Netwalking continues apace, bigger and better with CAKE!

Morning lovelies,

This November, Netwalking, run by my Marketing employer (blog post yet to come) won a national What's On 4 Me award, which was amazing. Netwalking marries a love for the outdoors, with the need to utilise time networking, to create business. A short 5 mile walk, with some of the best people in the local community, building business relations and breathing the beautiful fresh air - what more could you want!

We were lucky enough to celebrate the 2nd birthday in October and then continue celebrating into November, with the prize win. For the second birthday I provided a cute, rose piped Victoria sponge, in autumnal brights. I got such great feedback and it was lovely to share my passion, with all the amazing businesses that join us on Netwalking.

 I am lucky enough to be surrounded by such a fabulous group of people, who support me and my work. This cake got me a further order for early December - which was the same cake for an 18th. Simple, but so spectacular.

If you live in Sheffield or South Yorkshire, or just fancy popping by, Netwalking occurs every third friday of the month. We meet at 9am for 3 mile walk around the beautiful Endcliffe Park, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, and the next one is in less than a week on the 20th December. We will be walking come rain or snow, continuing in the festive spirit - so bring your Santa Hats! For more information email jess@keepyourfork.co.uk.

2nd Birthday celebrations...

Keep calm and take your first step towards success...


Jess xox

The What's On 4 Me award win...

Christening Cakes for One Gorgeous Girl...

Evening foodies, 

Planning on sharing a few of my recent orders with you, so you can see why I am so busy! A couple of weeks back I completed a beautiful Christening order, for a gorgeous baby girl. The order involved cupcakes, mini cupcakes and a centre piece cake, using pinks and lilacs and lots of girly extras.

After some fantastic feedback, I am more than happy to be able to share the pictures! Every order offers a new mini challenge and that is what makes this job so exciting and ever changing. Such a luxury.

I bought a few new cutters and I have been really spoiling myself on new books and cake toys - shopaholic. All the cupcakes were rose piped on this order, almond, chocolate and vanilla in flavour. What more could you want? Need a cake or want to learn? Yorkshire based, I am offering my cake services for parties, orders and tuition.

Keep calm, feel the fear and do it anyway.

Love Jess xox

Halloween & Ghastly October Antics...

Afternoon lovelies,

I thought I would just run through a few big bits that have whizzed past these last few months. Since Leiths, I have been Networking like crazy and due to a few changes in my job roles (post to come) and, as I may have mentioned, leaving fashion retail, things are looking a lot more hopeful and involving a lot more food!

Below are a few cupcakes I took to one of my favourite networks, BforB, which is a referral marketing network. Networking is the way forward, especially for SME's and growing businesses and the local community are always your allies. So take a peek below...

BforB Cupcakes, networking at its finest - especially when it involves cake!

Seen as my blog promised a touch on my Halloween antics, I also did some networking Halloween themed cupcakes, which were also a sell out. Only simple little designs, but with fantastic feedback, it really is all in the taste for me. Don't worry, that does not mean I am packing up my fantastic fondant fancies, there is a lot more to come in that department! Check out my harrowing halloween cupcakes...

AND...it is not really fair if I don't give my house mates a little chocolate trick or should I say treat!

We all went out for Halloween and it would be rude of me not to show you a few little pictures. Below is my boyfriend and I. Although, George looks a tad like a Ninja turtle, he is meant to be HULK and I, clearly, am Storm! Such a funny night and everyone else looked amazing too! Did you go out? What did you go as? We had a pumpkin too, but were left with loads to play with - pity I have not had the time. Did you make any fancy pumpkin edible treats or maybe a winter warming soup? Get in touch - remember sharing is caring!

 I will love you and leave you now foodies.

Keep calm and get spooky,

Jessica,

RVB xox

Taking a Leaf out of Leiths...

Evening foodie fans and friends alike,

It has been a while, as usual my life takes hold, but I have now found the 'schedule' button and it is soon to be my new best friend, I am sure!

Since I last blogged, a lot has happened and my favourite time of year is upon is. In September, I graduated from Leiths School of Food and Wine, with 100% in my practical. I was pretty pleased, but it is safe to say I miss getting up and spending my mornings in the kitchen - my life is too busy for that now. The course was absolutely amazing and if you ever so desire to learn to cook, professionally, or fancy a career change or simply just enjoy food - DO IT! There are plenty of things that people regret and I can assure you that this will not be one of them.

 Roast Chicken Dinner - simple and delicious.

 Soft topped scones, ready for cream tea!

 My Nan's favourite, it has to be Lemon Syrup Cake...

Since I have been back, I have spent a lot more time in the kitchen and still wish to spend more! I need a 36 hour day, to fit the rest of my life in. On the other hand, with the Winter winds drawing in, I have spent 10 mins, whilst working at home, preparing soups to simmer, for healthy and hearty lunches. If you haven't tried it you must! Below is my Courgette and Parmesan soup, which is a personal favourite, but it works equally with a strong blue cheese. A few other favourites are carrot, red pepper and parsnip and curried parsnip soup. A few herbs, 1 litre of stock and you're set to go! I hope this inspires you to get your pans out.

 Courgettes simmering.

All blended and ready for my tummy.

Off the back of the Leiths course, orders have been flying in and I am thoroughly enjoying offering my time to cook for people - so much so that I am hoping to launch a bespoke catering service, alongside my cakes and baked products. I have a trial run, of course for my Mum, just before Christmas, so expect pictures as the menu is going to be delicious!

I promise to schedule a few more blogs for your interest. I am applying for Graduate jobs, as the daunting end is near and my University years a nearly over. 

