Media Mentions The J.September 8, 2006 Article: Lovers of landmark bakery can now recreate confections at home By: alexandra j. wall "When Ernest Weil talks about his bar mitzvah in Germany, he doesn’t speak about what Torah portion he chanted or what his speech was about. What stands out about his coming-of-age ceremony is that he baked all the cakes for it himself." Article made error regarding book price. Link to full story: www.jewishsf.com The Examiner Independent July 29th, 2006 Article: Area baker's new book offers flavors of the past By: Joan Gross "With this cookbook everyone can have the opportunity to make the Black Forest cake, Linzer Tortes, cookies and the Blum's famous Coffee Crunch cake." KGO Radio 810AM July 12th, 2006 - 8:00 - 9:00pm Host: John Rothman, on the Gene Burns Show "Fantasia was famous in San Francisco and throughout the world." "Ernest created one of the greatest cakes of all time - the Blum's Coffee Crunch Cake." KCBS Radio 740AM In The Kitchen With Narsai Narsai David July, 7th, 2006 "This is a collection of Fantasia Confections' best. Ernest Weil, now 81, founder and owner of Fantasia Confections wrote this. Some of the favorites are the chocolate cake and coffee crunch cake." San Francisco Examiner Christopher Caen April, 2006 "…For the Blum's of my generation was the old Fantasia Confections in the Laurel Shopping Center. It was also the home of one of the last Zim's, but that's another story for another rainy day. Anyway, many people would argue over the merits of the Blum's Coffee Cake versus the Fantasia Crunch Cake. Yet here is the wee little item: little did they know that the man responsible for both was indeed the same man. Ernest Weil was a baker at Blum's and then started Fantasia in 1948, making him probably the sweetest man every to grace our shores. And if that isn't a thought to chase these rainy days away, then I don't know what is." Mr. Weil, Fantasia, Blums and me May 14, 2006 By, Karletta Moniz It was one of those marvelous life moments when you realize that
all the stars, moons and planets have somehow aligned themselves in
your favor. There I was, sitting with Ernest Weil and his charming
daughters, sipping tea and eating his famous Florentines and Almond
Macaroons which he had baked just for us. A little background: Mr.
Weil is the man who created the Coffee Crunch Cake and he
is the man who founded FANTASIA BAKERY in San Francisco.
When I wrote an article a few months ago entitled "Blums, Where
are you?" I was contacted by one of his daughters, Sandy. She
was pleased to tell me that he was writing a cookbook which would
be out in the Spring, 2006. I had to meet this legend. And I did.
An appointment that was only scheduled to last one hour was still
going strong three hours later. Only a previous engagement tore us
away. I am so honored to have been in his company for this time and
to hear him share the stories of his emigration from Germany, his
time in a French orphanage, his education at the Cordon Bleu and his
arrival in America. His is the story of so many of our own grandparents
fleeing for their lives from Europe with only the clothes on their
back. With luck a guardian angel lends a helping hand once they arrive
in this country and then their own hard work that resulted in great
success. Please visit Karletta's wonderful website: www.culinarymuse.com |