Fast Fashion Leaders H&M And Zara; Weathering The Pandemic

Fast fashion, which is the mass production of fashion trend-right products at inexpensive prices, may have to deal with something it is not used to; excess inventory. Typically, the business model calls for many styles shipped frequently to stores, allowing for the trend-right merchandise to have a high sell-through, minimizing markdowns and improving profit margins. The industry inventory turnover for fast fashion is over 4.0 which is considered healthy for apparel stores.

However, with many stores closed for at least a few weeks, the inventory is not selling at the same pace and it is unlikely that e-commerce sales can make up the loss in revenue. Once the inventory has passed the prime time to sell, the goods are typically marked down. Two of the largest retailers in fast fashion, H&M and Inditex (Zara parent company), both have a majority of their stores closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. H&M, serving 74 global markets, has closed 3,441 stores out of 5,062 while keeping about 50 online digital markets open according to the latest press release. Zara reported 51percent of its 7489 stores temporarily closed and 156 online markets which continue to operate. Although online sales for Inditex grew 23 percent in 2019, the total online sales represent only 14 percent of total sales. H&M’s online sales increased by 24 percent for 2019 but represent a small portion of the total revenue.

Vestidos de Fiesta

WSJ reported Zara’s app use and H&M’s app downloads both fell 14% in the U.S. markets. Groceries and staple items are top priorities for consumers today, so discretionary spending has been held back. Also weighing on consumers’ minds is the uncertainty of employment and a  possible recession which means fast fashion may take a back seat for the near future. The fast fashion industry has been suffering from declining profitability and will be further challenged with added markdowns and excess inventory in 2020.

As Coronavirus Lockdowns Hit Supply Chains, Luxury Fashion Is Not Immune

Luxury retailers have been hit by a double-whammy of falling demand from Chinese buyers, and lockdowns across major manufacturing regions in Italy that have now spread nationwide.

Suppliers of textiles and leather goods told Reuters that demand had been slashed from the likes of Gucci, Prada and Salvatore Ferragamo.
"We were producing 880 to 1,000 bags a month for Gucci. In February we made 450 and we have no orders for March," one owner of a supplier to the Kering-owned luxury brand told Reuters.
Italy has the largest cluster of Covid-19 cases outside China, and on Monday, a lockdown imposed on the worst hit regions and cities in the north, including financial and fashion capital Milan, was extended to the entire nation.
The tail-end of fashion month was hit by mounting concerns about the spread of the virus in Europe, with some editors leaving Paris fashion week early, while Giorgio Armani’s fashion show was displayed to an empty room and streamed online.
Like many other industries, the $320 billion luxury goods sector is wracked with uncertainty as to how long the effects of Covid-19 will last, with many retailers saying that they are monitoring the situation closely.
"The outbreak of COVID-19 has already negatively impacted the luxury industry," Fflur Roberts, head of Luxury at Euromonitor International, told Forbes. "Luxury companies such as Burberry, Tapestry and Capri, have already adjusted their sales forecasts for 2020 down."
Tangent: Italy is the 5th largest market globally for personal luxury goods, with leather goods dominating sales, Roberts said. Meanwhile, in 2018, Chinese shoppers accounted for one-third of luxury goods purchases, according to Bain & Company.

Crucial comment: Honor Strachan, retail analyst at GlobalData, told Forbes that while brands might be insulated in the immediate term, if the public health crisis continues, it could have adverse effects on stock levels as far as the Autumn and festive seasons.

                                                                       

Evening Dresses

The Beatrice Inn's Angie Mar Cooks Up A Fashion Collection

Chef Angie Mar is admittedly not a fashion designer, though she is no stranger to the scene. She pals around with designers like Oscar de la Renta's Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia, Peter Som, and Sally LaPointe; and has a closet stocked with Givenchy, Chanel, Gucci, and Balenciaga. But as of today, the owner and chef de cuisine of the Beatrice Inn—in a measured way—is strengthening her ties to the sartorial world by launching a line of apparel that captures her restaurant's evolution throughout the last century.   

