I just want to start by saying, I really couldn’t put this book down! I bought the book, Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes, thinking it was an Ace of Cakes cookbook, but it’s not. This book is a LoveFeast kinda book! I felt like I was sitting at the table with the gang at Charm City Cakes and hearing their stories and getting a glimpse into what drives each one of them to do what they do! Each person at Charm City Cakes is featured in this book. They share their backgrounds and the events that lead them to Charm City Cakes. They also share what they’re passionate about. Most of them have some kind of creative background that they have brought to cake shop. I love the page that lists all the bands the Charm City Crew are members of!
Yesterday I shared how Baltimore really is a quirky and creative city. Duff and his brother capture this in the book! They break down why Baltimore was the perfect stage for launching this dream!
They show picture after picture of the creative process of building a Charm City cake! Looking at their set up, I really felt like I was getting a glimpse into an art studio! Fun Fact: The building that they chose for Charm City Cakes used to be a funky little art gallery!
This book also gives you the Duff Goldman story from childhood to now. It introduces the people that have inspired him (his momma for one!) and where his art began to take route. He has done performance art, with Fluid Movement as well as graffiti. I think the thing I realized from his story, is that every event in his life, really lead up to him running Charm City Cakes! It never ceases to amaze me, that if we follow our passions and let that be the goal we run to, somehow all of our life experiences lead up to the point!
Duff and his brother, Willie (who saw the makings of a TV show and now produces it!) include the “behind the scenes” people that helped launch Ace of Cakes and the crew that keeps it going. There are so many amazing people involved to giving us a half hour glimpse into cake making!
I love the chapter about “Why Cakes Suck!” Duff (obviously) doesn’t think cake sucks, but as an artist choosing a medium to work with, well this is not a predictable medium! I’ve made a few wedding cakes in my day, but never (except for the time I tried to recreate a crumbling cake into a tee-pee cake) have I attempted to sculpt and shape the cake! Hello! Recipe for disaster in my opinion! But, Duff has learned to wield knives, air guns, spatulas and chainsaws (I’d guess) with the skill of a master! His crew make it look easy and fun! Without a doubt, you know these guys love what they are doing and appreciate the fact they all have jobs that bring them joy! This comes through the book with screaming clarity!
It’s beautiful to look at. Inspiring to read. Raw in the transparency of sharing who they are. It’s personal. It’s quirky. It’s adventurous and creative! It really captured the essence of the city that has embraced Charm City Cakes and gives a great snapshot of what makes Charm City Cakes so successful!
Now to the fun stuff! We are going to GiftAway a signed copy of Ace of Cakes; Inside the World of Charm City Cakes, from the signing event at Atomic Books. In order to get two chances to win you need to do two things.
1. Leave a comment here at this site, telling what kind of cake you would have Duff and his crew create for you if given the chance!
2. For a second chance to win this book, copy the link to this post and share it on your Facebook wall. But, remember to leave a link here at our site to your wall, so we can verify you’ve done it! (We won’t go and hunt it down! So, please remember to let us know here that you have done this!)
We will be drawing a winner using RANDOM.ORG.
The contest starts now and will end on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 9:00p.m.
