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Oh, please don't be upset about the title! I haven't started Christmas shopping yet. . . ha! But I honestly can't wait for the Fall season to start. That being said, I decided to announce a permanent price reduction for all one-pound caramels, formerly $28/pound, now $25!! I can tell you that one of my main ingredients, vanilla extract in all its forms, has skyrocketed in price over the past few years. I do not want to alter my flavor profiles in the least; however, I believe I can comfortably lower the pound price and still continue to provide pure vanilla flavors in my caramels. (Well, except for the Espresso Chocolate, which, let's face it, needs to be just espresso and chocolate!) And, as sorta promised, here is a photo of the dessert table at our daughter's Texas baby shower last month.  Did you catch the flamingo theme? The two-tiered cake was a two-team effort! I baked and Natalie decorated. It was a pink ombre vanilla layer cake (top tier was all vanilla), strawberry puree and whipped cream/mascarpone cream filling, beautifully iced with Natalie's awesome buttercream and decorated with a fondant flamingo and candy wings. (whew) She also made amazing cake pops and I brought a ton of lavender, chai and salted vanilla caramels. It was a fabulous shower and I do not believe our granddaughter will lack for anything!
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Greetings Everyone! Wow, June is almost gone, but we're still here! Lots to think about and get ready for my visit to Texas in July. Baby shower plans are underway and GUESS WHO is making the desserts, together with my very talented baking daughter!? (I tend to get a bit carried away when planning baking events, just ask Natalie!) This summer finds me with time to experiment and bake "practice" products and try something I don't normally do...like a two-tiered baby shower cake. Pictures to follow soon - having mini uploading issues. The baby shower theme is flamingos and pink and white polka dots. Will most definitely post the final results at the shower. In the meantime, enjoy a few shots of my baby GIRL practice goodies. Yup, did I tell you they're having a GIRL?
SURPRISE, SURPRISE! I finally posted my very latest baking adventures. Browse through the collection of cookies, cakes, pastries, tarts and breads. Hover over the photo and see what I've done. Too bad it's so expensive and a huge risk to open one's own bakery these days. BUT. . . it does matter NOT! If you are a home baker, occasional baker for friends, family and contests (HELLO, LYNN!) then keep on baking, experimenting and educating yourself to learn more as well as try something beyond what you think you are capable! Watch the Great British Baking Show on Netflix (for example) and get inspired by these home bakers! Yes, you'll have to learn a few conversions and new words; (That's spot on!) however, it will help keep you excited about trying new baking techniques and inspire you to bake more! Get into Instagram and start following baking blogs such as @erinmcdowell (#thefearlessbaker), @sarakeifer (#thevanillabeanbakingbook)@food52, @thebakefeed and more! NOW, GO BAKE SOMETHING!! Have a very happy and joyful day! PATRICE I woke up this morning and realized that tomorrow is May 1st!
Holy cupcakes, Batman! Well, I am more of a Hobbit or Marvel movie goer than the Batman, but, it matters not. I wanted to touch base with any of you wandering through my Cake and Confection website and let you know that Patrice's is alive and kicking. I will be updating the GALLERY with my latest bakes and orders. We have personal plans heading into the summer; however this made-to-order confections and small dessert catering business continues to thrive! Personal Note: My husband and I, this September, will join the ranks of many, many FABULOUS PEOPLE. . . . . . . . . We are going to be GRANDPARENTS! SUPER YAY! Baby gender reveal this month followed by a July Baby Shower followed by an extended trip to the parents-to-be home for an exciting time! OK, Grandma, breathe..................................... I keep saying I should start my own separate blog; however, if you are reading this and care to leave a comment to let me know SOMEONE reads these, by all means MAKE MY DAY! I still continue to take local orders and indulge friends and church groups with lots of baking practice pieces. In addition to checking out the GALLERY, please head over to my FACEBOOK page (Patrice's Cakes and Confections) for any current happenings or announcements. Short and Sweet as is my usual. Take care website viewers! Drop me a line, anytime! STAY SWEET! PATRICE HI EVERYONE! I may not have time to write a lengthy blog today; however, I wanted to get these 2017 year-end photos and a few 2018 shots into the blog - with the stories to follow. My "word" for this year is FINISH! I definitely have a few others that would seem more appropriate; however, this one is so applicable to my heart, attitude and current lifestyle of not quite finishing what I already have going on. (Note if you will my PINTREST (look for Patricia Friedman) board with lots of saves to Organizing and DeCluttering...HA!) For the moment, I will caption each photo with name and event location and purpose. Have a great February! (Love is in the air...) Remember local customers there is a BOGO free (half pound) for ordering a pound of caramels (through March 15th)! Limited to one per customer. Stay SWEEEEEEET! Patrice I must be overly ambitious updating not only the website, but the blog as well! It is good to be back in communication with everyone.