Indeed, reinvention is the hallmark of longevity, and the Beatrice Inn has certainly gone through its fair share of life cycles. The storied hotspot located in New York's West Village began as a speakeasy in the 1920s; became an Italian eatery in the '50s, subsequently attracting the patronage of Woody Allen and academics like Victor Navasky; turned into a raucous night club for B-listers and wannabe fashion stars after it was bought by DJ Paul Sevingney and a few partners in 2006; and then became a watering hole for power brokers when Graydon Carter took over the deed in 2013. Now, under the dominion of Mar, who bought it from the Vanity Fair's erstwhile editor in 2016, the Beatrice Inn has transformed into a restaurant that concisely combines all its past lives—with a hefty helping of the Seattle native's own sensibilities.

Bridesmaid Dresses

All the glitz, glamour and hedonism that characterize the legend of the Beatrice Inn—along with Mar's personal appearance (orchestrated with the help of stylist Annebet Duvall)—are encapsulated in Butcher + Beast: Mastering the Art of Meat, a tome published in October 2019. From page to page, Mar, Jamie Feldmar, and photographer Johnny Miller illustrate scenes that are brawny, cool, and makes no qualms about being excessive, both in the portions of the meals and the setup of Polaroid images. Still, even with the display of these indulgences, there is something welcoming and inclusive in the restaurant's presentation. It is as if Mar is inviting all into a family party—albeit an incredibly decadent one.

This idea of family, evidently, was central to Mar's new fashion collection, which was made in collaboration Autum Studios, a company owned by her brother Conrad Mar. The line is comprised of sweaters, hoodies, and track pants that feature images from the book and catch phrases such as “Lady Bea,” “Saturday Night,” and “Free the Beatrice.” And with only 150 pieces made, the stock—which is priced from $78 to $198 and sold exclusively at Autumstudios.com—is just as rare as her Pinot Meunier–aged Wagyu Chateaubriand. 

Nanushka's CEO Serves Up His Recipe For How To Create A Global Fashion Brand

Nanushka has seemingly cooked up a recipe for instant success. In three years, the Budapest-based sustainable fashion label, founded by Sandra Sandor, has garnered the fervor of fashion editors; is stocked at major retailers like Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue; increased its revenue by nearly 25 times; and recently opened a 3,300-square-foot store at the posh SoHo neighborhood in New York. But what may appear to be a 30-minute meal—a speedy trajectory to the top—was actually a slow roast.

The brand was founded in 2006, nearly a decade before it became a burgeoning force in the industry. So, what was the missing ingredient that added the necessary kick? Evidently, it was basic business acumen. Before 2016, Nanushka was effectively hemorrhaging money, operating on a scale that isn't conducive to running a successful global company.

Indeed, Nanushka wasn't lacking in its creative output. Throughout her career, Sandor has designed forward-thinking collections for men and women that imbue a timeless quality. From sharply tailored vegan leather coats to draped dresses in eye-catching hues, she consistently offers styles that are easy to wear, but also have clear elements of panache. It's no wonder why the brand in so beloved on Instagram. Still, this doesn't mean that it was turning a profit. 

On the surface, fashion is a creative industry based on pushing forward an ideal, often glamorous image. But scratch away the first coat, and it is essentially a business based on low margins, high spending, and competition in a marketplace that has become so overly saturated that even the best labels have closed up shop. Understanding these basic principles is Peter Baldaszti, a Hungarian entrepreneur who saw the potential in making Nanushka a global fashion brand.

He was dating Sandor three years prior to taking on the role of CEO and co-owner in 2016, the year that changed the course of the company. What he did to overhaul Nansushka and astoundingly increase revenue wasn't groundbreaking in the least. He simply had the foresight to see that it could really impact the global market. And after instituting a solid operating system—and with a little bit of luck—the brand is now a palatable enterprise. 

Ahead of Nansushka's New York store opening,  Baldaszti served up his recipe for making Nanushka relatively successful.

