Icing on the Cake 2

First, go see the incredible pictures in my photo album.

My mom and I took a trip to Copia to view the new exhibition of "extravagant confections inspired by architecture, art, animation, pop culture and imagination". We also read that there would be decorating demonstrations by the cake artists from the exhibition so that (and the free champagne) sounded like a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

We sat in on a demonstration by Beryl Ann Byrd of Just Fabulous Pastries where she showed how to roll out fondant and use it for unique cake embellishments. The cakes looked amazing, but I have no idea how they tasted. Fondant can be used to create a multitude of beautiful and unique designs, but frankly, it looks like it tastes nasty! After all 5 demonstrations were finished, the 5 artists stacked their cakes together to create a tall mismatched but lovely layered cake.

The cakes displayed in the cases were amazing, as you can see from the pictures.  Beryl took a moment to talk about her cake and how she made some of the decorations, like the tiles and the columns, and also shared with us her inspiration.  She modeled the cake after the art of Niki de Saint Phalle who died in 2002.  Beryl said that she likes to think that her cake is the kind of cake that Niki would have designed.  And after seeing Niki's Tarot Garden, I see exactly what she meant.  It was a touching tribute.

There was then a little lesson in the art of sabering a bottle of champagne, in this case, a Mumm’s Cuvee M, by a French Mumm's employee with a large sword. Basically, one runs the dull edge of a saber up the neck of a champagne bottle and when it strikes a weak spot it breaks the bottle’s neck cleanly while leaving the champagne safe to drink.  Leave it to the French to open a bottle of champagne in such an enthusiastic way. Our saberer explained that this tradition dates back to back to the 1800s, and it was the way that soldiers in Napoleon’s army would open champagne after a victory. A little research on the net revealed some details of this legend which is said to involve a test of Napoleon’s new officers: "Each assignee was given three horses, three bottles of champagne, three "willing girls" and three hours in which they needed to drink the champagne, have their way the girls and traverse a rugged, 20-mile course. "Sabering" the bottle while on horseback could save precious minutes for other tasks. The victory cry of Napoleon’s cavalry became "Sabre le champagne!" Hmmm, I call "Bullshit".  But still, that story is way more interesting than what I heard at Copia! Of course I missed the actual event because I was standing behind a pillar, but I did see the cork fly out over the lawn, heard the ooohs and aaahs and saw the cut bottle from which people were indeed pouring some bubbly. 

We lunched at Julia's Kitchen which was pretty good.  We had a very, very nice Nicoise Salad, an overcooked, uninspired Pork Chop, two well-matched wine flights and a generally nice meal.  I'd go back again for lunch, the service was friendly, the ambience was hospitable, and I like that it overlooks the lovely gardens.  I also really enjoyed the amuse-bouche, which is the kind of little touch that makes me want to give it a second chance.

The Icing On the Cake 2 exhibit runs until July 4, 2005.  Check it out.

Copia
500 First Street
Napa, CA 94559
(707) 259-1600

Comments

[Chris]

Wow - those are some amazing cakes.

Looks like clay. Probably tastes like giant cookie.

[Barbara]

Sabering is indeed an impressive thing to watch, but the myth does sound rather...mythic, doesn't it?

[Zanny]

What a fun day! And a perfect analysis of the event. The pictures turned out very well despite the cakes being in glass cases surrounded by glare.