Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Wedding Week 2016: Torte di Venezia

Welcome to day two of Wedding Week 2016! One of my other favorite vendors from the bridal expo was Torte di Venezia. Owner, Karen Venezia, is a little Italian spitfire. Her passion and confidence in her work truly shown through in the brief time we got to chat. From the neighboring town of Saugus, Karen started Torte di Venezia in her home after years of experience in a number of professional bakeries. She quickly out grew her kitchen and is now located at Cider Hill Farm in Amesbury.

Torte di Venezia

But let's go back to the beginning. Karen began creating cakes before there was a cake boss or ace of cakes. At the time she started, very few people attended culinary school for cake decorating. Karen learned as many did, by creating cakes and desserts for her children and family. Eventually when her children were off to grade school, she was able to pursue a job at a local Italian bakery. It was here that she honed her skills as a cake decorator. Not only did she become proficient in wedding cake design, fondant and intricate styles, Karen also discovered a passion for meeting and designing one on one with individuals.

head shot 2014

After ten years, Karen left her first bakery nest and began testing her decorating “wings” in new settings. Over the years, she learned and grew in wonderful upscale bakeries and cake boutiques, one of which won “Best of Boston”. Along the way, Karen continued to create for family, friends, and friends of friends. She will always be thankful for these people because without their support Karen wouldn't have taken her passion to the next level; creating a business of her own.

http://tortedivenezia.com/

Owning her business has blessed Karen with the privilege of handcrafting works of art which are also enjoyed when cut. These cakes a one-of-a-kind. Every cake is made to the specific desire and need of the individual placing the order. Many of Karen's cakes cater to food allergies and sensitivities while focusing on whole, fresh ingredients, including locally grown, when possible.

http://tortedivenezia.com/

Being located at Cider Hill Farm has given Torte di Venezia a leg up on its competition. Just to give you some background, Cider Hill Farm began in 1978 when Ed and Eleanor Cook purchased the old Battis Dairy Farm with the hope of transforming it into an apple farm. Not long after that, the Cook’s son, Glenn, along with his new bride, Karen, bought the adjacent Vedrani Poultry Farm so they could start a quality life together. Now, with three generations diligently tending to the chores of all this land, Cider Hill Farm is able to bring you a beautiful and diverse operation that looks and feels everything but first generation.

http://www.ciderhill.com/index.html

They grow fruits and vegetables on nearly 70 acres of their 145 acre farm and offer many of these as pick your own crops. The number of diverse crops and a number of varieties of each crop. Cider Hill Farm also has a very diversified approach in regards to labor, marketing, season extension, community involvement, and progressive practices that you will see in their many renewable energy projects. Definitely an interesting operation to incorporate a cake decorating business to but it really works for both companies!

http://www.ciderhill.com/index.html

Cider Hill Farm's primary goal has always been to grow and offer their customers the very best quality food possible. More than ever, people are discovering the importance of shopping at local farm stands to get the freshest and healthiest products. Karen has access to some of the freshest fruits and vegetables around. She is able to incorporate this farm fresh movement into her business plan. Working closely with Cider Hill Farm, Karen is able to offer her customers the ability to literally pick their very own fruits or vegetables for their uniquely crafted cakes including award-winning apples, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and carrots. It doesn't get fresher than that!

http://tortedivenezia.com/

Karen's number one priority is to personally meet and speak to her customers. It is an honor for her to get to know, and grow, with each one, along with their family and friends. Rather than simply being Karen “the cake lady”, she has become Karen, your family’s artigiano (which is Italian for the French artisan) baker. Consider setting up a consultation with Karen today!

http://tortedivenezia.com/

What should you expect at your personal consultation for your wedding with Torte di Venezia? Well number one, you are going to taste some phenomenal cakes. But besides that, this is a time to bring your questions, pictures, and of course your personality. Your colors, wedding style, cake shape, family allergies, delivery and price quote will all be discussed. Be sure to set aside 30-45 minutes to meet so every detail can be talked over without being rushed. A deposit will not be expected at your consultation which is a huge component for budget-conscious brides. However, a 20% deposit is required to secure the date for your wedding cake once you decide. Because each cake is a custom creation, Karen only takes a few orders each week to ensure she is giving you the best cake possible. Don't miss out on working with her!

http://tortedivenezia.com/

Torte di Venezia is bursting with flavor! Some popular cake combinations they offer include:

Vanilla Bean - Moist, rich vanilla cake filled with vanilla French cream
Limon Lampone - Simply put, lemon raspberry is a light lemon cake replete with vanilla French cream and fresh from the farm raspberries
Guinness & Bailey's - A rich chocolate pound cake made with genuine Guinness Ale filled with Bailey's Irish Cream mousse

I can vouch for Torte di Venezia when I say that the Guinness & Bailey's cake is as decadent and delicious as they describe it. So if you're looking for a quality, farm fresh, one-of-a-kind taste and design for your wedding cake, look no further. Karen and Torte di Venezia is all you need to devour the details of your perfect wedding day cake!

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