I really hate that everyone is saying they hate AOC because they use alot of wood and styrofoam. I mean they are making the cake the CUSTOMER WANTS. They provide enough servings of cake to feed everyone and then everything else is just extra to make the design.
There is no way to make most of their cakes in just cake!!! The other night they made a fork lift using alot of wood, but seriously how else are you supposed to make the lift arm stick up in the air. Cake won't do it.....
Also alot of the designs for businesses are just for looks, like the flamingos. They had that thing sitting out for their week or month long celebration, can't really do that with cake, can you? So they also made kitchen cakes for everyone to eat that day.
There is alot to learn from AOC, the only thing I would change is all the non cake related stuff. The trips and functions they do, I think they should stick with just making cakes.
I watch both shows whenever there on.
As I have not tasted cakes from either bakery, I cannot comment on that aspect. 
But as TV shows, i definitely enjoy Ace of Cake wayyyyy better than Cake Boss. I have them both recorded on my satellite, but I always watch AOC ASAP. Yet I have probably 10+ episodes of Cake Boss sitting there waiting..
First of all, I just don't have the patient to get through all those negative energy that show Cake Boss carries. I don't care if that's how that family communicates. Shouting and putting people down is not communication.
If I had to choose which place to work for, I will choose CCC for sure. It just seem to be a fun place to work, with all those friendly mature people there. I don't care if Mary Alice wears Obama T-shirt, I'm not American and have nothing against either parties. I'm here to watch the cakes, not to see what political views they have.
As for the artistic side, again, CCC wins me over. They just seem to be a lot more creative. It would be nice if they use more edible stuff, would be nice, but doesn't take away from their creativeness. Carlo's Bakery's stuff just seem to be a little too traditional to me. I guess that's because they serves general public. But I am watching a TV show, I want to see stuff that I can't make myself, or something I wouldn't have imagined myself. I want to get ideas from the TV show, Ace of Cake does that, while Cake Boss does less so.
On sanity issue, I think both shows can be improved.
As for what Mike commented about Duff not able to handle stress at his previous work and gets money from his father to start CCC... well I think Mike said it in a very negative tone. Every person is different. It doesn't mean Duff is less of a person because he couldn't handle stress. It doesn't mean he is less creative when he gets support from his family. Buddy shouting to his employee or sisters, is one of Buddy's way of managing HIS stress. I am actually giving Duff a thumb up for handling his stress better by leaving and starting a fun place of his own. Oh.. and didn't Buddy get his bakery from his father too? 
Add one more thing.
Ace Of Cake is about the whole group, Duff is not the star, the 10 decorators of Charm City Cakes are the stars. The show showcases everyone's talent.
With Cake Boss, it feels like Buddy is the "star" front and center. Everyone else is supporting actor. The show is centered on the "drama" and Buddy. It seems always about him him him.
LOL, yes Dkelly, I just put you quote to support your comment, I guess at the end I lost track of my thoughts
hahaha, sorry about that!
OK cool that's what I thought! lol
On another note............
I think the foam and wood could easily be replaced with edible RKT, chocolate plastic, fondant/gumpaste and many other edible mediums.
To me it's much more of a challenge to keep it all edible then it is to use non-edible stuff.
Not saying it's right or wrong, just that I personally have much more respect for the true baker/decorator that does keep it all edible.
I like them both, but I have tried pastries from Carlo's and I didn't like them. NOTE: I said pastries (don't know about their cakes) and again NOTE: I didn't like them- not everyone will agree. I also HATE the way they keep saying Yous (instead of the plural you)- Ugh. lol
But I like the fact that Buddy uses lots of buttercream and I like the fact that Doug's cakes are so different. So no vote from me. Can't decide.
I like both. As far as being able to decorate cake, I go with Buddy. Why? Cause I have seen AOF cake's that were only a 1/3 cake and people are ooing and ahinng, "That's made all of cake?!" Not really. But Buddy's cakes are made mostly of cake. I'm sorry, it's much harder to do something 3D in just about all edible items as opposed to using a bunch of styrofoam, wood, or metal. And I know that's what the customer wants, Buddy is also doing what his cusomter wants...in cake!
As far as Duff getting help from his dad, cause he couldn't cut it, well it must be nice to have a rich dad who can bale you out. I don't really see it as the exact same thing as Buddy who grew up working in the kitchen, father passes and takes on the family business. His dad didn't say,"Here son, you can't hack it? Let me give you thousands of dollars so you can go do what you want". They do give the impression that Duff has graduated by pastry school. But, hey, if I could have it like Duff, why not.
