A shower of cherry blossoms

My friend and co worker asked me to help with a bridal shower that she is hosting this weekend, and of course I was very happy to oblige!  The brides theme is cherry blossom - very appropriate for the time of year.  I made some cherry blossom like flowers to go on top of cupcakes and I also made a selection of pink and white cake pops in vanilla and chocolate flavors.  Yum!

(chocolate and vanilla cake pops!)

(Cupcake blossom toppers)

Hopefully the treats will go down well!

For more ideas and to see what else we can do, check out our website: http://www.tashiandbobo.com and our FB page: http://www.facebook.com/tashiandbobo

Tashi x

Veg delivery

I thought that I'd share a picture of the super cute vegetable that my Mum knitted and has sent me to use at work. She has always been a knitting fiend - but since she knitted my cupcakes for my wedding favors, she's been creating all sorts of veggie and fruity delights!

Need a map?

Last week Pola made this amazing cake for a client to give to her fiance for his birthday. He is into hiking, hence the map - a hand drawn topical map of the Pine Hill, NY area, with a red "X" at the Full Moon resort - the location where the couple will be getting married later this year.

For more ideas and to see what else we can do, check out our website: http://www.tashiandbobo.com and our FB page: http://www.facebook.com/tashiandbobo

T&B

Dotty cake

 (The cake photographed at my house with my crazy kitchen floor - hopefully soon to be ex-kitchen floor!)

It's was our friend Beret's birthday yesterday and it's Pola's husband Matt's birthday today!  Happy Birthday guys!  But, Pola, our cake queen was away at wedding yesterday so could not make a cake for the birthday pair.  That left me to make it... and well, let's just say that I am the flower person of Tashi and Bobo!  So, I made a chocolate fudge cake and covered it in jelly beans.  Certainly not my finest creation, but I think that it looks fun so I thought that I'd share a picture with you!

Tashi x

Feeling fruity!

I was trawling through the pages of numerous fashion blogs yesterday for work when I came across Anna Dello Russo wearing an amazing cherry head band back in September 2010 and it reminded me of the cake that I made for Pola's bridal shower.  It was a scrumptious Delia Smith recipe.  I love Delia!  For you over her in The States who don't know her, Delia is British institution, with numerous cooking and baking books and so many TV shows.
I have included her recipe below.  I did make double the serving as I wanted to make a tall cake as there we lots of ladies to feed at the shower!
The fruits aren't really seasonal right now - but with the sun shining outside you'll have to forgive that summery feeling I have today!!

Ingredients:

6 oz (175g) self raising flour
(I haven't been able to find self raising flour here in the US - so instead for 100g/each cup of all-purpose flour, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt)
1 rounded teaspoon baking powder (this is not included with the above)
3 large eggs
6 oz caster sugar
6 oz butter at room temperature so it's very soft
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For filling:

8 oz (225g) raspberries
3-4 tablespoon of soft set raspberry jam
1 x 250g tub of mascarpone
1 x 200ml tub fromage frais
1 level tablespoon caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To serve:
A little icing sugar
(That's what Delia said - I actually used some of the creamy filling then piled on the fruit)

Pre-heat the over to 170 degrees C

Method:

Take a very large mixing bow. Measure the flour and baking powder into a sieve and sift into a bowl, holding the sieve quite high to give the flour a good airing as it goes down. Now all you do is simply add all the other sponge ingredients to the bowl and, provided the butter is really soft, you just go in with an electric hand whisk and whisk everything together until you have a smooth, well-combined mixture. This will take 1 minute but, if you don't have an electric hand whisk, you can use a wooden spoon with a bit more effort.

What you now end up with is a mixture that drops easily off a spoon when you give it a tap on the side of the bowl. If it does seem a little too stiff, add 1-2 tablespoons of tap water and mix again.Now divide the mixture between the two tins, level it out and place on the centre shelf of the oven. It will take 30-35 minutes to cook – don't open the oven door until 30 minutes have elapsed.

To test if they are cooked or not, touch the centre lightly with your little finger; if it leaves no impression and springs back, the sponge is cooked.

Next, remove them from the oven then wait for about 5 minutes before turning them out on to a wire cooling rack. Carefully peel off the base papers, leave the sponges to get completely cold, then add the filling.

For the filling, combine the mascarpone and fromage frais in a bowl; a balloon whisk will amalgamate them quicker. Add the level tablespoon of sugar and one teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Now spread one tablespoon of jam over one of the sponge cakes, follow this with half the cream mixture then scatter the raspberries all over that. Now add the remaining cream mixture and drizzle it with the rest of the jam. Place the second sponge cake on top. Press very lightly to sandwich everything together, then lightly dust the cake with icing sugar before serving.

Enjoy the sunshine while it lasts! : )
Tashi x

Photo walls

A fun and interactive thing to have at your wedding or party is a photo wall or even just a simple frame to capture your guests behind!  Pola made an amazing wall for her wedding last year.  The wallpaper and frames were chosen to match her colors and she supplied hats for guests to put on and pose with.

The walls can be made with any wallpaper or color to suit you and to snap your guests with.
....Say cheese!!!

