy Jessie (Mrs. Cakespy), Mr. Cakespy, Cake Gumshoes Bridget, Kenny and Margie converge for the end of December. And what better way to celebrate New Jersey than through interviewing a skilled NJ baker? Happily, we recently discovered the work of the amazingly skilled Karen Rivera-Gorski, proprietress of The Painted Cake, a custom cake studio based in Northern NJ which specializes in beautiful custom cakes, cupcakes and cookies. We were wowed by Karen's sugar decoration savvy, and were eager to learn more; here's what we discovered in a recent interview:
Cakespy: You trained in Pastry Arts, but it looks like you didn't go out on your own right away. Can you tell us the story of how The Painted Cake got started?
Karen Rivera-Gorski: After pastry school, I apprenticed at trendy NYC bakeries and studied with well-known sugar artists for a couple years. I started developing my own vision for a custom-cake studio, and began experimenting with different recipes before I created The Painted Cake’s cake menu. The top priority for me when I was developing the menu was taste; cakes have to taste as good as they look! When I found myself fulfilling a lot of cake requests through referrals and word of mouth, I knew it was time to venture out on my own.
CS: How did you come up with the name for your bakery?
KRG: I was working on a cake one day, and the name just popped into my head! I thought “The Painted Cake” conveyed the type of custom design work we do.
CS: You do some really involved, lovely fondant cakes. How long does it take to make a specialty cake like for instance the Yankee’s cap and shirt cake?
KRG: The time it takes to complete a specialty cake always depends on the size and design. The Yankee cake currently featured on our website took approximately 20 hours to complete. The actual baking of our cakes is the last step of the cake making process; however, detailed sugar decorations are often made well in advance as they can sometimes take days to complete!
CS: You do not currently have a retail space; you primarily work by special order. Do you think you would ever be interested in having a retail location?
KRG: We would consider a retail bakery only when we felt it would not compromise the high quality of our ingredients or attention to every detail of our cakes. Right now, we are lucky to be able to provide a level of quality and service that differentiates us from many bakeries.
CS: It looks like wedding cakes are your specialty. For what other types of occasions have you provided cakes or desserts?
KRG: We love making wedding cakes, but The Painted Cake specializes in custom-designed cakes for all occasions. We receive many requests for birthdays, bridal showers, baby showers, graduations, and corporate events.
CS: What is your most popular cake flavor?
KRG: That’s a tough question; it’s a tie between our Valrhona Chocolate cake with chocolate raspberry ganache and chocolate mousse buttercream and our moist Red Velvet cake with white chocolate cream cheese frosting.
CS: You've worked in Michigan and NYC. How were the dessert scenes in those places different from NJ?
KRG: I received my bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in 1999 and I loved living in Ann Arbor. I didn’t work in pastry at that time, but I can say that Michigan did not seem to be as cupcake- crazed as the East coast! Zingerman’s cafe in Ann Arbor is a foodie’s dream. Luckily, they have an amazing mail-order business, so anyone in the country can enjoy their goodies!
Karen Rivera-Gorski: After pastry school, I apprenticed at trendy NYC bakeries and studied with well-known sugar artists for a couple years. I started developing my own vision for a custom-cake studio, and began experimenting with different recipes before I created The Painted Cake’s cake menu. The top priority for me when I was developing the menu was taste; cakes have to taste as good as they look! When I found myself fulfilling a lot of cake requests through referrals and word of mouth, I knew it was time to venture out on my own.
CS: How did you come up with the name for your bakery?
KRG: I was working on a cake one day, and the name just popped into my head! I thought “The Painted Cake” conveyed the type of custom design work we do.
CS: You do some really involved, lovely fondant cakes. How long does it take to make a specialty cake like for instance the Yankee’s cap and shirt cake?KRG: The time it takes to complete a specialty cake always depends on the size and design. The Yankee cake currently featured on our website took approximately 20 hours to complete. The actual baking of our cakes is the last step of the cake making process; however, detailed sugar decorations are often made well in advance as they can sometimes take days to complete!
CS: You do not currently have a retail space; you primarily work by special order. Do you think you would ever be interested in having a retail location?
KRG: We would consider a retail bakery only when we felt it would not compromise the high quality of our ingredients or attention to every detail of our cakes. Right now, we are lucky to be able to provide a level of quality and service that differentiates us from many bakeries.
CS: It looks like wedding cakes are your specialty. For what other types of occasions have you provided cakes or desserts?
