SAVVYBEGINNINGSBLOG.COM: Recent Comments

Comment on Beef Tips In Burgundy Wine Sauce

2009-07-13T07:24:17Z

Wow, I never knew that Beef Tips In Burgundy Wine Sauce. That's pretty interesting...

Comment on Beef Tips In Burgundy Wine Sauce

2009-07-13T07:23:06Z

That's great, I never thought about Beef Tips In Burgundy Wine Sauce like that before.

Comment on Beef Tips In Burgundy Wine Sauce

2009-07-13T07:21:53Z

I was just thinking about Beef Tips In Burgundy Wine Sauce and you've really helped out. Thanks!

Comment on How To Create Your Own "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory" Birthday Party That's Fun And Educational

2009-05-05T15:08:27Z

Michelle -

Thank you for your email regarding the Willy Wonka sugar art! At the time I originally made this cake, I hand-molded the boat completely out of fondant. Since that time, however, I have learned a lot more about sugar art and would recommend that it be made out of 50% fondant and 50% gumpaste, to get the cleanest and best look. The drying time will also take 1/2 the time and be a firmer consistency to work with, giving you an overall better look for your finished product.

SOME TIPS ON HOW THE BOAT WAS MADE

(Note: Overall, I would allow three weeks drying time for your pieces. Humidity, etc. can really change the stability of your pieces.)

I didn't use a pattern or mold in making the Oompa Loompas or the boat, but simply hand-molded everything. I just watched the original movie, paused the scene while the boat was going through the chocolate river, drew a sketch of the boat, decided how big it should be according to my cake size and other sugar art on the cake, and began by hand molding the base of the boat first.
Then, I found a bowl, which mirrored the proper size of the dome awning, molded my cornstarch dusted fondant over the outside of the bowl, trimmed the edges and left to dry. I made an umbrella-like skeleton for the inside of the awning, which was made out of 18 guage wire and sat underneath the awning for additional support and rested on the outer poles of the boat. If the awning, however, is made with the gumpaste/fondant mixture and has one to two weeks of drying time, there is probably no need for the additional wire reinforcement.
I measured the interior of the boat, lined it, and hand-molded the seats to fit inside.
For the outer poles, I took long pieces of 18 guage wire, bent them over at the top (to create a base for the awning to sit on, when completed), covered the wires with fondant and inserted them into the base.
The back wheel was made by taking a biscuit cutter and cutting two round disks. The holes were hand cut. The rods, holding the two wheels together, were made by covering cut toothpicks with fondant.
The flag on the front of the boat was simply hand-cut and displayed by covering a toothpick with fondant and inserting it in the front of the boat.
The windshield was made by taking the clear, plastic lid of from a small Dannon Yogurt container, cutting it to the proper shape and size, then trimming it with fondant.

Please let me know what time frame you are looking at needing your sugar pieces and I can tell you whether I would be able to help you make them, if needed. The cost for me to make the sugar pieces would be $45 for the boat and $25/each for the Oompa Loompas (plus packing/shipping costs). Just let me know what you think.

I hope that this will help you. If you have any other questions, with regard to making them yourself, please feel free to contact me, as I am happy to help you in any way that I possibly can. Thanks!

- Rhonda

ps. I really liked your blog! Your artwork is outstanding!!

Comment on How To Create Your Own "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory" Birthday Party That's Fun And Educational

2009-04-30T19:13:05Z

Can you tell me how you made the boat? Was that fondant also? How much would you charge to make the boat and a few oompa loompas?

Comment on Everyone Loves A Good Old-Fashioned Southern Pecan Pie!

2009-01-25T19:57:43Z

Tom -

I'm so happy that you and your friends enjoyed it! I like your suggestion for adding an extra 1/2 cup of nuts to the mixture, in order to get the proportions exactly right for your preference and taste. Glad you tried it twice, so that it was perfect!

That is always one of the most important keys in becoming a good baker/cook, I think...taking a recipe, "tweaking" it to your own likeness and taste, improving upon it and making it your very own. Great job!

Thanks for your comments!

- RhondaH

Comment on Sweet Sugared Pecans

2009-01-25T19:49:30Z

Cindy -

Thanks for trying them out! I hope they turn out perfect for you.

- RhondaH

Comment on Everyone Loves A Good Old-Fashioned Southern Pecan Pie!

2009-01-25T19:46:50Z

I know you'll have great success with this one, as the filling is so easy to make and takes less than 10 minutes to prepare. It's a "staple" pie for every fall/winter holiday table. Enjoy!

- RhondaH

Comment on Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix To Warm Up A Crowd On The Coldest Of Days

2009-01-24T14:16:08Z

Such a wonderful story! There's nothing like sharing hot chocolate with good friends in the cold! I loved snowball fights too in Chicago and we had plenty of it then, Florida of course we don't get snow but I still remember those times of sledding, making snow angels and what not! Thanks for sharing, put a smile on my face! Now do I have any hot chocolate, I suddenly want a cup!

Kim, Ordinary Recipes Made Gourmet

Comment on Everyone Loves A Good Old-Fashioned Southern Pecan Pie!

2009-01-15T07:00:46Z

I tried this pie recipe and it was very easy to make and even people who did not like pecan pie loved it. I added an extra 1/2 cup of nuts to the mixture on the second pie and everyone liked it even more.