New England Dessert Showcase 2010 – Part 2

There was no shortage of cupcakes at the Dessert Showcase. Yes they are trendy, but mini cupcakes in particular are highly practical for an event of this nature. They are small, easy to handle, not terrible fragile, and make for an attractive presentation. They are delicious and fun, and that is all that really matters.

I was smitten with the red velvet cupcakes with lemon cream cheese frosting made by Victoria of Cakeology. Victoria brought an assortment of fun flavors, as well as Cakeology’s mascot, a panda, who took pictures with attendees. Nothing grabs attention like a life-sized panda.

I never got a chance to try Keyks (pronounced cakes), but they brought with them the gorgeous three-tiered cake below in addition to cupcakes.

Konditor Meister in Quincy, MA had quite the impressive presentation with a fall-themed spread.

Always a crowd pleaser, Finale brought a never-ending supply of samples, including one of my favorites, blueberry cheesecake.

Harvard Sweet Boutique creates a bit of confusion, as people expect this to be a shop in Harvard Square. But they are actually an online mail order business that specializes in gift boxes of cookies, brownies and toffee.

The students of Southern New Hampshire University made a massive Boston Cream Pie. Slices were sold for $1 each and proceeds went to local charities.

The Brewers Cow, as the name might imply, makes beer-infused ice cream.

They served the first several hundred (maybe thousand?) in these adorable mini beer flasks. Don’t expect anything mild-tasting if you try it. This is full on beer-flavored ice cream.

TREAT! My favorite cupcake baker from Needham was there with a fantastic display of traditional favorites and some fun seasonal flavors. Adie told me she brought 700 cupcakes to the event! Even with 700 though, when I went to grab a caramel apple cupcake, they were all gone. I’ll have to stop by the shop soon to try one.

One of the most inventive things I tried all day was the Azuki Cream pastry from Japonaise. Japonaise makes French pastries with a Japanese twist and this one is a perfect example. The pastry part was like a croissant, and it was filled with a layer of azuki bean and  a layer of fresh whipped cream. I could not think of a better marriage of French and Japanese pastry. The outside was soft and flakey, and the textures of the fillings contrasted beautifully, the thick, dense bean paste against the light, rich whipped cream.

There are a few vendors who I neglected to snap pictures of, but that is just further incentive for me to seek them out in the future. They include Cakes an adorable cafe and bakery in Milton that brought delicious cupcakes to the event. I plan to visit them very soon, and that will be even easier as they plan to open another cafe in Arlington; Budi Bar- a wholesome bar made with hemp seeds, chia seeds, coconut and dark chocolate;  and raw desserts and treats from Revitalive Cafe, which I visited last spring when I went to Newburyport.

I want to thank Anthem Events for putting on a great showcase and inviting me to participate. It was a pleasure to spend the day with fellow dessert fanatics and to meet so many great producers and try their creations. And now I am passing the knowledge on to you. I encourage you to check out these businesses and consider them the next time you need to order dessert. If you have questions about any of the vendors or the showcase, please feel free to email me.