The Night I Decorated a Cupcake

{I was supposed to write about a food trip from last year, but this event was so good, I can't wait any longer before I could share it.}

Yesterday, I attended my first bloggers' event for 2011. I have been receiving invitation for Max's Restaurant's events three times prior to this, but I always decline because of some other obligations, and in one event I just can't attend because it was way too far from our place already. When I received the invitation a few days ago, I told myself I won't miss it anymore.

I asked them if it would be okay if I would tag my sister along, and I was happy they let me take her. We met at the Ayala MRT station, and walked together to the restaurant. While waiting for the others, they started serving dinner, and we had:


Max's Chopseuy Plate. My choice. Whenever the family would eat at Max's, I always go for either their Fiesta plate or the one with pancit canton, so for this night I wanted to eat something "new." No need to elaborate more about their chicken - it will always be great for me. The chopseuy was good, too - the veggies were crispy and the flavor was just right.


Max's Fiesta Plate. Sister's meal. I don't like how they presented the fresh lumpia anymore, but sister told me it tasted better this time. I wasn't able to give it a taste, but my sister is quite picky with foods, so if she says it tasted better, I'd believe her.

Although the food was something we have already loved since then, there was something new - the Max's Restaurant banana ketchup. I remember last November, while K and I were eating at their branch in Robinson's Manila, I was asked to sample their banana ketchup and compared it to the old ketchup they were using. I am happy to see that they have already launched it.


As soon as we were done eating dinner, they already started the program. This event highlighted the Max's Corner Bakery, and even if I already knew that they serve cakes for events (my parents celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in 2003 at a Max's Restaurant and they served the cake - it was so awesome), I found it really interesting that their bakery has been part of the restaurant since then.

Other Max's Corner Bakery trivia I have learned:

• It was first known as Max's Bakeshop.
• The niece of Maximo Gimenez (to whom the restaurant was named) - Ruby Trota, put up the very first bakery at Redemptorist Road in Baclaran.
  
• Using pugon (wood-fired oven), the very first products from the bakeshop were the dinner rolls and loaf bread.
• As the years passed, they also started baking cakes for their wedding functions, and other baked goods like the hopia (mungo and pork), egg pie, pork empanada, and chicken pie.
• It was in 1980 when the caramel bars were born.
  

Now bearing the name Max's Corner Bakery, patrons can now take home baked goodies of different kinds - from bread loaves to creamy, sweet pastries and other goodies. Aside from that, they have now opened their doors for franchising.



Ms. Sharon demonstrated to us how to decorate a cupcake using different icings and candy sprinkles. I was amazed at her control! Right after the demo, we were given each an apron because we will decorate our own cupcakes, too! Oh, so that's why they were telling us we will do something cool! :)


Icings and Sprinkles. We were provided with different kinds of icings and sprinkles to help decorate our cupcakes. Total eye candies!


Decorating. I was halfway done with my own decorating when I roamed around the area to look for a pair of scissors. I also took the time to take pictures of the other bloggers decorating their cakes. That's Jeff Aspacio on the left, decorating a cupcake for his wife Jennifer (it was their 14th year anniversary as a couple), and Blankpixels and Eidhra of Certified Foodies.


My Cake. I am not gifted with creativity, so my cake was quite plain.


Cakes (just some of it). It was difficult to frame all the cakes, so this was just part of the many cupcakes in the table last night. My sister's creation was the one with swirls on the plate.

If decorating cakes wasn't fun yet, we were also asked to pick a paper with a blogger's name to whom we would dedicate the cake to. One by one, we were asked to compose a message, and the one I picked was Glenn, and I basically just told him to spread love as much as he can. My sister picked Chloe, and she told her to keep on loving.




Our Cakes. Sister was the last to receive a cake, and it was decorated by Azrael. My sister was quite touched with Az's message because Az still remembered the time we all first met (at a bloggers' event in Boni High Street) - because he mentioned about eating salads. It was also funny when he told that of all of the million readers of Az's blog, sister was the only one with a cake he designed. Hehehehe. My cake was designed by Dencio, and like his message, I really do hope we could attend more blog events.


Bloggers in Their Aprons. Majority of the bloggers for this event I just met for the first time. It was nice to see new faces (sorry I wasn't able to get all of your URLs), as well as see some familiar faces. Photo I grabbed from Az's facebook page.


Goodies! Not only were we able to take home the apron we used, we were also given a box each of their cupcakes, Valentines Day chocolates, and a loot box containing Lady Fingers, Caramel Bars, Food for the Gods, Macaroons, Lengua de Gato, and Polvoron (in plain, cookies and cream, and pinipig flavors).


It has been a great, great, event. Attending this one made me realize how much I miss attending blog events. I really hope this will be the start of the oh-so many events I can attend this year. Hooray to us, bloggers!

*** Jenn ***