weinerschocolat - Tumblr blog

[weinerschocolat]

I had many incredible moments since I started this journey of the magical cake. This one in particular, which actually started 2 years ago when I stumbled upon Carl Simard of Legion images at a TedX event, convinced me once again that the universe moves in ways that seem to synchronize everything around us. Watch the video to see the journey of Weiner’s chocolate cake and hear what others say about it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all those who helped make this project a reality – you are all amazing creatures!

Carl Simard- Producer and interviewer

Adina WeinerWeiner - Weiner's Chief magic spreader

Carole Gagnon - Producer assistant

Richard Groulx - Producer assistant

Viktoria Lihachoff Photographer Montreal - MUA & Photographer

#weinerschocolate #spreadthemagic #chocolatroyalartisanal #heartmade #magicalcake #chocolate #ajourneyoftaste #localproduct #mtl

[weinerschocolat]

A Jar Full of Magic

For a more intense experience, dust the jar full of magic with a sprinkle of pure cocoa powder.

Feel the moment!

[weinerschocolat]

My Father’s Sweet Tooth, The Bold Day!

He never really liked desserts, but always enjoyed tasty food, homemade or traditional drinks and cigarettes.

He is the most wonderful dad I could ever wish for, and I would do anything to bring a smile to his face and raise his spirit as high as I know it can fly.

I am a bit emotional right now because he encountered some health problems in the last months, but I am proud of him and his strong will, he is showing us every day that nothing is impossible, and that magic and miracles are always possible. He is my hero. He is as a beloved king is, the kind with 3 girls.

I will never forget how playful he was with us when we were children and he still playfully challenges us every day, but of course now in different ways.

Sometimes I get upset with him, and when this happens, I just remember all the moments of joy that we had together and everything bad passes. We used to jump and climb up on him as we would climb up a mountain and have hysterical fun. He always offered us a unique universe that made us happy, even when he used to joke with us by scaring all of our friends with a smile that I would instantly recognize, but my friends would not.

When I wanted to take a skydiving course, he didn’t tell me that he was scared to let me do it, but instead he went to the market and bought a photo camera for me and suggested that I take a photography course, which I actually took with enthusiasm and fascination thinking that I can take the skydiving course later and that it is better to enjoy my new toy.

When we moved to the house that my grandparents bought, he built a very tall fence, which people used to make fun of because they used to say that it was built to protect his girls from boys. I don’t know if it was true, but what I know is that it didn’t stop me from jumping over it one evening when he didn’t let me to go to a party. He caught me fully dressed in my bed after thinking that the noise he heard in the yard was caused by a thief. He punished me of course, but I felt relieved when I heard him laugh about my mischievous adventure with a friend, I knew that the punishment would not last forever and that I would regain his trust.

Asking me to bake the magical chocolate cake each time I visit him is also about trust. He asks me to bake at least one even though he never really enjoyed sweets and he can’t really eat chocolate cakes because he is diabetic. But he loves having people around him creating moments of enjoyment and sharing food and drinks with those dear to him. All of this always came as a gift that gave him pleasure.

One day he went to the fridge and he took a bite directly from the magical cake.  I wasn’t so happy to see the cake with a bite mark, especially since he was not allowed to eat anything with sugar. After I confronted him realizing that he was the only person in the house who could have done that, he told me that he was so curious to taste it because everyone seemed to enjoy it so much that he couldn’t resist the temptation to take a bite. And he said: It wasn't bad at all; it was like a strong shot of something that awakens all your senses. And then he showed me his discrete smile which suggested to me that he was not guilty.

So, I will continue to bake and offer the best of what I know, and I will enjoy this Father’s Day by nourishing myself and others with love and cakes.

To see the entire list of products please access this link: http://weiners.ca/tagged/Cakes

*Please note that this is not a dessert for people suffering from diabetes – it contains sugar.

[weinerschocolat]

Water And Its Magical Properties

The 24th of March was World Water Day. I realized that I didn’t write about water as an ingredient in my recipe, even though I promised I would write about all the ingredients that I use in my cake recipe.

Water is an expression of life, being essential for everything that exists on this planet. It gives life, energizes nature, our bodies and spirits. As if by magic, water shapes us and energizes our body functions, in my cake recipe water gives shape and has different qualities.

Water has a real contribution in bringing all the ingredients together in perfect harmony. It blends the ingredients together in a natural process, by swirling and aerating the chocolate.

Moving to Montreal meant that I had to adapt the recipe to new environmental conditions. I had to get a better understanding of my new environment. You can’t control everything, but you can always act in different ways taking into account the factors and context you face. Until you find the balance and the right proportion it is a long and frustrating process. Butter, for example, can contain water, would you believe it? Butter with a high content of water can affect the consistency and density of the cream.

Even if water is the purest and most subtle substance, it is pretentious and needs attention and moderation. 

Where does water come from?

Water seems to be infinite, but it isn’t. It surrounds us, falling from the sky or coming from the deepest mountains, from oceans and large coastlines, from endlessly flowing rivers and from the quiet lakes. From nature’s transformation. It comes from the deepest reaches of the earth.  Where you can also  find deep wishes and fears.

Water is a spectacular substance used in a purified state. Its power of harmonizing gives life and form of expression. I like to believe that water is an artist that makes magic.

The blend of ingredients energizes your senses and makes your taste buds dance with pleasure and delight.

Let me drive you through a journey of taste and sensations.

Using water in all its states

Water takes on many forms. It can be in a solid, liquid or gas state. Think about the meanings of all of these states and how they can all work together in a magical and transformative way. Through the complexity of the hand-made process, to the dissection of the facts and truths, to the acceptance of reality that sometimes is like a fourth dimension that makes you see outside the box.

Solid through its density

Cooling the cream is always a challenge, especially when you bake a large quantity of cakes. Last year when I was back in Romania for the winter Holidays, I baked for my friends in Bucharest for 10 days. It was a challenge, after that experience I realized that I need a professional mixer in my kitchen, and I bought one immediately after returning to Montreal.

This offered me the possibility to bake more than one cake at the same time.

But sometimes I dream of a big room full of ice, where I can just drop the cream and cool it in seconds as if by magic. Once upon a time I saw a refrigerated pantry in a friend’s kitchen. It was like seeing a dream in front of my eyes. I felt fortunate that I could see it before  my eyes, it was easier to imagine.

Can you imagine that?

The cake can be frozen. If you want to keep the cake for a longer time, and you can resist the temptation of eating it all, or if you want to send it across longer distances, it is recommended that it be frozen. Some dear friends of mine from Romania kept a cake in the freezer for one year eating it slice by slice for the entire year. The conclusion was that the cream was fresh enough, but the sponge cake wasn’t as moist it was on the first day - after a year. 

Humidity and very cold temperatures are to be avoided, but the jars full of magic can be kept at room temperature for not more than 48 hours. If they are left out longer, the product should still be good, but there may be changes in texture. 

Due to the airtight glass container, the jar full of magic has a longer shelf-life, up to 3 weeks, if it is kept in the refrigerator at a temperature between 0 and 4 C. 

The jars can also be frozen for longer storage; after defrosting, in order to maintain the same creamy texture, the cake should be eaten within 5 days.

The cakes are recommended to be eaten when the cream is melting, but still in a cold state.

Liquid - Sometimes I have the impression that time liquefies

Water is essential for our existence, for our health. We can’t live without it, it gives us and everything around us life. 

As in nature, water also has a purifying quality in my recipe, but too much water can be harmful because it accelerates bacterial growth. 

Water harmonizes ingredients and brings form and smoothness to the chocolate cake, it also intensifies the flavour.

Each ingredient I use has to be in perfect harmony and proportions with the other ingredients in my cake recipe.

“Ultimately, water will do its job to energize you and give you life then quietly take its leave; it will move mountains particle by particle with a subtle hand; it will paint the world with beauty then return to its fold and rejoice; it will travel through the universe and transform worlds; it will transcend time and space to share and teach. Water is magic.” - Nina Munteanu

With a touch to the mouth, the texture and the decadent taste of the cake electrifies all senses.

We use water to hydrate and balance our body but also in our cooking and baking recipes. Water purifies and homogenizes ingredients together and also changes their shape. 

