Festival Cliche’: Cakes
Cakes are considered to be the epitome and the culmination of all things pastry and nice. Cakes are soft, sweet and quite nice to look at it is almost a shame to eat it. They are made up of the highest and finest quality flour, the prime of the crop, the most irresistible of basic ingredients known to man. You could say that cakes represent all that is good about food (except diabetes but let’s not talk about that).
By tradition, a sweet, delicious cake is a type of baked food that is of the pastry nature. Sweet, baked (traditionally. There are cakes that need no baking…like the ice box cake type). The basic ingredients to a wonderful cake is a base (consisting of dry ingredients and liquid ingredients). These are usually flour for the dry, and something that could bring out the gluten (a binding agent) from it, like something simple like water, or complicated like egg yolks. Fats and liquids are added to further strengthen the base and add flavor or color as well. This is for the normal cake though, there are special cakes that break the mold of convention through rigorous substitution and what not.
But do you have any idea what a good cake is for a festival run? First, try and check what the environment is like. Check the temperature, check the people that come in. Is it hot? Too cold? Are the audience the kid type? The adult type? Depending on the temperature, it would affect what contrast you have in mind. Kids making up the general population, your cake should focus on fun and colors. Otherwise, sophistication and taste should be your priority if you have the classy gents and the snobbish ladies (chocolate is still your best bet).
Cakes can directly affect the mood of a person, and it can also be used to tantalize people into buying more. A sour cake, for example, improves the appetite of whoever eats it. Perhaps serving one would coax them into splurging on some sugar. Or opt for artificial sweeteners, to cater to diabetics and those that are watching out for the bulge.
Cakes are all around. They can support themselves if need be, you just need a willing audience and a whole lot of networking. And innovation too. You must keep cakes from getting boring. Add some pizazz. Spice them up when needed. Cakes are the star of the show, YOUR show. A little bit of flare and enthusiasm would certainly go a long way for you and your cake.