Translated from Russian. The original version of the interview is
here.
Today I am going to share with you an interview with an amazing
baker-confectioner from our beloved town. Marina makes unbelievably
beautiful and tasty cakes and sweets. She is also the owner of Café Rosé,
a cosy place in the city centre.
Our interview has turned out to be extensive and detailed. So, make
yourself a cup of tea or coffee and get comfortable in your favourite
chair. I tried to think of such questions so that you could have a glance
at behind the curtains of baker-confectioner's job. And I am certain that
you will definitely want to enjoy a piece of cake after reading this
article.
Here is Marina, a baker-confectioner from Joensuu and the owner of Café Rosé, a cosy place in the city centre. Photo by Klavdia Parkkonen.
About Marina, orders and her work with the clients
First of all, tell about yourself. What is your occupation?
I am a baker-confectioner by training, which I have received in Finland.
The studies were mostly focused on baking, and I learnt the art of
confectionery on my own. I was the only one in our study group who has
chosen confectionery as their specialisation. But I have started to
seriously work with cakes eight years ago during my maternity leave.
I like individual orders a lot—there is a lot of room for being creative.
Marina Shalaginova
Pâtisserie and Owner at Café Rosé
You are so excited about what you do. How have you come to it?
To be honest, I do not know. Entirely by accident, I went studying to be a
baker-confectioner. Actually, I do have a degree in law. I have graduated
from a civil service academy and worked as a lawyer for a few years. But I
have realised one day that sitting in an office is not my mission.
You have incredibly gorgeous bakery products. Is it mostly art or a
profession for you?
Probably, art. I make cakes both to order and for sale on display.
Everything must be beautiful because people do also eat with their eyes. I
like individual orders a lot—there is a lot of room for being creative.
What are the most popular orders?
Generally, people order cakes for christenings. It is really popular in
Finland. The Finns order large cakes for their large celebrations and do
not skimp. If they have a holiday in the house, it is the holiday.
And how about orders for weddings?
Yes, and the orders are placed for many months in advance. Brides start
ordering cakes for their summer weddings already in October. In Finland,
the earlier you book a date with a master, the better the result is going
to be.
Did you have any extraordinary orders?
I had orders in a draw-the-cake-of-your-dream format when kids drew cakes
themselves. It was nice when a kid could choose whatever they wanted and
not upon what their parents have decided. I do talk to kids and listen to
what kids say. For example, one girl really wanted a chocolate unicorn,
and we realised it. One ought to listen to kids.
'Draw the cake of your dream.' Photo from Marina's personal archive.
So, you are promoting an individual approach to each of your clients
without exceptions?
I always ask about what the client likes. I never insist on ordering what
I like. For example, a little while ago, one woman ordered a cake for her
daughter. Her daughter loves chocolate and room plants. After scratching
my head, I found a way. I took aerial plants and leaves of room plants,
carefully isolated them and used as decorations, making sure that they do
not touch the cake... The client was really surprised in the end, because
I have created exactly what she had in mind.
It is brilliant when the client shares their ideas. I am not fond of
repeating some other works, so I like a lot when the client says "Do as
you like." This is probably the dream of all confectioners. I have a long
list of wishes, where I collect photos of the cakes, elements of which I
would like to realise in my projects.
A cake decorated with aerial plants. Photo from Marina's personal archive.
About culinary trends, inspiration and recipes
Are there any tendencies and trends in the art of culinary? Do you follow
them?
Of course, there are! And of course, I do follow them. Must do.
Storehouses of inspiration are Instagram (laughs) and Pinterest. I try to
keep following popular confectioners; they have an unbelievable fantasy. I
would like to be in line with here and now, to demonstrate to people that
there is a tremendous variety of cakes.
Simplicity in the decorations is the current trend. For example, cream,
sloppy paints strokes, flowers drawn with the palette knife.
Marina Shalaginova
Pâtisserie and Owner at Café Rosé
And what is of current interest in the area?
Simplicity in the decorations is the current trend. For example, cream,
sloppy paints strokes, flowers drawn with the palette knife. Depending on
the season, cakes can be decorated with berries and fruits, such as
pomegranate, peach, citruses, passion fruit.
Simplicity is a trend for wedding cakes, too. White cases, somewhat mild
contouring, decorations with natural flowers. Actually, it is really great
when the confectionary product can be decorated with natural flowers. The
flowers made of mastic weigh a lot; one needs to make them manually, so it
takes a lot of time. A lot of people just take them off and do not eat.
But the client pays big money!
Wedding cakes. Photos from Marina's personal archive.
Is it not harmful to use natural flowers in bakery products?
I got really lucky that I collaborate with a flower shop. I always have
the possibility to use very fresh flowers. I soak them in water to get rid
of harmful components and isolate them from the surface of the cake with
ribbons, film or chocolate. However, there are plants that may not be used
for decorating under any circumstances. Unfortunately, not all
professional and amateur confectioners are aware of those rules, and they
use plants incompatible with food.
So, you know that because you work side by side with a flower shop or...?
Not at all. This information is a must to know. It can be easily found on
the Internet. I learn everything myself, read a lot of articles on the
Internet, am subscribed to special literature, magazines. I provide people
with my services, therefore I may not put something stale or use
incompatible ingredients.
I learn everything myself, read a lot of articles on the Internet, am
subscribed to special literature, magazines.
Marina Shalaginova
Pâtisserie and Owner at Café Rosé
Do you create your own recipes?
Not really. Some of the recipes are the legacy of the study days. I take
a lot of recipes from the literature, magazines that I subscribe to.
