No. 12 || 'Tis the Season(ings)
No gift guides here! Just the usual à la carte with a cool & collected curation of MCM ice buckets. We also getting jiggly w/Gelée, there's CLAMdy canes, & the Cake Shoppe closes orders on Dec. 12th!
Dear Readers & Cake Eaters,
Just a quick bit of shameless self promotion - you have one more day to shop from The Cake Shoppe! We will be closing orders on December 12th, 11:59pm PST. You can use the code CAKEWALK15 for 15% off your purchase.
We will be back in the new year with new goodies!
Well well well, here we are, December 2024.
The time of year where gift guides, cookie boxes, cheesy holiday movies (which I love), recipe sharing, (sometimes fun and sometimes forced) social gatherings, & a plethora of jazzed up hot beverages are crammed so far down our throats it’s almost as if capitalism was expecting us to produce a foie gras of sorts at the end of all this.
But, like it or not the Holidays are here and whether you’ll be with family, friends, or alone, there will surely be at least a meal or two that you are looking forward to. Maybe it’s a family feast, maybe it’s dinner for 2, or maybe it’s you alone in the comfort of your home, ugly-eating a hunk of cheese that you impulsively bought and have been waiting to tear into with some fresh bread, paired with that special occasion bottle of wine you bought while traveling, in front of a movie you’ve seen 47 times. . . all meals are magical in their own right.
The point is, there’s never been a better time to take “treat yo self” seriously and in fact, the only way you can do the holidays wrong, is if you’re not eating, drinking, and being merry. So go buy that pie just so you can have it for breakfast. Open the fancy wine! Don’t drink? Splurge on that $2700 Bling H20 Bottle of Water! Lollz. (I seriously implore you to click this link and read every comment because that alone makes the ridiculousness of this all worth it even though I’m pretty sure most of them are fake.) Anyways, I associate holidays with indulgence and I hope you do too. The world’s on fire anyways, might as well have a sweet little treat while you watch it burn lolz.
Before we dive into this week’s menu, allow me to just comment on what a wild and wonderful year it’s been - one that I’ve very memorably eaten, drank, and cried my way through lolz. So many new and magnificent people entered my life just as a decent amount took their exit. I finally took a leap of faith and pulled the trigger on a project I’ve been sitting on for the past 6 years and am actually thrilled by the results. With that said, it’s difficult and confusing as all hell to say no to stability and traditional paying jobs so that you can 100% focus on building out your own business all while living in a foreign country with 0 promise that it’s going to pay off and you’ll eventually make a living from it. But while I’m still figuring out how to navigate this very stressful and uncertain landscape, I don’t regret it for one second. All that to say, I’m beyond grateful for all of you and the overwhelming support I’ve received.
If you’d like to consider becoming a paid subscriber, or gifting someone with a paid subscription, know that every bit helps and I’m constantly working to come up with fresh and exciting content so that every single person who encounters The Cakewalk (paid or not) will walk away feeling a bit fuller than before.
Head’s up, this will be the last newsletter for 2024! I’m headed back to SF to take a little break and see what I can cook up for next year.
And now that I’ve finished rambling, let’s dig in! xo
THE CAKEWALK - WEEKLY SPECIALS MENU
Wednesday, Dec 11th, 2024
Appetizers
Gelée x Semaine teamed up to bring us Gelée Marché - “an experiential market of dreams” just in time for some quirky but stylish holiday shopping. Gelée is a flavorful, modern jello brand (that will also score points from the health-conscious) founded by Zoe Messinger - read more about her and Gelée in this Vogue writeup by Cakewalk friend,
. Spoiler alert, yours truly, (aka moi) also makes an appearance in the article for a couple of quotes. :) If you’re in Paris, this delectable pop-up is open now through January 6th from 10am-7pm @ Vie Projects - 55 Boulevard Beaumarchais Paris 75003.
And as if Semaine wasn’t already giving us enough goodies to gobble up with the Gelée Marche, here’s a double dose as they’ve also just recently released the most adorable “Glacé Apron” in collaboration with the inimitable - the latest person to be highlighted for their Tastemakers Series. Semaine co-founder, Michelle Lu tells me that the apron was inspired by Courrèges - no surprise there considering the fact that Starn was dressed in a matching Courrèges set for her civil ceremony. Not to mention the fact that this apron is made of (deadstock) vinyl. No gift guides here but if I was making one, this would surely be on it. Also it’s on my personal X-Mas list so voilà. Shop it HERE.
