Is there gold in the batter or diamonds in the frosting?
Let's get this out of the way, I enjoy watching the Food Network.
Now I don't like everything nor everyone on the channel, as I think Bobby Flay is an overrated hack ("now let's add some jalapenos to that!") and Rachael Ray is the truly the spawn of Satan (may you drown in EVOO devil woman). But on the whole, I could just turn my TV to Food Network and just leave it on. And the shows I most enjoy watching are - Iron Chef America (Bobby Flay be damned), Good Eats, Unwrapped, Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives and Ace Of Cakes.
Ace Of Cakes is a fun show. The staff seem really cool, even if Duff comes across as a total goofball. In fact, they seem like the kind of folks I'd probably hang out with if I lived in Baltimore. And the cakes they make are quite impressive. So after watching many, many episodes of AoC, I became curious as to how much one of those suckers would cost. Well, I looked it up on their official website (http://www.charmcitycakes.com/noflash/index.cfm?rd=faq) and to my astonishment, this was listed in their FAQ:
"Due to the care we give to each cake and the one-of-a-kind nature of each order, we require a minimum of $1000 on all of our cakes."
I'll wait as you re-read that sentence. Yes, a MINIMUM of $1,000 on all their cakes. Minimum!!! And you know that the minimum would be the most basic round yellow cake they can slap together. Which makes me wonder about the inconceivable price of their truly ornate and elaborate pieces.
That's crazy, right? I mean, who in their right mind pays that kind of money for cake?!? I know it's "art" and he's a "celebrity" and all that shit, but it's still a fucking cake. Is there gold in the batter or diamonds in the frosting? And let's be honest, from the more recent episodes I've seen, it doesn't even seem they have a lot of actual cake in their cake anymore. Maybe 30% tops, as the rest of it appears to be totally made up of fondant. But seriously, $1,000 minimum for a cake. And get this, their delivery is "roughly $175 an hour." Does that include the camera crew too?
But it hasn't always been that way. Further online research (well a lame ass google check - http://blog.kimvallee.com/archive/2007/01/29/1450.aspx) shows that the starter cakes were only $200 as early as January 2007. Granted, still pricey but not completely unreasonable. Then the price went up to $500 that same August. And now, it's $1,000. Holy crap does having a TV show go to your head. No wonder Duff is laughing like an idiot all the time, he's laughing all the way to the bank.
I'll admit that I'm no expert on entertaining, social functions or catering, so maybe his prices are actually "normal," I have no idea. But that still seems pretty extravagant, no matter how you slice it. And now everytime I see the show, all I'll be thinking about is how much he's overcharging someone for the "privilege" of having one of his cakes. Maybe Rachael Ray has a brother I don't know about...