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| Ross
Mason photo |
Gingerbread
houses come in all styles. This Sante Fe style house
was donated by the Long Branch Saloon in Cave Creek.
It was among the houses that earned the most money for
Habitat for Humanity at last year’s auction.
(Click picture for full size image) |
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| Ross
Mason photo |
B.J.
Wernimont, proprietress of The Epicurean Palette, and
Rosie Sinnett designed and decorated this traditional
gingerbread house.
(Click picture for full size image) |
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Homes
for the holidays
Pastry chefs build gingerbread houses
for Habitat for Humanity auction
by
Chris Moore
CAVE
CREEK – Early in November, the Desert Foothills begins
to get into the holiday spirit. With Thanksgiving and
Christmas around the corner, the festivities commence
on November 18 when the Second Annual “Raising the Gingerbread
Roof” benefit for Habitat for Humanity takes place at
The Epicurean Palette in Cave Creek.
More
than 10 local restaurants and resorts will have their
pastry chefs up to their elbows in royal icing and gum
drops to create spectacular gingerbread houses to be donated
and auctioned off in the event’s live auction. Confectionary
houses from Desert Mountain, The Four Seasons, Cartwrights
and other high‑end restaurants will be prominently
displayed, as well as the efforts of the next generation
of pastry chefs from several culinary schools in the Valley.
The
gingerbread event was the brainchild of B.J.Wernimont,
owner of the Epicurean Pallete, who decided last year
to hold the event for one of her favorite charities–Habitat
for Humanity. She had conducted a similar gingerbread
fundraising event for another charity in her hometown
of Fort Collins, Colo., and thought that Cave Creek was
just the right place to do it again.
At
its inception, Wernimont went to The Desert Advocate
to help out with the goodwill gingerbread effort and the
newspaper came on board as a sponsor. In its first year,
The Epicurean Palette and The Desert Advocate were
the only sponsors for the event, according to Wernimont.
“This year,” she says, “we’re still the major forces,
but now others are helping out.”
“Habitat
seemed to be the perfect choice,” Wernimont said.
“With
the type of business I run–a kitchen store–it’s all about
the home. Gingerbread says holidays and Habitat means
houses,” she continued. “It’s really nice that there is
a local chapter of Habitat to support, and I love the
fact that they give people a chance to own their own homes.”
Last
year, Wernimont says the event, at which only eight houses
were auctioned off, raised more than $6,000. With more
houses expected this year, she’s looking to do even better.
Habitat for Humanity receives 100 percent of the proceeds.
And
as if the smell of fresh gingerbread and a sense of giving
weren’t enough, Anthem’s ProMusica Chorale, under the
direction of artistic director Kevin Kozacek, will be
there to provide some yuletide atmosphere with about 16
strolling holiday carolers. Delicious hors d’oeuvres and
a cash bar will add to the fun.
A silent auction will also be part of the evening. Its
organizer, Kathy Spangler Norby, is still collecting items
for the auction, which will include a golf foursome at
Rancho Mañana, a Ping G2i putter, spa packages from Golden
Door Spa and Rancho Mañana, and a weekend at Carefree
Resort & Villas, to name just a few.
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Two
silent auction items are of particular note. First, a dinner
for six prepared in your home and served with matching wines
by Sonja Stone Catering. “This is an excellent, absolutely amazing
dinner,” said Norby, who ended up with an invitation to the
dinner by the winner of this item in last year’s auction.
The
other is a serigraph by California artist Robert Ransom from
his painting “The Desert Museum.” “This work is particularly
rare,” said Art Norby, Kathy’ husband and proprietor of Norby
Fine Art Gallery in Cave Creek, “because Ransom no longer makes
prints.”
Wernimont
is also holding some gingerbread classes and a special team‑building
event at The Epicurean Palette during the week prior to the
gala evening. These “Gingerbread 101” classes are available
on Tuesday and Wednesday (Nov. 14 and 15). The all‑day
classes (10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) provide hands‑on experience
baking, designing and decorating your very own gingerbread house.
The cost of the class is $100 and includes all supplies and
lunch.
This
year, Wernimont is trying something new–a team event where groups
of up to four people will work together to decorate gingerbread
houses on Friday, Nov. 17, at 6 p.m. The cost is again $100
(per team of four), with all of the proceeds from the classes
and the team event going to Habitat for Humanity. Reservations
are required for all of The Epicurean Palette events to provide
adequate time for setup.
Lots
of people are showing their holiday spirit and stepping up for
this worthwhile event. Scottsdale Culinary Institute is donating
much of the gingerbread for the classes (Wernimont is making
the rest). Chefs will be cooking, carolers singing, and auctioneers
taking bids in their speedy spiel. Many people are providing
goods and services, and even more are giving their time and
effort.
Why?
Well,
obviously these gingerbread houses make for great showing and
eating. But above that, Wernimont and everyone involved in putting
together this sweet event know one thing: You can’t come home
for the holidays if you don’t have one. Board by board, and
cookie by cookie, Habitat for Humanity is changing that.
The
Epicurean Palette is located at 6137 E. Cave Creek Rd. in Cave
Creek. For further information, call (480) 488‑4955 or
visit www.epicureanpalette.net. “Raising the Gingerbread Roof”
is sponsored by The Epicurean Palette, The Desert Advocate and
Food & Wine magazine.
Reach
the reporter at cmoore@thedesertadvocate.com.
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