Sometimes I change something based on my taste. Nowadays I have a lot of
orders so I can experiment. A lot of room for
creativity.
I really like making mousse cakes because one can assemble them as LEGO
pieces—create one filling and different mousses. For example, a mango
filling and a creamy, lemon or chocolate mousse. Cakes become puzzles with
different tastes. It is very interesting.
There are classic recipes, such as meringue roll, soufflé... Besides, I
try new recipes. A lot of recipes comes to us from abroad, from the US,
Italy, France. There are a lot of confectioners who run blogs. I like the
Russian confectioners Maria Selianina and Nina Tarasova. They share their
recipes. There are, naturally, also recipes for
purchase.
I buy master-classes on the Internet because sometimes I do not have any
possibility to visit abroad. So it is great that I can get an online
master-class. It is indeed very convenient.
Examples of the decoration of party cakes. Photos from Marina's personal archive.
About Café Rosé and pâtisserie's job
You have started with making cakes to order. How did you come up with an
idea of opening a café?
Actually, it was my husband's idea (laughs). We were thinking it through,
looking for a place. We were planning on starting the business because we
really wanted to work independently. In my previous workplace, I could not
set free my fantasy, but in my own café, I answer only to myself. There
are moments, of course, when I would need a day off. But I keep holding
on. I would really like to have a long holiday (laughs).
Marina at her Café Rosé. Photo by Klavdia Parkkonen.
So, are you alone in this café?
Mostly, yes. My husband and I share entrepreneurship, and he helps me a
lot. Luckily, there is a lot to do. I am happy that in Finland, there is a
possibility to invite trainees from colleges. It is really convenient. For
example, a girl who studies to be a confectioner will soon join me as a
trainee. Previously, I used to have girls-trainees from the language
courses.
Many believe that I come here at five o'clock in the morning and bake a
lot at home.
Marina Shalaginova
Pâtisserie and Owner at Café Rosé
Could you describe your typical day?
Many believe that I come here at five o'clock in the morning and bake a
lot at home. That is not true (laughs). I am always coming about twenty
minutes before opening. I make tea and coffee, set the good to the glass
case and start doing planned things. I am always planning stuff a day
before; what I need to do, what is missing from the glass case. For
example, I bake merengue roll every day because it has become popular. I
bake it twice a day, for sure! It is sold out really quickly. Plus, it is
lactose and gluten-free. There are a lot of allergic people in Finland,
thus I always have lactose free products available.
How much time do you need to make a cake?
Generally, I do everything in advance. If I have an order for Friday, then
already on Thursday, I bake the sponge and prepare the filling because it
needs to get stabilised. The sponge is always baked in advance. It needs
to settle in a fridge for at least six hours so that it will be easy to
cut, will not crumble and will have the moist distributed evenly. These
are all technicalities. And I assemble the cake on Friday. By now, I have
established my workflow so well that I can assemble easy cakes really
quickly.
You have said that you have a joint project with your neighbours
(Kukkakauppa Leinikki)?
It was an exciting collision of interests. The owner of the flower shop,
Heini, was looking for an entrepreneur-confectioner who would like to open
a café next door, and I had been dreaming of my own café. It is convenient
for our clients. People come to buy some flowers as a gift and in
addition, get cakes. Or, for example, it happens with couples, when the
woman chooses a bouquet and the man enjoys a cup of coffee. Moreover, we
run some joint projects. For example, Heini holds a master-class in
floristics, and the participants then come to me for a tea. We had a
master-class a little while ago, at which moms were assembling bouquets
and kids were decorating muffins.
About dreams and plans
Do you have a dream?
I would really like to get to work on wedding projects. That is not to
make just a wedding cake but a beautiful and sweet table. For example, I
recently had an order of a cake, a pannacotta and eclairs. It has been an
interesting experience. But I would like to create beauty and aesthetics
so that the bridal couple could come to a gorgeous table and elegantly cut
the cake. It is all about emotions!
I would really like to get to work on wedding projects. That is not to
make just a wedding cake but a beautiful and sweet table.
Marina Shalaginova
Pâtisserie and Owner at Café Rosé
What do you have in your near future plans?
I am now planning on taking a master-class in chocolate making. It is not
yet available to me, but I hope to do it in the closest future. I have
purchased the necessary supplies but... I would like to add some missing
information.
Regarding projects... Of course, I would like to move forward. The café is
just a starting point. I dream of my own bakery, with the café being a
serving spot. I also dream of improving my business and of my husband
joining it. Naturally, I would like to make the café even cosier, to use
soft chairs, to upgrade the tables, to slightly change the decor.
At the moment, I need to build me a name, to make people trust me. Of
course, it is impossible to be liked by everyone. But I want to move
forward and to help my clients realise all their dreams.
I want to move forward and to help my clients realise all their dreams.
Marina Shalaginova
Pâtisserie and Owner at Café Rosé
I sincerely like that people enjoy my work and that they say "You have
excellent works." Sometimes I think "It is good that I left my job, good
that I have decided to do this" and want to move only
forward.
In conclusion...
Our interview has turned out to be extensive and detailed. I am always
experiencing a special pleasure of talking to genuine professionals. Such
people seem to shine from inside when they tell about their work. I am
really happy that our town brings together so many creative and bright
people. I hope that this interview has been interesting also to you, my
dear readers. Come visit Marina at Café Rosé and try her unimaginable
cakes and sweets. You will love them, I am certain.
You can find Café Rosé
- at Kauppakatu 33, Joensuu
-
on the webpage
-
on Instagram
@cafe_rose_jns
-
on
Facebook page