KRG: We love making wedding cakes, but The Painted Cake specializes in custom-designed cakes for all occasions. We receive many requests for birthdays, bridal showers, baby showers, graduations, and corporate events.
CS: What is your most popular cake flavor?
KRG: That’s a tough question; it’s a tie between our Valrhona Chocolate cake with chocolate raspberry ganache and chocolate mousse buttercream and our moist Red Velvet cake with white chocolate cream cheese frosting.
CS: You've worked in Michigan and NYC. How were the dessert scenes in those places different from NJ?
KRG: I received my bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in 1999 and I loved living in Ann Arbor. I didn’t work in pastry at that time, but I can say that Michigan did not seem to be as cupcake- crazed as the East coast! Zingerman’s cafe in Ann Arbor is a foodie’s dream. Luckily, they have an amazing mail-order business, so anyone in the country can enjoy their goodies!
Cakespy Note: Click on the link above, you won't regret it.
CS: If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one type of dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be?
KRG: Valrhona chocolate cupcakes with dark chocolate ganache and home-made marshmallow frosting.
CS: Have you ever had a cake get crushed in transit or any emergency? If so, what did you do?
KRG: Luckily, we have never had a cake disaster en route to an event; however, we always bring an “emergency cake kit” complete with extra icing and sugar decorations as a back-up!
CS: What is the best time of day to eat cake?
KRG: Whenever you can take a few minutes to enjoy a really good piece of cake after your busy day is the best time!
CS: What is your favorite beverage accompaniment with cake?
KRG: Hands down, Gloria Jeans coffee with cream and sugar.
CS: Cupcakes are ridiculously popular! Do you think they'll ever go out of style?
KRG: Definitely not! Cupcakes are here to stay.
CS: What are some of your favorite cookbooks, or who are some bakers who inspire you?
KRG: The Cake Bible, by Rose Levy Beranbaum, is certainly a staple for all bakers. I am really inspired by Tish Boyle’s recipes and writing style (e.g., The Cake Book). In addition to being an extremely talented food writer and recipe creator, she is also the Editor- in- Chief of Chocolatier Magazine - a wonderful magazine for the professional pastry chef or the passionate home chef!
CS: Any advice for bakers just getting started?
KRG: Baking as a profession takes LOTS of hard work and long hours; but if you have a strong passion for baking, it makes it all worth it. Being a pastry chef is a wonderful and rewarding career.
CS: What is next for The Painted Cake?
KRG: We hope to have more podcasts available on our website in 2008 that will focus on cake demonstrations and providing baking and decorating tips! Stay tuned...
CS: If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one type of dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be?KRG: Valrhona chocolate cupcakes with dark chocolate ganache and home-made marshmallow frosting.
CS: Have you ever had a cake get crushed in transit or any emergency? If so, what did you do?
KRG: Luckily, we have never had a cake disaster en route to an event; however, we always bring an “emergency cake kit” complete with extra icing and sugar decorations as a back-up!
CS: What is the best time of day to eat cake?
KRG: Whenever you can take a few minutes to enjoy a really good piece of cake after your busy day is the best time!
CS: What is your favorite beverage accompaniment with cake?
KRG: Hands down, Gloria Jeans coffee with cream and sugar.
CS: Cupcakes are ridiculously popular! Do you think they'll ever go out of style?
KRG: Definitely not! Cupcakes are here to stay.
CS: What are some of your favorite cookbooks, or who are some bakers who inspire you?
KRG: The Cake Bible, by Rose Levy Beranbaum, is certainly a staple for all bakers. I am really inspired by Tish Boyle’s recipes and writing style (e.g., The Cake Book). In addition to being an extremely talented food writer and recipe creator, she is also the Editor- in- Chief of Chocolatier Magazine - a wonderful magazine for the professional pastry chef or the passionate home chef!
CS: Any advice for bakers just getting started?
KRG: Baking as a profession takes LOTS of hard work and long hours; but if you have a strong passion for baking, it makes it all worth it. Being a pastry chef is a wonderful and rewarding career.
CS: What is next for The Painted Cake?
KRG: We hope to have more podcasts available on our website in 2008 that will focus on cake demonstrations and providing baking and decorating tips! Stay tuned...
For more information, to order a cake (do it!), or to find out more about The Painted Cake, visit thepaintedcake.com.
