Jules,
Don't mean to alarm you, but is this the little one that went thru the window??
if it is, is she sick from a virus with temp etc.

Just be careful if she hit her head that she is not vomiting from that....

Sorry to be a panic merchant. Just have to be careful when kiddies bump their heads.

Nicole you'll have to remember mine is well over 20 years old and I don't think pasta was very "in" then. Mine has Blender, dough hook, whisk, "K" beater, can opener, juicer, mincer you could even get a sausage filler, shredder, slicer the list goes on. I was lucky my mum had already bought everything so I got the advantage. Go me .
Why don't you check and see if they have a website.

Lyn

Sorry to hear your little girl is sick Jules hope she is feeling better soon. If it is any consolation you are not the only one being vomited on although I only get little baby chucks so not so bad I guess - joys of motherhood huh?

thx OzCookie - pm you l8r - DD is on catching up with friends, so it's not my turn.

Gotta go ....

Hi, all!

My goodness, Aussies! I've been away from my computer for 48 hours and you manage to fill 6 pages!

I've got a hand-me-down mixer - an elderly Kenwood given to me by darling Mother-In-Law's (no, I'm not being sarcastic, she's actually great!) Auntie Norma. As best as we can figure, it's around 40 years old or more and still works great. But I'd really love a new mixer - they're sooooo pretty.
Good friend recently bought a KA and is totally in love. She bought the Artisan model, because she didn't like the bowl-lift feature of the next size up and doesn't have space for a commercial one.
We've compared the two, and the only major difference is the bowl capacity - the KA can take a double quantity of mix (2 x 8"). I don't know how my Kenwood stacks up against more recent models, but the KA seems a little more powerful, too.
I'd be interested to hear from the "semi-professionals" and those that do the wedding cake thing regularly!
Welcome, all the lovely new people (Sorry, I read the 6 new pages really quickly, and didn't note down names ) - good to have you on board!

So lovely to wake up and catch up on all the messages that have been written while I am sleeping!
NICOLE, I think you need to write a pro/con list with the two mixers.... go to the shop, and write all the attachments each has... then all the technical stuff..bowl capacity.... prettiness etc... I'll let you know if and when my KA motor blows up!! I think mine is also the Artisan model. The only negative thing I have found is that not long after I bought it, I had my husband out with the screwdriver.... the beaters are put at a precise height... to mix everything without missing the bottom of the bowl. Mine started clanking one day and the screw had come loose so the beaters were bashing on the bowl....... they explain that this may happen and how to adjust it... but now my beaters are not collecting the mix right at the bottom...... It is a very fine line to find the exact position. Apart from that I love it... and yes Nicole... it is very pretty in the kitchen... Mine is permanently kept out on display

Jules.. sorry for vomiting child... Your washing machine will be on all day I assume? Last time my son was sick he vomited in my bed... everywhere... me too!! YES, the joys our angels can bring!!!!

Yes, I really enjoy being chucked on..not !!! I don't mind the baby chucks - they don't cause the same response with me !! Vomiting is 1 thing I can't handle ( being a reg.nurse it was unavoidable ! If I had a pt.throwing up, I would sometimes have to leave for a few min.so I wasn't throwing up too !! )
Washing machine is in overdrive !

Maria, I think it was someone else's little angel, going through the window
..ouch..

Jules, I was an RN too. I was one of the last groups to go through hospital training at The Royal Melbourne Hospital. Many years ago though... I started my training 1990. I am sure I have forgotten everything. My peeve was mor phlegm.... that and flaky skin!!!!

So now I am sure to have made everyone feel sick.... should we return to discussing cakes???

Hi guys, its nice to meet some aussies on here! Mainly just wanted to say hello but I will add that I was also a nurse for many years and just reading about the phlem bought back many bad memories......LOL. I would much rather bake a cake. Cheers

Toni, OMG I had forgotten about the phlegm - that is worse !!! I was also hospital trained- in Maryborough qld( way,way back graduated in '86 ) & we used to call the male medical ward, the "cough & spit ward
YUUUUCCCKKK !!!! I frequently had to leave the room !!!

Sorry guys... cake,cake,cake

Welcome Mzsweet.

Love your cakes. How do you do the wire accents so gorgeous? Hope you enjoy the aussie contingency.

Never was an RN but worked in lab and phlem was amazing when it came in. I thought kids bought up a lot.

Oops maybe should put this in a gross section

Leigh

Hi ALL,

Just another hand in favor of KA. I was dreaming about one for ages and bought it at DJ for 4 years interest free before they introduced $2.50 account keeping fee. Paying only $9.15 a month and loving the thing I also have hand Braun and find I use both for different things. I make my modelling paste ( flower paste ) in KA without a problem, well, so far.

Sorry Jules - it was Lilis girl that had the fall.

