Let them win cake

Article by: RICK NELSON
Updated: February 15, 2012 - 2:45 PM

Area bakers are teaming up to help combat childhood hunger.

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Michelle Gayer of Salty Tart is heading up a who's who of area bakers for a cakewalk to benefit Share Our Strength.

Photo: Marlin Levison, Star Tribune

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OK, this sounds like a blast: On March 1, Salty Tart chef/owner Michelle Gayer is hosting a modern-day cakewalk, with proceeds benefitting Share Our Strength, the nonprofit that is working to end childhood hunger. Who needs the lottery when the prizes are cakes, prepared by some of the Twin Cities' top pros?

"It's going to be nuts," said Gayer. "I thought it would be fun to have a big, bumping party, with a scratching DJ, for all the pastry people in town. And I want to help end childhood hunger. What a great combination, you know what I mean?"

Participating bakers include Carrie Summer (Chef Shack), Diane Yang (La Belle Vie), Solveig Tofte (Sun Street Breads), Heidi Woodman (Heidi's), Niki Francioli (Sea Change), Anne Rucker (Bogart Loves), Ly Lo (Sweets Bakeshop), cupcake whiz Sheela Namakkal and "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day" author Zoë François, among others.

Gayer is also promising an appearance by La Belle Vie chef (and Share Our Strength Minneapolis chef chair) Tim McKee. Working the bar will be bartenders Rob Jones (Meritage), Dan Oskey (the Strip Club) and Johnny Michaels and Mike Rasmussen (La Belle Vie).

The Share Our Strength Cakewalk takes place March 1 from 8 to 11 p.m. at the Fine Line Music Cafe (318 1st Av. N., Mpls., www.finelinemusic.com). Tickets are $60, available at www.shareourstrength.org/minneapolis or at the door.

Socializing on Nicollet

Now open: Eat Street Social (18 W. 26th St., Mpls., 612-767-6850). The 26th and Nicollet sibling to the fun-loving Northeast Social (359 13th Av. NE., Mpls., 612-877-8111, www.northeastsocial.com) is serving lunch weekdays, dinner daily and brunch weekends.

Around the corner, construction at the Icehouse -- the exciting restaurant-bar-live-music project by Be'wiched Deli co-owners Mike Ryan and Matthew Bickford -- is going full tilt in the former Sindbad's space at 2528 Nicollet Av. S. "Our current target opening date is sometime in May," said Bickford. "There's no reason at this point to think that it won't happen."

More fun

Feb. 28 is the date (starting at 6 p.m.) when Brit's Pub & Eating Establishment (1110 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., www.britspub.com) is conducting its first-ever Cask Conditioned Beer Festival, featuring specially conditioned beers from Summit, Surly, Crispin Cider, New Belgium and Fulton breweries. Cost is $40 per person; reservations at 612-332-8011, ext. 128.