Ace of Cakes

Ace of Cakes: End of the Cake Line

An Outstanding Show Calls it Quits

by Joi

Darn.

Double darn.

Double dirty darn.

One of Food Network’s most creative, imaginative, and addictive series, ‘Ace of Cakes’, is coming to an end.

The amazingly original series starring Duff Goldman and his team of geniuses at Charm City Cakes will end after its season 10 airs in January.  I guess you can tell I’m bumming hard.  I love this show!  Duff and his wonderful staff are as entertaining as they are talented and the series is unlike any other – anywhere.  It’s as addictive as coffee and as sweet as chocolate.

And it’s headed into the home stretch.

Insert another double dirty darn right here.

Duff Goldman – The undisputed Ace of Cakes – announced the news on Charm City’s blog.It’s true: All good things must come to an end. ‘Ace of Cakes” 10th season, set to air in January, will be our last,” he wrote.”
HOWEVER, Goldman and his cast of characters aren’t exactly riding off into the sunset with icing on their hands.   In the same post, Goldman wrote, “Although we can’t reveal too much yet, there are definitely plans afoot for some big things for us in the future. Some of those plans involve TV cameras, some don’t. But believe you me, we ain’t going anywhere.”

Food Network senior vice president Bob Tushman confirmed that the network is developing new show concepts for Goldman.

The thing I love most about the Ace of Cakes series is the people.  They’re SO different from a lot of the people on somewhat similar shows.  These people are COOL- they aren’t raging lunatics, rude bullies, or obnoxious dolts.  They’re… well, cool.  And let’s face it, cool people are very, very rare on television these days.

Rare and about to become darn near extinct.

{Darn.}

Be sure to tune in for Ace of Cake’s One Hour Holiday Special this Saturday November 27, 2010. My dirty darns and I wouldn’t think of being anywhere else.

My family and I are huge Guye Fieri fans. We all love the Food Network and have for years and years. Remember Gordon Elliott’s Door-Knock Dinners, the original Iron Chef, East Meets West With Ming Tsai, The Galloping Gourmet (great fun!), From My Garden with Curtis Aikens (Great food, great recipes, great personality – where oh where did Curtis and his garden go?!), Grillin’ and Chillin, Molto Mario, Nigella Bites, Too Hot Tamales, Ready-Set-Cook!, The Naked Chef, Pick of the Day, Food 911, and Emeril Live…. Live (one of the best shows ever – cooking or non-cooking)? Remember when $40 a Day and 30 Minute Meals were fresh off the stove? Remember when you first laid eyes on Alton Brown?!

Remember the first time Paula Deen charmed us all?! She still charms the paintings off the wall and Rachael Ray is still a breath of fresh air. And Alton Brown? What can you say about him? He could read a Physics book out loud and make it fascinating. He’d also make it understandable!

Uh, yeah… I’ve been a major fan of the Food Network for some time now. Over the past 5 or 6 years, unfortunately, some favorites have disappeared. Some chefs have wanted to ditch this or that show and move in a different direction, some have just fallen off the face of the earth – that sort of inevitable thing. Many have taken on new responsibilities and new shows and their original ones kind of fell by the roadside. However, the Food Network is extremely clever and darned good at what they do. They brought along Ace of Cakes and Guy Fieri and… in the opinion of this Food Network fanatic… saved the network. Most of the episodes on the Food Network are still can’t-miss television, even if we do miss a lot of the greatness from the past.

Guy Fieri is greatness in the present. He has a certain charisma, likability, and over-the-top charm that the Food Network needed JUST when it needed it the most. I’ll just be honest, some of the shows were beginning to put me to sleep! And I can’t say that the competitions are my favorite things to watch…. although I did love The Next Food Network Star.

Guy’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives is one of the funnest shows on The Food Network.  Guy has a way of bringing out the character in everyone he meets – making them almost as entertaining as he is.

If you’re also a Guy Fieri and Diners, Drive-ins and Dives fan, you’re going to love this: There is a new application dedicated to Diners, Drive-ins and Dives called Triple D App. It’s available on both iPhone and Android platforms. Miss an episode or two? Now you can see them right from your phone. Planning a Diners, Drive-ins and Dives trip of your own? Get a head start and see the menu (if available). Need directions? No problem, there’s a map to guide you on your way!

Come on, could this be any cooler? Click HERE for more information.

Food Network Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: Season 1-3

Food Network Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: Season 1-3

Are you a cablevision customer?  Do you love Food Network?  Would you greatly miss Alton, Paula, Rachael, Ace and Guy if they suddenly stopped coming into your living room?

If you’ve answered yes, yes, and you bet I would – it’s time to act before it’s too late.
Food Network may be dropped from your TV lineup.  That would mean no more Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, no more Paula Deen, no more Bobby Flay, no Alton Brown, no Rachael Ray and no more Ace or his cakes.  Good Lord! I can’t even imagine.