 (The bridesmaids at Pola's wedding having fun at the photo wall!)

Another way to get fun photographs of your guests is with a simple frame.  This is easier and much cheaper to do.  Plus the frame can be walked around to your guests.  And you can have guest hold props for some added humor!

(Pola and her to be husband even used the frame idea for their save the date photographs!)

We can make you a similar wall for approx $500 and even include photographs of family and friends on the wall.  This is really great fun for guests of all ages!


For more ideas and to see what else we can do, check out our website: http://www.tashiandbobo.com and our FB page: http://www.facebook.com/tashiandbobo
T&B

Button bride

Pola, also affectionately known as Bobo, made me the most amazing gift for my wedding last August.  A button Bride Dressing Gown!  I LOVE buttons and have a collection that would beat most Grandma's button tins.  And as it happens, I was given the collection by my husbands Grandmother! 
Somehow Pola and my then to be husband managed to raid my buttons for Pola to make this masterpiece that she gave me on my wedding day.  I was so touched by it and the thought that she put into making this dressing gown.

That said personal favors and gifts are our forte!  Your bride loves buttons, bling or whatever, we can create you an original gift!  Just email us at tashiandbobo@gmail.com or call us at 585-245-2259.

For more ideas and to see what else we can do, check out our website: http://www.tashiandbobo.com and our FB page: http://www.facebook.com/tashiandbobo


Tashi x

Wishing Tree

 (Wishing tree branches from my wedding last year)

An easy and pretty was to have your guess write you a message at your special event is with a wishing tree.  Using decorative branches, which can be adorned with bunting, flowers or simply just the branches, guests write a message on tags that we provide and hang it on the tree.  Once your event is done you can collect up the tags and place them in a book for safe keeping.

For more ideas and to see what else we can do, check out our website: http://www.tashiandbobo.com and our FB page: http://www.facebook.com/tashiandbobo

T&B

Spring has sprung

Here at Tashi and Bobo we are very, very excited that Spring is in the air!  The snow has melted upstate, well, it was given a helping hand from the rain last weekend!!  It means that flowers will soon be out in bloom.  I was happy to see some bulbs coming up in my garden yesterday.  Hopefully they will still be there next weekend and not have been eaten by the deer!

Flower cake for a fun hair stylist

Tashi and Bobo was proud to make a beautiful flower inspired birthday cake for Agnes, a hair stylist at the Jasmine's Hair Salon (33rd and 10th Ave).

The cake was red velvet with a dark chocolate gnash filling, moistened a bit with dark rum, and frosted with dark Dutch chocolate frosting...YUM!

We then decorated the cake with a TON of flowers...sugar and marzipan flowers, of course! All edible!

The cake was a huge success, and Agnes was able to take some of the sugar flowers home with her as a keep-sake.

This cake serves approximately 15-20 people. 

If you would like one of your own, contact us at: Pola@tashiandbobo.com

For more ideas and to see what else we can do, check out our website: http://www.tashiandbobo.com and our FB page: http://www.facebook.com/tashiandbobo

T&B

3rd Wedding Anniversary Cake

This is LONG overdue...but several months ago Tashi and Bobo were asked to make and deliver a SURPRISE 3rd wedding anniversary cake to a lucky and unsuspecting wife during her lunch hour at the office!

Although traditionally the third wedding anniversary is supposed to be celebrated with gift of...leather or crystal...we think that cake is a MUCH better alternative!

The cake was shaped like a large "3" and it was iced with cream cheese frosting and decorated with marzipan and fondant flowers...all edible!

The delivery was one of my favorites because it was a surprise to the wife, and an office full of people gets very happy when a large cake arrives!

We hear that the cake was a hit, and that the anniversary surprise was a huge success!

This cake serves approximately 30-35 people. Please email us at Pola@tashiandbobo.com for further details and prices.

For more ideas and to see what else we can do, check out our website: http://www.tashiandbobo.com and our FB page: http://www.facebook.com/tashiandbobo


T&B

CAKE POPS

Cake pops...cake pops...who doesn't love cake pops!?!

If you haven't heard of these little guys yet, then you haven't LIVED!

Cake pops are amazing little bite sized pieces of cake, stuck on a lolly pop stick and sprinkled with...whatever your heart desires!

Tashi and Bobo had the pleasure of making a few of these bad-boys for a Bliss Spa holiday party a few weeks ago, and they sure turned out cute!

The cake pops we made were chocolate cake dipped in dark 60% cocoa chocolate and sprinkled with salted sunflower seeds, sprinkles, or a mix of the two. We threw in a few blue sprinkles to keep in theme with the Bliss Spa colors.

Each cake pop was then wrapped in a clear baggie and tied off with twine. The batch turned out...dare we say...pretty cute and very tasty...and we hear that the holiday party was a huge success!

Let us know if we can make any of these fun little portable desserts for you! They're perfect for a party and as favors (since your guests can easily take them to-go).

Email us at pola@tashiandbobo.com for further details and prices.

For more ideas and to see what else we can do, check out our website: http://www.tashiandbobo.com and our FB page: http://www.facebook.com/tashiandbobo

Thanks!

Pola