Its a hard life being a food blogger and today was the perfect example, when out of sheer love and devotion to you dear reader, I ventured out to Meanwood to take a peek behind the scenes at Cutting Cake Patisserie. Its nearly Valentines day so I make no apologies for the abundance of choccies, love hearts and romantic stories in this post!
Husband and wife team Mark Shipway and Nang Kham-Mai run Cutting Cake from their home in Meanwood. Kham-Mai came to the UK from Burma in 1999 to live with her brother in London. From there she moved to Leeds to train in craft baking at Thomas Danby college. Her plans to return to Burma to open a Western style patisserie were foiled when she met Mark on the same course and they fell in love. They got married in 2004 and now have two gorgeous children.
Kham-Mai remained at college learning about chocolate and sugar technology whilst Mark started working in a patisserie making wedding cakes and chocolates. They set up their own business together 3 1/2 years ago.
Today Mark was in the kitchen whilst Kham-Mai was on child care duties. I chatted to Mark about the business while he tempered some chocolate- a delicate process of heating and mixing the chocolate so that sugar crystals form in a controlled, uniform way giving the finished product a nice crisp texture and glossy appearance.
I watched as he piped sentimental messages onto some ganache filled choccies. Unfortunately for me, Mark is rather good at this so there were very few spoiled ones for me to ‘take care of’! I also got to watch as he hand made chocolate roses with amazing skill.
Apparently the secret to good chocolate is good quality ingredients. “I let the ingredients speak for themselves and don’t mess around with them too much”. “We make things in small quantities and sell them quickly meaning that they are always fresh”.
I have been a fan of Cutting Cake’s chocolates for a long time and can personally vouch for how good they are. I particularly like the truffles, with their smooth and often boozy ganache fillings. Its obvious that a lot of time is spent getting the appearance as well as the flavour of the products right.
You can find Cutting Cake at the Leeds and Headingley farmers market where they sell the full range of goodies such as champagne truffles, cake by the slice and for the next couple of weeks, themed Valentines goodies such as heart shaped lollies. Cutting cake also make the most amazing chocolate covered birthday cakes to order- check out the pictures on the facebook page!
As a sign of our love for you, we have a Cutting Cake Valentines gift to give away. Flattery gets you everywhere- so pay us a compliment in the comments box below and if you make us blush enough, a hand made, heart shaped box made of chocolate, filled with truffles could be yours! Comp closes 12 midday 11th Feb.
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
No, because you wouldn’t like that, I know you’ll say.
Instead, I’ll compare you to a bird…
No, maybe instead a storming herd
Of wild wildebeest. No that’s too weird –
I’ll compare you to my favourite beard!
Or to a starry, cloudless night?
Or maybe an airplane in mid-flight
With sounds of wailing babies caught
In turbulence. I think I ought
Really not to compare you at all
Because there’s nothing, tiny, big or small
That could do you justice. I’d rather just
Tell you of my un-ending lust
For delicious choccies…whoops I mean
For you, my sweet! You see, I’m keen
To win this prize, cause Valentine’s Day
Just makes me want to go away
And spend the time propping up the bar
Instead of worrying about the cards
I won’t be receiving. So please
Stop being such a bloody tease
And let me win the competition!
My plan will then have found fruition:
To spend Valentine’s Day in the pub
With choccies, wine, some decent grub
And maybe some friends. But that is all.
But don’t worry love, I’ll give you a call.
How romantic! *Swoons*
^ Iambic brilliance.
Hi Katie,
Well done and good timing, its great you focus on a local artisan chocolatier at a time when so much mass produced rubbish is being sold.
Love the pictures.
Don’t forget Cutting Cake are also to be found every 3rd Sat at Oakwood Farmers Market.
Mike
These look fantastic!
Will definately be making a visit, perhaps to buy something for the other half for valentines.
Yum!
p.s. please enter me in the competition too!
An excellent article, well written, and with yummy pictures! Can I get some chocolate please? 🙂
Katie, how have I only just discovered this blog?! I’m quite jealous that you got to see behind the scenes.
Loved this post and your hair looks amazing today 🙂
looking good today, as do those choccies….
I want the prize. Its cute.
As you’ve already announced I won’t be winning it, I will have to “accidentally” put it in my bag and take it home with me next time I am round.
Your blog is so well written and your hair looks lovely and your eyes are sparkling x x