How do we purify water?

There are a few methods of purifying water. The most common and handy is to boil the water or to use a water filter.

Ignorance is not healthy, it can bring evaporation.

Steaming is an old method of cooking that dates back 5000 years. Steaming is considered a healthy cooking technique that can be used for many kinds of food. I love to use it for broccoli and asparagus.

Water dissolves and gives shape and smoothness airing the consistency. Royally creamy, with the flagrance of the pure cocoa balanced by the tenderness of the sponge cake. Heavenly! 

Water Vapor

The fog envelops the fragrance of the pure cocoa fruit harmonizing with the sweetness and richness of the other ingredients. The whole process of hand making this magical cake is a learning process, a process of relief, creation and enlightenment, a process of elevation of taste. We should always be aware of sharing our knowledge with others in the most beautiful way we can.

“Water vapor is one state of the water cycle within the hydrosphere. Water vapor can be produced from the evaporation of liquid water or from the sublimation of ice. Under normal atmospheric conditions, water vapor is continuously generated by evaporation and removed by condensation.”

A delicate blend of carefully selected ingredients, pure cocoa, European style butter, sugar, eggs, water, a little bit of flour that also gives form to the cake, and of course, a lot of love.

The fluidity and density of blending dark and fragrant cocoa with European style butter that brings consistency and texture is a process where when you bake you start understanding that you have to be friends with water in any form it may appear. Humidity and steam are also forms of water and you have to take into account all of these factors to get the density and texture you want for the cream.

In the end I believe that water is magical from any perspective you look at it. I feel lucky that here in Canada water is free everywhere you go, even in the restaurants. It makes you feel that it truly is a human right.

We are water. Water is the most important nutrient for the body’s functions. In the same magnificent way that water is a required ingredient in my recipe. It dissolves and shapes the cake. It took me a while until I got to the right proportion of all the ingredients, especially when I moved to Montreal and I had to re-adapt to the local ingredients. But water, in any state can be a blessing, or it can be a disaster. Even the humidity in the air can change the texture.

I love water, I love swimming in the ocean, I enjoy seaside sunsets, … and I love cakes. I am actually passionate about a magical chocolate cake that I first ate when I was 7 years old and since then I have never tasted a better one.

I have been baking this cake for more than 15 years and since then I continue to learn about baking it and the phenomena of baking, and I can tell you that it is a real journey full of adventure.

Learning how to take notes, how to analyse results and how to do things that can lead to a better result. I am doing my best and I am learning step by step how to find more creative ways to spread magic with Weiner’s Chocolate. It is still a process of introspection and of developing the easiest way for Montreal’s chocolate lovers to buy Weiner’s chocolate cake.

Electrify your senses, pure chocolate cream, homemade using a secret recipe, baked with love and handcrafted with care.

The cake can be found in a variety of sizes, ready to satisfy your needs and to  bring joy to your special moment or celebration. The truth is that each day can be a real celebration!

The jars full of magic filled with royally irresistible chocolate cake, homemade using a secret recipe, baked with love by Adina Weiner can be found at L’Or en Grain in Plateau Mont-Royal.

[weinerschocolat]

Does My Magical Cake Serve a Self-Fulfillment Purpose?

Everything is possible and nothing is impossible.

When I was a child, I had a dream about a dream. It was a dream where I was dreaming and waking up each time I realized that I was dreaming.

I know, it sounds strange, but it is true, I dreamt about it. I remembered this dream one day when I woke up and I had another dream, a new one, a dream that I thought was going to change my entire universe. And this dream became real.

Bonjour, HELLO, BunĂ, Ciao, Hola, Shalom!

I believe in excellence, in working hard and in passionately doing what I love and what inspires me. Bringing joy to others by spreading delight with my chocolate cake is exactly what fulfills my personality. 

When I decided that I was going to focus my knowledge and experience on spreading magic with Weiner’s Chocolate Cake, I also decided that I would find a way to enjoy each moment and experience that my magical cake would bring into my life. So, I built a kind of ritual with my cake, a ritual that brings harmony to many aspects of my life, a ritual that brings me closer to the heart of the people.

Read about my connection with the magical cake: http://weiners.ca/tagged/Story

I came on this earth with my feet and I thought I was going to be a boy. Everyone thought the same, especially my parents. I am the third girl in the family. I was pretty sure that my role was to be the boy that my father always wished for. 

When I was 18 years old I left my hometown to go to Bucharest, the capital of Romania, for university studies and also to work for one of the biggest casting agencies in the country. My mother encouraged me, even though my father thought he was going to stop me by telling me that I had to make it by myself. I did it, and I also managed to pay for my university studies and I had enough to live and to take care of myself. 

Read more about my background and how I decided to move to Montreal: http://weiners.ca/post/146936320306/bienvenue-au-canada

But it was and will always continue to be a struggle to keep my independence, and I don’t believe it is valid just for women; it is also valid for men. Sometimes we  lose contact with our own realities and we are stretched by the realities of others, and I believe that we just have to continue looking forward and focusing on things that bring us the enthusiasm and satisfaction we need in our lives.

Consciousness – raising

A dose of enthusiasm for baking magical chocolate cakes that bring joy to others and drive me to spread magic everywhere I go.

Baking requires me to be focused on the present moment, to be aware of all the factors around me, so I can say that my baking universe keeps me focused on living in the present moment and on being attentive to details.

Vulnerability or Quality

I always had a calling for sharing what I know with others, and often times I found myself in a vulnerable position. But I found that being vulnerable can also be a strength. 

Hm, should I try more? I know I should try harder. How can I bring more joy to people? 

The perspective of an ideal beauty. Harmony of taste. A chocolate cake.

Would you, what? WHAT would you... like a...

chocolat royal artisanal. Irresistible.

You see, launching a product in a new market starting from scratch far, far away from my hometown, is a difficult task. I had to rebuild my entire universe day by day, and I also had to build a community around me where I could bring joy with the chocolate cake that I bake.

Is perseverance the key to everything?

It’s been a huge challenge to balance between what I wanted to accomplish with my cake and all the obstacles that I encountered. A few months after I obtained my baking license I was notified that I had to stop baking cakes because I didn’t have a work permit, even though I had a self proprietorship that gave me the right to work for myself. To assure the authorities that I would not bake until I got my work permit I ‘volunteered’ to leave Montreal in 3 days. I took it as it was and I complied. Anyway, I was planning to visit my family and to bake some cakes for my dear friends in Romania.

But this devastated me for a while since I couldn’t bake for a few months after I returned from Romania and I almost lost everything that I built here in Montreal during the first year. Still it didn’t stop me from baking, and I started immediately when I got my work permit.

And yes, I believe that perseverance is a key to almost everything we can dream about.

A cake, a chocolate cake, it’s, it’s,...

Would you, what? WHAT would you... like a...

chocolate royal artisanal. Irresistible.

What do I think I am?

One cake recipe. 

Fait maison en utilisant une recette secrete, cuit avec amour and passion d’Adina Weiner.

The Magical Chocolate CAKE that stays in your mind.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you... there are jars full of magic at L’Or en Grain!

Wait a second!

Is this jar full of magic? 

I couldn’t resist. 

“There are chocolate cakes and then there are chocolate cakes. This one stands out as just being simply phenomenal and it shows that it is truly made with love. From the beautifully decorated box, to the handwritten ingredients label, and finally to the cake itself, this cake is second to none! I highly recommend it, and this comes from someone who generally shies away from anything chocolate. The only thing about this cake is that if you're having a party, you shouldn't expect to have any leftovers because this one goes fast! Happy eating!”  -Matthew

It is so creamy and dense that it drives your taste buds to dance.

“This is a chocolate cake taken to the next level in every respect! I recommend it fully and promise that it is an experience you don't want to miss out on. The texture is delightfully balanced as its layers intersect for a perfect blend. It alternates between a spongy and moist base and rich chocolate creamy fill. The taste is one you won't forget, because the ingredients used are specially chosen of the highest quality. The presentation of the cake, between the beautiful imprint on top of the cake and the delicate and personal packaging is of a raised standard in aesthetics. Choose this delectable cake to celebrate and treat a friend, a loved one or yourself!Ț - Briah

“Absolutely delicious! Incredibly smooth and rich, the finest creamy chocolate cake, definitely the best cake I've ever tasted!”- Liliana

Vibration - magic takes different FORMS.

