Our venue, Willowdale is known for their extremely rigid and strict vendor vetting. So far every vendor I have gone to off their list has not only be top notch professional with incredible portfolios of work, but I have also managed to hit it off interpersonally with them.
We had our first cake tasting yesterday at Fredericks which is Willowdale's new preferred vendor. We arrived and they immediately launched into business and the design, which threw me off. I like a little "getting to know you" song and dance since I do make a lot of my decisions based on whether or not I like the person.
After some awkward discussion around design, I finally asked if we could taste their cakes and they plopped in front of us this:
Yes, that is actually their "purple velvet" cake in the upper left hand corner...the picture doesn't even do it justice as to how artificially purple it is. They had an almond pound cake, the purple velvet, a golden vanilla and then their chocolate. The fillings were lemon, strawberry and raspberry and also a chocolate, peanut butter and mocha.
As soon as I took a bite out of the cake I knew I didn't like it. It was entirely too dense and waaay too sweet. I asked them if that was how all their cakes were and they said yes. Then Chris asked if they made their own filling and they begrudgingly said they didn't. We asked about some other flavors and since they don't make their own fillings, they couldn't accommodate us. So now they can't do my design nor can they do my flavors. They did bring out a pomegranate-lime and lime...the lime which looked exactly like the goo you see people slimed with on Nickelodeon, not exactly appetizing.
Chris said that he knew I didn't like them when I gave him total creative control. He also complained that their cakes had little/no flavor and all the fillings just completely overwhelmed them. I just didn't really like the lady I dealt with. The apprentice that was learning was funny and I liked her, but she wasn't leading the consultation. I also am not that proud to admit that I wasn't the nicest to them. Nothing like recognizing my Immunity to Change in FULL SWING in action, but that's for my personal/professional blog :)
I was so unbelievably disappointed because as time has grown closer, my stress level has ratcheted up significantly and I just wanted to make decisions. Luckily an old friend who lives in the same town we're getting married in recommended Topsfield Bakeshop. Additionally when I sent an email to my wedding coordinator, she ALSO recommended them. So, I promptly called and scheduled and appointment for today.
I was a little alarmed when she said they only did one tasting a month and that there wasn't one before our wedding but we could meet. When we arrived the bakery smelled amazingly of chocolate and then we got handed this plate of cookies. Clockwise from the top we have: Lemon with lemon curd filling, Opera Cake, Carrot Cake with a Orange Cream Cheese filling, and Chocolate Whoopie with Salted Caramel
As soon as I bit into the chocolate with the salted caramel and I KNEW this was the place. I normally hate chocolate and I rarely like caramel and this was so delicious I ate more! I wanted it for my cake! Each one was delicious and wonderful. Then Mary came out and she was so personable and open. We eventually found out that one of her three sons actually works for our DJ company which made me feel like it was a sign that this was right. She also raved about our photographer (literally everyone I met has spoken about how amazing he is both as a person and as a professional).
In addition to her wonderful (WONDERFUL) baking, which they make all on site and totally from natural ingredients (they are a test kitchen for a French vanilla company - yum yum!) was also that she was totally collaborative when it came to the design and also the flavor profiles. We wanted to do a lilikoi curd filling and where Frederick's couldn't even entertain it, she was visibly excited about it and now wants to experiment with curds and mousses.
But it got even better. The room where we met also had pictures of the other baked goods they've done for weddings: macaroons, iced cookies and they are most known for their Whoopie Wagon (whoopie pies). Chris mentioned he was confused about macaroons and she told us all about different kinds and then BROUGHT OUT A WHOLE PLATE OF THEM.
This was just the beginning of our sugar coma. She also had us sample her lime cheesecake and her whoopie pies. Then she brought out a whole mini cake of the cannoli cake and GAVE IT TO US.
She's so attentive to detail, so sweet, her baking is so delicious (even Chris, who NEVER eats sweets, loved it... I kept seeing him out of the corner of my eye, eating more. He actually broke a fork eating), and she just made the whole experience wonderful...so even though she quoted me at the same price that I completely balked at when Frederick's quoted us, I didn't hesitate to put down the deposit.
I am so excited that not only I think our cake will be stunning to look at, but most importantly to us...it will be SO YUMMY!
Our flavors are: Vanilla chiffon cake filled with fresh strawberries and Chantilly cream as well as layers of lilikoi mousse (!); the chocolate whoopie with the salted caramel; and the cannoli. We just need to make sure we can have a cake bar rather than cake served with the coffee.
Hope we all feast on cake in a few weeks :)
P.S. I reached out the the Hawaiian Vanilla Company and within hours I had a response from their owner who is ready and willing to make our vanilla and lilikoi dreams come true. He's the best. I can't recommend the Hawaiian Vanilla Co. more, they are such an amazing family AND their food is so delicious.
