As my regular readers are aware, we celebrated a special family birthday recently, and I was stumped for an idea for a truly gorgeous cake which would not only be a feast for the eye, but also for the many young guests who were invited to celebrate with us. For this major milestone birthday my previous amateur attempts with sponges covered in icing and dotted liberally with smarties and 100's and 1000's simply wouldn't do, but I really didn't know which way to turn. Charly's bakery seems to have the monopoly on Big Event cakes, but my sources tell me that whilst they look great, the cakes themselves aren't that good to eat. I can't vouch for this as I've never tried one myself, but I didn't want to take the chance.
A little gourmet bird whispered in my ear that The Chocolate Moose, which has branches in Noordhoek and Steenberg Village might be a good place to try. Fearing the worst, as I've heard horrendous stories about prices for these designer cakes, we popped in to the new Steenberg branch, there to meet the friendly and helpful Natasha. If the dummy cakes on display aren't enough to blow your mind, the catalogues of to-die-for cakes most definitely will! Oh to have those baby birthdays all over again (with a bit more disposable income) but guess I'll have to wait for the grand parenting days. To be honest, curse the expense, we were sold instantly on the innovative ideas and fun element to the cakes, but would they live up to our expectations?
Our order was placed in good time, no deposit required (must be looking trustworthy in my old age) and we waited in eager anticipation. Bang on cue, I received an sms the morning of the big day, and we went to collect quite the most magnificent work of cake art imaginable, and promptly burst into tears. (Such is the emotion associated with family milestones and celebrations, or is it just me!?) Everything was perfect and beyond, spellings, candles, decorations and design, spot on. Only one problem, how could anybody cut such a work of creation?
Lara Woodburn, a classically trained pastry chef with notable credentials, started her business when demand for children's party cakes became more than a regular favour for friends. She successfully juggles motherhood, cake creation and management of a growing entourage of staff as her business expands, and always delivers the cake on the day ("can't ever be a day late with a great cake," she says) even if it means working through the night. We have since returned with a special request for our wonderful dentist, and at this challenging request for a toothy cake, she further exceeded our expectations. Pricy but nicy for special occasions and people, but well worth the expense. Oh, nearly forgot the bottom line, they taste moist and delicious too!
And on that celebratory note, wishing you all a wonderful weekend. If you're not in the market for a celebration cake at the moment, why not pop in to one of the stores to titivate your senses just looking at the cakes, and pick up some of their breads, rolls or croissants just to sample some of The Chocolate Moose's wares.
Love,
Suzy Q
www.chocolatemoose.co.za
Whilst I am loving writing my blog and enjoying the positive feedback I've been receiving from you dear readers this year, I think I've missed my mark, or need to find a new vocation. Yes sirree, in her next life, your Suzy Q is going to apply for the job of naming air fresheners. Whilst I've yet to sit beside anybody on a plane or train who gives their job description as "Namer of air fresheners" there must be somebody, if not many bodies, who actually do this job.
Now, bearing in mind that this is a universally accepted household product, there are many, many fresheners out there on the production line requiring original, descriptive, captivating, and most importantly, good sales names. I'm a fresh air freak of note, and many's the classroom from which I've been evicted for flinging open the windows in the middle of winter, and friends know to bring an overcoat when they come to eat as it's al fresco all the way, never mind the weather. So my idea of fresh air is along the spring blossom, sea breeze lines.
Looking at my current clutch of fresheners I'm amazed at the range of words used to describe them. (BTW special on a three pack at Pick 'n' Pay at the moment guys and gals.) My Scottish heart will ne'er allow me to miss a bargain, no matter how bad, which reminds me of an article I read recently with regard to people tightening their belts in these recessionary times. Today's middle class 20 - 30 year olds are in no way attuned to thrift as we are, so I'm also bemoaning the fact that I have evolved into that terribly boring species, The Thrifty Housewife. Why can't I say, "May as well hang for a sheep as lamb," or "let's go the whole hog," and blow it all on a fine fillet rather than trying to make a pound of mince into five fascinating new dishes to last the week? Huh!? I sense a seed change coming kids, watch this space...
