Katia Anagnostaki... The Royal in cookies... In fact in decoration of cookies. Because every decorated cookie is a masterpiece... A detailed art.
For me using royal icing is not difficult to handle. It needs practice of course. And I admire many people who chose to use it. But when I see someone really experienced in making a cookie looking like a painting, I stop being only impressed... I want to meet the person, the way she works, her ideas, discover the artistic aspect of it and see the personality behind. So I am really glad to host today Katia.
Let's find out who's Katia...
I am Katia, a married 37 year old woman and a mother of two toddler boys. I have studied Biology, my thesis was focused on Developmental Genetics in the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology in Heraklion, Crete. My postgraduate studies, MSc, were on Environmental Managment at the Technological University of Crete in Chania. I am a Biology teacher for the past 14 years. Since I was a little girl I loved crafts so I know how to sew and knit but sugar art stole my heart 2 years ago when I started decorating cookies as a hobby and started my facebook page GK Cookies. After that, the blog gkcookies.com followed and recently I started my journey as a cookie decorating tutor at sugar art seminars.
What made you work exclusively with cookies art? How did you
start?
The first time I decorated cookies was for my eldest son's
baptism. I asked for decorated cookies at local bakeries and I found cookies
without any frosting and some multicolor confetti on them for 3euros/cookie. So
I decided to make them my own. That's how I started. The first time I didn't
know even how to make royal icing. I found a recipe without any instructions
and I experimented while I was decorating over 100 cookies for the baptism...
When I first took a pastry bag in my
hands it was very easy and natural for me. When I was expecting my second son I
searched for some specific cookie cutters and that leaded me at an e-shop in US
that had a section for inspiring cookie decorators. I visited the blogs of
CookieCrazie and Sweet SugarBelle as well as Cookie Artisan's flirck page. From
the last one, I choose a set and challenged myself that if I could be able to
decorate it decently then I would continue to deal with cookie decorating. As
you can understand I decorated them successfully!
Have you attended seminars or had a teacher? Are you
following tutorials or blogs/sites?
No, I haven't attended any seminars. You know, for some
people it is efficient to read instructions or just use their imagination while
others prefer to attend a seminar from a tutor. I think that it's a matter of
personal preference. Cookies are more challenging for me because of their small
size in comparison with a cake. I like playing with details. I think that this
might be because I was used to work for hours with tiny creatures in front of a
stereoscope during my thesis in developmental genetics.
I follow several blogs like SugarBelle's and Sweetambs's as
well as I read books on cookie decorating or royal icing.
What do you think makes a cookie an absolute success?
Well, this question is a difficult one cause I really
haven't figured out what people like the most on a cookie...technically
advanced decorated and very well executed or just an impressive cookie?
How do you see the international market in cookies art?
Would you like to name some on the top of your personal list who
"dominate" in this business?
My opinion for the cookie decorating field is that is much
alike Hollywood with some big stars and lots of smaller ones. I am amazed by
the piping and painting skills of the
European decorators although they are not so well known as the Americans, which
are very talented also. You ask about business...I will answer about talent. I
love the art of Evelin Decora, Aniko Vergane Orban and Mezesmanna...They are of
course many others very talented in Europe but these are the ones that keep me
with the jaws on the floor! I also love Arty MacGoo's cookies because they
combine art, fine taste and multiple techniques.
How is greek market of cookies?What is according to you the
level of cookies artists in Greece and how easy is to compete with others
abroad?
Decorated cookies
aren't as popular in Greece as they are abroad. The past few years they became
known and people keep asking for decorated cookies in several occasions. Many
people decorate cookies in Greece but because of the economic crisis they
underestimate their value. People don't know how much time, effort and
equipment is needed for decorating cookies. After all, cookie decorating is art
so it cannot be sold keeping in mind only the cost of the ingredients... As far
as the level of Greek cookie artists I think that there are many of them,
especially using fondant as a medium. There are fewer that decorate with royal
icing. They are talented and promising considering that royal icing is a new
decorating medium in Greece.
I see that you work with royal icing to make your unique
designs. Why instead of sugar paste?
I love decorating with royal icing cause I have the freedom
of creation. There are endless possibilities of decorating designs using a
pastry bag. I work with sugar paste also but not so often. Each medium has its
own pros and cons, for example I love the dimension that fondant gives not to
mention the fact that much less time is needed to decorate an average cookie
using fondant! Its a
medium that speeds up decorating process as it requires
minimum drying time!
I don't think that it
is difficult to work with royal icing. If you love it and have patience then
practice makes perfect! The only tip I could give to beginners is that the
first thing they have to master is royal icing consistency and practice a lot!
In pastry there are many recipes of cookies to bake. What
kind of recipe should we search to make the perfect base for decoration?
In my preference, the perfect cookie recipe should yield
cookies that meet the following requirements: they do not spread, have a level
surface (especially when decorated with fondant) and taste delicious of
course!!!
What was the most difficult cookie that you had to make?
By far the most difficult cookies I made were my first one
cause I didn't have an idea of how to decorate them!
Apart from running your extraordinary site with interesting
tips, tutorials, recipes and beautiful pictures of you, you are also creating
cookie cutters. Really beautiful ones. How did you start making them? What's
the difference of your cutters comparing to the ones we can easily find in
commerce? Are you interested in selling them? Even abroad?
Cookie cutter making started as a need for me. I have
hundreds of them that I bought from US and I was really tired of waiting my
order to arrive plus the high shipping
costs. So I decided to start making my own. It was very difficult at the
beginning but as time passes and experience grows I create more complicated and
demanding designs. As with my cookies, with cookie cutters I am emotionally
attached. I first have to like the design in order to want to make a cutter
even not needing it for a specific cookie project. The major difference between
my cutters and commercial ones is that they are handmade and made from food
grade stainless steel. That being said the cutters that I create are more
stable and durable than those made from tin or plastic and of course lower cost
from the copper ones.
Finally what do you think, decorated cookies should be eaten at the end or only remain decorating our home?
I have heard many people telling me that they wouldn't even
think of eating one of my cookies but cookies are made to be eaten, aren't
they? That's all about temporary art.
Although, I keep lots of different designs in my freezer...
As you see Katia is not simply a person who's creating art in a cookie. In fact she's an intellectual, well standing woman, whose creativity is inspiring and art is touching. And she proves definitely that when you love what you do, you explore your possibilities, discover your tools and extend your artistic aspect,while creating until you are satisfied...
But what I see in Katia as well is that she loves working in many projects at the same time. Multitalented, dynamic, self-confident and hard worker. She does not care about the number of cookies to produce, all that matters is the quality result... And that's what counts, indeed.
In September I reached Katia's seminar. A very detailed very joyful and explanatory seminar about the art of decorating with royal icing. She made a great work as a teacher and I would definitely recommend you to stay tuned in her page, and check out about available dates of seminars to attend and who knows? Probably in the future you will be a new revealed talent in cookies decoration. With such teacher you are definitely on the right road.... :)
Thank you Katia for sharing this interview, I am really honored to have you today and wishing you all the best for your bright future in this really amazing art of decoration!
Love,
Les Delices d' Eleni
No comments:
Post a Comment