For examples: http://weiners.ca/tagged/Cakes

*jars full of magic are available at L’Or en Grain; You can also order jars and cakes in advance by sending me an email with your request to order@weiners.ca

Joyfulness. Chocolate delight.

FOLLOW your passion and... Spread the magic!

And yes, it does indeed. 

[weinerschocolat]

Do You Want My Love, My Beauty and My Magic?

Abstract love. Chocolate Cake.

People distinguish love by love for themselves, love for others, and also love for what they do, for what they are passionate about. But there is no difference, love is love and it is not something that can be divided.

“I think… if it is true that there are as many minds as there are heads, then there are as many kinds of love as there are hearts.” – Leo Tolstoy

I don’t know what is the truth, I have never been sure about anything, but I believe that love is more than a feeling; it is not just an emotion and it is not just a choice. It is the divine power of our heart.

We live in a narcissistic culture where people often experience a state of limerence, or an obsessive infatuation, instead of love, losing site of the fact that that feeling is just the first state of love that they are capable of. We tend to look at love as something we expect to come from outside, but love, in my opinion, is about giving. I can’t expect my cake to love me back, but I can master my love for my cake, for the passion that comes from my heart for chocolate and baking. I can focus and put as much love as I am capable of into my chocolate cake, and I can learn every day to love more and more, and to be more aware of my love - to be more conscious of it.

I was 8 years old when I had my first contact with the magical cake, and it was at my best friend’s birthday. I still remember the feeling of the first taste, I felt maximum pleasure, appreciation and satisfaction at the same time. It was like traveling to another world, a perfect one, experiencing a moment of elation. I kept this feeling in my heart without being aware of it until one day a few years ago, when I started to understand the feeling, and when my entire being felt ready to embrace the love I discovered.

Love also means accommodating simultaneous realities, making sure that the loved one’s reality, is as important as your own. But first you have to be aware of that reality.

I started to bake the magical cake shortly after I left my hometown, when I inherited the recipe from my best friend’s mother, assuming the responsibility to keep the recipe secret - since it was a condition that came with the recipe. And I had kept it secret while, at the same time, i learned how to share this precious gift with others without revealing the recipe- even though everyone that tasted the cake asked me for the recipe.

People used to tell me that I can become rich by baking this delicacy, and I used to tell them that I feel riches each time I eat the cake, and I just wanted to keep relishing the feeling by baking and eating the magical cake whenever I wished. But when I understood that baking for others can bring so much beauty and joy into my life I started to feel the power of love for this magical chocolate cake, and I realized that I could build a universe where I can live in harmony and beauty, as I wished.

After so many years of baking the chocolate cake, and a few more years of putting my focus into spreading magic with Weiner’s Chocolate Cake, I still feel in the first stage of love – the limerence.

Is my Chocolate Cake true love?

For me it is an ideal love. It is a kind of Romantic love that is deemed to be of a higher metaphysical and ethical status than sexual or physical attractiveness alone. It is my desire for beauty, a value that transcends my kind of being, my body and my mind.

For verily love knows not ‘mine’ or ‘thine;’ With separate ‘I’ and ‘thou’ free love has done, For one is both and both are one in love: Rich love knows nought of ‘thine that is not mine;’ Both have the strength and both the length thereof, Both of us, of the love which makes us one. - Christina Rossetti

I can look at my cake and see love, and I can break it down as philosophers once did a long time ago:  

The Eros – which means passion and intense desire. This is the beauty that comes with forms and ideas; it is a contemplation of beauty in itself, it is my expression of ideal beauty.

The Philia – witch is in contrast with the desire and passion yearned by Eros, entailing a fondness and appreciation of the other. This side of the cake incorporates into my life not only friendships, but also loyalties to family, community, job and discipline. It became a motivating component in my life that came from my love for others.

The Agape – this side of the magical cake represents the love for myself and for my cake, which is expanded to include a love for all humanity.  It also represents the dedication and love that I put into each cake I offer to this world.

I realize that we live in an age of certainties, where people think that due to scientific and technological development we can have accurate and absolute answers to our questions. Still, love remains a mystery that some of us strive to find and understand, and some of us strive to feel it.

Is there a secret in love recipe?

We can improve everything we do, even the love we are capable of. From my perspective, building a ritual of connection with my magical chocolate cake helps me learn how to love more consciously and to understand that our love is actually a life work and can grow in our hearts as the Spring flowers grow on the hills.

The Magical Chocolate Cake takes the shape of my heart and it is the love I want to share with all of you.

Get ready for this Valentine’s Day and choose love and passion for the one you love!

Jars full of magic, irresistible chocolate cake, homemade using a secret recipe, baked with love and care especially for this celebration of love can be found at L’Or en Grain. Besides chocolate, you can also choose from one of the best selections of artisanal coffees and a large variety of coffee accessories.

Find more details here: http://bit.ly/2nIBVRb

[weinerschocolat]

Weiner’s Chocolate Journey Enters 2018

2017 ended as it started, full of emotions and events.

Last year brought me the permanent residency of Canada, since at the end of the previous year I was being escorted to leave Montreal when I realized at the U.S. border that I shoudn’t bake cake in Canada until I get my work permit - even though I had all my liceences and a sole proprietorship set up. It was my misunderstanding, so I volunteered to leave Montreal within 3 days, surprising my family in Romania by ariving as if by magic, with one month before my scheduled arrival. When I returned from Romania to Montreal, in January 2017, I wasn’t sure that the Canadian border officials would let me back in the country, but they let me in under  the condition that I stop baking until I get my work permit. I respected their request and for a few months, until the end of April, when I got my work permit, I was quiet.

Four months without spreading the magic, a perfect number, another magical one. When I got my work permit I felt anger that I had to start over again and to continue spreading the magic with my chocolate cake. I also started looking for a job thinking that finding one could help me get back into a rhythm. Also, I thought that it can be a good way to get a better understanding of the cultural environment and people here, to practice my English and to start speaking French, to continue integrating myself in the Montreal community and to spread magic with my chocolate cake to as many people as possible.

Shortly after I got my work permit I was blessed with a full time job at Sears as a Visual Specialist. Another dream acomplished.

I had a dream years ago that I was doing widow displays in stores, but I never believed I would end up actually doing it. Well, a good oportunity for me to materialize my visions and to practice my creativity, to think in perspective, to organize my work better, and to do my best with the time I have. When I was hired, the company was in a reorganization process trying to change their store format. I was grateful for the opportunity to work at Sears, and I was ready to face any difficulty that I would encounter. 

I was pleasantly surprised by the good atmosphere and by the fabulous team who, taking into consideration the pressure of the company’s situation, didn’t lose their faith and enthusiasm, and they worked hard to avoid the closing of the store. It is sad that such a big company is closing its doors after 65 years in Canada and that so many people will  remain without a job.  You can read more about Sears history here.

I have colleagues who have been working there for more than 30 years, and for them they feel as though they are leaving a part of themselves behind - they will have to fill the void somehow. 

I continue to be surprised by the great people I work with every day, by their enthusiasm and dedication. How can you move 2 departments in a few hours? Well, first you have to wake up early to catch the magical morning energy, and then you need a kind of strong impulse for motion and a good team. The empathy of the people around and the force that still drives them to continue working and serving people until the end touched me in many good ways.

2017 showed me again that we can follow our passion and do what we love, that we can learn to be more open, more sincere with ourselves and to one another, that we can free ourselves. 

I always bring my cake with me in my adventures, and I am happy to share it with people that I meet. It is also my way of showing gratitude for the gifts that people share with me. 

Learning through this process and journey of my magic chocolate cake, I feel blessed with the belief that I found a harmonious way of life and growth, a way to follow my passion and to do what I love. I still learn how to be more open, more sincere with myself and with others, how to transcend myself, but I learned that growing up means finding myself.

