I am just sitting here in amazement at a realisation that has just struck me ...and that is, in the time that I have been writing my weblog, I have not written about KEITH HOME MADE CAKES in Church Street BRIGHTON - Melbourne Victoria. It is one of my VERY favourite food destinations on a Saturday and going there on a Saturday has been almost a ritual for me since about 2003! Nearly 8 years. It is absolutely a Brighton ICON and the proprietor Oi Lan and her family including the front-of-house manager (lovely) Linda, are some of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet (on either side of a shop counter).
Here is a shot of Jodie - the new casual staffer and some of the cup-cake produce on offer
Keith Home Made Cakes in Brighton make the absolute best pies IMHO (pies of many varieties - my favourite are the potato pies). As well as a big range of pies, you have a choice of meat or vegie pasties, sausage rolls, party pies and pasties, spinach and ricotta pastries and lots of family size pies of all types to take home (cold) and heat up later to feed the family. Fresh, great quality fillings, BEAUTIFUL tasting, PERFECT PASTRY - simply the BEST!
And if the talent that is evident in the beautiful pastries, cakes and cake decorating are not enough to enchant you, just have a look at the web-site - http://www.keithcakes.com.au - this is a web-site that any multi-national patisserie chain would be VERY proud to call their own - and again - this web-site has been designed and built by Linda and her web-site development business.
When I walked in to Keith Cakes today I was immediately struck by the FLOOD RELIEF fund raising initiative that Oi Lan had introduced to raise money for the recent flood victims.
Oi Lan decided that she wanted her business to raise money for the flood relief appeal so she decided to make special cup-cakes and sell them for $10 per pack and donate ALL the proceeds to the flood appeal - what a great and generous and caring initiative. Well done Oi Lan and staff at Keiths - you are a great role model of community contribution.
Every week, (for the entire month of FEbruary), Oi-Lan will total up the sales of cup-cakes for the week and update the fund-raising barometer - and, so far, Keith Cakes have raised a huge $2,618.80 (I wondered about the odd amount - must be due to GST?? - maybe the accountants amongst us (wake up!) could enlighten us on that one!)
Anyroad, I couldn't resist buying a couple of cup-cake packs and before I could photograph them, "somebody" (Kylie?) had already decided that the cup-cakes needed eating so apologies for the "odd cup-cake out" in the photo.
I replaced the hastily eaten highly decorated cup-cake with one of the "plainer" variety - see if you can spot the odd one?
There will be a special mention for the contestant (who responds by comment below) who picks the "odd cup-cake out".
Finally - here are the staff who were on duty today (from L to R - Kelly, Oi Lan and the latest addition to the casual team - Jodie)
Thank you Keiths - Oi Lan and staff for making such great pies, pasties and cakes - I love your food and I encourage readers who want to have a "little bit of Brighton" on a Saturday morning to go down, buy some tucker and sit outside in the warm sun and enjoy the food, the ambience and the passing parade!
