Fall in Washington, DC

Washington, DC is probably my favorite place to visit! I hate to vacation in the same place twice because there's a whole world out there I still want to see, but I can go back to DC many times over and still experience new things.

I'm definitely not a political person - in fact, I'd rather talk about anything but politics. But, I have great respect for the founders of our nation and the war veterans who fought- and continue to fight - with their lives to keep us safe. My motto in life is "learn something new every day," and you can definitely do that in DC! There's so much to see, do, and experience that it can't all be done in one trip.

I can now say that I have seen DC during every season! I've played soccer when the ground was frozen solid (not one of my best DC memories...). I've toured the city during the heat of the summer, and my absolute favorite season is spring during the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. Gorgeous! Last month, I visited DC for the Obesity Society Meeting so I got some great photos of color-changing leaves.

DC is a great place for walking and I feel like life slows down there. It's funny because it seems like people are always working there, but for me, it's a great place to relax. During my most recent visit, I saw people in suits riding their bikes or the Metro every day - even Sunday! Do DC-ians ever rest?!

This is just some random tree I walked by, but it was so gorgeous I couldn't pass it up!

I love paths like this - rustic yet refined. *sigh* Maybe it reminds me of the yellow brick road from the Wizard of Oz, which is still my all-time favorite movie. I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that I still get nervous when the Wicked Witch sends out her flying monkeys!

The Korean War Memorial - one of my favorites! If you're ever in DC, you have to see this one at night! It's beyond words!

The Vietnam War Memorial - a classic and a must-see for every visit. I get goosebumps watching people respectfully run their fingers over the names of complete strangers who died for them.

And what's a visit to DC without a photo of the White House?! I was actually disappointed that more of the trees surrounding the White House weren't vibrant orange & yellow, but what can you do? I'll take what I can get!

Anytime I travel, I look up a few bakeries in the area to visit. The one that caught my eye on this trip was Warren Brown's Cake Love. Remember Warren? He had a fun 30-minute show on the Food Network a while back called...Sugar Rush!

The bakery itself was very modest...and a little bit cluttered...so we went across the street to the Love Cafe for lunch and cake!

My advice: skip the lunch. After all, you're really there for the cake, right?


I took a slice of Neil's Hat Trick: white and dark chocolate cakes sandwich vanilla buttercream and fresh raspberries under a glaze of rich chocolate ganache.

Lourdes, a friend and coworker, got the Susie's a Pink Lady: fresh raspberry buttercream floats between layers of vanilla butter cake.

The cake was very rich so neither of us could finish our slices - and that's saying a lot! But they were fabulously fresh and tasty!

As we were leaving the Love Cafe, we passed by a man on the sidewalk. I have him a second look and said "...Hey...aren't you Warren??" Yes, Warren Brown was heading into the bakery as we were leaving! Serendipitous! He was super sweet and the three of us had a nice discussion about obesity, high fructose corn syrup, and the eating habits in America.

So we've come full circle. I was originally in DC for an obesity research conference, but took a detour for some yummy cake. Now, I consider this detour field research!

New Ace Of Cakes Book!

Your favorite group of quirky cake decorators from Charm City Cakes have released their first book! Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes is now available at bookstores.


To celebrate the release, Food Network Magazine had a special article called the "10 Shocking Things you Didn't Know About...Duff" in the November 2009 issue. Here is my paraphrased version:

1. Duff's real name is actually Jeffrey Adam Goldman, but his older brother Willie (who is co-author on the new book) pronounced it more like "Duffy," and the name stuck!
2. Before entering the Culinary Institute of America, Duff "worked [his] a-- off at a variety of jobs," including McDonald's.
3. Duff used to express his creative side through graffiti, or "mural art" as he referred to it around his mom.
4. Duff's first cake order was a rather funky-looking 5-tier cake that he completed on his living room coffee table.
5. Other names considered for the Ace of Cakes television series were: --- You Let's Bake, Bake it to the Limit, Charm City, and Doughboy.
6. Duff's cake decorating crew make all the cake decorations before even turning the ovens on, ensuring the ultimate freshness.
7. Charm City Cakes offers 49 flavors, including bananas Foster and peanut butter & jelly.
8. Each 22-minute episode requires about 120 hours of video and audio footage in the bakery.
9. Duff plays bass in the band "...soihadto..." which is pronounced "so I had to." Duff claims he only started the bakery because he knew he'd only get time off to play in the band if he was the boss. ...So he had to...
10. Duff is from all over, not just Baltimore. He's lived in Detroit, Missouri, Virginia, and California too.

Check out the full article and photos in the November 2009 issue of the Food Network Magazine. I love that magazine, but beware - some of the recipes have no regard for fat and calorie content. But, it's a great read!