Hi, all. Just want to add about KA as well. My husband got me one few months back, slightly lower prx than the RRP (and come with waranty as well). I will get the info from him once I speak with him again.

oops sorry --- the white egg offer still stand... for girls in melbourne who need them. sorry ozcakes,

Hey guys,

The wedding cake I did on the weekend is the first time I ever suffered from some cake bulge (and there wasn't even any filling). I didn't dowl because the top cake was only a 6inch and I didn't think it needed it .

Anyway I have a cake in two weeks that will be a 12inch with an 8 inch on top both fruit cake, the 8 inch will be directly on top (with a thin board as they are going to be removing to keep it) further to that they will be picking it up the day before themselves and it's an outdoor wedding. Do you think I should dowel? Can I use skewers or should I go for some proper dowels, can you cut the plastic ones easily or do I get the wooden ones and go to bunnings for a saw? It's important that I make this as foolproof as possible because it's for the son of a co-worker and I don't want to be a disaster. I have had them sign a contract that once it's picked up it's no longer my responsibility, I'm even going to give them a repair kit but you know I don't really want them to have to use it!

Any advice is well appreciated.

TIA

YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You really should use dowels anytime that you stack a cake.
Go to a local cake deco store, buy some wooden dowels from there, I use a pair of secateurs(sp?) to cut mine, just bought them from Bunnings.
An 8 inch cake will most probably sink into the 12 inch cake.

Nic, better to be safe than sorry... And as for discounts for syd peeps, i can but you gotta pay for postage You should just come down and shop! I'm sure you can find something to make it worth it!

I have to admit I never really got the whole dowel thing before, I know that sounds silly but it's like a little light bulb went off. Will 4 be enough or should I go 5 with one in the centre as well?

Thanks guys I figured I'd need to. Appreciate your advice!

yes nic 1000% sure you should dowel an 8inch fruit cake can be very heavy i even bought a little haxsaw from kmart and does the trick dowel rods will only set you back 50cents for 5 . I have neglected to dowel once and it was a disaster Better safe thn sorry!!

Please dowel it, it will at the very least sink into your fondant and cause the fondant to move.

I would use 8 wooden dowels for an 8 inch cake.

As a matter of interest, I buy my dowels (6mm width) by the metre at Bunnings for about $2 and just cut them myself. To sharpen the end I brought a new pencil sharpener and now that is kept in the 'if you touch it, I WILL kill you box!!'.
( Darling BF is doing his masters and keeps looking for stationary supplies, another passion of mine. Virgos....)

I generally buy about 5 metres and never worry about running out of them.

Cheryl

I have realised what a miracle it was when I made my 3 tier cake without dowels.... A miracle there was no collapsing. I made it before I read up and understood just how dowelling works. My 3 cakes had one quite thick dowel going through the middle..... but no support boards under the cakes... I seriously believe now that there were some angels holding up the cake!!!

Nicole, I just had a look at your wedding cake - It looks fantastic. Your draping turned out well.

I attempted to do draping on a beach cake I did ( not in pics 'coz it was a direct copy of a cake on here and didn't want bad CC voodoo cast upon me) and I've gotta tell you that it was nowhere the size of your cake and drapes. I applaud you.

I normally get my daughter to help with stuff like that or at least be nearby so I can yell at her while I'm doing stressful stuff. He He He.

Noice cake - yeah, roolly Noice!!

Phew.. have read 4 pages worth of posts!!!

Maria, yes it was my daughter that went through the window. No head injuries and no chucking... she chowed her way through some KFC nuggest yesterday at the airport (we took her to see the planes!)

As for mixers.... I LOVE LOVE LOVE my pink KA that I got for christmas. It's the best and I've been thrashing the crap out of it lately churning out cakes. It's paying for itself

I start begginers chocloate tonight so I am off to make a chocolate sponge for the black forest cake tonight.

Ginger, I really MUST go and check out your shop before I go back to work. I am just addicted to all things kitchen at the moment!!!!!!!!!

Oh schucks thanks Maria.

OK guys I PROMISE to dowel, don't worry, seeing they are picking it up I should include instructions stating there are dowels in it and roughly where they are.

Do you cover the dowel in cling film or just stick the wood right through? I'm just wondering seeing wire isn't allowed in cakes whether wood is OK.

OMG Lilis, How is your daughter today?? KFC Nuggets Are you sure there is no chucking???

You guys are all making me very JEALOUS VERY JEALOUS of all this talk about shiny new machines.


I WANT ONE!!!!!


And then Lilis talking about chocolate and chocolate cake and Black Forest Cake

Thanks Fran I'll be sure to not throw the dowels on the floor and let them play there first hehehehehehehehhehehehe!



Seriously, thanks for that.

LiliS i am assuming "dubby" is domestic hubby? Or is that just a really sweet name you call him??