by Steven Bonasia, posted July 24th, 2006
About
Steven Bonasia
Steven Bonasia is a computer consultant from Texas - The Lonestar State. He manages his own consulting
firm with several employees, where he also dabbles in e-commerce business on the side.
My first exposure to really good (useful) cake decorating supplies was when I was a kid and used to watch
my grandmother baking and decorating. She would bake and cool a set of cakes, ice the layers and
the cake in completion, then�the moment of greatest delight for me�reach into a special cabinet and
retrieve cake decorating supplies in a package that looked like a gift box: the cake decorating
supplies were kept stored in parts, each part fitting into its own cardboard cutout form. Gram
would pull out the metal barrel, the plunger, the washer, and one or more of the tips...the tip to make
leaves, to make flowers, to do tubing, to set stars.
She would assemble the pieces and spoon one color frosting at a time into the cool metal tube, screw
on the plunger, and set to work decorating, which took hours that were probably grueling, though she
never expressed a single complaint and I never moved, enthralled as I was by the process, till she was
done. When I had my own home, years later, she sent me a set of cake decorating supplies that were
just like her set. I practiced occasionally, and found these decorators to be remarkable things
of beauty�in form and function (and durability).
Somewhere along the way, I lost or loaned and never got back my cake decorating supplies, and replaced
them with the ultra-professional frosting bags and decorating tips, which were just as lovely (though
if you have hot hands, the canvas bags transfer the heat�faster than it would with the metal set--to
the frosting and it will puddle, so hold the bag by the top where you have twisted or folded it).
Last year for Christmas, I wanted to give a friend who has recently gotten into gourmet baking a set
of those cake decorating supplies of yore. Not having time to go online, I found, stupidly, a discounted
cake decorator at a local department store. The thing doesn't stay closed (at the plunger and
cap), and it is plastic and stays greasy after washing. Ugh. Twenty years ago I would have
had an excuse, but today, I should know better...and use a source like eBay, where we not only find cake
decorating supplies but those of the quality of the originals: Look for the brand name Wilton or
use keywords like “vintage” or “original” or “aluminum”...for the
kind of cake-decorating supplies Gram had.
Recently Posted Articles
Our site is updated regularly. Here are just a few of the articles that we have recently added.
By Virginia Enella in Food & Cooking, posted August 26th, 2006
“A lot of vendors will charge for standard shipping, as well as FedEx or UPS expedited services.
Extra fees may be added on depending on how much you're spending. On the other hand, some steaks
online vendors offer free shipping with your purchase. Anyone who loves steaks can order them from
the comfort of their computer. While vegetarians may never purchase steaks online, meat-lovers
who want to save money might want to consider all their options the next time steak is on the menu.”
By Brett Henricksen in Wine, posted August 26th, 2006
“Of course, wine of the month clubs are really only for the very delicate palette. The taste comes
at a pretty penny, so if your main concern is with quantity, and quality comes second, or if you drink
on a very limited budget, then wine of the month clubs might not be for you. But me personally,
I only have about a glass or two a day, and so my wine of the month club, combined with the stock in
my extensive wine cellar, furnishes more than enough to keep me satisfied all year long with its delicious
beverages.”
By Craig Marcin in Wine, posted August 26th, 2006
“The winery will often give a discount if you buy in bulk. No matter what, the best wine values
are subjective in nature. You may love the simple boxed wine that many would shun. Your enjoyment
is fundamental in the value of your purchase.”
By Alfred Buechler in Wine, posted August 26th, 2006
“This can be quite inconvenient but it is a must if you want to save the garment. Wash the fabric
as you normally would after the soak but be sure to look for the wine stain before putting the garment
into the dryer. If the spot is still visible, try a laundry stain remover and rewash the item.
Your rug may need to be professionally cleaned if the white wine stain is still prevalent after a few
hours.”
By Brenda Nelson in Coffee, posted August 10th, 2006
“Kona coffee is grown with the utmost care and roasted to perfection. This way you actually get
what you pay for. Not like most of those coffee dives out there. Oh come on, you know the
ones. You step up to the counter after waiting in a long line, then you order some grande iced
white chocolate mocha latte, but for some bizarre reason it tastes more like yesterday's dirty, dank
coffee grounds.”
By Steven Bonasia in Coffee, posted August 10th, 2006
“There are a plethora of espresso machines on the market these days. Have you enjoyed your latte
coffee today? What is your absolute favorite way to have it prepared? Are you an over-ice
kind of coffee nut, or do you only drink it hot? We all love our java fixes prepared in different
ways. That's why it's great that there are so many diverse beverages in the coffee industry
now days.”
