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The man is a machine. Chef Nicholas does not mess around when it comes to his profession. He is currently in Chicago teaching at the French Pastry School, but what he was doing last week is what I think will interest you most. RIGHT after the Thanksgiving holiday the Craftsy team flew into Atlanta. They had a lot to get done...

Can we talk about why December 2015 will be awesome? For starters, you're reading this blog and it's Tuesday! December is going to be so great I couldn't wait until Thursday to post! What is so awesome you ask? Well first off starting today is Chef Nicholas and ISAC's 12 Deals of Christmas sale! Second, we are only two weeks away from announcing the winner of the 4-hour private class with Chef Nicholas! Want to find about more about our great sale and how you can be the winner of the 4-hour private class? Well, my friends, read on...

23 Annual National Gingerbread House Competition

Earlier this week Chef Nicholas took up his judging duties at The Omni Grover Park Inn's 23 Annual National Gingerbread House Competition. As always all of the competitors delivered incredible gingerbread pieces, and judging was no easy task! This year's Grand Prize winner received a pretty spectacular prize pack valued at $7500 dollars: $5000 cash prize, 2-night Club Level stay at The Omni Grove Park Inn (including dinner, breakfast, and a spa visit), and a 2-day class with Chef Nicholas (including Renshaw products valued at $600). Man, I'd like to win that! Well... I bet you'd like me to show you some photos from the event, especially all the big winners! Oh, and after you enjoy all the gingerbread eye candy be sure to read about the two giveaways at the end of the blog!

And the winners are...

First things first... I am pleased to announce the winners of the 2nd Annual Snow Globe Competition! The First Place winner in the youth category is Annabelle Columbo. In the adult category the Second Place winner is Lourdes Diaz, and the First Place winner is Christopher Taylor! Congratulations to all the winners and competitors, thank you for taking part in our fun holiday contest!

I am a huge fan of Halloween and Thanksgiving, so I normally get a bit touchy when I see holiday ads and hear holiday music before December 1st. That being said, I know there are many more people who LOVE starting the holiday season as early as possible and start listening to festive music on November 1st and get all their holiday shopping done before Thanksgiving even arrives! No joke, Molly (if you've been in our retail gallery or called us up... you know and love Molly) starts posting on facebook in the middle of summer saying, "X Weeks Until Christmas!" Seriously, ask her.

I'm not quite ready to jump on THAT bandwagon yet. However, this weekend, the ISAC team came up with a really fun and festive holiday contest. So this year I have agreed to start celebrating the holidays early this year. Chef Nicholas wants to giveaway a very personal prize to a fan (or a fan and a friend!). What kind of prize? Well... that depends on you! In 200 words or less, please answer the following question:

On Monday, a new Craftsy class dropped called Show Stopping Sugar Flowers. This class is much different from any class Craftsy has released before. Why? Because it includes lessons from more than just one instructor! And guess who is (of course) one of the instructors of Show Stopping Sugar Flowers... yup! Chef Nicholas!

Photo courtesy of CKProducts.com

The holidays are right around  the corner. Halloween is a week away, Thanksgiving is a month away, and Chanukah and Christmas are just two months away. What makes all these holidays even more fun?! Cookies!! What makes cookies beautiful? Royal icing!! What's NOT fun? Coloring royal icing...

It's Here! It's Here!

Guess what?! The 2016 Nicholas Lodge Class Schedule has been released!!! Hooray!! I have had lots and lots of you asking me when it would be released, so today is your lucky day. Shall we talk about what Chef Nicholas has in store for all of you?

The entire ISAC family is very excited to announce the 2nd Annual ISAC Ultimate Edible SnowGlobe Competition! Last year was our inaugural event, and we were very pleased with all of the beautiful entries that we received. This year we have had many people ask if the competition would be held at our Grand Holiday Open House, and we are pleased to say YES! At our Open House event, November 7-8, 2015, all the SnowGlobes will be on display and guests will be able to vote for their favorites. The theme is Holiday Memories, so try and incorporate some favorite holiday event or tradtiions in your SnowGlobe.

Guess what? Our Grand Holiday Open House is only 6 weeks away!!! Have you signed up for your spot yet? This year we are going to have a brand new format and TWO, yes TWO guest instructors! Sidney Galpern and Joshua John Russell will both be gracing ISAC with their presence for your cake decorating pleasure! That's not all, both Sidney and Josh will be teaching classes after the Open House as well!!

This past weekend I whipped up a huge batch of cupcakes topped with fresh strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream. I have no events planned, no birthday party or bake sale. I just wanted a sweet and tasty treat. I really do just love me some cupcakes. As I was popping one of those teeny cakes into my mouth, I thought hey... I should write a cupcake blog! 

I do hope that you all enjoyed last week's post with all the fun new products! It was a fun way to start off the fall season here at ISAC. Continuing with the autumnal theme, I thought I would share some information about Chef Nicholas' upcoming classes, both here and in... CANADA!

Happy Thursday friends! After a CRAZY couple of months things are getting back to normal here at ISAC. Since there are no guest instructors or cake shows to write about this week, I am excited to share some really fun new products that I think you all will just love! 

Pastry Live 5 Photo Blog

Hiya friends! It has been a long while since I have done a photo blog, and I thought it would be a great idea to have one this week to share all of the amazing things we saw at Pastry Live this week. With all of the yummy cakes, chocolate, plated desserts, chocolates, seminars, and showpieces, I know you will enjoy this feast for the eyes. 

Photo courtesy of realfood.tesco.com

Spice Up Your Life!

Summer is heating up with a too hot to handle edition of Chef Nicholas' Flavors of the World! This week our dear chef shares his thoughts on all kinds of different spices and peppers! And now, I'll turn things over to Chef Nicholas:

It's never too soon to start!

Last fall I wrote a blog about Chef Nicholas judging the annual National Gingerbread House Competition, hosted by the Omni Grove Park Inn. Well, now it's late summer a year later, and at ISAC this week Chef Nicholas received a letter asking him to judge the competition again this year! While we are excited to once again be part of this amazing event, I thought I would talk a bit about being a competitor in the National Gingerbread House Competition.

ICES Fun Facts

Today is the first day of the 40th annual ICES convention! I thought in honor of this big event, I would share some fun facts about the ICES organization today! 

I'm a big fan of sparkly cakes. Wait, let me start over. I'm a big fan of sparkly everything! When Molly (ISAC's most famous customer service specialist) suggestion writing a blog on edible sequins, I was totally on board! I started by talking to Chef Nicholas about the methods he shares with his students, searched Craftsy classes, and finally researched methods online. I have quite a bit to share with you, so let's get started!!

I have to apologize profusely!!! I was supposed to post the winners of the TruColor blog from last week yesterday. Unfortunately, I was writing up this week's upcoming blog yesterday, and it totally slipped my mind! Sorry, sorry, sorry! Please oh please forgive me! :( Now, would everyone like to know the winners of the three TruColor prizes?!

Just last month ISAC starting carrying a new product. A pretty spectacular product actually- TruColor Natural Food Color! These food colors come in gel paste powder, paint powder and airbrush powder, and airbrush shine powder. They are also made from natural materials such as fruits, vegetables, seeds, roots, and minerals. It gets better! Trucolor Natural Food Color is free of synthetic dyes, artificial preservatives, eggs, milk, fish and shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, soy and wheat. Oh, and it's gluten and GMO free too! That is pretty impressive! I'm sure you are all dying to hear more... and maybe win a little something. :)