Reader Comments (10)
And what better way to celebrate New Jersey than through interviewing a skilled NJ baker?
n't great at storing too quite a few tips, sometimes we can just put the exact mobile phone, wallet, pens or tiny dressing case inside. Even more, it might possibly possibly only have an effect of replica a.lange & sohne watches
I have always liked Outdoor movies, a child standing at the window, looked out from home to the following. Will be able to see the staff busy figure, a huge white cloth has a child hang up and soon will be able to see the movie.watches iwc|
This signifies I would likely miss a possibility to get it if I didn't invest in it right away. I became extremely excited and upset in the same time.
Rushing property, I informed my Dad about it. To my disappointment, he informed me he would have a enterprise trip from the following days. I had been anxious through his enterprise trip. I was joyful to know that he will invest in it for me when he finally got property. Unexpectedly, he was still kept tied up with his enterprise and also could not come property for dinner occasionally. But he constantly informed me he would try his best. It had been half a month since the particular 1st day when I saw the particular Dior purse. At last, my Dad brought me for the shop where I uncovered it right after he completed his function at hand. To my total disappointment, the particular Dior purse in an antique style was gone forever. Instead, my father wanted to get yet another a person to make up for me. But I refused him in a fury. I began to hate him because he didn't live up to his words.iwc replica watches|
Although to some it may feel oh-so-far-off, spring is on it's way, and here are the louis vuitton to prove it!
New Christian Louboutin spring shoes are hitting the shelves and they are colorful, whimsical and playful,perfect for a spring or summer wedding looking for a little jolt of fun! and now discount for Gucci,Which are your faves?
weight loss
diet pills
how to lose weight fast
louis vuitton
replica handbags
lv
louis vuitton bags
louis vuitton handbags
discount handbags
lv
discount handbags
louis vuitton bags
louis vuitton
replica handbags
lv
louis vuitton bags
louis vuitton handbags
discount handbags
lv
discount handbags
louis vuitton bags
christian louboutin
louboutin
christian louboutin shoes
louboutin shoes
bridal shoes
sexy shoes
high heels shoes
christian louboutin
louboutin
christian louboutin shoes
louboutin shoes
bridal shoes
sexy shoes
high heels shoes
ed hardy
ed hardy clothing
ed hardy clothing shirts
ed hardy clothes
ed hardy t shirts
ed hardy
ed hardy clothing
ed hardy clothing shirts
ed hardy clothes
ed hardy t shirts
rosetta stone
rosetta stone software
rosetta
chaojimengnan supplier
chaojimengnan
p90x price
Rosetta Stone Spanish
itunes gift card,itunes code
mens watches
breitling navitimer
rolex datejust
breitling Navitimer
panerai watches
bvlgari watches
breitling
Hublot
burberry watches
siwss watches
p90x price
Rosetta Stone Spanish
itunes gift card,itunes code
P90x extreme home fitness program
Rosetta Stone Latin America
use itunes gift card best buy
Christian louboutinChristian Louboutin Boots High-heeled shoes isChristian Louboutin Pumpsthe symbol of the woman, the direct sourceChristian Louboutin Sandalsof women’s superiority. Hence, the women began to pursue high heels. On the roadChristian Louboutin Shoes, the woman wearing high heels, step by step, lplaying a city's new melodies, let people Christian Louboutin Wedgeslisten to fashion symphony. This time,wear Christian louboutin high-heeled shoes of woman, sending out attractive glamour,men only will lure eyes follow the footsteps went alone...
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.
insanity workout DVD price,insanity workout.com
Turbo Jam Workout DVD,Turbo Jam.com
Turbo Fire Workout DVD,Turbo Fire.com
Body Gospel Workout DVD,Body Gospel.com
Power 90 Workout DVD,Power 90.com
Brazil Butt Lift Workouts DVD
Slim in 6 Workout DVD,Slim in 6.com
Hip Hop Abs Workout DVD,Hip Hop Abs.com
nine eagles helicopters
An excenlent watch can make you feel good, and that may improve your grade. A successfui businessman must have one kind of
watch to show his special quality. for a lady the watch also can attract many eyes. that is a amazing feeling for owning a
watch. these watches are selected for all kinds of people. you can get your favorite watch freely.
mens watches
breitling navitimer
rolex datejust
breitling crosswind
panerai watches
bvlgari watches
hublot watches
iwc watches
panerai luminor
burberry watches
breitling
panerai watches
hublot watches
omega seamaster
rolex submariner
rolex daytona
watches