ICYMI, KFC UK launched a limited edition “LICKABLE” wrapping paper - that is of course, now sold out. Are we okay? Lolz. “Unwrap presents on Christmas morning and savour the taste of KFC’s Original Recipe Chicken with a refreshing hit of cranberry sauce and aromatic pinch of sage from the sage and onion stuffing patty.” It looks as though you would have had your choice between licking the “onion”, “chicken”, or “cranberry” images on the paper, had you managed to snag it. I guess they oughta change their slogan from “finger lickin’ good” to “paper lickin’ good” now lolz. But not to worry, they still have a couple of other holiday merch available for purchase like this “Get Stuffed Christmas Jumper”, or this Drumstick w/a Santa Hat Tree Ornament. And if the Semaine x Paris Starn apron did nothing for you, maybe this KFC “it’s finger lickin’ good” apron will do the trick?
And naturally KFC isn’t the only fast food chain to hop on the holiday merch/ugly X-Mas Sweater trend - McDonald’s also dropped some holiday merch. The Fries, Grimace, and McRib sweaters have all sold out but you can still get the 4-piece McNugget Stockings or the McDonald’s Gift Wrap! Both on sale! Yippee!
Fresh off the news of Pizza Hut’s Pizza/Tomato Wine, Hellmann’s introduces a “Mayonnaise Blanc” Bottle . . . but it’s not what you think. Just a playful little trompe l’oeil wine bottle that holds an actual jar of OG mayo inside. The bottles were a limited edition prize you could have won in a sweepstakes that has unfortunately, already ended. Not gonna lie, I wish they had actually attempted a mayo wine. . .
But you wanna know who DID come out with a Mayo DRANK? Japan. Yup. You heard it right. This drinkable mayo “beverage” called “Nomu Mayo” is apparently the brainchild of Japanese convenience store chain, Lawson and has been going viral lately - spoiler alert, most don’t make their way past the first gulp without gagging. I meannn what the Hell, Mann. . .? (get it? Hell mann. . like the mayo brand? lolz). Anyway, would you try it?
images courtesy of General Mills & KidSuper.com “Angel and KidSuper design REESE’S PUFFS Duffel Puff — a new statement bag inspired by blending dualities of basketball and fashion, and chocolate and peanut butter.” Heck, I want one just for the sake of saying I own a “Reese’s Puffs Duffel Puff” lolz. Basketball player, Angel x Reese’s Puff’s debuted their cereal partnership back in October but they’re back again - this time joining forces with KidSuper. You can shop the bag HERE.
image courtesy of Hidden Valley In case you aren’t sending a personal holiday card or buying them in bulk from Homegoods this year, consider this Hidden Valley Ranch Holiday Card Pack? Lolllz. I’m sure there are better uses for your $18 + Taxes & Shipping BUT I will say, I quite enjoy the visuals that were shot by Jack Strutz whose work I very much admire. Also, each card contains a packet of ranch. How’s that for spreading holiday cheer? Buy it here if you’re so inclined.
À La Carte
Well folks, I did not by any means have this MCM (Mid Century Modern) Ice Bucket curation originally planned but honestly, it’s by far my fav à la carte section I’ve put together. Whether you’re drinking champagne, pet nat, Ghia’s Le Fizz, or Bling H20 this season - I hope you enjoy it! #7 - The VTG Zodiac Ice Bucket is probs my fav. Or actually maybe it’s #15 - The Yellow Houndstooth. . .
Rachel Antonoff Champagne Tower Dress - Now on Sale!