I will paint the image of 2018 with dark chocolate cream, and I will call it again and again Weiner’s Chocolate. I will continue focusing my energy and knowledge into developing Weiner’s Chocolate and looking for new ways to spread the magic with my chocolate cake here in Montreal. 

Thank you for being part of the cake journey and stay close, the New Year brings new surprises, the journey of taste continues.

[weinerschocolat]

Is there some magic in sugar?

I know, it is a sensitive subject, and we may have different perceptions of it, but it is one of the ingredients I use in the magical cake and I want to talk about it. 

First of all what is sugar? 

Pure sucrose (C12H22O11), a common carbohydrate found in many plants and plant parts, it is present naturally in fruits and vegetables. Therefore, their molecules are a disaccharide combination of the monosaccharaides glucose and fructose.

Over the years, since fat was replaced by sugar as a way to increase the volume and preserve all kinds of products that you don’t even think can contain sugar, it became a problem. But truly, the real problem is not with sugar; it is with us and with our choices, with our moderation, with our sense of reality and with our discipline for eating from trusted sources.

The general perception of the people about refined sugar is that it should be something overly processed and manipulated, but in fact the definition of refine is “to make pure”. The refining process for sugar simply separates natural sucrose from the plant material, without it being exposed to a chemical manipulation or bleaching. Always remember, “Sugar Is All Natural ...15 Calories Per Teaspoon.”

Anything that is in excess will cause problems. I believe that sugar becomes a problem when the food industry starts using sugar in their products, and since sugar becomes a problem they start using all kinds of names of sugar substitutes. So, when you check the quantity of sugar you should also check the quantity of other common sweeteners, such as: corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, fruit juice concentrates, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, invert sugar, lactose, maltose, malt syrup, raw sugar, sucrose, sugar syrup, cane crystals, cane sugar, crystalline fructose, evaporated cane juice, corn syrup solids, malt syrup.

As I already told you, the source is very important. The big problem with sugar is that it comes in very processed products that contain different sources of sugar. When you eat a cake, or something sweet made by somebody at home or from a trusted source, you know what you eat and you do it consciously.

I want to feel the pleasure of the gifts that this wonderful world offers me; I don't want to be afraid that what I eat is different to what I believe I eat. But sometimes I make mistakes. I just realized that the cereal bars that I used to eat until recently contain three kinds of sugar sources. Looking at the ingredients at the beginning I initially saw nothing wrong with them, but when I realized that actually they could contain more sugar than I thought, I started to eat them more consciously.

It is a primordial need to be secure, and food is one of the energy  sources that can make us remember the feeling of security. Because you need to feel secure even when you feel pleasure, although the pleasure becomes something else. The more conscious we are about what we eat, the safer we are. To find the right source for food is essential to keeping our body healthy, and for experiencing a variety of tastes. We need variety and new taste experiences for our own creativity and development; to elevate ourselves through taste.

The recommended quantity of sugar per day is 37.5 - 25 gr. (9-6 teaspoon).

In 2004 the Canadian statistics show an average consumption of 26 teaspoons / day / person.

Sugar has many others functions besides the fact that it sweetens the taste of food. It is an essential ingredient for all bakers. It brings flavour and texture, softness and tenderness. It also has physical, microbial and chemical properties. It magically brings solubility, preservation and fermentation, and also has a high antioxidant activity.  

In its symbolic way, sugar has the role of “sweetening” things up. In my cake, the sugar is a strengthening warrior that enhances the flavour of the other ingredients I use in my recipe, and makes the texture of the cream springy. Even though I use sugar in my cake, a slice of cake contains less sugar than a person should consume in a day. That’s why a jar full of magic of 80 gr contains 1 slice of cake, the perfect portion of magic for a day. I was thinking that you can have a royal pleasure of eating a small dessert whenever you feel the need for something sweet.

“You must realize that, in order to undertake spiritual work of any kind, you must first be sure that you eat and breathe harmoniously. “ -  Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

Does our body need sugar?

I belive it does. Our body does need carbohydrates (starches and sugars) that are converted during digestion into glucose, which is the form of sugar that is used in our bodies for energy. Actually sugar is essential for your body to create energy to survive.

These sugars are absorbed from the intestine into the blood stream and travel to the cells, where they are used to provide energy for cellular functions.

Of course we can find substitutes for sugar, but looking around, the only one that I found that would fit with my future projects with the cake would be maple sugar. Unfurtunately, it is very expensive.

- Purple Parade by Rozi Demant

I belive that we should feed ourselves with beauty and well being, with things made with love and care, that give you good dreams. And if we think about the meaning of beauty, we will realize that one of the most widely used in history refers to harmony in its essence both in form and content. People always said that my cake has a kind of harmony of taste, the same harmony that touched me years ago when I first tasted the magical cake and it continues to touch me in many ways. 

 I believe in Magic!

[weinerschocolat]

Butter – The Activator X and spirit input

Each ingredient that I use in my cake is important and complements the others. Butter is the third ingredient in my cake, and is the ingredient that brings the softness and the fine texture to my magical cake. In a way, it gives it personality. 

Butter has been used for more than 4000 years in various cultural cuisines. It was even mentioned in the Bible, and studies of Indian culture tell as that it has been relished by people for millennia. It was considered sacred and respected for its nutritious potential.

Butter appeared after the domestication of animals, when people discovered that they could use the fat that the fermented milk produced, and that by churning the fat they can obtain a solidification of the matter. It was like a gift from the Gods that was manifesting through their creation.

“Butter is the churned cream of milk and was part of the Mesopotamian diet around 3500 BC. The ancients considered it a miraculous and sacred food, because it was a solidification of the nurturing properties of milk. Butter adds tenacity to all types of food and is used to soothe troubled relationships.”

In ancient Rome and Greece, butter was valued cosmetically. It was used as a cream to make the skin smoother and their hair shinier. It was also used as a medicinal substance being perceived to have healing properties, and it was used for skin infections and burns. The ancient Egyptians considered butter a cure for eye problems.

When I was a child I used to put butter on my lips to keep them hydrated and smooth. It was something that I did instinctually; I felt the magic that protects my lips when it was windy and during winter.

Butter is mainly composed of fat that is essential to human health. It was a challenge to find the right butter for my cake here in Montreal. With the butter that I found here I couldn’t obtain the same texture as in Europe.

European-style butter refers to a cultured butter that has been churned longer to achieve at least 82 percent butterfat. Traditionally the butter is allowed to ferment to achieve a rich taste — a direct result of the higher butterfat content.

The Canadian butter has a more neutral flavour and a high content of water. It is not cultured, that is why the taste is more neutral, and the color is almost white, while European-style butter has a yellow hue.

The mechanism of butter production is not really understood although it can be an emulsion of fat with dispersed particles of liquid (water), transformed in a solid form (fat), or it can be a destabilization of the fat globules through agitation, but after introducing air in the cream by stirring it.

I searched all over Montreal and its surroundings and all the butter was the same, an emulsion of fat with dispersed particles of water. I couldn’t accept that there is no churned butter in this beautiful town. 

Finally, I came across a blog post about artisans that had the same problem, and that there is a factory 350km away from Montreal that produces European style butter. It was like a guiding light that helps you find what you are looking for. I asked my husband if he wanted to accompany me on a short trip to look for the ideal butter that I heard about, and we drove to the Stirling Creamery in the town of Stirling, Ontario.  A wonderful woman welcomed us with warmth, actually she waited for us because we were late and it was the end of the day. She assured me that The butter is 84% fat, and that is made using European method. 

I bought a quantity that I knew would be enough for my future actions, and I was trustful that I found what I was looking for. I was so happy and impatient to bake with the 84% fat butter. The very next day I started baking and it was unbelievable how different it was compared with the other butter. The colour, the smell, the taste, the texture and consistency, were all different. It was worth the long drive.

The fat from butter has strong anti-tumour and anti-cancer properties. It contains conjugated linoleic acid, which is a potent anti-cancer agent, muscle builder, and immunity booster. It also contains vitamin D that is essential for calcium absorption, vitamin A, E, K, as well as essential minerals like manganese, chromium, iodine, zinc, copper and selenium.