Mother of the Bride Dresses

Why Stylists Are Natural Fashion Designers

I've written quite a bit about how influencer clothing lines are a natural next step for many of the world's top social media stars, but there's another type of fashion expert out there who makes a great designer: the stylist.

Not only are these individuals dressing and beautifying taste-making celebrities of the world, but they're also experiencing firsthand the products from countless top brands in the fashion and beauty world. Stylists know how clothes are supposed to fit and the adjustments they need to make to make a garment flawless. Makeup artists and hairstylists have sampled hundreds of formulas and ingredients in the products that they use on their clients in order to know which ones are the most effective. Stylists have vast resources and knowledge on what makes a product successful, so when they set out to create their own line, they know how to make it right.

But don't take it just from me! I spoke with three different style professionals—makeup artist Dillon Pena, stylist Cristina Ehrlich, and hairstylist Ricardo Roja—to get their take on the stylist brand trend.

                                                                     

                                               Vestidos de Cerimonia

Luxurious Wedding Registry Items You Absolutely Need

According to a study from The Knot, approximately nine in ten couples create a gift registry for their wedding. However, because the average age of marriage is older than ever, couples don't necessarily feel the need to register for traditional home decor and kitchen items. But, it doesn't mean they shouldn't. A wedding registry is one of the few times in your adult life when you can ask for things that you would never buy for yourself. However, your home, like your marriage, should be beautiful and harmonious. So, don't be afraid to upgrade.

Here are some high-end home items to add to your registry as well as suggestions of where to register.

Neiman Marcus 

There are many benefits to registering at Neiman Marcus. They have a curated selection of high-end items for every room. Furthermore, because the department store has brick and mortar locations, shopping is made easier for guests of a certain age, who may not want to purchase wedding gifts online.

Weddings and celebrations bring a seemingly endless amount of photo opps. So, be prepared and register for plenty of picture frames. The Aerin Valentina Velvet Frame has a romantic design, perfect for pictures of the happy couple.

                                                 Wedding Dresses Australia

How This Haitian-Italian Designer Takes Local Fashion Global

With their bright patterns, abstract geometric prints and tributes to the Global South, Stella Jean's designs have attracted the attention of Armani and Louboutin and been worn by the likes of Beyoncé, Rihanna and Zendaya. But the Haitian-Italian fashion designer's talents go beyond a knack for juxtaposing fabrics and lie within her ability to bridge cultural divides through her creations. Because Stella Jean's designs are much more than articles of clothing: there is a story woven into each piece.

"I didn't begin my career in fashion to make beautiful dresses – I don't even know how to draw," she admits. "For me, fashion is very conceptual: I want to share ideas and tell stories through my work. To create a sort of marriage between my Italian background and international patterns in order to produce something that has a mixed origin, one with its own distinctive identity: something local that aspires to the global."

Born in Rome to an Italian father and a Haitian mother, her upbringing was a difficult experience. "I was born in Italy in the 1980s, a time when the country was completely unprepared for multicultural families like mine – a family with a blonde father and a black mother," she explains. "People constantly stopped in the streets to point at us." In spite of the challenges, she credits her mixed background for her later success.

The Best City For Dining This Month Is

Stuck between New York and Washington, D.C. and too established to be considered an "up-and-comer" like Minneapolis or Charleston, South Carolina, Philadelphia’s food scene too often gets overlooked by the national dining intelligentsia. Though Philly does earn its share of accolades – recent nods have included best U.S. pizza and coffee shop rankings as well as James Beard Foundation outstanding chef, outstanding restaurateur and Rising Star Chef of the Year awards – overall, Philadelphians feel somewhat (unfairly) snubbed.

So the city is celebrating mightily this month after being named as home to both James Beard’s outstanding restaurant of 2019 (Zahav) and Food & Wine magazine’s best new restaurant (Cadence). The Beard Foundation doesn’t explain its selections but Food & Wine wrote four lengthy paragraphs of love to Cadence, a BYOB opened last year by three veterans of High Street Hospitality, a powerhouse restaurant group in its own right.