And as far as the recpetionist wearing an Obama shirt, so you don't want to watch it, give my a fricken break! What does THAT have to do with the show?! 
My Wilton instructor went to school with Buddy and she says that he was a pain in the butt and didn't really want to study just hang out and do crazy stuff, so his dad made him work at the bakery. He was like: Oh you don't want to go to school and you want to act crazy here's a job for you. LOL His sisters are PITAs, especially the one that had the bakery painted in pink. LOL
Buddy's dad sounds like a parent after my own heart! 
Buddy can be a pain,he makes great cakes and artists are tempermentle.who cares.Buddy is talented!!!
As far as shows, I prefer to watch Ace of Cakes. I just don't like all the yelling and drama, especially the added fake drama, on Cake Boss. I just really don't get why they think they need to fake stuff like that do. Buddies personality, or the persona he presents on the show anyway, just rubs me the wrong way. And of course the sisters....
But, as far as cakes, I really like that Buddy still does some buttercream work and tries to keep everything edible. He clearly has a lot of talent, though some of his cakes do fall short (the Easter bunny). I do like that you see him actually doing a fair amount of the decorating. Duff's crew clearly has tons of artistic talent, but they do seem a little lacking in proper food-handling technique, and the actual cake seems to be low on their priority list. It does bother me that you rarely see Duff doing anything by walking around making wisecracks or going on field trips. I also don't like all the non-cake "cakes" that they do, and the large amount of inedible materials. But to be fair, I know that they do have a couple of people with really good piping skills; those cakes just don't ever get shown on air.
If I were getting my b'day cake from one of them, I'd probably pick BUddy, because I think it would be more my style, and more likely to taste really good since he is a true baker and Duff doesn't seem to put as much priority on taste. But, if you ask me which crew I'd want to work for or hang out with for a day, no question in would be Duff's! They are so laid back and fun, and work together really well. I couldn't take the stress level at Buddy's!
As far as Duff getting help from his dad, cause he couldn't cut it, well it must be nice to have a rich dad who can bale you out. I don't really see it as the exact same thing as Buddy who grew up working in the kitchen, father passes and takes on the family business. His dad didn't say,"Here son, you can't hack it? Let me give you thousands of dollars so you can go do what you want"
The thing is, none of us were there in person when Duff "ran back to Daddy crying with his hand out." We can't just take it as is. Who knew what really happened between the father and son? Who knew what conversation and what conditions were made? We need to be objective. What Mike said is not objective at all.
As far as Duff getting help from his dad, cause he couldn't cut it, well it must be nice to have a rich dad who can bale you out. I don't really see it as the exact same thing as Buddy who grew up working in the kitchen, father passes and takes on the family business. His dad didn't say,"Here son, you can't hack it? Let me give you thousands of dollars so you can go do what you want"
The thing is, none of us were there in person when Duff "ran back to Daddy crying with his hand out." We can't just take it as is. Who knew what really happened between the father and son? Who knew what conversation and what conditions were made? We need to be objective. What Mike said is not objective at all.
No it wasn't objective, fact is never objective.
Mike
As far as Duff getting help from his dad, cause he couldn't cut it, well it must be nice to have a rich dad who can bale you out. I don't really see it as the exact same thing as Buddy who grew up working in the kitchen, father passes and takes on the family business. His dad didn't say,"Here son, you can't hack it? Let me give you thousands of dollars so you can go do what you want"
The thing is, none of us were there in person when Duff "ran back to Daddy crying with his hand out." We can't just take it as is. Who knew what really happened between the father and son? Who knew what conversation and what conditions were made? We need to be objective. What Mike said is not objective at all.
No it wasn't objective, fact is never objective.
Mike
I'm sorry Mike, what you said is not fact. It is your interpretation of the fact.
As far as Duff getting help from his dad, cause he couldn't cut it, well it must be nice to have a rich dad who can bale you out. I don't really see it as the exact same thing as Buddy who grew up working in the kitchen, father passes and takes on the family business. His dad didn't say,"Here son, you can't hack it? Let me give you thousands of dollars so you can go do what you want"
The thing is, none of us were there in person when Duff "ran back to Daddy crying with his hand out." We can't just take it as is. Who knew what really happened between the father and son? Who knew what conversation and what conditions were made? We need to be objective. What Mike said is not objective at all.
No it wasn't objective, fact is never objective.
Mike
I'm sorry Mike, what you said is not fact. It is your interpretation of the fact.