I imagine that each ingredient in my cake has a power that makes it so magical, and when I started reading about all the proprieties that each ingredient has, I was surprised by how much we can feel their powers if we focus our mind on what we eat.

The fat from the butter gives the chocolate cream a special texture and a rich taste.  When I started baking this cake 15 years ago, I was fascinated by the fact that I had tried all the premium butter brands available, and there were many French and Dutch brands to choose from, and I can honestly say that I felt the difference in texture, volume and flavor from one brand to another. The people used to tell me that they felt the same pleasure each time they tasted it, and that they couldn’t decide if one was better than the other.

“Any substance resembling butter in degree of consistence, or other qualities, especially, in old chemistry, the chlorides, as butter of antimony, sesquichloride of antimony; also, certain concrete fat oils remaining nearly solid at ordinary temperatures, as butter of cacao, vegetable butter, shea butter.”

Studies have shown that many of these fat-soluble vitamins that butter contains can even improve sexual performance. Vitamin A and D are needed for sexual development, and also for proper brain and nervous system developments. Butter appears to contain about 30 to 50 units of vitamin A per gram, ranking in richness and weight.

It also contains the most mysterious vitamin - Activator X - a vitamin and catalyst found in animals with specific diets, like grazing cows. It has an amazing ability to increase the efficiency of the body when taking in nutrients from food sources, making the most use out of every nutrient that passes through our systems.

So, my cake has an Activator X in its chemical composition that helps the body to absorb all the minerals that butter and the other ingredients in my cake contain. Isn’t it magical?

“And it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk [that] they shall give, he shall eat butter; for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the land.”

[weinerschocolat]

Eggs: hope of growth and new life

Eggs are like miracles given by nature, and due to their form and magical properties, people always found meanings in them. It is true that you can learn from trees, from stones, from wind, from animals, and so on.

The egg is a symbol of light, of a new life and of rebirth that brings hope for life and regeneration. 

On the nutritional side, eggs are a good source of protein for our organism, they contain various vitamins like Vitamin A, B5, B12, B2, Phosphorus, Selenium, Vitamin B6, D, K, E, Calcium and Zinc.

The protein in its composition strengthens the muscles and prevents degradation. The vitamins and minerals that it contains are needed for the regular functioning of cells, the brain, the nervous system, memory, and our metabolism. Eggs Contain all the daily vitamins and minerals that are needed to produce energy in all the cells of the body.

Some vitamins and minerals within eggs help promote healthy skin and prevent the breakdown of body tissue. A strong immune system also contributes to a healthy look overall.

Light, life and harmony

It also has a significant role in my cake, but of course, like I always say, the source is very important.

I miss my mother’s basket full of seasonal vegetables, eggs, fruits and something baked by her. Since I left my hometown to move to the Capital when I was just 18 years old, she used to send me this basket 600 km away to ensure that I received my portion of happiness for each season, to offer me the taste of what she sowed in her garden, to feel and taste the fruits of her creation, of her goodness. 

I was always ready to receive my mother’s gifts even though I knew that I will never be able to give her as much as she has given me, but I wish I could.

Everything she ever offered means so much to me, and I miss her every day. When I was living in Romania, even though I was far away from her, I felt her close every second I was thinking of her. I still feel her close, but the difference is that we connect with each other differently. I was perseverant in preserving what she taught me, and all her gifts.  So, when I moved to Montreal I had to find the right source for everything I eat, and just as important, for the ingredients I use in my chocolate cake.

The organic eggs that you usually find in the stores in Montreal run through your fingers like something very liquid. I called my mom to ask her why this would happen with an egg. She explained to me that it is due to the environment of the hen, the feed that they receive, and if they are free or not to take the vitamins that they can find in a natural environment.

“Why won't these eggs hatch Just look, they crumble in the hands so empty it crushes my heart…”

I still remember my grandmother’s chicken eggs. Her chickens had names and they would happily run all over the garden, a few hectares of greenery and trees. They were like queens in paradise. They really seamed to have fun all day and my grandparents used to speak with them like they would understand them. Sometimes they ran after you just to make fun of life and dimension. Their eggs were like heaven - strong flavor, a big and colorful yolk and consistent. They offered such beautiful and magical eggs because they were happy and free to run and eat all the greenery they wanted. They also had grains and cereals from my grandparents’ fields.

Chicken Lady - The Pop Surrealism in the Art of Marion Peck

It wasn’t easy to find the right eggs here in Montreal because I couldn’t forget my mother’s and my grandparents’ small production of eggs for our daily consumption.

The only hen that I found that offers the quality that I consider appropriate for my cake is the Heirloom free range eggs that come in a beautiful color – a mix of pastel blues, olive green, and chocolate red - they have a rich consistency, a special flavour and a big and colourful egg yolk.

Even though I’m so far away from my mom, I still feel connected to her and my roots, and that also applies to what I eat. I like to feel good about the food I eat, to feel deep happiness and the connection with myself through what I eat, to make sure that what I assimilate is something good for my body, mind and soul.

Like seeds, the egg itself is a symbol of the potential of life, a symbol of the universe, of creation and in some cases a symbol of luck, wealth and health.

For my cake the eggs promise structure, form, texture, flavour and a real taste experience.

The circle of life 

The shape of the egg, the circle that is seen in everything that is around us, is part of our context. My mind is moving in circles, the earth is round; my cake is round, a circle without a beginning and without an ending.

It is interesting that Ancient people linked the magic of the new life to creation itself, believing that the world was formed from a cosmos egg. Such an egg features in the ancient beliefs of India, Egypt, Greece and Phoenicia. 

Brahma, the first god in the Hindu triumvirate emerged from a golden egg that floated in universal waters while Chronos, the personification of Time produced an egg from which the world’s creator emerged. He and his consort, the serpentine goddess Ananke (Inevitability), enveloped the primordial world-egg in their coils and split it apart to form the ordered universe of earth, sea and sky. After this act of creation the couple circled the cosmos driving the rotation of heaven and the eternal passage of time.

To ancients in all lands, the egg was the symbol of generation and immortality. In Scandinavia and Russia clay eggs were put in tombs to ensure life after death. A similar idea was signified in ancient Egypt by the winged egg floating above the mummy, carrying the soul to another birth. The alchemists spoke of the philosophical egg that combined all the elements of life, the container of thought and matter. The Greeks thought of the egg as the seven-fold vault of space, a symbol originally compounded in the dual centenary planes of the Cosmic Egg of Hindu tradition.

The importance we give to the meaning of the egg is evoked by its form as well as by its mystery.

“Its elliptical form describes the movement of heavenly bodies and of the earth itself. It describes the sphere of light that surrounds all living things. It is in the oviform that the potency of spirit in matter manifests. The Katakopanisad teaches that in the Spiritual Egg, Purusha or Divine Spirit stands before primordial matter and from their union springs the great Soul of the World.” 

As an element in my cake, the egg keeps the rest of the ingredients together and makes them grow in volume. It also gives the chocolate cream softness and an elastic texture.

The egg is a positive symbol and represents life, renewal, continuation and the future.

[weinerschocolat]

Cocoa, the flame of purity

Cocoa has a kind of purity that can be compared to the purity of water. It is like a tree of life that carries into its roots hundreds of natural compounds, which work busily to modify mood in the subtlest undeniable ways.

Chocolate came into my life like a mystical substance, a magician that improved and enhanced the magic in my life. It was said that it is the substance that is ruled by the Sun and the element of Fire and, in its natural state, is nearly indigestible. However, the people were always fascinated to transform that magical substance, to elevate the taste, therefore they started adding water, sugar, butter or milk and perhaps a bit of vanilla. In this way, they compensated for the bitter taste of the pure substance, attaining a harmony of taste so that our body can receive it.

The purity and the quality of the ingredients are essential in my cake recipe, and I believe that everything has a kind of vibration and that vibration is dictated by the source.

A few days ago one of my nephews posted a picture of him picking cherries perched at the top of the tree. My thoughts flew to my childhood when I used to eat fruits directly from the trees, directly from the source. That flavor and the energy that comes with that connection of mind and body can’t be compared with anything else, it is divine.

In a most natural way, cocoa also connects mind with body. Its delicate flavor awakens all the senses.

