Ballantyne Magazine covers news, events, real estate, restaurants, shopping, health, schools and business in the upscale Ballantyne Area of Charlotte, NC.
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family would bring a model of their home to a central location where the village was recreated in miniature," they write. Today, creating fanciful gingerbread houses at the holidays has become such a passion that competitions exist, including one at The Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge. It draws amateurs and professionals alike (see page 14). Contestants base their entry on an assigned theme — from children's books such as the Harry Potter series to Santa's Toy Shop in the Caribbean. Channeling Dr. Seuss Keli Fayard, executive pastry chef at The Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge, chose a Dr. Seuss theme for the hotel's gingerbread house this season. "I wanted to go with Dr. Seuss because of color and abstract shapes, and two Dr. Seuss movies have come out, so children are familiar with it," she says. When she consulted her twin 10-year-old girls, Maya and Grace, they liked the concept. Fayard's challenge was constructing walls that are wavy, but she has more experience than most pastry chefs in making gingerbread houses. When she owned her own pastry shop in Chicago, one customer ordered 120 personalized houses to give clients for two holiday seasons in a row. Based on this experience, Fayard uses one recipe for the house and another for gingerbread cookies to be eaten. Her tips: "Block out your weekend to make the house, and chill the dough at least 20 minutes before you WINTER 2012-2013 704-236-8311 | witwoodbuilders.com LPSURYLQJ ILQH KRPHV TK-12 COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL Providence Day School exists to inspire in its students a passion for learning, a commitment to personal integrity, and a sense of social responsibility. www.providenceday.org BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE 43