Vintage Georges Briard Square Cube Ice Bucket - Cream w/ Gold Accents
Tombolo Big Brut Cabana Shirt - Unisex Sizing
Vintage Georges Briard Brown Faux Tortoise Shell Ice Bucket w/Bar Tools
Vintage MCM Amber Swirl Plastic Cube Ice Bucket - Barware Panton Era
Vintage Kraftware Ice Bucket Tray Set - Tortoise Gold MCM (RARE)
Vintage MCM Red Check Picnic Pattern Ice Bucket Barware Vinyl Retro
Vintage Georges Briard Ice Bucket White Vinyl Plastic Gold Lettering MCM
Georges Briard Ice Bucket Tortoise Padded Vinyl - Vintage MCM
Main Course
*Audio Version of Newsletter*
For Pinterest’s annual trend report, Pinterest Predicts 2025, twenty different trends were highlighted along with the trending search terms associated with each one. Of the twenty, 5 were heavily or directly related to food - “Chaos Cakes”, “Pickle Fix”, “Surreal Soirees”, “Cherry Coded”, and “Rebel Floats”. Special mention to the “Rococo Revival” trend where “Rococo cake” made up 95% of trending search terms. I’ve highlighted the food related trends below but to see the full report, you can check it out HERE. Thoughts?
Chaos Cakes - “Pristine icing and perfect piping? Soooo yesterday. In 2025, Boomers and Gen X go all in on silly cakes, funny cakes and rat cakes (yes, that’s a thing). These sweet treats are unafraid to be brutally themselves. And the wackier, the better!” I feel like cakes have kinda been trending since covid but if one thing’s for sure, they’re not going anywhere soon. Which is also good news cause hello, Cakewalk? Cake Shoppe? Lolz.
Trending search terms - Rat cake +170%, Funny cakes for friends +45%, Silly cake +115%, Celeb crush cake +70%, Funny bento cake design +60%Pickle Fix - “Tell your foodie friends: This year will be absolutely dill-icious. From sweet treats to tangy cocktails, the oh-so-humble gherkin is about to be in absolutely everything. Gen X and Millennials will go all in on pickle cakes, pickle de gallo, pickle fries—and even pickle margaritas.” I also feel that pickles have been trending as a flavor for some time now but it sounds like it’s only picking up speed. Goldfish released a dill pickle flavor this past year which was amazing and I regret not buying more. I hear Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are set to release a pickle flavor next year as well.
Trending search terms - Pickle margarita +100%, Pickle fries +50%, Pickle de gallo +65%, Pickle cake +45%, Fried pickle dip +80%.
Shout out to The Cakewalk No. 7 || In a Pickle!Surreal Soirees - “Curvy candlesticks, fantastical flowers and gravity-defying centrepieces. In 2025, people will infuse their tablescapes and décor with modern surrealism. And it’s Gen X and Boomers driving this keeping-it-unreal party trend.”
Trending search terms - Cake bouquet flowers +30%, Modern surrealism +70%, Salvador Dali aesthetic +40%, Strawberry centrepiece ideas +50%,Dinner party tablescapes +55%
Cherry Coded - “Tasting notes? Dark, sweet and such a vibe.”
Trending search terms - Cherry vibe +325%, Cherry bedroom +100%, Cherry car +270%, Cherry martini +80%, Dark cherry red +235%Rebel Floats - “Cue the taste of an all-American retro diner.”
Trending search terms - Cream soda aesthetic +105%, Fruit soda +185%, Homemade soda +40%, Root beer aesthetic +40%, Soda drinks recipes +90%
While it appears that surreal tablescaping will be a focal point for 2025 (according to Pinterest), the art of setting the table has been around for forever. So much so, that people even do it competitively. In fact, the LA County Fair has been hosting the tradition of competitive tablescaping as far back as the 1930s. Check out this past year’s entry rules here. Read the NYT’s latest article, “Inside the World of Competitive ‘Tablescaping’” by Tejal Rao or Atlas Obscura’s article from 2017, “The Fiercely Precise World of Competitive Table-Setting” by Andy Wright if your interest is piqued.
Are you familiar with Google Arts & Culture’s Food Mood “Experiment”? Using Google AI, Food Mood has you select between an Entree, Main Course or Dessert, your serving size (between 1-10 people), and 2 countries in which it will be combining cuisines. The idea of Food Mood specifically is to combine the cuisine of 2 cultures so it’s not exactly for those that may have more of a conservative or less experimental palette. Food Mood is far from perfect and the dish names could use A LOT of work, but it’s fun all the same. While a lot of the ideas it spits out might not be the most ground-breaking for the more seasoned cooks, there are bits and pieces that are handy for inspiration all the same.