And definitely check out Duff's new book!

Getting Off the Soapbox

Thank you to everyone who is entering the Stuffed giveaway this week! Obesity is a serious issue that we must deal with, and I'm thrilled to see your comments. I'm going to wrap up this obesity mini-series today with a short list of my 5 tricks to keep you on the right dietary track. Disclaimer: I am NOT a nutritionist or a physician. You should always seek your doctor's advice when drastically changing your eating patterns. These are tips I use every day to stay healthy, happy, and full!

1. REDUCE PORTION SIZES.

Many of us are used to eating 3 large meals a day, and for some people, this works well! If you find yourself still getting hungry between meals, try reducing your meal size to half and introducing more between-meal healthy snacks. Soon, you'll be amazed at how little food it takes to fill you up! At home, use smaller plates at meals. You won't be able to load as much food onto it so the temptation to overeat isn't there. At restaurants, divide your plate in half as soon as you get it. Only eat half of the entree and take the rest home for lunch/dinner the next day! If you can't resist the temptation to eat the whole thing, ask for a doggy bag immediately. Load half of the entree into it, and push it away from you.

2. SNACK SMART.

First of all, don't go grocery shopping hungry. You'll purchase more junk food if you're hungry. But, if you never buy that stuff at all, it's not in your pantry later when you're searching for a snack. Fruits and veggies make great snacks because they are loaded with fiber and other great nutrients to keep you feeling fuller longer.

3. GO THE EXTRA FEW STEPS.

Take the stairs or park in the back of the parking lot. If you don't have time to get a good cardiovascular workout, these little steps can help increase your energy expenditure for the day. The increase will be tiny, but every bit counts!

4. LIMIT THE EMPTY CALORIES.

The jury is still out on which sweeteners are better for you, but we DO know that diet drinks have no calories! If you absolutely must have a soda, reach for the diet so that it doesn't cut into your daily caloric allotment. Be careful even when drinking things you think are healthy. For example, Gatorade is packed full of electrolytes to help you recover after a workout...but it's also loaded with calories. Most of us don't work out hard enough to get such an electrolyte deficit to justify the extra calories in Gatorade. There is a lighter version now available, but your best bet is always WATER! It has ZERO calories and is essential for so many bodily functions!

5. INDULGE OCCASIONALLY.

Yes, indulge. Many diets and eating plans are too strict. They don't allow enough freedom so we're just setting ourselves up to fail. It's OK to have a slice of cake at a birthday party! Make healthy choices for meals & snacks so that you can enjoy that sweet indulgence every once in a while. One of my favorite sweet snacks is a piece of a dark chocolate Hershey's bar. It satisfies that sweet craving, doesn't make me feel overly full, and has healthy antioxidants!

Ok, I'm going to get off my soapbox now. I can't guarantee that I won't get back on it sometime in the future though. Like I said, obesity is a huge problem in America (and many other parts of the world) so we need to start taking action! Do you have other tips for staying healthy & happy? I'd love to hear 'em!

And, remember, the Stuffed Giveaway ends this Friday at midnight. Don't miss this great opportunity!

Diet Lemmings

Hank Cardello brings up many interesting points in his book Stuffed: an Insider's Look at Who's Really Making America Fat, but one of the things that particularly caught my attention is the idea that we are a "nation of diet lemmings." As Hank says,

We engulf every trend, no matter how ridiculous it sounds or potentially harmful it may be. Why? You've tried everything and failed, you continue to search for the Holy Grail. Every year, the dizzying number of diet books competes with the cookbooks in the bookstore chains. When Atkins was all the rage, you couldn't walk down a supermarket aisle without the phrase "No Carbs" boldly displayed on dozens of labels. Low-fat or no-fat stickers (on items that never had any carbs or fat to begin with) became ubiquitous. And there were those labels that promised one-third fewer calories, though they left the consumer to ponder what one-third fewer actually meant. Certainly, much of it was hype or close to downright bogus. But the food industry could at least say it was trying. When pressed, the typical response is, "We're offering the consumer choices." Or, the health issue is squarely a matter of "personal responsibility."

Yes, your life is your own, and you have the right (and the responsibility) to make your own health choices. But, obviously, we need help. Did you know that 60% of adult Americans are considered overweight or obese? That's 2 out of 3 people! For years, doctors have been telling us to exercise and eat less...but has that advice helped? Doesn't seem like it... Now it's time for the food industry to stand up and help as well!

Unfortunately, that may be accompanied by some sort of government regulation. No one wants to be told what to eat, but the government can help in many ways without infringing on our rights.

