Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes

Though I am an avid Food Network devotee...I never really watch "Ace of Cakes". It's not that I have anything against the show itself...it's just that I am one of the, what, 5 people in this country that despise reality TV. The snark, the nastiness, the stupid game-playing, the total lack of shame and/or pride of the people involved...no, thanks. And yet, from reading "Ace of Cakes"...it appears that this is one reality show that has none of what I dislike about reality TV. This show is real, for one, and is about nice, talented people who love what they do and where they work. Whod've thunk? The creator of the style of cake, the place (Charm City Cakes) and the great working atmosphere is Duff Goldman. In this book, the reader learns a great deal about him and the people that he's drawn together to create magic. His talent and outlook on life and art are what inspire his business, his show and now, this book. "Yes, art can be something that hangs on a wall, but it can also be the shape of a building, the sleek lines of a race car, or lighted images projected on a screen. And, yes, art can be something you can eat. Food as art is a temporary medium, but, like all lasting art, where it matters most is not on the plate but in your memories." I think what made this book so interesting for me was the love and passion that came through...mostly from Duff, but also from the other artists at Charm City Cakes and those who are now part of that family by way of the show. These people love what they do and where they work. They also love their city (Baltimore) and the man who brought them all together. All parts of "Ace of Cakes" come together in this book...the artists, the clients, those involved in the show...even those people who blog about the show. It's a multi-faceted look at an amazing (and very positive) phenomenon. It made me think of the "If you build it, they will come..." quote from Field of Dreams. Duff Goldman imagined it, started it...and then drew people to him with his talent and personality. The pictures and illustrations are very well done. If you can eat with your eyes...I'd better avoid the scale for a while. And the gorgeous and outrageous designs...well, there's no putting those into words. Well, except maybe this quote from one of the decorators, Ben, might sum it up a bit: "...combining an aircraft carrier, a dog named Randolph, and a left-hand turn signal into one cake can be a daunting task." This book provided a fascinating look for me into an art form, a place, and some very talented and wonderful people that I knew very little about. Though I doubt I will be able to ever experience Charm City Cakes first hand, this book provided just a taste (sorry...couldn't avoid that forever...) of what this "more than a bakery" has to offer. "...mixing friendship with business is risky - because close camaraderie among management and staff can complicate hard business choices. Yet somehow we've made it work in

This is a beautiful book full of great pictures and fun facts regarding the show and the cast of characters that are on the show. The Book covers all the different aspects of the Food Channel's Ace Of Cakes show in a fun and informative way. Besides the fun bios of all the people involved in the show there's a Episode guide that covers all 97 episodes spread over the Eight seasons. In each show's synopsis is a listing of the original air dates along with the main techs that produced the show and input from Duff & his incredible staff along with many fun facts for each show. My copy of this wonderful book is perfectly bound and printed absolutely correctly and I gotta tell you this sumptuous treat of a book is a joy to behold

Love the show! Love the book! Ace of Cakes Fans: "This One's for You!" All the ingredients for what goes into the show. This is an Ace of Cakes "family album," including the cake decorators, an episode guide and of course the incredible cakes. You can follow the history of Charm City Cakes from its start to becoming the Food Network's Ace of Cakes.

Let me just start off by saying that I have the utmost respect for Duff Goldman and his staff at Charm City Cakes. I went to Culinary School and worked in a bakery right after graduation, so I can respect what they do day in and day out. And I only wish I had a fraction of the talent that they do. And after reading this book, everyone can also understand what they go through into making those beautiful, awe inspiring cakes that they produce every day. This is no cookbook. This book goes deep behind the scenes of the show Ace of Cakes. You learn all about Duff, how he got his start and how his crew at Charm City Cakes came to be. The book is filled with excellent photos of the cakes they make and of the staff themselves. And spread out through the book are stories about the staff and how they came to meet Duff. What makes both the book and the television show, Ace of Cakes, so special is that these are not just a group of people working in a bakery every day, doing a job. These are a group of friends that have grown into a close knit family and you can see that they love what they do and it shows in each and every cake that goes out their front door. So if you are a fan of the show or just have an interest in baking I highly recommend this book.

I'd give this book 10 stars if I could! I love the program so was curious to learn more about the "cast," their stories, more about what its "really" like to work together etc. I had no idea that Duff's brother was one of the co-executive producers of the show. Hearing about that story alone gave me goose bumps all over. Duff is an awesome writer as well as a cake designer, so the narrative was "extremely" enjoyable to read. Lots of pretty photos of very inventive cakes too. This isn't a cook book or a how to book but it does offer inspiration and some recommendations if you are interested in becoming a cake designer/decorator, but mostly its about the background story of the people working on the show which is incredibly interesting, fun, heart warming, and extremely rare and unique.