If you've browsed through the site recently I have updated my Local Menu and the Catering page. There are some lower prices on select items, plus a few, ahem, math corrections that I haven't been called on. (Smile!) All is good! As I may have mentioned last year, I am still contemplating a BREAD page to offer local customers fresh loaves of wheat, white or whole grain breads, and perhaps a few specialty bread products. Keep your eyes peeled....this may yet happen! Short and sweet today. And, (sorry) it is the season for tax preparation. Always fun, fun, fun! As always. . . STAY SWEET! PATRICE If you've even glanced at my website recently or reviewed the blog, I'll bet you're tired of seeing "WELCOME FALL"....sorry friends. We were hit with the cold/flu bug earlier and still recovering a bit. Family came from Texas (YAY) and we had an early Christmas celebration. As we wind down 2017, it is time for catching up, updating and a bit of downsizing.
You may have noticed that I've trimmed the online ordering to reflect Caramels only. Most of my customers are local and can pick up or have delivered anything from my menu. If you reside outside of my delivery area, I can still prepare (in a commercial kitchen) all caramels and ship anywhere in the United States. I've been quite busy the past few months with local sales and a few craft markets. The biggest one was Machado's Apple Festival in October. It was an all-day event filled with fun, hard work and new customers!! Thanks everyone!!! I am hoping to revive local bread baking for those friends and customers interested in fresh breads from the plain white, whole grain loaves to baguettes, dinner rolls and specialty-type breads. I will keep all of you posted here as well as on Facebook. I must now leave my office (Starbucks #623), which is very much like home! Thanks, Rosie and my barista family!!! I do hope to keep up with blogging here and welcome your comments and suggestions for future blog posts. HAPPY, JOYFUL AND BLESSED NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL! PATRICE I'm so happy to see the end of record high temperatures! Other places have had worse, yet, I am grateful for a bit of cooling down and look forward to fall breezes.
I seem to be in between events and activities, let alone projects and LIFE in general. That said, there will be time to update you via this BLOG as well as on Facebook and Instagram (@patricescakes). I am working on yummy BREAD products and hope to narrow down the selection to 3 or 4 varieties of sandwich loaf breads, hearth breads and maybe a multi-grain wheat bread. Local customers can place orders soon! So, in the interest of finishing my TODAY list of errands and other tasks, this will be a short post. Hope to hear from some of you this fall! When it's all said and done....STAY SWEET! PATRICE HI EVERYONE!
HEY, I'M STILL HERE... Still breathing and slowing down a bit. Getting ready for summer vaca, bread baking and setting up my small dessert catering biz. Check out future blog posts along the way. I will make every effort to post more often. Those of you daring enough to read any of these little posts of wisdom, please leave a comment or two so I know someone's out there! (big smile!) STAY COOL! IT'S FINALLY DONE!Hurray! I finally did it!
I sent an email... Okay, not as exciting as some would think. For quite some time, I have postponed establishing a web-based email system. Time? Money? What to say? Well, I usually have lots to say, so that's not an issue. Just suffice TO SAY that it's done. So, if you are reading this and have not had the tremendous opportunity to receive a Patrice's Cakes and Confections email, you can now! Please CONTACT me via this website and send me your email information (first & last name plus email address) and I would be overjoyed to add you to my customer list. Eventually I will be publishing a monthly newsletter in between sales. Speaking of sales, let's get started! This Spring Season sale, the first one I used in my new email system, is all about CARAMELS! What better way to break out of that winter, rainy wonderland of "comfort food" and the prolific consumption of holiday sweets than to break out in song and greet Spring time with....uh, more Sweets!!!!! (Are you buying this logic?) Okay, an advertising genius I am not, but this is the type of solo business owner ad copy you get to experience in these blogs. I save my serious stuff for the newsletters (yawn). That's all for now, my friends. Thanks for checking in. Browse through the website and order a few pounds of absolutely mouth-watering, caramel-liciousness. Oh, and a note to my local customers: Look for a new website section on CATERING FOR THE SMALL CROWD. I am working on a page devoted to my local dessert buffet catering services for stand-alone "dessert-only" events or to complement your dinner parties or other social events. CONTACT me for details or to schedule your initial catering consultation. Welcome Spring. . . the sooner, the better! Stay sweet! PATRICE |