Likely on F&W’s radar because of an earlier online story contributed by a local writer, Cadence charmed Restaurant Editor at Large Jordana Rothman with its "simple pleasures and serious food."


"Where did the feel-good restaurants go?" she writes. "The ones that restore the spirit, the ones that make us feel fed in ways that transcend the obvious, the ones where the hospitality isn’t an algorithmic triple axel but human, heartfelt—'How’s the family?’ You know the type: Hearth in New York City; Rustic Canyon in Los Angeles. To that list, add Cadence in Philadelphia."

The Hottest Dessert of the Year Is Burnt

The majority of  desserts that break the internet are modern creations that have been either carefully designed to entice Instagram users, such as the cotton-candy milkshake, or a reverse engineered hybrid, like the cronut.

The newest sweet to captivate Americans is neither. Nor, at almost three decades old, is it really new. It's not even particularly pretty to look at; it's burnt.

Basque country crustless cheesecake has cropped up around the U.S., from tiny apartment kitchens—thanks to love from sites such as Food52 (yes, you should make it, too)—to such exclusive dining spots as Dialogue in Los Angeles. Essentially, it's a typical cheesecake but with textural twists like singed edges and a gooey core.

Basque cheesecake may look like a bungled home-ec project—cratered, blotchy, and scorched—but it's this “Shrek factor” that makes the cake so beguiling. Looking at one, you'd never imagine its center would ooze lazily, like Epoisses, or that its puffed edges would dissolve on your tongue, as cotton candy does. Nor would you predict that its caramelized burnt corners would become so addictive.

The cake was birthed behind the swinging door at La Viña in Spain's San Sebastián, a neighborhood pintxos (skewered snack) joint whose bartenders remember your name. Though the region has had a long love affair with custards, this creamy dessert didn't exist until La Viña created it. The ingredient list is shockingly short: cream cheese, sugar, eggs, cream, and, depending on whom you ask, flour. The bar uses good old Philadelphia cream cheese; this was a relatively new ingredient in the Basque region in the 1970s, and locals embraced it.

Predictions From 4 Industry Leaders

As the global economy and markets continue to shift, predicting the future of food can be difficult. However, several trends are likely to have an impact on what and how people eat in the coming years. Technology, convenience and personalization are some of the top trends that will affect consumption. Four industry leaders shared their thoughts on the food industry's future in recent interviews: Ran Peled from CommonSense Robotics, Bruce Schroder from Moe’s Southwest Grill, Elana Karp from Plated and Christine Marcus from Alchemista.

Technology

People are changing the way they eat, cook and shop for food, and technology is one of the main reasons behind this. Grocery shopping has become more fragmented for families with spontaneous "fill in" shopping trips supplanting the traditional weekly stock-up trip because of e-commerce.

"In a 2018 consumer survey we conducted, more than 50% of the people reported they would prefer to receive a few smaller orders throughout the week rather than one large order each week. Acosta reports that 85% of consumers do not know what they are having for dinner until hours before mealtime. While Americans do dine out more than ever before, NPD reports that four out of five meals are still prepared at home. Americans are eating more meals at home today than they did a decade ago," Ran Peled, VP of marketing at CommonSense Robotics, says.


Technology is helping the dramatic shift away from the traditional weekly stock-up grocery trip to immediate, needs-based replenishment thanks to e-commerce. Consumer preferences for on-demand grocery delivery, within one to two hours, will only grow. Most consumers will look toward the brick-and-mortar grocery retailers they trust to meet this demand through online deliveries.

"A new report from Bain shows that a whopping 96% of consumers would look first to a traditional brick-and-mortar retailer for home delivery and 85% would select a store they already visit. While grocery retailers face tremendous challenges in the shift toward e-commerce, we believe that there is also a great opportunity for them to dominate in online grocery," Peled shares.