Tighter regulations on food & nutrition labels are a start! Food manufacturers are now required to report the number of trans and saturated fats per serving. When this mandate originally came into effect, many manufacturers recalculated their definition of a serving so that the new serving size contained less than 1 gram. They're allowed to round down so they can report this as 0! So, you innocently pick up a box of your favorite snack that boasts NO SATURATED OR TRANS FATS, and you munch...thinking it's a healthy enough snack that you can eat a decent amount...but take a closer look at that nutrition label next time and see how big the serving size, which is hiding those fats, really is.

Another place the government can help is requiring smaller portion sizes to be served at restaurants. Many entrees at restaurants - even salads sometimes - contain a massive amount of fat and calories. Because restaurants are often associated with social dining or the experience of eating out, we tend to be less concious of what we put in our mouths. Yes, those chips & salsa, the soup/salad, AND the entree count toward your daily caloric intake! Don't get me wrong, I love a good dinner out, but it's hard not to overeat! Restaurants can help by offering half portions (and some do!) of our favorite entrees so that the temptation to overeat isn't even there.

And third thing I'd love to see is nutritional information right in the menu! Don't just tell me what your restaurant considers "healthy" or "low-carb," show me the numbers! Most of us need about 2000 calories per day to stay healthy and alert. If I knew that the entree I ordered was 1500 calories, I might be more inclined to eat half and take the leftovers home. This idea was discussed at the 2009 Obesity Society meeting, and the jury is still out on whether or not this information really helps people consume fewer calories. But I still think it's a step in the right direction. If you're interested in the studies currently being done on this topic, do a search for Thomas A. Farley, who's a leading researcher in the field.

Quite a few of the comments on the Stuffed Giveaway post are strongly opposed to governmental regulations in the food industry. I'll be the first to join the picket line if Big Brother tries to tell us what to eat, but the government can help us too! It's controversial, but...it's food for thought. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a signed copy of Hank's book Stuffed: an Insider's Look at Who's Really Making America Fat.

Freebie Alert: Stuffed Giveaway!

I'm very excited to announce that my first giveaway is the book Stuffed: an Insider's Look at Who's Really Making America Fat by Hank Cardello.


In the book, you will learn how grocery stores, restaurants, and food manufacturers manipulate you to purchase less expensive and less nutritious products. Then, you'll discover ways to avoid their traps and make healthier food choices.

I just finished reading Stuffed, and I feel like this is a book every American should read. Not only was it interesting (For example, do you know what the "underwear aisle" is at a grocery store or the "Sullivan nod" is at a restaurant???), but it was also informative and thought-provoking. In fact, it has inspired me to do a mini-series of blog posts regarding the obesity crisis in America.

Yes, I said crisis because, in my opinion, something MUST be done SOON to stop our exponential weight gain in America. Obesity increases a person's risk for developing many different diseases like type II diabetes, heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, and certain types of cancer. And, of course, all of these diseases have been linked to reduced quality of life and sometimes shorter life expectancy!

Coincidentally, I read this book during the annual Obesity Society meeting that was held in Washington, D.C. last week. In future posts, I will present some of the information I learned from these 2 sources. My hope is that the arguments I present will make you stop and think before you purchase and eat food. Awareness and knowledge of the problem is half the battle so, together, we can help change America!

But back to the giveaway! To enter, visit Hank Cardello's website and comment, in this post, on something you see there (let's start a discussion, people!).

Here are ways to get extra entries:
1 entry - Become a Cake Walk follower
1 entry - Add the Cake Walk button to your blog
1 entry - Make a post about this contest on your own blog
2 entries - Refer a friend to Cake Walk (your friend must leave a comment and mention you by name in the comment; you both will get 2 entries)

No cheating! I will check to make sure you are a follower and that the button is on your blog! Leave one comment per entry please. The giveaway will end November 13th at midnight eastern time. Good luck!

Cake Walk Freebies!

Free stuff (both received and given) makes me happy so I'm proud to announce that Cake Walk is now officially accepting offers to sponsor giveaways!

Giveaways must be true freebies - no strings attached and no BOGOs. I cannot guarantee that all offers will be featured on Cake Walk, but I will do my best! If you are interested in sponsoring a giveaway, email the following information to phdserts[at]gmail[dot]com:

1. Your name (unless you want the giveaway to be anonymous)
2. Name and link to your blog/website
3. Description of the item you would like to give away. Photos of the product are great too!
4. When you would like the giveaway to end.

Iron Cupcake Earth Update!

THIS JUST IN: I am in a very close (too close for comfort) race for 1st place in this month's Iron Cupcake Earth competition! Help me secure the top spot and all those excellent prizes by voting at No One Puts a Cupcake in a Corner. Just look for "Cake Walk" to cast your vote for my Strawberry Fields Forever-inspired cupcake!

