busy as a bee

We've been busy the last couple of weeks, making cheesecakes and red velvet cakes.  we made a few specialty items.  we have a couple of pictures. 

these cookes were made for a retiring artist. I think they came out great.  our client loved them too. 

The other was a cupcake pull apart cake for a dance school.  The theme was that's entertainment.    I think this came out great for being a last minute decision.  This was one of those endeavors where nothing seems to work out right.  It was supposed to be a complet square  (like a stage) with a marquee in the middle of "That's Entertainment" (we discovered that the food coloring started to bleed into the rest of the colors, then we had little pieces of pastiage with stars and film and camera's and megaphones and movie tickets.  thos made it.  After we started and it didn't quite work out the way we wanted it to. Chef joe said hey why don't we make the cake like on giant Clapper Board. so we did and it worked out damn good.

 this last picture is the extra cupcake that was presented to the Owner of the Dance school. (she's made out of modeling chocolate).  We were very happy that the chocolate held up so well.  ( the temperature was in the high 80's to low 90's with a lot of humidity).

We can't wait to fill the next order, because we love showing off our stuff.  Until then, we're trying to stay cool while our ovens stay hot.

I love Baking

I love the smell of almonds being roasted or the awesome aroma when those chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies just come ou.t of the oven. But what I love even more is the look I see when people take that first bite of the cheesecake, or the cannoli, and the way their eyes roll back when the panna cotta hits the pallette.

Thats one of the main reasons I got into this business, to see the wow factor first hand.   

warm weather

The warm weather is here, lets enjoy it and make it sweet.  We're now looking for a more stable outdoor location, but anything you want is just a phone call or email away, or you can leave a comment just to say hi and tell how your day is going.

computer problems, employee problems, and general problems

We're back!  After not being able to get the stupid computer to work, and getting rid of employees who don want to work, but think they own your business and having to get cakes out shorthanded, we're finally back on track and ready to blog again.  

Father's day is approaching quickly and we have just the thing for Dad.  its a spicey chocolate cupcake decorated with a golf theme.  We're no fully functional yet, but we'll try to have the pictures up tomorrow.  They're $3.oo each and Dad will love them. 

TV here we come

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend.  We had a great weekend.  It started with career day at P.S. 287 in Brooklyn.  Chef Joe was one of the speakers, we had a blast.  In our last blog, we were worried about it.  Not sure how the kids would react.  But they loved us and our cookies, of course, and asked lots of questions.  and yes, we'll go back again next year.

In the meantime, chef Joe is going Thursday to an interview/audition for a new reality show about men bakers. And if all goes well, you'll be able to see  him every week in your living rooms.  So we have our fingers crossed. We've been pretty excited about this , and its kind of been all consuming, since chef Joe has to go to this audition with manly desserts, so we're having a huge brainstorming session.

we'll keep you posted

Career Day

Tomorrow (Friday), La Bella Torte was asked to speak at Career Day at P.S. 287 in Red Hook.  We are very happy, and excited and nervous about this.  Someone asked us to talk to young children about possibly going into the pastry field as a profession.  The questions that go around in your head - Do you think they'll listen?  What do we say to them?  Do we bring pictures,or maybe something we made?  Will they be interested? Will they fall asleep? Will they throw stuff at us?  Oh My God the pressure of a 10 minute presentation.

After thinking long and hard about this we decided to first - bribe them with cookies.  Talk a little bit about what we do (hopefully it will be interesting for them) Then - show them some pictures of cakes, and then show them a couple of items made out of modeling chocolate. 

I think Joe will do most of the talking, since he's excellent at it and besides being a kiss ass pastry chef, he's a kick ass salesman.

Now I must get back to baking so the we'll have enough cookies for the kids.

Busy Busy Busy

We have'nt blogged in a couple of days.  We have been busy (Thank God).  I have a picture of the cake we just made for a sweet 16, we're also in the midst of filling our weekly orders for our restaurant account and Italian specialty store account, and we just got another account, but we just wanted to say a quick hello don't forget to check out our cake and stay tuned for our next popup and or outdoor market.

 We'll try to post other pictures of the cake later.  It looks much better with the bowl filled with m&m's.

Picture day

we have a picture from Sunday's Greenpoint Foodmarket. 

and check out a cake we did for a local church organization.  They asked for a cake with a crown of roses.

And here's a little bride and groom we made for a friends bridal shower.  They sat them donuts.  I think they're adorable, if I do say so myself.

Right now we're working on a sweet 16 cake for Saturday. We'll post the pictures when we're done.