Don't forget to keep posted and send me your delicious soup pictures!

Keep calm and COOK!

Love, as always, 

Jessica, RVB xox

The Start Of Something Inspiring, As The Best Is Yet To Come.

Evening my lovely foodies,

It has been a while, I know, but the world of food just does not stop! In my last post I said I'd recently visited London and well now, I am back in the Capital again! But this time, it really is all about the food.

In June, George and I visited as 'tourists' and spent time going to the London Zoo, watching the Lion King at the theatre, which was phenomenal! George even shed a tear. Bless! We had some fantastic food and indulged in some decadent, but naughtily delicious cake in Selfridges. I do love a good city break!

 At the Thames :)

 Show time at the theatre.

 We found NEMO!

Me as a puffer fish ;)

 CAKES!

 Beautiful cake cabinet at Fortnum & Mason.

 Treating myself to sugared rose petals and lavender. 

Clearly mine is the chocolate one!

Being back down in the big city this time, however is a lot different. With 6am starts and 4 hours of traveling, all in the name of delicious food and future promise. It can only be Leiths. If you follow my social media, you will all be drooling at some of the delicious delights I have been creating, under my short course training at the famous cookery school. It is absolutely amazing and I am sure it will be life changing. There is more to come and I promise with a smaller time delay, keep posted and get in touch!

Brownies, ofc!

 Traditional fish pie.

Roast beef sirloin and all the trimmings.

New business email, which is rather exciting so send the love to jessica@redvelvetbaking.co.uk.

Keep calm and follow your heart.

Mine always says chocolate fudge cake.

Love, as always,

Jess

xox

Recent Cake Creations...

Morning foodsters!

So recently I have been ridiculously busy, with last week juggling five different jobs at once! Last week saw The Children's Media Conference, in Sheffield for its 10th year, which was amazing for networking and advice and I will be blogging on Her Uni about it - links to go live shortly!

 The week previous I was busy with last minute cake orders and working through my never end PR and marketing list! I took on a Red Velvet simple, square sponge and a double chocolate 18th birthday cake. Both very happy clients and I had great fun with the sugar-craft modelling!

Milk chocolate sponge with white chocolate ganache filling. Chocolate fondant covering and vanilla buttercream detailing. Everything, obviously, edible.

 Last week I focused mainly on shortening my list and balancing my work load. Below is the cake for Gordon Ramsay's 'have a nice day' book launch, which is an American based, crime thriller. Buy your copy on Amazon today for a truly fabulous summer read!

This week a good friend of mine tagged me in a Facebook repost of this picture, with regards to bespoke crafts and cakes. I thought it was too good not to share and to all you foodies and crafties, who  feel forced to undersell their time and products, show your clients this. If people are wanting personalised, bespoke, one of products, that are unique to them, the price in guaranteed to be higher, to match the higher quality. Shop local, shop luxury.

Keep calm and be kind to your local sellers.

Love, as always, 

RVB 

xo

Harrogate Speciality Food Show :)

After a few years of wanting to go, one year of being away when I received tickets, I finely got to indulge in the Harrogate Speciality Food Show. I had looked at holding a stall there myself, but after experiencing its delights, I now know it is not the place for me, but a great place to pick up on mainstream trends and business success in the speciality food industry. Ps I cannot resist saying look at my cute little ticket (above), so easily excited.

I met a lot of first timers at the show and it was wonderful to see all the young, fresh, talented individuals that are helping to food industry thrive with the 'shop local' schemes. Everyone was so passionate about their field and supportive of the other stalls, working together to create a fantastic atmosphere. There were demonstrations too and we caught the 'make the most' out of food that is past it's best. Always plenty to do with bananas, but unusual and tasty ways to cut down tremendously on food waste, utilising your fridge contents to the best of the ingredient ability, no matter the skill of the chef in hand! See the picture above and below of the delicious treats that were made.

As you can imagine, the sweet stalls took most of my attention and below is a gorgeous chocolate stall. Most of the businesses were looking for wholesale buyers, rather than individuals, which is why Red Velvet Baking was not as well suited, doing bespoke orders, however it was nice to see the range of products out there and to see more artisan and 'homemade'  products are beginning to take the market by storm, as  mass production loses the personalised, luxury feel of products.

As we got horrifically lost on the way to Harrogate, we arrived quite late and I had an order due in shortly after too! We did however, make it in time to see the Dragon's Den style talk, where some of the stall holders presented their products to a chef and several market retailers. It was fantastic to watch and the first guy, with his Greek meze range, from The Olive Branch, was really good and the product tasted very authentic.

Meze style dip or marinade, shame it was on a ritz cracker so flavour was a little lost!

These two ladies, mother and daughter, really touched my heart, being really new to their business, promoting home made marshmallows. Over the past couple of years, marshmallows have really hit it off. I am really not sure why, but when you taste a home made one, alongside a Princes, £1 for a full bag one, you quickly realise that we have been eating them wrong for years! These lovely ladies got criticised for poor branding and quickly learnt that to compete in this kind of market, they have to raise their game. I did swing by to their stall before leaving and offer a few tips on branding, PR and marketing, I just couldn't resist! I do wish them the best and suggest you go find a local marshmallow stockist and try a REAL marshmallow!

It was a fabulous experience and I plan to go again next year, but it is more for finding local sources for good quality chocolate and containers, rather than gaining business for me. I stand by bespoke and personalised and would hate to go national too quickly with RVB, but one day, you never know, I could be coming to a town near you!

Keep calm and shop local.

Love and warm wishes,


Red Velvet Baking

xox