Voting ends Thursday, November 5th at noon central time.

How 'Bout Some Cake to Go with That Pumpkin Topper?

Remember the pumpkin cake topper I showed you how to make last week? Well, here's the cake I created to go with it.


The cake is made up of 6-and 10-inch tiers. I cut the sides at an angle to give it a more whimsical feel. Then, I carved the staircase out of the side of the 10-inch tier. The whole thing was iced in buttercream and covered with fondant. Next, I airbrushed it with both blue and purple so that the cake got darker towards the top.

The pumpkin topper was made of Styrofoam so I was able to do that ahead of time. When the cake was ready, I just stuck the pumpkin on top and added leaves & vines.

To create the stone staircase, I rolled out some grey fondant and pressed it into a cobblestone pattern mat. Then, I just laid it over the carved staircase.

The house was hand-cut out of black gum paste that I had rolled to about 1/16-inch thickness.

The trees & fences were made the same way as the house.

To make the pumpkins, I rolled orange fondant into a ball and pressed a straight edge in the side to create the pattern. I rolled a small snake of green fondant and curled it slightly for the vines and stuck a small piece of brown fondant on top for the stem.

The spiderwebs were made with royal icing and tip 1. Hint: this tip is SUPER small so it will save you a lot of frustration if you make sure you don't have any large sugar crystals in your icing that will clog the tip. I like push my royal icing through the foot of some unused pantyhose to do this.

The tombstones were made of gray gum paste and stuck onto skewers so they could easily be added to the cake.

Did you create anything special (edible or not) for Halloween? Will you be dressing up tonight?

Adam & I went to a costume party last night. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures, but Adam was Capt'n Jack Sparrow and I was Rainbow Brite! Do you know who Rainbow Brite is? She was an adorable cartoon character from the 80s - check this out.

Happy Halloween!

Reminders:
1. Vote for me at Iron Cupcake Earth: Music! Voting ends noon central time on November 5th.
2. If you live in the Gainesville area, we're having a cake get-together tomorrow, November 1st 2-4pm. Check Icing on the Cake for details & directions.

Vote for Me on Iron Cupcake Earth: Music!

Voting is open of Iron Cupcake Earth: Music! This is my second time competing in this online cupcake competition, and I would appreciate any and every vote you throw my way. There are 49 entries this month and you can vote for 3 - choose wisely. There are some really great ones!


My step-by-step instructions for creating this cupcake based on the Beatles' Strawberry Fields Forever can be found here. And don't forget to vote for me at the Iron Cupcake Earth! Voting ends at noon central time on Thursday, November 5.

Corn Maze & Fall Festival

(Photo by Elise Kersey)

Last weekend, Adam, Nani, and I went to the Coon Hollo Corn Maze in Micanopy, FL with James, Elise, and Lorelei. We had a great time! Well, at least the girls did...I think the guys just participated out of "family duty." But, it was great to relax and have some good old-fashioned fun.

And when I say old-fashioned, I mean old-fashioned. They had tractor rides, huge basins of corn to roll around in, kiddie car rides, haystacks to play on, and a huge corn maze!

None of us had ever been in a corn maze so we started there.

Here we go!

Uh oh, our first fork in the road! Nani was a little unsure of which direction to take so she waited for Lorelei. Don't worry, Lorelei hustled to the rescue and led us all the way through the maze!

We finally found the exit! Way to go, girls!

Nani made lots of friends that day, including an energetic dog and a girl who was super cute, but very intensely interested in Nani. Thank goodness Nani is good with kids because this little sweetie was on her like white on rice!

Nani experienced her very first pumpkin patch, but I'm not sure she fully realized what a milestone it was. Wow, we really need to have a child...Nani is just a dog! Anyway, she's a cutie and she's all we've got right now.

(Photo by Elise Kersey)

Then we took the girls on a hay ride. They both loved it, and Lorelei even got to enjoy a special snack, which she promptly stuffed in her mouth in its entirety. Cuteness!

The hayride took a pit stop to feed some cows. Yeah, cows! They walked right over to the trailer...

gave us these funny "feed me" looks...
and stuck their long noses right through the wooden slats on the trailer!
Whoa! You're a little close, Bessy*!
Lorelei wasn't intimidated though! She stepped right up to feed the beasts. Look, her whole hand is inside Claribell's* mouth!
After we all thoroughly cleaned our hands, we said goodbye to farm life and headed home. But Elise took this great photo of us before we left! Don't you just love my shirt? Adam hates it...so I love it even more! [insert evil laugh]


*I made up the names of the cows. I really have no clue what their names are, or even if they have names. For all I know, they might be known as #17 and #31.