Did you give anyone a present on Valentine’s Day this year? Yes! Then tomorrow comes White Day - the day of the returning favour in Japan! By chance I discovered these sweets from SWEETCH that definitely make you want to request one: cookies shaped like buttons and musical instruments and a ring-shaped cake, as well as this 10 yen coin birthday cake! If these sweets are too gorgeous to eat as your White Day present, I’m sure you’ll still be simply filled with pure delight by their mere looks! PingMag talked to Mie Kasao, the owner and the patissiere called SWEETCH.
Written by Ryoko
Translated by Natsumi
Could you start by quickly introducing yourself?
My name is Mie Kasao and I’m the owner of SWEETCH. I used to work as a patissiere at hotel restaurants in Sendai and Tokyo, and at other restaurants including IDEE. But in 2005 I decided to go independent and established SWEETCH.
What is SWEETCH all about?
SWEETCH isn’t a cake shop but an atelier that provides customers with made-to-order cakes and sweets. From time to time, I also hold workshops and enjoy making unique cakes with a wide variety of people. At SWEETCH, I also attempt to pursue the possibilities of sweets, such as the kinds of objects that can be produced with sweets, for example chandeliers made of cookies or spoons made of sugar. Beside that I provide simple cakes in a different style at GO SLOW CAFÉ at Ikejiri Institute of Design (IID), too.
An installation work of a chandelier made of cookies. Last Christmas, Mie baked 700 cookies for this piece! She worked through nights for the final decoration.
Cute button-shaped cookies in lovely colours. The colours come from purple sweet potatoes (purple) and Mugwort (green.) ©Shigeru Tanaka
A Christmas candle cake made at a workshop. It’s just too lovely to eat!
What made you start SWEETCH?
As I said earlier, I used to work as a patissiere at hotels and restaurants. At that time I made sweets in the kitchen throughout the day and I had no idea what kind of customers were buying them or what they might have thought of the cakes. But even when I had my own shop, I still wouldn’t get a chance to know the people who were coming to buy my cakes. That was when I came up with the idea of made-to-order cakes, so that I could understand the likings and the tastes of the actual people eating my sweets. At the same time this was also a chance for me to develop even more personal affection and pleasure in making sweets for them.
Can you make out any characteristics of the customers that are ordering your sweets? Also, what are the things you pay most attention to when you make customized ones?
I think my customers have in common that they are enjoying themselves, and they all really want to surprise and delight their dear ones. For myself, I love imagining situations where I give presents to someone else. The other day, it was my friend’s birthday and I gave her back the saucepan I’d been borrowing - with a birthday cake inside. When she removed the lid and found the cake she was really surprised and delighted. The taste of the cake is an absolute must, of course. But the most important thing for me is to make a special cake that brings not only surprises as well as pleasure, but also brings out the uniqueness of the person that is giving it.
Cookies shaped like musical instruments. There is a wide variety of shapes, including violins and guitars. ©Shigeru Tanaka
These key shaped cookies were hanged from the ceiling at the opening party of an atelier, and were given out to the guests later on.
How long does it take for you to make cakes and cookies?
Usually I start several days in advance - depending on the type and how detailed they are. For example, two days before the delivery I bake the sponge for cakes or decorate the cookies the day before.
Cutting out cookies from dough with a knife.
The whipping process. Super fast!
The cake goes into the oven. You can almost smell the fragrant aroma!
The finishing touch is the decoration.
Is there anything important regarding your ingredients or taste?
Rather than insisting on the ingredients, I try to make sweets that make people say “Yummy!” with their first bite. I’m not necessarily the one to make health-conscious cakes and force organic ingredients into my recipe. As for the taste, I personally prefer cakes for grown-ups, so I usually make something that’s not too sweet and that goes well with alcohol, too.
I feel some kind of warmth from the colours of your works as well as their shapes. Do you have any special approach with colours then?
Natural ingredients bring out truly gentle colours, so I usually use the original hues of the ingredients such as the purple from purple sweet potatoes, the yellow from pumpkins and the green from Japanese green tea. I try to avoid using icings as much as possible. But when I have to use them, I make sure that the colours aren’t too strong. I try to make something with colours that tempts people to actually want to eat it.
In order to give delights to people and surprise them, is there anything special in your everyday life you pay attention to?
My job is to make sweets for customers, but I cherish my time to visit art galleries and gift shops, too. By looking at various things, it gives me all kinds of emotions and ideas for my creations, you see.
What’s your plan for the future?
I’ve only just started SWEETCH and there are still many ways of the artistic cake making I haven’t been able to convey fully. So I would like to expand from there and get a wide variety of people to enjoy the pleasure and artistic sides of my sweets. And to achieve that, I’d like to cultivate more occasions for people to get to know my work.
Mie, thank you for showing us your wonderful cakes! I hope you readers will present delights with gorgeous cakes like these on special occasions, too! Enjoy your White Day treats - wherever and whatever they may be for you this year!
19 Comments
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None found
Mouth watering!!
I need a surprise.
Is my birthday around :)
Posted by: Paavani on March 13th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
All hail for her creative mind! Such a simple idea and yet so joyful! This service shop must franchise! (^_^)
Posted by: Akotan on March 13th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
they are all so beautiful - very creative!
Posted by: minxlj on March 13th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
Sugoi shashin!
Posted by: Anne on March 13th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
I think the cookies are really cute and creative, its inspired me !:)
Posted by: Lana on March 13th, 2007 at 10:12 pm
可愛いですね。^ ^
Posted by: ランティエン on March 13th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
すきました！！！Xd
Lol.. can’t help… forgive my bad japanese. I’m still learning.
Posted by: Do on March 14th, 2007 at 5:11 am
i love cake ^^”! i like those cookies too o.o..!!
Posted by: Elvorith on March 14th, 2007 at 9:55 am
Bad news 0
Posted by: Erin on March 14th, 2007 at 10:47 am
looks yam~
Posted by: tunokuda on March 14th, 2007 at 11:03 am
how about the taste? that’s the fundamental thing
Posted by: keanu on March 14th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Very very good.
Its 1:51am here and now I’m hungry.
I really do like the installation piece. Props to Mie Kasao.
Posted by: Eric on March 14th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
I tasted Apple Mac cake, and it was very yummy…
Posted by: chiemi on March 14th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
很有意思的视觉化食物
Posted by: 阿宝 on March 14th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
wonderful! sweet not only taste but feeling.
Posted by: curious pig on March 14th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
Oishii! Is a great idea, for a special momento! ^_^v
Posted by: Kira Brilla on March 17th, 2007 at 4:45 am
יייייייייאמי
Posted by: noy on April 3rd, 2007 at 7:31 pm
I’m waiting for my birthday…I hope someone will send me a cute cake from Japan!
Posted by: elena on May 31st, 2007 at 3:16 am
I am Deaf,WOW
Posted by: Angel Lahoo on November 21st, 2008 at 7:39 am