Well then the Chefography episode of Duff on FN is false then. This is where the info came from. That is why I said it was public knowledge. I didn't think it was a great secret, but I guess it was.
Mike
Ahhh, Mike, Mike, Mike, if I wasn't all ready married to the greatest guy in the world, I'ld propose. We could take over the world together! 
No it wasn't objective, fact is never objective.
Mike
I'm sorry Mike, what you said is not fact. It is your interpretation of the fact.
Well then the Chefography episode of Duff on FN is false then. This is where the info came from. That is why I said it was public knowledge. I didn't think it was a great secret, but I guess it was.
Mike
Ok I never watched that episode. But here's what I found on foodnetwork of Duff's biography:
He started working for acclaimed Baltimore Chef Cindy Wolf while attending the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. After graduating, Duff left Baltimore to study at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, California. While in Napa, Duff was a stagiere at the French Laundry, working under acclaimed pastry Chef Steven Durfee. Duff left California to become Executive Pastry Chef of the Vail Cascade Hotel and Resort in the mountains of Vail, Colorado. There, he worked with such notable chefs as Jessie Llapitan, now Executive Chef of the Houstonian in Houston, Texas, and Chef Jason Rogers, late of Olives in Aspen and now at the Borgata of Atlantic City. Duff then left Colorado to bake bread for Todd English's Olives in Washington, D.C., where he worked under Executive Chef Steve Mannino. Duff left Olives in 2000 when he came back to Baltimore to open Charm City Cakes.
Note the places he worked at between leaving French Laundry and opening of Charm City Cakes.
Thus I think, your original post about him leaving French Laundry and then running to daddy, etc. etc., is your own interpretation of the fact, or what you get from someone else's interpretation of the fact.
I actually have a crush on Geof
I just believe that we should give people benefit of doubt. None of us were really there to witness Duff "ran back to Daddy crying with his hand out", so we should not say it like that. It is not fair.
I don't know what was shown in that Chefography episode, maybe I'm all wrong here. But until I see that episode, or reports from an actual witness, or the parties who were really involved say so, I will give Duff the benefit of doubt here.
Maybe Mike was there in person. In that case, then I apologize to you, Mike
I actually have a crush on Geof
I just believe that we should give people benefit of doubt. None of us were really there to witness Duff "ran back to Daddy crying with his hand out", so we should not say it like that. It is not fair.
I don't know what was shown in that Chefography episode, maybe I'm all wrong here. But until I see that episode, or reports from an actual witness, or the parties who were really involved say so, I will give Duff the benefit of doubt here.
Maybe Mike was there in person. In that case, then I apologize to you, Mike
Nope wasn't there, just giving the account of the Chefograpy show.
Mike
I took my grand kids to Carlos Bakery today....Buddy came down from a meeting to meet them, he hugged my little grand daughter and signed her sweatshirt, she was so thrilled. He had his pic taken with both of them and was so sweet.....what a really nice young man he is......he was really busy, and took the time to make two kids and twenty other people behind them really happy. The canoli was to die for and the cake so moist and delicious..............really great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I took my grand kids to Carlos Bakery today....Buddy came down from a meeting to meet them, he hugged my little grand daughter and signed her sweatshirt, she was so thrilled. He had his pic taken with both of them and was so sweet.....what a really nice young man he is......he was really busy, and took the time to make two kids and twenty other people behind them really happy. The canoli was to die for and the cake so moist and delicious..............really great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That is great to know... That was very nice of him.
He is really a sweetheart! Everyone there is nice....Mary is a little ornery looking but last time we were there she had a pic taken with us haha.
Love to hear that Madge.
When his show first came on I sent an e-mail to his bakery telling them how much I enjoyed seeing a "real family business" make it on television and how much I looked forward to the other episodes.
I never expected to hear back from them, but Mary herself e-mailed me and thanked me for taking the time to contact them. She also told me about upcoming episodes and was generally nice in her response.
You can't always judge a book by it's cover.
When I first graduated from hairdressing school I worked for an Italian man and his wife at their family owned salon.
At first it took me a while to get used to his LOUD voice and abrasiveness, but I worked there for 9 yrs before opening my own Salon and I genuinely grew to love them and their entire family.....loud yelling and all.
I like Mary, she cracks me up. She was a hair dresser I think I heard on one episode. Buddy was so cute and dear. My grand kids are still beaming from meeting him. No way will I ever believe he is anything but a sweetheart.
Buddy's Cake Boss is definitely better than Duff's show, though it depends whether you like more drama.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%