Giant gingerbread houses help sweet cause

By Joanne Oostveen - The Weekly News
Students at the Nova Scotia Community College's Akerley Campus have created gingerbread masterpieces that go beyond anything even the most avid baker can imagine.
But forget about the dancing sugarplums. One of these edible houses even included tiny candy dalmatian dogs. One pup can even be seen peeing on a tree.
Now that is creativity.
Twenty students of the boulanger and baking art course designed, baked and then gave away four gingerbread houses that each weighed an average of 60 kilograms.
"This is a huge project that takes students about eight days to complete," said chef instructor Larry Bergeron. "Every year is a different theme and it keeps getting bigger and better every year."
It's all about the children at this time of year, said Bergeron. "So that is why every little detail has to be perfect.
"We want to teach the students how to communicate, work together and how to plan, but above all how to take pride in their work. Lots of people look forward to seeing these creations every year."
Sidney Raithby worked on one of the houses that was given to the IWK. The huge creation is a replica of the University Avenue fire house and includes 101 dalmations adorning the house, she said.
"I knew kids at the hospital would get a laugh at the dog peeing on the tree," she said with a grin. "So that is why I added that to the design."
The students feel a sense of great pride when their work is finished, said Adam O'Hara, who spent hours on a design schematic before he even touched a mixing bowl.
The IWK received another house depicting the nativity scene.
The Ronald McDonald House was the lucky recipient of the cake that showed a traditional winter scene that even included tiny skaters on an outdoor shiny, sugar-coated pond.
The fourth was designed as a perfect replica of the old Town Clock complete with figurines from the 19th century. It stood four feet tall. Thousands of dollars were expected to be raised when this cake was auctioned off for the Festival of Trees charity.
Bergeron said the boulanger trade is one trade where all cultures can be expressed, and there isn't another course like this one in all of Canada.
"Gingerbread is known throughout the world," said Bergeron. "And we might as well share the wealth with our community. Isn't that what this time of year is all about?"
joanneoostveen@accesswave.ca