Not only is cocoa a good source of Protein, Potassium and Zinc, and a very good source of dietary fibre like Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Copper and Manganese, but it also has a higher antioxidant capacity than black tea, green tea and red wine. In addition, cocoa has various health benefits including the relief of: high blood pressure, cholesterol, and obesity. Cocoa butter can be used as a skin moisturizer and when treating small wounds.

“Let food be thy medicine.” – Hippocrates

The cocoa beans are transformed through a genuinely magical process after fermentation into a delicious powder that helps bakers like me to obtain a balance between the bitter taste that comes from cocoa and the complementary elements that help to build a texture and a certain flavour for the chocolate trade.

I’ve been trying a few premium brands of cocoa powder, and for now I consider Cocoa Barry a good option to use for my cake.  It is dark and fragrant, and has a balanced rich consistency, it is a sustainable cocoa powder and it offers special certifications such as Organic, Fair-trade, UTZ and Rainforest Alliance, including Kosher, Halal, NON-GMO.

“Driven by 175 years of expertise, Cacao Barry unlocks the sensorial richness of cocoa to raise the standards in pastry and to elevate chefs’ creativity and hence success. Sustainability is therefore one our brand’s key priorities as we want to guarantee the livelihoods of farmers, and future availability and diversity of original genetic cocoa flavours to keep challenging the standards of pastry by being Chef’s preferred partner chocolate brand.”

Cocoa powder imparts a full rich chocolate flavour and dark color to my chocolate cake; it gives a springy texture and is also a good preservative.

I look at chocolate like I would a cocoa tree that bears fruits continuously. Did you know that cocoa pods require either animal or human intervention for them to open?

It has many meanings to me because it awakens my spirit. Chocolate became a journey of learning and understanding, a journey of discovering and joy.

In ancient times, people used cocoa in rituals to awaken their spirits and to bring an homage to their Gods - to express their gratitude for the gifts that they received.

It was also called “the food of the Gods”, it was considered an invaluable, sacred and even magical beverage. It had a religious, financial but also a nutritional purpose.

These days, chocolate takes many forms and textures due to people’s passion for chocolate, and involuntarily due to technological evolution, the variety of products and the magical understanding of how you can transform the ingredients from one state of matter to other states of matter.

People have always been fascinated about chocolate and they used it to celebrate life, to express their power and creativity, to show-off their wealth, and to show love and care for others.

One of the many ways that people bond is by sharing food. This is universal throughout space, time, and context.

Pamper yourself and celebrate the abundance of life that comes from your heart. Fill your heart with pleasure and love, with harmony and purity, with everything that can make your heart smile at the world.

“Every piece of the universe, even the tiniest little snow crystal, matters somehow. I have a place in the pattern, and so do you.” – T.A. Barron

[weinerschocolat]

The secret of the recipe, the mystery of the taste

One of the most important ingredients in my cake is the secret that never comes with the recipe, which is embroidered in my heart with the most pure and beautiful intentions that remained forever alive, like a connection with myself and with the place where I came from. For me it is a bite of magic, a bite of what I could see in front of my eyes the first time I tasted the magical cake at my best friend’s birthday party. I was just 8 years old, my mother’s little princess.

But this cake, this cake is still casting its magic over me!

From my perspective, I can say that “real food”, and especially chocolate, opens the heart to universal love and to all that life has to offer, allowing you to feel an authentic and deep love for the connection with the self.

Weiner’s chocolate royal artisanal is more then a chocolate cake; it is a Magical Cake that has an intense taste and a unique texture and density. It has a kind of harmony of taste, a balance between sweet and intense taste, aired butter cream and dark chocolate, between a lot of flavor and flavor that surprisingly awakens all your senses and makes you feel like you are on a journey of taste experience. I was so curious to understand where this harmony comes from, to make sure that I can share the essence of my understanding, that I can share what I consider to be the best.

Thinking about my connection with the magical cake http://weiners.ca/tagged/Story, I realized that it is the connection with my roots, with myself and with everything around me. I came to the conclusion that the answer is always in our soul, that is impregnated in our entire being, which we see when we look for it and we are ready to see it. It is true that keeping the secret of the recipe so close to my heart became a part of me, like a side of me that has no beginning and no ending. 

It was like a fire that burned inside my heart until I felt a revelation that brought me the clarity of the river’s water that invaded my spirit with common sense, a great desire to live and to continue discovering the mysteries that our life journey offers. I thought that the best way to express what I felt is to share the joy and the gifts that have been passed to me by baking the magical chocolate cake. To bring joy and delight to all those who want a taste of my journey of joy.

I look for harmony and beauty in everything that can express it.

A cake with mind, body and spirit

When you realize that what you eat and how you eat means so much, when you learn to listen to your body and try to hear what it is telling you, when you give your body what it needs, it is the moment when you realize that what you eat becomes one with you. 

If food contains life, then everything you eat has an energy. I believe that real food is like water that blends in your body with the substance that you are made of, and it is in perfect harmony with your body and mind.

The harmony of taste is like a catalyzer of love and energy that awakens all your senses and opens your heart.

We can raise our positive vibration energy level through food that gives us beautiful thoughts and dreams, food that fills our body and soul with gratitude, food that we would share with people dear to us to celebrate our love and gratitude for all that we have.

 “The ancient Greeks knew that if the food they were cooking had good energy and brought “Agapi” (unconditional love), their dishes would be masterpieces and would heal them at the same time.”

Each ingredient I use in the recipe has a certain importance in the process but also in the life of the product. They require a certain ritual in order to use them, and the recipe has a natural preservation method that keeps the essence of each ingredient apart. I used to imagine that they take care of each other.

The quality of the ingredients and all the energy that comes with them is essential for me. It is like a lifestyle, like something that has been rooted in my being.

I miss my mother’s baskets full of seasonal vegetables, eggs and fruits that she used to send to me, 600 km away, to ensure that I received my portion of happiness each season, to offer me the chance to feel the flavor of what she sowed in her garden, to feel the flavor of her fruits, to taste from her goodness. I can tell you that nothing can be better than that. I was always grateful and open to receive her gifts, even though I wasn’t sure if I will ever be able to give as much as she gave me, but I wish I could.

I still feel the scent of her fruits.

Since I moved to Montreal, I started to search for the best ingredients that I could use in my cake. I knew that to make every bite of the cake enjoyable, I needed solutions for adapting all components of the cake to the new environment that I faced.

Just like we need an understanding of our self, and about the ‘substance’ that the self is made of, I had to understand the recipe and the ingredients that make my cake magical.

The way we eat food, is just as important as the way we make food.

We are all made of energy, and we are creators of energy. We should feed our self with joy and pleasure, with something that is made at home with love, using fresh and natural ingredients, with something that is especially created for our spirit. And if you don’t have time to do all the ritual that food requires, just find trusted sources.

The magical cake is a connection with the self, a form of expressing beliefs, an expression of love and gratitude, a way to find harmony in life.

Years ago I used to eat in front of my computer thinking that I have no time to eat and that I can do two things at the same time. So I got fat quickly and I didn’t know why. I didn’t even remember what and how much I ate, I was so focussed on my desktop. My explanation is that food was assimilated in my body, but my mind and my body’s memory did not assimilate it, or it was assimilated in the same way that I focussed my mind’s energy.

I realized how important it is to have a ritual of eating, to create a special moment for eating, to make sure that your body is assimilating the properties and the energy that comes with ingredients, and you can do that by taking your time and enjoying eating.

Be grateful for food, in this way you accept the goodness in your body and you elevate the food. That energy will affect your molecule anyway so you better do what is best for you. Find the true source of the substance that you are made of, and learn how to eat with awareness.

"To receive the most subtle particles in the food, you must be fully conscious, wide awake, and full of love. If the entire system is ready to receive food in that perfect way, then the food is moved to pour out its hidden richness when food opens itself, it gives you all that it has in the way of pure, divine energies." - Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

This spiritual ingredient was the seventh element in my cake. I will tell you more about the rest of the ingredients I use in my chocolate cake, how I select them and how the ingredients I use have magical powers in bringing harmony, joy and a real taste experience. Until next week!