Tamal Ray’s recipe for gingerbread pudding with caramel sauce

Christmas is over. It's a new year. There are a few scant crumbs of mince pie and half a bottle of prosecco left in the fridge to remind you of the season just passed. But before your mind starts to turn to thoughts of a dry January, detoxes or juice cleanses, allow yourself one more little indulgence. It's going to be cold, damp and dark for a good while yet, so what better way to stave off the winter blues than a piping hot bowl of ginger pudding and caramel sauce?

Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth, add the eggs, flour, baking powder and spices, and stir together to form a smooth batter. Finally, stir through the chopped stem ginger. Dollop equal measures of the batter into the pudding tins, then bake for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, crack on with the sauce. Put all the ingredients in a small saucepan and stir over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is well blended and smooth. Bring the pan to a simmer and let it bubble away for three minutes, then turn off the heat.

Take the sponges out of the oven, then free them from their tins by running a blunt knife along the edge. Pour some sauce over each pudding and enjoy.

How one Cape Cod home kept its faded glory

A year after John Derian moved into his Greek Revival home in New England, one of his brothers came to stay. He told Derian to take his time with the project. "I didn't have the heart to tell him that I'd already renovated," says Derian. "I just wanted it to be as it was."

Derian is a découpage artist and the founder of John Derian Company Inc, a homeware store that opened in New York's East Village in 1989. There are now four John Derian stores in New York and one in Provincetown. His products – from handmade plates to ceramics, fabrics and furniture – are stocked in more than 600 shops worldwide. In the UK, you'll find them in the Conran Shop and Liberty.

The images Derian sets behind glass are from a collection of antique prints he has amassed over three decades. They come largely from 18th and 19th-century educational resources and depict everything from impossibly vibrant fruit and vegetables and flowers to a scene from a seance or a hyper-real blowfish. Two years ago Derian published the John Derian Picture Book showcasing around 300 images from his collection. "I always tell people to buy a couple of copies," he says. "One to keep, and one to tear apart and put up on their walls!"

I ask him what filters he applies to his search for imagery: "I don't specifically look for anything," he explains. "I find things. I let things happen." It's an approach that appears to work for property, as well as pictures.

As a child, Derian spent his holidays on Cape Cod. In 2006, he returned to Provincetown with a friend. "I wasn't even looking to buy a house, but it was love at first sight," he recalls. "There was something about this house just sitting here, a little bit abandoned-looking. Plus, I'm a sucker for a column…"

The house he fell in love with was built for a sea captain in 1789. When Derian first saw the property, he took a video of the exterior and called the estate agent, only to be told it was under offer. Back in New York, a technical glitch on his phone meant the video kept replaying. A few months later, he was idly searching online for properties in Provincetown and the sea captain's house resurfaced. The original offer had fallen through: Derian could go ahead with the purchase.

How to make Christmas cake

1 Mix and match
A note about ingredients: those listed are my preferred mix of dried fruit and nuts, but fruitcake is a very personal thing, so feel free to substitute your own blend –sour cherries or cranberries instead of glace fruit; chopped dates or apricots instead of figs; a simple bag of supermarket mixed fruit – so long as you keep the total weight the same.

2 The trick to a moist cake

Many people claim they don’t like fruitcake because it’s dry. Avoid this by soaking the dried fruit and peel in either whisky (or cold tea or fruit juice, if you’d prefer to keep your cake teetotal). Cover and leave to steep for six to 12 hours – I usually do this the night before I’m planning to bake.

3 Be protective
Grease and line a 20cm springform cake tin with two layers of baking paper: this may seem unnecessarily fiddly, but it will prevent the outer layers from burning – very handy when you’re baking with dried fruit, which has a tendency to catch and become very bitter where it sticks out from the sides of the cake.

4 Get creaming
Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and cream together until very light and fluffy; I’d recommend using electric beaters for at least five minutes until it has significantly increased in volume. Gradually add the eggs, beating well between each addition so the mix doesn’t curdle.

