My ambition knows no bounds...

nobody@vox.com(jesvet) — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 10:21:38 -0700

So here's the problem.

I see a hobby I want to take up, and I want to be an immediate expert. I don't know how to hold knitting needles, but somehow I convince myself that I can immediately jump to making ponchos with flowers and all sorts of crap. And when I realize there is a lot of time and patience and beginner-level stuff standing between me and excellence, I lose interest.

The Cake Bible

Rose Levy Beranbaum

My latest kick is cake designs/decorating. If you haven't seen my wedding cake you won't know it, but I LOVE cake, and I love fancy pretty cake even more. Knowing that I won't be Sylvia Weinstock from day one is sad, but something I think I can accept. I'm starting with the Wilton classes at Michael's, and we'll go from there.

A good tasting cake is key. My Wilton's instructor is more interested in the decorating than the taste aspect, so she uses cake mixes for everything. I probably will too because I'm lazy, but I'm getting the Cake Bible from the library just in case I'm inspired to do something better. We used to make cakes from scratch growing up and they were so much better than the box stuff. (Is this the best thing to be writing about when I'm still struggling to lose baby weight? Oh well, screw it.)

50 Easy Party Cakes

Debbie Brown

See the pictures on the left? Those are CAKES. How friggin cute are they? They may not taste good but that is a work of art. Of course, even though I've never worked with fondant I've already decided that since the title includes the word "Easy" it's something I will be able to do. Hope springs eternal.

I wish I could content myself with those little character pans covered in piped on stars- you know what I'm talking about? Everyone's mom made those growing up, mine included- but I've become a snob and want something more 3-D and sophisticated. Well, the term 'sophisticated' is relative when you are talking about a frog cake but you know what I mean.

My daughter is turning two at the end of the month, hence my sudden desire to become Colette Peters. I'm hoping this will help keep me motivated to actually continue practicing and working at it- well that, and the stupid sum of money I had to drop on decorating supplies for the 'cheap' Michael's class. Being two and devoid of the high level of taste I hope to one day instill, my daughter has chosen "Teletubbies" as her theme. I don't think I will be able to construct a 3-D stand up Po cake in 30 days time, but hopefully I can come up with something a little cooler than the chemical-ly sludge they slap on the cakes at the store and charge an arm and a leg for. Further updates as events warrant.

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My ambition knows no bounds...