TLC’S CAKE BOSS of Hoboken helped the Tropicana Casino and Resort and Atlantic Cape Community College of Culinary Arts celebrate their 30th anniversaries in a “Sweet” way recently on the floor of the Palm Walk in the Trop Casino in Atlantic City. ‘Buddy’ Valastro better known as the CAKE BOSS on the TLC Channel reality show baked a vanilla and chocolate fudge cake for the occasion. It measured 5 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 4 feet tall and featured the six buildings that make up the Tropicana Casino and Hotel properties. It took a team of 10 people four days to complete. And as President and CEO of Tropicana Tony Rodio said “Anytime you have a celebration of any kind, you bake a cake, and what better way then with the Cake Boss himself?“ Valastro said it could feed 1,000 people, which sent the huge crowd watching the event into cheers, myself included. I guess Marie Antionette was right with the “Let them eat cake” line. I managed to get a piece of the cake along with the many other fans. It was yummy and moist. All around me happy people were oohing and ahhing and licking their fingers trying to get every last crumb.
The 12 Student Baker Contestants from the ACCA displayed their own cake creations that best represented the 30th Anniversary of Tropicana Casino and Resort which was judged by “The Boss” himself on presentation and taste. The two happy winners were Danielle Andreessen , 19, of the Villas whose cake was a replica of the Palm Walk and Erika Emmerling, 20, of Berlin, and her partner Amanda Raulerson, 21, of Toms River who created a four layer cake that highlighted the beach, The Quarter, IMAX Theater, and Casino. Emmerling said, “It was really hard work doing it while working and going to school, but it all paid off.”
Ruth Latorre, a chief educator for the Academy was on hand, and told us the students, who were divided into eight groups of two, were given a week to design and bake a cake using any method and flavor of their choosing. She said it was good to see the students use all the practice and hard work in the real world. Cape Community College of Culinary Arts has their own restaurant in B Building, on the ACCC Campus on the Black Horse Pike in Mays Landing, New Jersey called CAREME’S RESTAURANT. The restaurant showcases the many talents of the culinary students at great prices to the public. Call 609-343-4940 for reservations and information on their many special foodie events and happenings. I will be eating there myself in the coming days and can’t wait to tell you about it.
Valastro ended his 20-city tour Saturday at the Tropicana, but said he would love to return. You can check out his amazing creations at Carlo’s Bakery, 95 Washington Street in Hoboken, New Jersey or on his website www.carlosbakery.com. Also, you can check out his TLC shows CAKE BOSS, KITCHEN BOSS, and THE NEXT GREAT BAKER.
Michele Errichetti is from South Jersey born and fed. She comes from an Italian family where they eat, live, and breathe FOOD. Michele was cooking and eating under her grandmom’s feet every Sunday for “gravy” and at home with her mother ( a Medigan’ or American) during the week. Nowadays, she cooks for her two sons, husband, and father most days of the week. She takes “Girl Road Trips” with her friends at least once a month that always culminate with you guessed it, FOOD. She hopes fresh, local, organic, and free range will become the norm. Michele is searching Atlantic County for everything that has anything to do with good food and she’s taking you along for the ride.