What can you do? Demand that Cablevision keep Food Network on the air by sending an eCard or calling 866-695-BEST.  Due to the high volume of calls you may receive a busy signal, just keep trying.   You can also  send an eCard.

Spread the word on Twitter, Facebook, to your e-mail buddies, and around your neighborhood.

If you rely on Cablevision for your television viewing (at this moment I’m EXTREMELY thankful that I do not), rally the troops and save this wonderful channel.  How ridiculous for cablevision to even THINK about ditching The Food Network.  I’ll bet a lot of the other ridiculously stupid channels aren’t even being considered.

Speak up and speak out!

For more information and to stay up to date on the situation, check out I Love Food Network.

Food Network Ace of Cakes: Seasons 1-3

If you or someone you know is as hooked on Ace of Cakes as I am, here’s something you have to look into: Food Network Ace of Cakes: Seasons 1-3! Yes, please.

I actually had a major dental procedure yesterday which meant coming home and crashing for the rest of the day. I would have loved to have had a stack of Ace of Cakes episodes to help me recover – watch a few I Love Lucys, then a few Ace of Cakes, then a few Andy Griffiths (oh that Barney)….

From the Website:
If you can dream it, Duff Goldman and his team of artists and bakers Baltimore’s Charm City Cakes can make it into a cake. As Duff says, “this is not your mom’s cake shop.”

Duff’s rock n’ roll spirit and endless creativity makes him one of most wildly inventive culinary artisans you’ll ever meet.

Season 1 Disc One Episode 1: Triple Crown Cake Episode 2: Hell Week Disc Two Episode 3: Wedding Cakes and Headaches Episode 4: Life’s a Zoo Disc Three: Episode 5: Duff Goes to Hollywood Episode 6: Cake Walk

Season 2 Disc One: Episode 1: The Boss is Gone Episode 2: Four Weddings and a Rat Episode 3: Great Scot Episode 4: Monkey Business Disc Two: Episode 5: Tributes and Tribulations Episode 6: Flying High Episode 7: Milestones and Monuments Episode 8: Cake-Tastrophe Disc Three: Episode 9: Shell Shocked Episode 10: Dr. Duff Episode 11: Playing Games Episode 12: The Super Cake

Season 3 Disc One: Get ready for more great cakes from the crew at Charm City Cakes. “Wedding Bells and Shotgun Shells”, “Tattoos and Traditions”, “Mary(Alice) Go Round”, and “Challenge Road Trip” are four great episodes that should satisfy your cake cravings. Disc Two: Go into sugar shock with four more delicious episodes. “Wishes Granted”, “Rock & Roll”, “Stadium Games and Eating Brains”, and “Battleships and Birthdays” feature amazing cakes that highlight the incredible creations of Duff and the Charm City Cakes crew. Disc Three: From classic board game cake, to a tank cake, to holiday traditions, Duff and the gang bake up a storm for the final five episodes of the season. “Charms and Charities”, “Uncle Sam Wants Duff”, “Coach Duff”, “Charm City Christmas”, and “Hairspray Premiere” include many memorable creations from the team. Closed captioned for the hearing impaired. Plus, each disc contains exclusive bonus footage! Join Duff and his team on a behind-the-scenes tour of Charm City Cakes, listen to Duff talk about color, the inspiration behind the cakes, living where you work, and more!

If you’ve never had the pleasure of watching Ace of Cakes – buy these DVDs and find out what all the fuss is about.  I don’t know how they make a series about cake decorating so addictive, edgy, and fun – but they most certainly do.  It’s like chocolate for your brain and I have no intention of ever missing a bite.

Who needs John or Kate?  When it comes to “Reality TV,” the really great stuff is in the kitchen.  The outstanding success of the Food Network has gotten the attention (thankfully!) of other networks. There are food-related television shows cropping up all around the dial.

One of the most popular is TLC’s Cake Boss.  Personally, I love both shows and couldn’t pick if I had to. Can I just say, however, that TLC has brought their A game to television?! Recently, I was watching a show on TLC and I found myself just completely engrossed. When it went to commercials, there were two different other TLC shows that caught my attention. I thought, “Wow, they’re in it to win it!

An online division of camps is sort of shaping up.  There’s Team Ace of Cakes and there’s Team Cake Boss – all in all, the excitement has to make TLC and the Food Network smile ear to ear.

How about it?  Which is your favorite show?

Food Network Favorites As you know, I’m a huge, huge fan of the Food Network. Paula Deen, Ace of Cakes, Rachael Ray, Guy, Tyler Florence, Nigella Lawson, Giada, Alton Brown, and on and on. Love them all. I’ve also seen and loved every Search for the Next Food Network Star episode – fascinating!

This is simply a network that is frequently on in our household.  I got hooked when they first started rolling and I’ve been delightfully hooked since.

