This cake, from Bernard’s and Sarah’s Wine Bar, won the highest bid at the Keeler Tavern Museum’s silent cake auction. The cake, modeled after the tavern, sold for $150.
When the Keeler Tavern Museum hosted a birthday party last month, it invited the community to celebrate its 300th anniversary. More than 1,500 Ridgefield residents came that Saturday to enjoy historical games and crafts, tours led by re-enactors, live music, hands-on exhibits, and many other birthday treats — but above all lots of birthday cake.
Two highlights of the party were a silent cake auction of professionally baked cakes and a contest of cakes baked by amateurs, both of which were a great success for the museum and partygoers.
For its professional cake auction, the museum received cake donations from 15 restaurants, catering companies, and businesses in the area. These included Bartolo, Bernard’s and Sarah’s Wine Bar, Catering by Christine, Georgetown Cake Shoppe, Le Chateau, Meadow Ridge, Parma Market and Bakery, Piccolo Catering, Regina’s Table, Ross’ Bread, Something Fishy Catering, The Cake Box, The Cutting Board Catering and Café, TomTom’s Restaurant and Bakery, and the Whistle Stop Bakery.
The bakers could make whatever they wished, and their creations looked like works of art. Bernard’s and Sarah’s Wine Bar received the highest bid, $150, for their beautiful cake shaped like the museum and surrounding property.
“The professional cakes were really impressive,” said Cheryl Crowl, co-chair of the cake contests at the party. “They looked amazing. We are so grateful to these businesses for donating their time and their delicious desserts.”
Barbara Cmiel, the other co-chair, expressed a similar sentiment. “We are all so pleased with the way the cake contests turned out,” she said. “I think everyone was blown away by the creativity and skill that went into these cakes; people at the party had a great time bidding on them.”
According to the co-chairs, the auction raised around $875 for the museum.
Ms. Crowl and Ms. Cmiel also worked together on the amateur cake contest, which allowed residents and friends of the museum to have their baked goods judged on a number of factors. The judges included Bill Craig of Craig’s Jewelry; Liz Gagnon, from Nature’s Temptation; Chris McQuilken; Cassie Werne of Weir Farm; and Bill Wyman from the Ridgefield Rotary Club. They ranked more than 20 cakes based on decoration and taste, while also selecting winners for the best overall cake and an honorable mention. After the judging, the cakes were served free of charge to the guests. At times, the line was out the door and down the driveway.
Kim Carrone’s cake flower pops won “Best Decoration” in the Keeler Tavern’s amateur cake contest.
The award for “Best Decoration” went to Kim Carrone, who baked a batch of cake pops and designed them to look like flowers.
Loretta Donovan came in second, and Chez Delila’s three-dimensional skull cake came in third. “Best Taste” went to Denise Leporati’s pecan coffee cake, which the judges loved for its old-fashioned style.
Barbara Hartman came in second place and Sally MacKenzie came in third.
Philomena Florio’s cake, decorated like the Revolutionary War cannonball stuck in the museum’s wall, won “Best Overall,” and Tina Phillips won an honorable mention for her cake that looked like a painting of the museum’s Julia Gilbert Garden.
The museum is already planning its Family Day for June 7, 2014. For more information on The Keeler Tavern Museum and its upcoming events, visit www.keelertavernmuseum.org, search on Facebook and Twitter, or call the business office, Monday-Friday, 9 to 5 at 203-438-5485.