A Date With Charlie

I am about to talk about cakes yet the title for today’s blog is “A date with Charlie”.  Wondering why?  Before I break that down, let’s begin with why I am about to talk about cakes.

I was never a “cake person”.  I didn’t have “the thing” for its sweetness and the cream around and in between it.  When I first started getting involved in the planning of my clients’ events, I would just pass on cake makers’ numbers and ask only two questions. Is the cake round or square?  What colours will it be?  The answers to that would help me decide whether to provide a square or round table for the cake and the colours guided me with the colour of table cloth and table skirting to provide.  I wouldn’t have any involvement until the cake is brought and mounted on the table I beautifully decorate for it.  I would not make any attempt to take the cake at the event either.

I noticed in April 2012 that I started paying much more attention to the design and taste of cakes.  I can only think of two people to blame for that. One of them is Lawyer Maataa the lady creating all the fabulous cakes from Fairy Dust Cakes.  When I speak to her, she talks about the cake details (design, flavour, preparation time, portions, servings, pricing breakdown, etc…) with so much passion that I couldn’t help but get engrossed in the conversation.  She often offered me cakes for tasting and during the tasting, she will tell me so much about the cake that I began to fill a part of its making process. After that I often  find myself helping clients to choose their cakes and flavours.  “Is this really me?” I ask myself after a slight pinch. Maybe I should change my name for this part of the blog to Cake Lady Jane. Because I am now a part of the cake choosing  team, I look forward to the cakes on the day of the event.  That reminds me. I must renew that gym membership that expired over 6 months ago.

Now I look at cakes and say “Oh no!  This design isn’t very good” or “Wow! I like!!!” Flavours!  Before, I didn’t care much if it was Vanilla or Fruit Cake. Now, thanks to Maataa and her cake colleagues, I have managed to find myself saying “I prefer the Red Velvet Cake”.  “The Baileys Chocolate  Cake is a good choice too”. “How about you try the Coconut Rhum?”

Customer Account Manager, Frimpomaa the woman behind Sweet Cakes by Frimpsey hardly discussed cakes with me.  I place the order, I know she will do a good job on the baking, icing, and delivery so I don’t follow up about the details apart from saying “Frimpomaa please send me a picture of the cake” half way through our conversations on what outfit to sew next or how good 50 Shades of Grey is.  She doesn’t know this but  she got me interested in Cup Cakes in Ghana.  In Uk where I lived for 11 years, I would order Cup Cakes online from http://www.beverlyhillsbakery.com . Oh goodness!  Those Cup Cakes are Heavenly.

Then came along the Architect who went on “A date with Charlie“. Yesterday she sent me pictures of the four wedding cakes she made on the weekend and I was analyzing the designs and complaining about the tiny portion of one of them which I got served at a wedding I attended on Saturday. Seriously! I dislike it when wedding couples keep all that cake for themselves and serve their guests with a tiny piece which doesn’t even make up one full bite. And what even annoys me more is when they serve that one small bite in a big beautiful box. I ask myself, “is the box the gift or the cake the gift”.

Anyway, I tried to place an order with Marmette of Kakes n Bakes for a next day cake delivery and she said “Oh, I can’t. I am going on a date tonight and I have a meeting very early tomorrow morning”. Being the tease that I am, I automatically went into my role and asked, “A date with Charlie???” she laughed and said yes and we are making a stop at Deli France.  A great bakery in Accra. Charlie by the way is her husband 🙂

I have now had the privilege of tasting cakes. Lots and lots of them and I can confidently join the panel of Cakes Judges. Cake Lady Jane won’t be very popular amongst the cake makers. She will rate the cakes very honestly.  Thanks to Weddings OnPoint, brides getting married in Ghana don’t find difficulties in finding a cake for their wedding.  All they have to tell the cake maker is “Cake number 43 on Weddings OnPoint”.  Medical Nurse Akossua popularly known as Michelle my childhood friend and still one of my closest friends is the woman behind Weddings OnPoint and she makes me proud.  She has such a beautiful singing voice which she could have released a beautiful Gospel Album with but she has traded it with giving brides and grooms amazing ideas for their wedding day. Keep up the great job “Koss-Koss”.

Cake Lady Jane is here to discuss “SAME CONCEPT | DIFFERENT DESIGN | DIFFERENT TASTE | DIFFERENT CAKE MAKERS | SAME BLOGGER”.

Ah! My word count is showing 903 so far. This is definitely too long for a blog. I shall return soon on cakes. Keep your eyes out cake lovers!

Ciao!

References:

http://www.facebook.com/FairyDustCakes

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sweet-Cakes-by-Frimpsey/115996658430893

http://www.facebook.com/kakesnbakes

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cake-Gallery-Finethings/36966368978

http://www.facebook.com/WeddingsOnpoint