[weinerschocolat]

Chocolate, Lens, Third Eye and My Universe

Taking good pictures that shows my products’ real characteristics is something that challenges me every day, and it is annoying when you have a vision, but you have difficulties to concentrate or disperse light rays through that transparent substance that my lens is made of.

But I think that magic comes when you can materialize your visions regardless of the environment and obstacles that you encounter.

Most of my pictures are taken with my iPhone 5s, except for the ones I previously mentioned were taken by a dear friend from Romania, Dan Samoila, pictures that I still use, but I keep them for special occasions and for those moments when I feel like highlighting the taste of the magical cake.

I want to show the same quality through my photos that I offer through my cake, but I still find it difficult. I don’t have a professional camera, and the old one I have does not offer the quality and speed my new iPhone 7 offers. But anyway, I love taking pictures with my IPhone, it offers me the possibility to catch the moment and when I have the light over my right shoulder, the quality is pretty good.

Is Photography an Art Form?

It depends on the meaning you want to give it, but I think it is a way of seeing and capturing a moment in time in its actuality, and it comes from within. It is so unique because it is like a third eye that is different from one person to another. It is something personal. I would imagine that when you look at something it can be different depending on your perspective and what you can see of what is not seen. 

This photo was taken last year with my old digital camera without any filters. The  colours of the reflections in the water caught my attention - It was like an intensity that awoke  my third eye and it made me see, in front of my eyes, a kind of beauty that transcends your being through the created sensation.

I always wish to see my cake through others’ eyes, and through a professional lens. The truth is that what you can see with a professional camera, you can’t with an IPhone.

The thought that I would need some professional photos gained strength and I wrote a message to a friend here in Montreal, who I knew had a professional eye and camera. I had no budget, but I could do some magic with my chocolate cake – I said. He wrote me back quickly, telling me that he can help me in the next 3 days.

What could I say to that?

All right, lets do it! 

So we scheduled the photo session for the following Saturday but we ended up doing it on Sunday because I had an eye infection that threw me off balance for a day, but it didn’t stop me from making the preparations for my first photo session here in Montreal. I also called a few friends to ask them to come for a slice of cake in my garden – everybody was willing to offer their help and feel the magic of the moment. My eye was swollen, I couldn’t see out of it and I wasn’t in good shape to pose for photos. I thought that it was a good opportunity to let others help me capture moments with my dear friends enjoying the magical chocolate cake.

First I had to bake, and it was amazing because I thought about my products from a different perspective, and for the first time, I baked them all on the same day. It was like putting your dreams together and seeing them in front of your eyes.

Do I deserve all I get, I wonder.

We make choices every moment, but when it comes to people, it is like a big mystery. You don’t simply choose people. The universe and all the magic we spread around us attract the people we have around us.

So I baked and I invited my friends to my house for my first photo session here in Montreal. The rain was listening to me and kept quiet, and the sun brought the light we needed.

Synchronicity. Serendipity. Connection.

When you have all of these, a good atmosphere is guaranteed and any obstacles don’t matter. Everybody came later than planned, but I wasn’t ready on time either. We first set out what we wanted to get from the photo shoot, I even wrote a brief to make sure that my swollen eye will not lose its focus.

I knew that I would need a few pictures with the products that I developed since I came to Montreal and a few mood photos to show people that my cake can be enjoyed on any occasion or at any moment, especially when you want to share something delicious with someone dear to you.

Robin, the photographer wasn’t very enthusiastic about my set-up. It is true that the format of the table I used wasn’t appropriate for shooting all of the products together, but regardless, we got some very nice close-ups.

The Swirl of Magic was the hardest product to shoot because of its rectangular shape, and the fact that we took the pictures outside, and not in a studio. 

Several weeks ago I tried taking a few shots and I sweated for at least 2 hoers and I wasn’t satisfied with the results. 

“Easy to get oneself tangled in the rectangle four corners in which to be cornered two large sides two small the left side the right side the winning side the losing side their side my side,  which side of the rectangle are you on?  “ - Brandon Adamson

I also wanted to suggest the way my cake should be served, with a sprinkle of cocoa powder along with a shot of cold water. The cake has an intense taste and a dense consistency, so in order to savour the full taste and the sensation that comes with  every bite you take, the water allows the taste to keep its intensity, and in the end you feel completely satisfied, not stuffed.

Of course, it also pairs well with champagne or sparkling wine, cognac, brandy, coffee, and tea. 

The mood pictures were the funniest part of the session, we joked and we laughed with tears. All of it was also extremely emotional to me in the sense that my thoughts transcended from a dimension to another, from where I started and to where I am and to where I am going, from my friends back in Romania to my friends here in Montreal, and so on. For a moment, I felt the past and the future merging into the present, it was a thought worth having. 

A big thanks to my friends: Robin, the photographer, Gregory and Christine who helped me make this experience possible and who were able to show me and you how they see my cake through their third eye, and also for being part of my cake story. Lastly, I want to thank my husband, George who is a pillar of support for everything I do.

Would you be my third eye from time to time?

Spread the magic!

[weinerschocolat]

Romanian Magic  - The International Day of The Romanian Blouse

It is magic because it is full of meanings and beauty that have been passed down from generation to generation through traditions, expressing their understanding of the meaning of  life through their creations and work using symbols that were woven or embroidered on fabrics, in ceramics that were sculpted and painted with natural colors, or through all kinds of confectionary tools.

“On this day we celebrate a thousand year old legacy, a universal connection of beauty, spirituality and humanity. The Romanian peasant blouse encompasses an ancient language of love, respect for nature and the environment, a ritual in itself.”

IA, is the traditional Romanian woman’s blouse, it is a fashon item entirly handmade of cotton or silk with ample and rich embroidery in vivid colors, often having silk applications, sparkles or beads.

There are magical and „Colorful thoughts” ebroidered on the blouse that were meant to protect the person who was wearing the blouse and help her in any important event in her life, through the intention that was sewn into the blouse with the thought, love and care that was uniquely personal.

My intention is to spread magic with my chocolate cake here in Montreal, so I have been preparing all week for this magical celebration.

I wanted to feel the moment, to understand its sense, to feel the magic that I can pass on. But like any plan that you want to execute, when you start looking at it you realize that you are still missing some components and that you are at the other end of the world, on a diffrent continet. So, you may think that it is almost imposible to rezolve the task. I realized that I was missing important pieces from the Romanian traditional costume, that costume that I have always kept in my soul like an image that couldn’t be any other way.

I was looking where I thought that it may be found, but in the meantime I was thinking about how I can express it through my magical chocolate cake and to celebrate this fantastic day that is full of meaning.

With the help of my protective angels from Romania I „embroidered” this patern for my cake. There is an entire story about this patern and how it was made. I faced two consecutive difficulties that, in the end, were transformed  exactly in what they had to be from the begining, but we wouldn’t have gotten the result if the second difficulty would not have existed. Isn’t that magical?

I would also like to express my support to the #GiveCredit campaign -#IGiveTheMagicCake as a gift, The Romanian Royal Delight to someone here in Montreal. The magic chocolate cake is made of eighty percent pure chocolate crème, after a secret royal recipe (The story of the cake: http://weiners.ca/tagged/Story). I used a special pattern inspired by Romanian heritage, using geometrical elements that express my transition from one cultural environment to onother. So for that, I want to share this cake with the first person in Montreal who sends me a picture with a symbol or object that is representative of a tradition or a cultural heritage – and it could be from anywhere in the world. The cake serves 18th people. 

So. In the meantime I continued to search for my dream costume. One of my Canadien friends, David responded by saying  that he will also look around to see if he can find someting. It just so happents that he has been working on Romanian projects and with Romanian women for the last few years. I was feeling more confident and I continuied to search. I found Tatyana Rusu who organizes „Ziua Iei la Montreal”  and sent her a message on facebook hoping that at least she can point me to somebody who can help. In a few hours I magicaly got possesion of a few magnificent pieces of fashion art, so full of such kindness and beauty that is hard to express in words. But what I can say is that their touch - the texture created by the multicolored embroideries full of the intentions that time cannot erase because of their nature - and feeling those textures made my entire body vibrate.