5 Add the spices

Sift the flour into another large bowl, then whisk in the baking powder, spice, ground almonds and a pinch of salt. If you’re not a fan of mixed spice, or don’t have it to hand, you can substitute vanilla extract or other sweet spices, though bear in mind that the likes of nutmeg and cardamom are very strong, so go easy with them.

6 Mix together
Fold these dry ingredients into the butter and sugar mixture, along with the soaked fruits and any remaining soaking liquid, lemon zest, chopped almonds (again, use other nuts or leave them out if you prefer) and ginger, if using. You can leave it out if you like, but it does give the cake a lovely burst of heat.

Liam Charles’s recipe for pistachio butter and fig jam tart

Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas 6, then start the pastry. Put the flour, butter, orange zest and mixed spice into a food processor, then blitz until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs. With the motor running, add the egg yolk, icing sugar and the water, until the dough is just starting to come together. Tip it on to a lightly floured surface, give it a quick knead, then bring together into a smooth ball. Flatten the pastry into a thick disc, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.

Next, make the filling. Put all the ingredients apart from the nuts and jam into a food processor and blitz until smooth and creamy. Put a baking tray in the hot oven.

Take the pastry out of the fridge, put on a lightly floured surface and roll out to 2-3mm thick. Lift the pastry into a 20cm fluted tart tin and press it into the corners – be gentle – leaving a 1cm overhang. Trim the excess pastry with scissors, cover with baking parchment and baking beans, put the tin in the oven on to the baking tray, and bake for 18 minutes.

Remove the parchment and beans, and put the pastry back in the oven for another five to seven minutes. Take out of the oven and use a small serrated knife to trim the pastry to the height of the tin. Turn down the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4.

Spoon the jam on to the pastry and spread to the edges, top with the pistachios and walnuts, then cover with the filling, spreading to the edges to cover the fig jam. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the sponge is cooked and a skewer comes out clean.

While the tart is still hot from the oven, poke small holes in the surface and then very gently spread a drizzle of runny honey over the top. Cool the tart in the tin for 20 minutes, then put it on a wire rack to cool completely. Take the tart out of the tin, give it a good squiggle of white chocolate, and sprinkle with the extra nuts.

Jaffa cakes are 50% sugar, but what’s in the other half?

Ever since hearing that the England football team takes Jaffa cakes when it goes on tour, I've looked at them with fresh eyes. What is it about the spongy treat that makes it so popular? If athletes eat them, does that mean they qualify as a healthy option?
Jaffa cakes were first made by McVitie's and Price in the UK in 1927. The original was a little sponge topped with jam and a layer of chocolate. There is quite a lot more in there now however. There are also a lot more brands, though the distinction between them seems to be on price and marketing, rather than recipe, with own-brand Jaffa cakes from Jacob's, Aldi, Lidl, Centra, Supervalu and Dunnes, for example.
So what's the difference?
McVitie's wins on marketing. The packaging even mentions its Jaffa cake Facebook page, which has thousands of followers. It also says: "To find out how exercise and a balanced diet can help a healthy lifestyle" That is a fairly standard website run by United Biscuits, which owns McVitie's and is in turn owned by Yildiz Holding, a Turkish food conglomerate. It dishes out uncontroversial advice to eat a balanced diet and get some exercise.
Starch industry
When it comes to ingredients, McVitie's sets the tone and lists more than 30. It's hard to give an exact number and some are mentioned as "and/or". So they may or may not be there. The first ingredient on the list is glucose-fructose syrup and it makes up at least 19 per cent of the ingredients, though probably much more. In the European Union, the fructose content of glucose-fructose syrup is usually about 20 to 30 per cent and it is made from wheat or maize,according to the Starch Europe, a trade association that represents the interests of the starch industry. In the United States, it is often known as high-fructose corn syrup as it is predominately made from corn, and can be up to 50 per cent fructose. So it is similar, though not the same, as the type of sugar used in fizzy drinks in the US. Manufacturers love it because it can provide texture, volume, taste, glossiness, improved stability and a longer shelf life.

