Hi everyone! Happy Friday I’ve been baking + decorating up a storm these past few days and have been prepping for upcoming orders. Thank you for your continual support, it means more to me than you’ll ever know

On to this week’s Fab Five – baking tunes! I realized I can’t watch TV when I’m baking cause it’s so distracting. I can’t tell you how many times I had to measure and re-measure my ingredients because I lost count (oops). I’ve converted to listening to music instead and let’s just say, I only have to measure ingredients once now

I like listening to UPBEAT music and sometimes mix it up with ballads for example, on my current playlist:

* Good Life – OneRepublic
* Lucky – Colbie Caillat & Jason Mraz
* Party in the USA – Miley Cyrus (don’t judge :p)
* I Do – Colbie Caillat
* Born this Way – Lady Gaga (cover by Alex Goot)
* Forget You – Megan Lee & Arden Cho (cover)
* Light On – David Cook
* Battlefield – Jordin Sparks
* Thank You for the Broken Heart – J Rice


BTW, these songs don’t mean anything to me nor do they reflect what I’m feeling, so don’t read too much into it. AND that was more than 5. So there’s your Fab Nine for this week! It doesn’t have the same ring as Fab Five but it’ll have to do for now!

Can’t wait to post the wedding cake pictures for this weekend!

1. The Cupcake Girls
My brother got me cupcakes from the original “Cupcakes” store when we were in Vancouver. Although they were day-old, they were still yummy! We’re too cheap to get the fresh ones so day-olds will have to do The Cupcake Girls is in their second season on the W network (Wednesday nights at 9pm) and I’m so addicted. If/when I ever have a store, it will look like theirs – PINK , GLITTERY and GIRLY! They’re coming to Toronto to open a store this year and I’ve watched the episode where they came to Toronto scouting for locations at least 4 times. They were at Queen/Spadina, Yonge/Bloor and Yonge/Eglinton. I kept pausing it and saying, “I went to there to get a sandwich!” or “I had coffee there last week!”… I’m a dork, I know!

2. DC Cupcakes
Another show that focuses on daily operations. I think these two sisters are so dumb. They are so mean to each other and so immature, sometimes I just want to rip my hair out (a healthy alternative is to change the channel). They always “tell on” each other to their mom and all she does is smile and say, “be nice to each other” (???). When one of the sisters weren’t looking, the other one dumped bacon into her batter! What a waste! There was one episode they were baking for the troops in Iraq and got the privilege of using the White House’s kitchen. All their mom did was DRINK! I think it was Irish Cream (it’s sad that I remember these useless details). And her reasoning was, “I just can’t help myself”… err, okay… all in all, I have to admit that these annoying habits and characters that bug me so much makes for great TV.

I think you should comb your hair.

3. Cake Boss
This is one of my all-time favourite shows. Buddy’s sisters bug me to no end (I’m starting to see a trend here…. dot dot dot) but pushing them aside, Buddy is incredibly talented. After reading his book, I love the show even more. It’s such a heartfelt memoir about his dad and what he went through to give his kids the best life. Highly recommended. Buddy was doing a book signing @ Bay/Bloor Indigo and I was SO excited to meet him I stayed up all night thinking of something “witty” to say so when I visit his bakery in Hoboken, he’ll say, “You’re the girl that said __________ and I thought it was so funny! Of course I remember you” (I really do live in a fantasy world ) Anyway, I ended up sleeping in and driving downtown instead of taking the TTC and there was a major accident on the highway. I didn’t make it down, unfortunately. Might as well… I couldn’t think of anything witty to say (that didn’t come out stupid). Season 4 just started on TLC on Monday nights at 9pm (reruns at midnight).

The cake mob! I feel like he’s going to chase me down the street while making whacking motions with the rolling pin!