I believe in preserving traditions, all that is pure and comes from the source is part of the essence of life, and gives sense to who we are. It is actually the connection with our true self.

This Day was initiated by a romanian community #LaBlouseRomaine that celebrates the Romanian heritage of beauty and traditions and it is also a movement that asks for the protection and recognition Romania’s cultural heritage.

Read more about La Blouse Romaine comunity here:http://bit.ly/2sNSCMd

Spread the magic!

[weinerschocolat]

My baking journey in Romania

When I returned to Montreal from Romania, it was for the first time when I felt that I’m coming home. I admit that I missed the quiet and the universe that I have created over the last year, my new friends here, and the places that I haven’t discovered here yet.

I spent two months in Romania, and although it may seem like a long time, it passed as quickly as lightning. I arrived at my parent's home in Arad three weeks earlier than planned, surprising my family who needed several seconds to realize that it was really me.

My cousin, Mihaela, the only person who knew of my arrival plans, picked me up at the airport in Budapest. We then drove around Budapest to meet with Mark Griffiths, who once sent me a verse for a Jar full of Magic. I had never met Mark, but I wanted to keep my promise and to personally Spread the Magic in Budapest.

We met in a cafe, where we talked about things that people rarely discuss, we even shared a cheesecake while discussing chocolate.

Caught in the magic of the moment, we lost track of time and my cousin had to come and get me since she had been waiting for quite some time.

We then drove directly to Arad, pleased that we were able to find Mark and that we Spread the Magic in Budapest.

The stay with my parents was full of events and was an emotional roller coaster. I celebrated my birthday, my father’s birthday, my nephew’s name day on St. Andrew’s - many opportunities to share the magical chocolate cake. We hadn’t spent so much time together since I was 18 years old, and it was interesting to see myself as a child once again through their eyes.

I also baked for the family who gave me the cake recipe, both for my friend Mirela and her mother. It was the first time they tasted my version of the magical cake. They welcomed me just as I remembered they used to do when I was younger. Every time you set foot in their house, you are enchanted by the beauty found all around, the works that she brought to life over time (paintings, tapestries, macrame), and all kinds of artisanal objects, some bringing life and joy to every moment on a daily basis.  

We started talking and the memories came bubbling out. I found a picture of Mirela when she was a child, with her family and the magic cake - I was so happy, the photo brought me back to the moment when I first tasted the magic.

I always felt inspired by their universe of beauty and art, and by their spirit that was so vivid to my eyes.

I stayed for over a month with my family in Arad, I reconnected with people and places from my childhood and brought them all back to the present. 

I was pleasantly impressed by rediscovering Arad’s bohemian locales and events, to meet new people and to discover the curiosity the people around me had to taste the magical cake. It is magical because it brings me closer to the soul of the people, it makes me discover things through itself, and it constantly challenges and surprises me in new ways.

In the meantime, I was preparing for the baking marathon in Bucharest, where I was planning on baking for my friends for 10 days. It was challenging because I had to manage all the logistics: suppliers, storage, baking, delivery and all of the communication. I also had other friends I wanted to see, administrative issues to solve, and a few meetings that I had scheduled before my arrival.

I would have liked to see more people, but time did not permit it. I managed to get everything done and solve all the problems I had. It was an intense experience with very little sleep, but of course I discovered new things about the cake and about what I want to do going forward. 

I realized how much it mattered that I was transparent and I shared my baking process, which offered people the possibility to understand and trust my magic.

I was pleasantly surprised when a friend from Cluj asked me to bake for her 3 year old girl’s birthday. She wanted to offer her something special for her first contact with chocolate, and she thought that my magic chocolate cake would be the best option. I was flattered and, of course, I couldn’t refuse, so I sent the magic cake to Cluj with the help of another friend, who was going to visit them.

What can be more gratifying than to see people's joy?

I also realized that in a continuous baking rhythm I need help in the kitchen. And wouldn’t you know it, I thought of getting a robotic friend, the new KitchenAid stand mixer, which I ended up buying my first week back in Montreal. Even though I now have the help I need in the kitchen, I still have to wait for my work permit before I can start Spreading the Magic here in Montreal. Until then, I will be experimenting with new ideas in the kitchen using my new helper.

The last weeks in Romania were spent in Arad with my entire family including my husband, and I did not bake again until early January, for my father's name day, St. John. That was the last cake I baked in Romania.

The two months spent in Romania gave me the confidence to move forward with my plans, taught me to be patient and to persevere in always finding new ideas to spread the magic with my chocolate cake. And for that, and for being part of my cake story I thank you all, with all my heart!

P.S: A special thank you to Cristian Dumitrescu (Gradina Vlahia) for his kindness and for being such an amazing host, and for sharing his beautiful kitchen with me for 10 days - it wasn’t easy, I tell you, but it was amazing.

[weinerschocolat]

Spread the magic at home, in Romania

Yesterday evening I returned to my childhood home until the age of 14. The neighbourhood is the source of so many amazing memories, and is also where I first met my friend Mirela and her mother from whom I would later receive the recipe for the magical chocolate cake. 

I went out on the balcony to gaze at the garden down below where the residents used to grow vegetables and herbs. My mother used to send me down to pick fresh parsley and sometimes I would mistakenly return with carrot leaves or parsnip leaves. I took a deep breath of fresh cold air and admired the trees that had grown – they were all still there – all around like clusters of vegetation, several fir trees that felt so familiar.

When I arrived in Montreal, I had a revelation when I saw that people in such a big city and in central neighbourhoods were all growing plants, vegetables, herbs in community gardens. It was as if I was reliving images from my childhood which filled my heart with longing for Romania.

I never stopped thinking of what I left behind: my family, my roots, my friends, and all those who are a part of me, close to me, those who continue to inspire and encourage my ideas, and those whom I met through my magical chocolate cake – who never stop asking when they will get their next chance to enjoy that taste again.

And so, from one thought to another, I decided to allocate some of my holiday to Spreading the Magic here in Romania by offering those who first believed in the cake’s magic the opportunity to enjoy Weiner's chocolate cake once again. After all, they are the ones that gave me the confidence to push forward on this path and create my own universe through the magical chocolate cake.

I’m making this effort as a test to see if it’s worthwhile to pursue a solution for producing the magical cake in Romania. Practically, to explore the possibility of returning to Romania several times per year specifically for this purpose.

I was also encouraged by the people here in Arad – you took me by surprise and for that, I truly thank you! Your trust and feedback meant so much to me and will continue to do so from now on.

And since yesterday was Romania’s National Day, our day both here and in the diaspora, I wish you all many magical, and blossoming years – may they be as beautiful as you, and as the place you live in!

Happy Romania Day!  

[weinerschocolat]

Coming Home [for the holidays]

After more than a year, and for the first time since my arrival in Montreal, I'm going home for the holidays! As the moment approaches, I realise just how much I miss my family, my friends, and all those dear to me - basically, everyone who has helped and inspired me. I miss the moments that we shared together, all the adventures, both good and bad. I miss my cat, Myra, who was left behind to keep a watchful eye over our apartment in Bucharest, which is now rented out.

My mom has already started making preparations, by asking me if I would rather eat cabbage rolls, or spinach, but I told her that just seeing her is enough, and if she could just save me a few jars of her amazing zacusca, which is by far the best I ever tasted, it would suffice. I can't wait!

I'm filled with joy at the thought of going to Romania, just like a child that sees a chocolate castle, which he's craving to eat. 

Now that I told a few of my friends i’m coming home, the cake orders started coming. And, although I thought of this coming home as if it were a vacation for me, I realised that this is my, well, once in a year opportunity to bring back some of the magic and spread it around the city. So I decided to set aside some of my holiday time, to bake as many cakes as time permits so that I can spread some magical joy back in Romania.

Of course, as soon as I decided, I started putting together the logistic and realised that, back home, I am currently a baker with no kitchen. My apartment is rented, and all I have is a box of pans and bowls, stashed in the attic. So I guess my journey starts not with an airplane, but with a kitchen - I must find one for the baking, and soon! 

But even so, you can start spreading the news: the magic cake is coming home for the holidays!