Utca erupts onto Calgary food scene with Transylvanian street eats

'It's not fast food, it's fun food, If you want to come in, just relax and enjoy yourself'
If you've never tried Transylvanian food, head to Victoria Park for some chimney cakes.

The sweet and savoury tube and cone-shaped cakes have eastern European origins. They are made of soft yeast dough, wrapped around a wooden cone or cylindrical mould on the end of a spit and baked rotisserie-style over hot coals in a fire pit, in the intense heat of a barbecue or in a special oven designed for the job.

Yadira and Guillermo Rivas first came across chimney cakes at a mall kiosk in Saudi Arabia. Their kids loved them and the family would get them as a special treat every weekend.
The couple met while working at BP — he was an engineer, she was in finance. Their careers brought them to Venezuela, Calgary and Saudi Arabia, but when a dream job turned out to be less than dreamy, they pondered bringing chimney cakes to Canada.

The couple explored the business concept to the point where Guillermo traveled to Budapest, where chimney cakes are a popular Hungarian street food, to learn how to make them from scratch.

When the Rivases eventually returned to Alberta, they found Calgary in the midst of the economic downturn and it was difficult to find jobs.
"When we came to Calgary we had Plan A, B and C. This was Plan B that suddenly became Plan A," says Guillermo of their new chimney cakes and coffee house.

"And until this past February I knew nothing about coffee, so I went to Vancouver to train to be a barista and become certified."

Knowing Calgary is supportive of small businesses and open to new food ideas, they opened in a new building in at 207 13 Ave. S.E., with branding done by a designer they knew in Venezuela.

Utca — pronounced ootsa — translates to "street" in Hungarian.

Yadira and Guillermo make the dough themselves and bake the chimney cakes one at a time in ovens imported from Slovenia. The dough is coaxed off their moulds while they're still warm enough to release their trademark wisp of steam, making them resemble a smoking chimney.

The sweet ones are brushed with a little oil and sprinkled with sugar before baking for a slightly crunchy, caramelized exterior. The savoury cheese chimney cakes are filled with ingredients like scrambled eggs, sausage and cheese for a breakfast you can eat out of hand, perhaps with a latte made with beans from nearby Rosso Coffee Roasters.

The most popular cones at Utca are rolled in sprinkles, coconut or other flavoured coatings, then filled with a variety of sweet additions, like caramel drizzles or Nutella spread before swirling in chocolate or vanilla soft serve from Fiasco Gelato.

"It's a bit more expensive than if we just got any kind of ice cream, but it's especially important to us right now to work with local small businesses, and keep the money circulating within our own city," Guillermo says.

This Fourth of July, try a red, white and blue poke cake

Although poke cake is usually in the form of a sheet cake, we thought it could make a beautiful and festive layer cake for the Fourth of July.
For a cake that was red, white and blue all the way through, we started by cooking blueberries and strawberries and then combining each with gelatin to create two colorful, brightly flavored syrups.
We used a simple white cake as our base; it was tender and flavorful but also had enough structure to handle a syrup soaking. We used a skewer to poke holes into the cake layers while they were still in their pans and then drizzled the blueberry syrup over one layer and the strawberry syrup over the other. A simple filling and frosting of whipped cream kept this cake light and refreshing for the summer holidays.
 Find more recipes like Patriotic Poke Cake in "The Perfect Cake."

Lemon Blueberry Mousse Cake

This isn't you average Delish doctored cake mix recipe, and it's not one of our crazy decadent cheesecakes either; all of those have time and a place. This is different. It's the dessert you need to make when you really want to impress.
                                                     

I won't lie to you. A cake this amazing takes some work (and time!). But when you break down the recipe step-by-step, it's far less intimidating than you might think.

First, make the Nilla Wafer crust. Crush the cookies, mix them with melted butter and press it all into a springform pan. Done.

Next, make the mousse. Start by pureeing blueberries then stir in lemon zest and lemon juice. Sprinkle a packet of gelatin on top and let it sit until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. While it's setting, make white chocolate ganache. (It's not as thick as ganache, but the process is pretty similar.) Pour hot heavy cream over white chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Let cool slightly, then fold in the blueberry gelatin mixture. Stick this in the fridge while you make whipped cream.