I often get e-mails from people asking what cookbooks and/or advice I’d recommend to cooking newbies – I give the standard advice you’d expect from me:

  • Use buttermilk in as many recipes as possible
  • Use butter instead of margarine as often as you can.
  • Read the recipe through ENTIRELY before beginning.
  • Season like you mean it, BUT go easy at first.  You can always add more but you can never add less.
  • Keep your cleaning tools clean.
  • Get creative, don’t fix the same thing over and over again!
  • NEVER use instant mashed potatoes, not even as a joke.
  • Fall in love with Olive Oil.
  • Learn to make homemade bread – especially sourdough.
  • Leave the biscuits in the can and the cans on the shelves.  Make your own biscuits.
  • Take pride in everything you make.
  • Experiment with different herbs and spices.
  • Rosemary loves chicken.
  • Basil loves tomatoes.
  • Use fresh ingredients.
  • Make meals more special with bright, colorful napkins and beautiful dishes (even if they’re disposable!).
  • You don’t have to spend a fortune to fill a belly. Buy in bulk and freeze what you don’t need… until you do need it!

These are the tips I dish out the most often.  Sometimes there are extra ones – I guess it depends upon where my brain is at the time.  I also list my personal “Must Have” cookbooks (which of course includes the Food Network Favorites, pictured above)  However, I always stress that one of the most important things a new cook can do (and should do) is watch the Food Network religiously.

There are several reasons.  For one, the cooks on this network are the best of the best.  Bottom line:  They know what they’re talking about!  Some of my favorite recipes, and the ones I use again and again, are recipes I first saw on the Food Network.

Another reason is this:  You’ll pick up on the excitement, fun, and passion for cooking that these cooks have.  It’s contagious and you’ll fall in love with cooking again and again and again.

When I first started this recipe blog (as well as the website), I kept a Food Network daily schedule to the side.  It became so much work that I stopped doing it.  However, it appears that I’m far from the only Food Network addict out there!  I’ve gotten so many e-mails from people wanting to have the updates again, that I’m going to start a daily “Today on Food Network” category.  Each day, I’ll post what you can watch for on that particular day.  They’ll be what I consider the BEST of the day – the episodes and recipes you won’t want to miss.

Today on the Food Network!

Tyler’s Ultimate – Ultimate Sloppy Joes
* Butternut Squash Coleslaw with Honey Goat Cheese Dressing
* Homemade Bread and Butter Pickles
* The Ultimate Sloppy Joes
* Crispy Parmesan Butternut Squash Chips
3:30, 2:30 C

Good Eats – Coconut Cake Revival
* Coconut Cake with 7-Minute Frosting
* Coconut Milk and Cream
* Coconut Extract
8:00 pm, 7:00 C

Good Eats – American Classics: Creole in a Bowl
* Red Beans and Rice
* Pickled Pork
8:30 pm, 7:30 C

Ace of Cakes – Cake-tastrophe
9:30 pm, 8:30 C

Rachael Ray's Kentucky Burgoo Burgers

Today’s Food Network line-up makes my Kentuckian heart skip a couple thousand beats. Yeah, that good.

First of all, early this morning on Boy Meets Grill, Fried Chicken is the star of the show. Sign me up for any show where Fried Chicken’s center stage!

On Everyday Italian (the 4:30 pm episode), Giada will make pancakes with ricotta. I love pancakes almost as much as fried chicken, so I’m completely on board for that. Also, I love cooking with ricotta – whether it’s lasagna, manicotti, or stuffed pasta shells…it’s one of the most agreeable cheeses in the world. I can’t wait to see how she uses it with pancakes!

Immediately after this Everyday Italian, the Barefoot Contessa has an amazing sounding episode featuring Mac and Cheese, Peach Raspberry Shortcakes, and Radishes with Butter and Salt. Talk about beckoning to Spring.

As if that weren’t enough, Rachael Ray is even dedicating one of her 30 Minute Meals episodes to Bluegrass Burgers today. She’ll be making Kentucky Burgoo Burgers and Southern Succotash and Julip Sweet Tea. On the 30 Minute Meals right after the Kentucky one, she’ll feature Mac and Jack Salad and BBQ Chicken Burgers with Slaw – in her own words, “Yum-o!”

On Throwdown with Bobby Flay there’ll be more…. (wait for it, wait for it)…. Fried Chicken! The recipes will be Hattie’s Southern Fried Chicken, Fried Chicken with Ancho Honey, and Sauteed Swiss Chard with Red Onion and Serrano Chile Vinegar.

The 11:00 Good Eats ALSO features Fried Chicken! In between Bobby and Alton are my much-beloved and anticipated Ace of Cakes episodes. This is one of the most entertaining and enjoyable shows on the Food Network, I just wish there was a new episode every night. These lovable and talented people are the most entertaining people on television.

Great day on the Food Network – don’t miss a minute!

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