Once upon a time in Texas, there was a girl with an appetite and a dream...

1.01.2010

Countdown to Cake (and our wedding)


If there is one thing that I like more than cake, it's more cake.

That being said, one of the most fun aspects of wedding planning has been our collaboration (i.e. TASTING) with La Jolla's own jewel, Michele Coulon. Her desserts are beyond delicious and her cakes are proof that those of the wedding variety can be great.

Having attended so many weddings in my life, I am convinced that most couples don't give a hootin' holler about the cake. It's an important part of the ceremony, everyone expects it, yet most are entirely forgettable.

Lately, there has been a heightened awareness of wedding cake thanks to so many reality shows featuring fondant-covered creations. These shows have raised the standard of aesthetics and creativity, but have brought too much focus on the outside, while continuing to IGNORE the importance of what's underneath.

Round one, tracie b vs. cake

Michele has been a beacon, showing us that her cakes are as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside. She will have nothing to do with fondant (take THAT all of you hipster-Betty-Paige-tattooed-reality-TV-cake-decorators!), but works magic with butter cream and molded white chocolate. All of her ingredients are organic and EVERYTHING is made from scratch--no mixes. I am a believer.

Round 2, she get's a little help from Jeremy P

We will have 3 tiers, 3 flavors. First (Gateau Aileen): Hot milk sponge cake layered with creme Chantilly and fresh berries. Second (Torte Lion Belge): Triple chocolate loveliness...chocolate cake layered with chocolate merengue and chocolate mousse AND chocolate cream. Third (Nathan's Lemon Cake): Dense organic lemon cake with delicate glaze, heart-breakingly subtle.

Oh, she's a trooper! Hang in there...

Check out her cake flavor menu here.

We're incorporating our colors and theme with robin's egg blue butter cream and red pomegranate shapes.

Couldn't you just die? Imagine our delight at having to taste through two trays of her cake flavors. They are all balanced, fresh and incredible, so choosing was tough, but we pulled through.

Victory! She made it! And definitely played favorites.

My sweet fiance' DoBianchi graciously let me take charge since I have the colossal sweet tooth in this union.

I will eat my way through that cake on our wedding day, dress be damned! I know she's going to make something beautiful for us, and you better believe we will be blogging it.

Oh yea, and she also has an incredible savory menu with a French Bistro bent, open for lunch. Go NOW. Yum.

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11 Comments:

Blogger Anne in Oxfordshire said...

Wow what an array of fascinating cakes... I had a cake for our wedding, but cannot think what it was..ooops, I am sure that all those years ago we didn't have cake tasting days to choose!

I am sure whatever you choose will be delightful :-)

1/01/2010 3:15 PM

 
Blogger Sicilian said...

I think your cake will be fabulous! I am so sorry that you had to wade through all that sweetness to find the winners, but someone had to sacrifice.
Best Wishes!
Ciao

1/01/2010 8:11 PM

 
Blogger Vinogirl said...

Only three layers? Pity you couldn't have one of each :)
I remember the first wedding I went to in the US. The cake was mainly this delicate apricot confection, such a revelation when compared with the nasty, dense fruit cakes I thought of as traditional wedding cakes in England. I went back for seconds :)

1/02/2010 10:29 AM

 
Blogger Tracie P. said...

it was tough, ladies...but we made it through ;)

vinogirl--well, that's 3 tiers. 3 whole cakes stacked on top of eachother...enough for 75, plus a couple of side cakes! yum.

1/02/2010 10:51 AM

 
Anonymous Laura said...

Amazing cakes... and sentiti felicitazioni but I'm curious about what you will be pouring on the big day....

1/02/2010 9:36 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tracie B,

It has been awhile since I checked in with your blog, wow, Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials. I visited the Do Bianchi website. Jeremy seems like a really great guy, a real rennaisance man. Wishing you the best.

John N.

1/07/2010 12:04 PM

 
Blogger youtubeline said...

I remember the first wedding I went to in the US. The cake was mainly this delicate apricot confection

1/09/2010 1:18 PM

 
Anonymous Mark Leslie said...

Tracie, what a fun posting about cakes in Italy. In August 2005, I lived in Italy with an Italian family cooking and learning the language for the entire month. Nonna, the grandmother of the family, shared her family's secret lemon cake recipe with me...the recipe that her great-grandmother used to make Nonna's wedding cake. This recipe has been in her family for over 150 years and it is always prepared for special occasions. For more information on my experiences in Italy, you can check out my blog: www.mark-leslie.net Good luck with finding your cake. It will no doubt be perfect!
-Mark

1/18/2010 10:55 AM

 
Blogger Yael said...

WOW!!!! A lot has changed since I last looked at your blog (about 5 years ago hahaha) Congratulations to you both, your engagement pictures are dreamy, you both look so happy!!

1/25/2010 2:31 AM

 
Anonymous Orlando personal injury lawyer said...

Looks like a great time cake tasting. Enjoying your blog.

3/17/2010 2:14 PM

 
Blogger Tracie P. said...

the cake at the wedding was beautiful and DELICIOUS. thanks for the comments!

yael--so you makin cakes now?

3/21/2010 9:36 AM

 

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