Yes, you might as well whip your own cream. In the grand scheme of things, it's a small extra step that makes a big difference. Once the whipped cream is nice and fluffy, add the white chocolate blueberry mixture and fold until it's a pretty shade of violet. Voila! You have lemon blueberry mousse! Pour mousse mixture over crust and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.

Last but not least, make the sugared blueberries. When just washed (and not dried thoroughly), sugar will stick to the berries very nicely. (Though we add a touch of lemon juice to balance out the sweetness.

Drop everything and watch this Utah mom make mesmerizing Disney-inspired cakes

Here's the latest internet sensation that you won't be able to stop watching once you start: a Utah mom's mesmerizing time-lapse videos, taken as she masterfully decorates a series of Disney-inspired cakes.
                                             

Amy Droubay, who goes by @neuroticmom on Instagram, recently decorated the intricate cakes in the days leading up to a family trip to Disneyland, and her videos of the series have garnered hundreds of thousands of views on social media.

The series included a blue cake inspired by Cinderella's dress, Droubay's take on the Queen of Hearts from "Alice in Wonderland," a "101 Dalmations" cake decorated with -- you guessed it -- 101 pawprints, a Goofy cake with the character's signature green hat and even a vintage Mickey-inspired cake.

"My family and I are huge fans of Disney and Disneyland and we travel there several times a year. We even buy annual passes even though we live out of state, so I thought it would be fun as a countdown to our big trip to post some Disney cakes," Droubay told ABC via email.

But the craziest part of her journey is that she's only been decorating cakes for six months.

Droubay soon began making time-lapse videos for Instagram, which proved popular and garnered a positive response.

Including baking, cooling and decorating, a single cake can take as many as 14 hours to make. Her Mickey-inspired cake took 12 hours including the baking, cooling and actual decorating. But for Droubay, a ballet instructor and avid tennis player, the cakes are worth the time they take.

Droubay is also looking to use her passion for cake decorating to make a difference. Throughout the month of March, she'll be auctioning off her cakes and donating proceeds to support multiple sclerosis research in honor of her husband, who was diagnosed with the disease several years ago.

This Gooey Chocolate Dessert Balances Your Hormones

This gooey chocolate cake, excerpted from Mia Lundin and Ulrika Davidsson’s The Hormone Balance Cookbook, is the perfect thing for satiating any chocolate cravings you’re having—except it’s completely refined-sugar-free and packed with hormone-balancing ingredients.  The avocado and walnuts are filled with healthy fats that nourish your hormones and keep your blood sugar balanced, avoiding the insulin spike and crash (and the cascade of hormone fluctuations that follows!) of most desserts.  The antioxidant-rich orange peel, vanilla powder, and cacao add additional cell-supporting antioxidants. The best part? It’s super easy to make. 
                                               

Gooey Chocolate Cake

Ingredients, Bottom Layer

2⅓ cups (500 ml) walnuts
1½ cups (350 ml) dried dates, pits removed
1 medium avocado
Pinch of salt flakes
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
2 teaspoon vanilla powder
⅖ cup (100 ml) cocoa

Ingredients, Chocolate Creme

3 avocados
Pinch of salt flakes
⅖ cup (100 ml) cocoa
⅖ cup (100 ml) honey or maple syrup

Method

1. For the bottom layer, chop the walnuts and dates coarsely in a food processor. Add the avocado flesh with the remaining ingredients, and mix to make a smooth paste.
2. Line an 8-inch (20-cm) pie pan with removable edge (or a springform pan) with parchment paper. Pour the bottom layer evenly into the pie pan.
3. Place the avocado flesh and other ingredients for the chocolate crème in a food processor and process to make a smooth cream. Spread this cream over the bottom layer, and let chill in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours. Garnish the cake with pistachios, red and/or black currants, and ground cherries.