But as usual I digress, back to the names of air fresheners, which range from the bewildering, to the bemusing to the downright bizarre, all with Capital B's. In my possession I have:
Sparkling Citrus - is this meant to be drunk?
Strawberries and Cream - a treat for Wimbledon or what?
Clean Linen - sorry but I just don't get the connection!
Interestingly enough, whilst researching for this posting, I discovered that there are not only people who name these products, but those who test them too. Hmm, the mind boggles at the criteria they use, and how they rate them according to an intricate scoring system. Sounds something akin to the Air Fresh Olympics, as scores rate from 4,8 (Country Berries) to 6,9 (Sunny Days) for those who are interested. Seems folks don't like to associate food with it's end product and the odorous aftermath, but prefer thinking of Airwick's Scented Oil Island Paradise, coming in for the Bronze at 5.8 after narrowly being pipped for the Silver by Glade's Hawaiian Breeze at 5.9
When I take up my new job, I think I'll just get straight to the point, and call it (for all sprays seem to smell the same anyway) Out, out, damn odour, and make it snappy before the next person uses the ablutions. On the subject, I'm rather anti the little dangly things people hang on their rear view mirrors also under the guise of freshening the interior. Even worse, the pong of the stuff they use after the odd proper wash-and-vac my dear little car receives, which smells more like a night in Hong Kong than a field of lilies or an orchard of cherry blossom.
But on that fragrant note, I must just include my all time personal favourite, the air freshener mysteriously named Summer Romance. WHAT went wrong in the love life of the marketing man responsible for that one, I'd love to know. Still, it's the spray of choice for the bathroom used by the Misses SQ (my warped sense of humour coming into play) but I do hope I'm not putting them off romance for life even if they laugh every time they see the can.
Also rather liked these ads for Sapilo air fresheners and hope you get a laugh from them too. Please let me know if you get the odd chuckle from reading my blog, and if there's anything specially you'd like to put out there for discussion. Love to hear from you!
And if you enjoyed this posting, you might like to go back to Chemical Warfare 12/2/12 if you have recently started reading my blog.
Thanks as always for taking time out of your busy days to read me,
Cheers,
Suzy Q
Can't resist a quick note on the charming story which has tickled my fancy, regarding our swimming hero, Chad Le Clos. A Johannesburg schoolgirl from Glenvista High, without a date for her matric dance, camped out at OT airport with an eye catching poster asking our homecoming hero to be her dance date.
Lo and behold, in a PR coup or a moment of genuinely spontaneous kindness, our lad Chad walked up to her and apparently said, "Yeah, I think I can do that, unless I have other swimming or travel commitments," causing poor (or lucky, lucky, lucky) Melanie Olhaus to swoon. And her understanding headmaster forgave her bunking school on (com)passionate grounds.
Imagine, a dream come true. Which just goes to prove, that if you don't ask, you don't get. And that a Mountie always gets her man, so good luck to Melanie, and lets hope that they have more than swimming in common, and that the press and her school friends don't monopolize her big night. They have already been offered a Lexus to drive and a designer dress for the night. Wish I had swam harder at school!
It seems that Chad was eager to agree as he had missed out on milestones such as this in his own school career due to his swimming commitments, so hope he enjoys letting his hair down a little too. The more I see of him and his humble, but confident attitude, the more I like him, and hope to see him rise to further glory. Could it also be that that he hails from my own small town, and quite possibly learnt to swim, as I did, in the local municipal pool? Perhaps he inherited some of the junior Suzy Q's residue of swimming skills whose traces might long have been left in the pool...?
Here's wishing one of my dearest and staunchest supporters who has found himself in a hospital bed over the weekend a very speedy recovery, and love to all of you readers too and best wishes for a wonderful week ahead.
Suzy Q xx