4. Ace of Cakes
I love how Duff is in a band and is following his passion whatever they may be. I also love how he hired all his friends to work for him. I’d be so worried… “what if they’re not good?” “what if we get into an argument?” “what if we won’t be friends afterwards?”. I’m such a worry wart. I absolutely adore his designs and how the studio isn’t in a traditional “bakery” – I could see myself hanging out there. Although he seems like a down-to-earth and approachable guy on the show, I heard he is a big meano in person. He was judging the Royal Wedding Cake contest in April and snapped at everyone. Definitely not something you’d expect from what seems to be such a nice guy. Maybe that’s why they cancelled his show. Ha-ha.

Is it me or do you see a hint of evil in his eyes?

5. Cupcake Wars
I only watch this show when there’s absolutely nothing to watch on TV and when I’m sick of watching reruns of shows 1-4. This show stresses me out. 45 minutes to bake, cool, ice and design a batch of cupcakes? No, thank you! Since it’s a competition, you’re tested on your creativity and ability to think quickly. In one episode, they had to use seaweed in a cupcake. Whatttt…?? The final task is to bake 1,000 cupcakes for a big event in 2 hours. You have your assistant, 4 helpers and a carpenter to build your structure. I’m very particular about my cupcakes… so to you kind helpers, I say… please leave my stuff alone! Thank you

I’ve always been a tea drinker. I’ve been drinking teas ever since it was diluted and given to me in a bottle when I was still in my walker! Being Chinese and having dim sum as a traditional weekend ritual, it is difficult not to separate myself from this very Asian beverage of choice.

Although I’ve been drinking tea for almost all my life, I’ve been a gourmet tea drinker since 2008. March, to be exact. It was the soft opening of FOUR Restaurant and I was invited to dine there before it was open to the public. I could order whatever I wanted to (including one alcoholic beverage) and everything was on the house. I ordered green tea to finish off my meal and it was simply AMAZING! It was light but fragrant with citrus notes and a hint of pineapple. The tea bag was even made out of organza instead of its usually Lipton-style paper bag (or whatever the material is??). I asked the server what brand it was and she brought the box out to show me… thus began my love for gourmet teas!

Check out my top 5! (in no particular order)…

1. Mighty Leaf
The one that ignited my love for gourmet teas. Available at Longo’s, Pusateri’s and any higher-end supermarket. Must try Green Tea Tropical. If you are unsure of the one that’s right for you, try the Green & White Tea Variety which comes with Green Tea Tropical (5), Organic Spring Jasmine (5), Organic Hojicha Green Tea (3) and White Orchard (2).

2. Distinctly Tea
I received Distinctly Tea tea as a wedding favour a few summers ago and it took black tea to the next level. It was Lychee Black Tea– a bold black tea taste with just a hint of lychee. I’m not a fan of heavily-scented fruit in my tea but this is just right! I’ve since ordered more lychee black tea leaves and Jasmine pearls. The drawback of Jasmine pearls is that it is really mild and you need to steep a lot of it to get it to taste good.

3. David’s Tea
I got this sampler gift set for my birthday this year and I LOVE it! I love the box and the little individual compartments. I love how each tea sample is unique and I love how I can use the box after I’m done with the teas to store other things (although it might smell like leaves afterwards!). I bought agave nectar honey sticks yesterday from David’s Tea and I’m excited to stir it in my tea.

4. Revolution Tea
I discovered this at Chapters this afternoon. I went on their website hoping to find the cute teapot I saw but no luck! Instead, I found THESE!

5. Tazo Tea
Starbucks uses this tea in their shaken black tea beverage (which the BF and I always order). To save $, I bought a box of AWAKE with a bottle of CLASSIC SYRUP and have made pitchers of iced tea for the past two weeks. One tea bag lasts a LONG time and I don’t add that much syrup in it so it’ll last longer. I feel so frugal I just clicked the “AWAKE” tea from the link on the sidebar and this creepy old-man-hands just served a cup of piping hot tea to me on their website! CHECK IT OUT (or err… maybe don’t?). At least they could’ve screened the hands more thoroughly at their hand modeling audition! Geez.

There you have it! My first “Fab Five” post. There will be PLENTY more to come. Have a great Monday!