In December, much of the world sees things the way I do. Artistic cakes, cookies, snow globes, chocolates, and vividly wrapped confections fill shop windows, screens, and billboards. They are everywhere. For over 17 years, I have explored the pastry arts, sometimes as a chef and sometimes as a gypsy traveler hoping to capture in pictures and words the artistry that brings so much joy to so many. For Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice and all assorted festivals of light and beauty, I share my photo tribute to the pageantry of pastry arts.
Maison Kayser in New York
Raspberry Chocolate Cake
Paris
Cakes from La Cabosse d’Or in Canada
Plated Dessert-Le Cordon Bleu
Glazed cake with berries
Jacques Torres in NYC
Chef Orlando’s Gateau L’opera
Dobos Torte-Gerbaud’s-Budapest
Gaufrettes in Switzerland
Apricot-glazed Cheesecake in Iceland
Hazelnut chocolates at Sprungli in Zurich, Switzerland
Donuts in Iceland
Mignardise at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts
Cakes in Copenhagen
Flowers at Taft Farm, Great Barrington, MA
Black Forest Cupcakes from Chocolate Bliss; photo by Jennifer Martine
Gift of the Gods Chocolate Cake from Chocolate Bliss; photo by Jennifer Martine
Christmas Market in Copenhagen
Candy Crush Cookies in the Berkshires
Christmas in Copenhagen
Roses for mom
Glogg & pretzels at Copenhagen’s Christmas market
Matcha cakes in LA’s Thai Town
From Haga Bageri in Stockholm
Cake Slices in Copenhagen
Haga Bageri, Stockholm
From Haga Bageri in Stockholm
Paticcerie window in Turin, Italy
Snowflake Sugar Cookies
Chef-style Chocolate Chip Cookes & Chocolate Boxes; photo by Sam Epstein & Chandler Baker
Valentine’s art by Chef Ewald Notter
Beet Red Velvet Cake from Russia
Happy Chocolates in LA
Happy Chocolates in LA
Happy Chocolates in LA
Belgian chocolates
Happy Chocolates in San Francisco
Cake class at LCB
Cake class at LCB
Chocolate Ganache Tart at LCB
Black Forest Cake at LCB
Petite Fours by Chef Laurent Pages
Cake class at LCB
Bon bons from Sprungli, Zurich
The window at Sprungli
Strawberry Mousse in Waffle Cone at Landtmann Patisserie in Vienna
Sprungli in Zurich
Punsch Cake in Vienna
Imperial Cake at The Imperial Hotel in Vienna
Sachertorte at the Naschmarket in Vienna
Neuhaus Chocolates in Brussels
Neuhaus Chocolates in Brussels
Cornet Chocolates in Brussels
Cornet Chocolates in Brussels
Erdbeertorte in Berlin
Black Forest Cake in Berlin
Strawberry Cream Cake in Berlin
Chocolate Cake with Kumquats; photo by Rikki Snyder
Dobostorte in Budapest
Chocolate Mousse Tart in Paris
Chocolate Mousse in Paris
La Cabosse d’Or in Canada
La Cabosse d’Or in Canada
Cupcake ornaments in Quebec City
Patisserie & Viennoiserie in Quebec City
Photo by Jennifer Martine
Photo by Jennifer Martine, San Francisco
Italian paticceria in Florence
Chocolate squares in Florence
Giandujotti in Turin
Chocolate & roses
Photo by Gina Sabatella
Hotel Sacher Lobby in Vienna
Happy Chocolates (Susie’s Chocolate Line); Photo by Gina Sabatella
An easy recipe to make decorations like chocolate roses or forest animals from our book (ChronicleBooks.com, 2013; Susan Heeger & Susie Norris). Its texture is like Play-Doh and, unlike Play-Doh, it tastes delicious.
Amsterdam
Athens
Atlanta
Barcelona
Bergen
Berlin
Bogata
Boston
Budapest
Buenos Aires
Brussels
Cairo
Canaina
Cape Coast
Caracas
Charleston
Cincinnati
Copenhagen
Denver
Dublin
Florence
Great Barrington
Hanalei
Helsinki
Hollywood
Honolulu
Jakarta
Kyoto
Lexington
Lima
London
Los Angeles
Louisville
Madrid
Marrakesh
Mexico City
Melbourne
Montreal
Moscow
Nairobi
New Orleans
New York
Oaxaca
Oxford
Oslo
Paris
Prague
Quebec City
Reykjavik
Rio de Janeiro
Rome
Saigon
San Francisco
San Sebastian
Sao Paulo
Savannah
Seattle
Seoul
Shanghai
Sienna
Singapore
Stockholm
St. Petersberg
Sydney
Tokyo
Toronto
Turin
Vancouver
Venice
Vienna
Zurich
NEW BOOK BASED ON THIS CULINARY TRAVEL BLOG-click photo
December 2, 2017
I might not have been in a holiday mood before, but I am now! Thank you, Gypsy, for showing the way to the true heart of this season!
December 3, 2017
Yes, the heart of the season beats in those desserts!
January 15, 2018
The question is, where can I get some of those Happy Chocolates?
August 22, 2018
And how the season rolls around … darling girl …