Everything Looks Better on a Cake Stand

I am beginning to come to the conclusion that everything looks better on a cake stand. I’ll leave you to contemplate that while I explain what led me to this profound realisation.

Eagle-eyed readers, or more likely those in possession of pictures that did not have to be resized for the interweb, will have noticed that at Alcester Food Festival the Beast had a stack of boxes piled on one side of the serving hatch. We had decided to put our wares on show, so that the good folk of Alcester could actually see a profiterole before buying one. Also because we serve food which in some circles is probably referred to as “weird” and hard to picture, although I would prefer “mind-bogglingly delicious”.

At any rate it seemed to improve both customer interaction and sales, and we will need to continue with this going forward, especially when we’re serving street food rather than toasties. I suppose it would seem obvious to show people what they’re buying, but honestly, we just never thought about it. Restaurants that show pictures of their food on the menu are not normally associated with great food, and I think we are still thinking like a restaurant.

We therefore required some way of displaying food that dealt with the visual aspect but also made it clear that these were not samples, because quite frankly, people kept trying to eat them. We then have to explain that they are just for show, and no matter how you phrase it that reads as a “no”. Noes are to be avoided at all cost.

This is where the cake stand waltzes onto the scene, as we debated plastic boxes and display cases and pie warmers, all of which are characterless and dull. We struck upon the idea of a cake stand, and I warmed up ebay and got bidding. A few days later here it is, and I have had a pleasurable afternoon of experimenting with making things look better on a cake stand.

Another example: over the Jubilee weekend we were up north providing afternoon tea for 80 lovely people in the sunshine, in a marquee. The plate of formidably delicious looking sandwiches will usually earn an approving nod, but the laden cake stand is greeted like an old friend. More on that story later.

Who would have thought that you could make, what is essentially a tray, so unashamedly cool? I’m a convert, vintage is the way forward. Not only does having gold round the edge of things make the world a generally classier place, but plates with patterns on are just better, and you can’t say afternoon tea without the greatest beverage of them all. I rest my case.

Viennese biscuits look better on a cake stand.

Strawberries look better on a cake stand.

Apples and Lemons looks better on a cake stand.

Nutella looks better on a cake stand.

Clothes pegs look better on a cake stand.

The contents of the Man Drawer looks better on a cake stand.