SCRATCH: That's the word of the Day!!!!

 
Soooo, this past Saturday, PLC and I went to the National Capitol Area Cake Show. She had a great time looking at all the cakes on display and I started plotting her first cake entry in two years :-)
 
As we were departing, we happened on a Demo being conducted by a World Famous area cake decorator and his team. Their work is awe inspiring and they've won numerous TV competitions, national/international awards and have been commissioned world round.
 
What he said during his pontification on his travels and accolades took me aback; He said, quote: "There's nothing wrong with Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines" WHAT????!!!!!! DID HE REALLY JUST SAY THAT??????? BLASPHEME, I thought!!!! Blaspheme!!!! Here is a man who I'm sure charges an obscene amount of money for his cakes, just on his Rep alone and he says that Box Cakes are OK???? REALLY???!!!  Now ,I must admit that a couple years earlier, I attended NCACS and tasted one of his cakes, it...was....in fact box and I was SORELY disappointed! I thought maybe by chance this was cake just for the show and not his Norm, But, to hear that he actually ENDORSES this horrific practice, has enraged me quite honestly.
 
What has alarmed me so, is that I take VERY seriously how my desserts are presented and the work I put into them. I am not at this point in my career a sculptor, but a DARE you to find many others with my flavor profile. I focus not only on flavor, but texture, aroma AND aesthetics. For me, there is nothing better than a dessert made from scratch. It's awesome to have a cake that looks so good that it deserves to be on the cover of a magazine, but if it TASTES like crap, ppl will remember that long after all the pictures have been taken.  Now, granted when I have desserts made by friends or family I do NOT expect that they are as hard core as me, nor do I judge their efforts, because, they TOO have put their hearts and souls into something delicious. I DO however, have different expectations for professional bakers and this is where my frustration lies.


In speaking with two fellow bakers, they echoed my sentiment. I did pause however to consider another perspective: Time. The time it takes to do Mis En Place (Everything in it's place, prep and measure ingredients can swell into thehours depending on the job.  Time...is...money and eliminating the 'scratch ' can save valuable time that could be spent on decorating and getting desserts out the door. I get it. When you are in big production, EVERY second counts. But, my heart STILL goes back to authenticity and presentation.

Many small bakeries, like myself, crave for more opportunity. So my prayer in this realm is to find a way to make 'Scratch' baking more equitable. "BRING THE SCRATCH BACK INTO BAKING" will be a new motto I will tote!!

For now my friends, HAPPY BAKING!!!!!!! HAPPY CREATING!!!

What are YOU'RE fears on baking from scratch? Let's talk about it :-) Let me help you down from the chemical ridden Boxed Mix Ledge!!!