Admittedly I had to have it regenerate my prompt of “Vietnam” and “United States of America” around 7 times before it gave me what you see above and actually upon closer inspection, it still profoundly sucks lolz. It’s legit iced coffee with an apple tart that has sprinkles?! At the very least, it might give you an idea to build off of for a better and more finessed recipe - perhaps I’ll try out an apple pie with like a Vietnamese coffee caramel or whipped cream on top? Anyways, you get it - give it a shot if only for sh*ts & giggles. Also this totally sounds like an ad and I wish it was but it was just something I stumbled upon whilst f*cking around on google one day lolz. I wanna see what recipes it comes up with for you!
Desserts
LOCAL SPOTLIGHT-ings - Namesday Bakeshop by Chef Alex Lovick
You have no idea how much I want to gate keep this but alas, that’s not how you support businesses you believe in and care about so here we are. (Plus I already have my goods secured for the season lol.) I have one word for you, Panettone. That’s it. That’s the specialty. For Bay Area peeps only, sorry!
Growing up I never cared about Panettone - I thought it was maybe the most boring holiday treat there was. Maybe it’s because all I knew was the Madi Panettone - you know the one - it comes in the red box that you find at Costco every year lolz. I didn’t even know that it came in any other flavor besides boring + dried fruit. Well, all of that changed when my dear friend Betty Lin gifted me one of Namesday Bakeshop’s elusive and exquisite masterpieces of a Panettone one year for X-Mas. You know those scenes in the movie where someone gets a first kiss, or tries drugs for the first time, and there’s just like a montage of fireworks and epic music and crazy images and feelings. . . well, that’s what I felt the first time I tried it lolz. And that is saying a tremendous amount because I am not easily fazed. In fact, most of the time I’m hoping to be wowed by new restaurants and bakeries but most of the time I feel either neutral or disappointed so while taste is subjective, I can’t imagine how you wouldn’t like this Panettone if you like sweets and gluten but at all.
Anyways, Lovick may work full time as a chef for a winery but you’ll know when it’s Panettone Time as he announces his drops on the Namesday IG which tend to be in December for X-Mas, February for Valentine’s, and then March/April for Easter in which case it’s actually Columba Pasquale rather than Panettone. I suppose this magic Panettone is not that much of a secret considering how fast it sells out and the fact that Eater SF covered it last year. . . but I digress. Speaking of which, you can read more about Alex Lovick, how he got started, and his methods in Eater SF’s write up, HERE.
For my SF Peeps that want to get their hands on some, you can email info@a16sf.com and pick up at all of the A16 restaurant locations - SF, Rockridge, and La Pala. You have a choice between Traditional Candied Orange & Raisin or Triple Chocolate (my personal fav). Don’t sleep on it. I have yet to find another Panettone that compares and mind you, I live in Europe and have tried many a “famed” Panettone. It just hits different.
ART & CULTURE-ings - “Looks Delicious!” Exhibit - Japan House, London
“Take a mouth-watering journey through the uniquely Japanese phenomenon of shokuhin sanpuru – the unexpectedly realistic food replicas displayed in front of restaurants across Japan.”
On view now through Feb. 25th, 2025. I haven’t made it to the exhibit just yet but you bet it’s first on my to-do list once I’m back in Paris after the Holidays!
RECIPE-INGS - ’s Cinnamon Swirl Sheet Pan Pancakes
I may have not actually tried the recipe yet but ever since I saw her post about them, this image has been burned into my brain and I can’t stop thinking about them. What’s not to like? Pancakes? Good. Cinnamon? Good. Sheet Pan? Easy! Me thinks this will be an X-Mas Morning treat for the fam.
Digestif
Enjoy these festive appetizer X-mas trees that are mostly shrimp and mostly vintage. The other two are crawfish and weenies. I literally have no idea what. makes these festive aside from the fact that you can arrange them as a tree. . .
But little do you know this is just the tip of the . . . candy cane. There are SO MANY MORE BIZARRE FLAVORS. Clam, rotisserie chicken, wasabi, pickle, & more! Check the below out:
FIN.
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And lastly, your feedback also means the world! Please feel free to comment below, or email me at thecakewalk@substack.com. xoxo
oh i love these ice buckets big time.
so much good stuff in here. You’ve inspired me to get a proper ice bucket.
And I’m so scared to Google “rat cake”…