Updates

Had a great time at the Greenpoint food market at "Taste Williamsburg".  We made a lot of connections, met a lot of great people, and Oh Yeah, we couldn't help but sample some of the amazing food that was being served.   Thank you to our old friends that stopped by and to our new friends we look forward to hearing from you.  And a special thank you to Jamie at Superior Vans. 


Right now, we're busy preparing for a tasting, and we're still working on our next pop up, and we'll have pictures of our latest events and cakes very soon.

Upcoming events

we've been busy trying to secure our next pop up.  Hopefully, that will be done very soon.  In the meantime, we will be at the Greenpoint food Market pop up on Sunday May 16th from 12-4pm at Superior Vans on Wythe Avenue.  It will be alongside "Taste Williamsburg".

"Taste Williamsburg" is going to benefit the building of the Northside Town Hall, it will be held alongside The Brooklyn Brewery, and its $35 a ticket.  There is a long list of restauarants giving tastings at the event, and the Greenpoint Food Market is being held up the block (admission is free).  The vendors will be giving discounts to people who have tickest to "Taste Willaimsburg".  So stop by and say hello,  and buy a cannoli or better yet, buy a desset dipper - they went over big at our pop up at the Cozy Royale.

See Ya Sunday!!!

Thank you

We would like to thank our family, friends and new friends for making our pop up a success.

We would especially like to thank the Greenpointers for getting the word out there for us.  You guys really put us on the map.  Just tell us where to send the cannoli's.

The Big Day is close and the sample are here

One more day to go.  Everything is in place for our Pop up store.  In case you have'nt seen the flyer its at the Cozy Royale, located at 434 Humboldt Street at Jackson Street.  from 4pm to 10pm.

In the meantime, we will be on the corner of Graham Ave and Conselyea Street, handing out samples, just to give you a little taste of what we'll have tomorrow night.  We should be there around 7 O'clock.  so come out and try our cannoli see what Al Pacino raved about.

Finally!! Pictures

There are 2 pictures on the side.  One is  poker cake we're very proud of and the other is our famous cannoli's.  I just figured out how to get our pictures posted (I know, it takes me a minute, but I eventually figure things out.).  The more I figure out, the better our blog will look. 

Just think of this as a hit or miss preview.  As we figure things out, and that could be a while before its completely figured out, you'll see more and more of our work. (hey, we're pastry chefs, not computer techs.)  :)

The Preparation

So, today is Tuesday, May 4th.  3 days to our Pop up store on Friday at the Cozy Royale - 434 Humboldt St at Jackson St.

We're busy making the dough and baking the cookies and the cake and whipping the cannoli cream to perfection.  We will be on Graham Avenue on Thursday evening just to give you a little taste of what you can get on Friday.  And, hey, don't forget to check out Greenpointers and Grubstreet, we're mentioned again.

We are so stoked about this Friday; the only thing that would make it a perfect day is if Al Pacino himself were to show up.

Bedlum in Williamsburg

Had a hectic afternoon.  We had to get 100 cupcakes ready for the dance school, and 3 dozen pastry for our local church .  Both had to be delivered at the same time.  We ran into a problem with the chocolate cupcakes and the chocolate cream. had to remake both at the last minute.  It got so bad I almost frosted the cannoli and stuffed a cupcake.  But we got through it. 
Everything was delivered on time, everyone was happy.  Williamsburg is at peace once again, and life just gets sweeter and sweeter.

cupcake day

Made cupcakes for The Center for Performance research in Williamsburg.  Tomorrow we're decorating and putting on the finishing touch.  It should be fun.

looking forward to warmer weather, possible 9 holes of golf on Thursday.  Then its crunch time getting everything ready for our pop up on the 7th. 

Oh the pressure of the pastry chef.

Here' the flyer for our pop up store

Save the Date for "One Sweet Night in Brooklyn"

We have our date for our pop up Cannoli shop or as we like to call it our "Cannoliteria".  Friday  May 7th at the Cozy Royale at 434 Humboldt Street at Jackson Street.  From 4pm - 10pm.  We will also be serving coffee, cappuccino, of course our famous cannoli's, in different flavors, and the premier  of our "Dessert Dippers" as well as other delicious sweets, and the bar will be open.

On a personal note

Had a great night last night.  It was our 12th anniversary. Had dinner at Bamonte's,  had a great time and great food.

Sprintime in Brooklyn

It's a beautiful day inthe Burg.  Hope everyone is enjoying it just as much as I am.

                                                                                                    - Chef Joe.