Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Claire and Alice's Birthdays

It is fun to personalize cakes for clients, especially when they have an inspiration that we can draw from. Invitations and fabric samples are useful tools when we are understanding the theme of an event. This cake was made for Claire and Alice's 5th birthday party. Their father, an architect, drew this picture in the theme of the party and we re-created it on the cake. He was kind enough to send pictures following the celebration so that we could see how much the girls enjoyed the cake. The party looks like it was a blast!



Tuesday, October 13, 2009

On October 17th, TONI Throws Party to Say Thanks for 15 Years!

Stop in to see us Saturday October 17th, at 51 S. Washington St. between 6am-5:30pm for complimentary cookies, apple cider, great giveaways and LIVE entertainment!

TONI is happy to welcome back former employees, Jen Knuepfer Kenny and Jill Olchawa, who will be performing in front of the store between 10am and 3pm.

Kenny and a Déjà Vu Productions guitarist will be playing a two hour set from 10am-noon.
For more on Jen Kneupfer Kenny and Déjà Vu Productions go to http://www.dejavuband.com/

Jill Olchawa and The Dyes will be performing from 1pm-3pm

For more on Jill Olchawa and The Dyes go to www.myspace.com/thedyes

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Cupcake week

Thank you to everyone who purchased Cupcakes for a Cause, to support CancerCare for Kids! We decorated the cupcakes with the candy logo we were given by the cause, and they attracted a lot of attention! Our limited-time-only Strawberry Swirl cupcake was very popular!
From holidays, to birthday parties for kids and adults, to fancier versions for wedding receptions, cupcakes have become a trend that just doesn't go out of style.

We decorated these cupcakes with the bride and groom's last initial, and covered it with sugar pearls. Not only did it dress up the cupcakes for the reception, but it personalized the cupcakes specifically to the couple.

Buttercream flowers on these cupcakes fit into the garden party theme this guest was having. We used bright, summer colors and touched on different flowers she had in her own garden.
Because chocolate is such a dark, rich color, we decorated the fudge covered cupcakes with brightly colored fondant roses. The bright colors really pop on the fudge frosting, and the cupcakes couldn't look more delicious!

With a large variety of flavors, fillings, and seemingly no end to decoration possibilities, cupcakes are a delicious alternative to add to ANY celebration!
...look for our Halloween Cupcakes coming soon!



Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Cupcakes for a Cause™ Week – September 21st-27th

We at TONI we are excited to participate in the 6th annual Cupcakes for a Cause™ Week – September 21st-27th- supporting CancerCare for Kids®!

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. We will be selling Cupcakes for a Cause, and donating part of the proceeds to the CancerCare for Kids® program which provides free services to children and families affected by cancer.
During the promotional week, we will be offering three varieties of cupcakes:
We have our signature Devil’s Food with Fudge frosting, our White with Vanilla Buttercream frosting, and for that week only, Strawberry Swirl Vanilla!




Cupcakes will be decorated with the Cupcakes for a Cause™ candy icon, and 10% of sales go to the cause. Over 350 bakeries from across the country are signed up, and we hope to help not only build excitement about the week, but help raise awareness and make a difference. For $1.00 extra, you can buy the cupcake in an indiviudal box to give as a gift for a special occasion or that special someone!

Stop by to see us, help the cause, and try the new flavor that’s only available from September 21st-September 27th! For more information on the event visit cupcakesforacause.org

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Vintage Themed Photo Shoot at KLM

This week I participated in a Wedding Guide photo shoot at Katherine Legge Memorial Park along with Jane’s Blue Iris of Hinsdale.

Jane, from Jane’s Blue Iris chose the Vintage theme that was a perfect choice for KLM.
KLM Park has been around since the early 1920s and is the perfect setting for a wedding ceremony and reception with its beautiful wooded areas and natural light.


I loved the vintage theme and drew inspiration from the Victorian era. I created a sweet table full of delicately decorated cakes, petit fours and cookies.

The day of the photo shoot was sunny and beautiful, with the only downfall going to the bees that loved the sweet smell of our flowers and cakes. You can spot them in some pictures -and some of us were unfortunate enough to get stung- but all for the good of the pictures that will be shown in an upcoming issue of the Wedding Guide!

Here are some snapshots that Barb from Jane’s Blue Iris too. These will serve as a precursor to the upcoming Wedding Guide issue.

Also I plan to recreate the look in our store window as a sneak preview!

Monday, August 24, 2009

Savor Peaches as Summer Draws to a Close

The best part of summer is the availability of fresh fruit. Going to the Farmer's Market is a great way to develop meal, snack, and dessert ideas. Before I plan a dinner party, I like to go to the market to see what is fresh.

Having too much of one product is a wonderful problem to have. The mind reels, deciding how to incorporate it into all of your favorite dishes.



Right now, peaches are a hit at the market. This year at TONI, we've made Peach Crumb Coffee Cakes, our requisite Peach Pie, and we've added peaches to our Cherry Galettes for a limited time only. Galettes are available in the store daily and on Mondays at the Hinsdale Farmer's Market. Filling flavors will vary, call ahead to find out what we are baking.

Enjoy peaches baked in your favorite sweets, stewed in a compote, or fresh out of your hand, like this little girl. Just make sure to get them while they last!

15 Years and a New Name

It is hard to believe that it's been 15 years since we opened Toni Marie's Sweets & Savories here in Hinsdale. Our success has been the result of the incredibly supportive Hinsdale community, other patrons willing to travel surprising distances, and especially the hard work of our extremely talented and dedicated staff.



After 15 years we felt it was time to freshen up our image and have a more contemporary brand. In this effort we decided to simplify our name. We have dropped my middle name, Marie, redesigned our logo, changed the outdoor sign, and are in the process of updating our packaging and taking on a new look inside the store.

By doing this, we believe that our fresh new image will reflect the distinctive quality of our products. Delicious pastries, savory lunch options, desserts and our custom cakes are made right here at TONI.

My name is Toni, but the word Toni also has a meaning. Elegant, exclusive, and high-quality are all words to describe the word Toni, and we believe they are all words to describe our products as well. We use high-quality ingredients including Belgian chocolate, European-style butter, and the freshest seasonal fruits. All of our products are made from scratch and we do not use preservatives.

We hope you will stop by as the process unfolds and let us know how you like the new changes! We are convinced you will love the new look as much as we do!