'Cake Boss' to crown winner of 'Next Great Baker' competition

Ledger file photoReality TV star Buddy "Cake Boss'' Valastro of Carlo's City Hall Bake Shop in Hoboken will crown the winner of his spin-off reality competition show, "Cake Boss: The Next Great Baker."

Hoboken City Council will host a public hearing on the city's rent control ordinance, as reported by The Jersey Journal.

Hoboken is the latest entity in line to file for "intervenor status" which would give them legal legs to challenge the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on the Spectra Energy natural gas pipeline if necessary, the Journal reported.

Buddy Valastro, Hoboken's "Cake Boss," will crown the winner of his reality competition show "Cake Boss: Next Great Baker" tonight at 9 p.m. on TLC.

For the full stories and more, read today's Jersey Journal.

'Cake Boss' crowns 'Next Great Baker' as season one of the spin-off wraps up

Courtesy of TLC"Cake Boss" Buddy Valastro named the "Next Great Baker" on tonight's season finale of the spin-off reality series on TLC. The final contestants stand with their cakes before a live audience at the DeBaun Center at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken.Tonight's the night, Hobokenites and "Cake Boss" fans! Buddy Valastro has crowned his next protege and added a new member to his famiglia.

(By the way, tonight's recap is being featured at TLC.com! You can also visit Facebook.com/CakeBoss for even more dish on the show.)

Who will win $50,000, a 2011 Chevy Cruise, a job at Carlo's City Hall Bake Shop in Hoboken and the title of Next Great Baker?

We'll get to that.

First things first: the last baker's challenge... and it's not so sweet.

On tonight's special 90 minute episode, the three remaining bakers - Corina Elgart, Dana Herbert and Megan Rountree - walked a mile in Buddy's shoes for a day.

And that included a trip down to the basement to clean out the bakery's grease trap which skims the sludge off of the waste water.

Holding back their disgust, the contestants grabbed a bucket, filled them up with the gray, unappetizing substance and hauled them back to Buddy - all in one minute. (Having seen the line outside this bakery even in 30 degree weather, this reporter wouldn't be surprised to find those buckets on Ebay!)

Pulling in 46 pounds of rancid grease, Dana got to the first pick of Buddy's team to help him win the final challenge.

It's go time!

"They have to use their time and my family if they want to win this challenge," said Buddy.

Starting at 6 o' clock the night before, the contestants were responsible for baking 400 cookies, 20 cakes, 20 pies and 200 pastries - all by 7 a.m.

But it didn't stop there. The bakers also kicked out a Hoboken-themed cake for a "very special client."

Mayor Dawn Zimmer, of course. Or, as Buddy called her, "the Boss of Hoboken." (Sources tell us she's watching tonight episode with her family.)

After several hours of planning and baking (and some typical squabbling amongst the "Cake Boss" sisters), Zimmer arrives to give a plug for the Mile Square City - the birthplace of Sinatra and baseball and home to a diverse community.

Seven a.m. arrived sooner than the bakers expected and after working all night long in the kitchen, the contestants were expected to sell, sell, sell as swarms of tourists - many of whom lined up starting at 5 a.m. - flooded the bakery.

Dana and Megan had both managed to crank out an impressive array of pastries, plus a few extras to kick the competition up a notch. Intimidated by the over-achievers, Corina decided to return to the bakery and whip up a few more pastries.

But, sadly, it was too late for the New Yorker.

Buddy shocked the bakers with a surprise elimination mid-way through the episode.

"I'm a baker, but I'm a businessman first," said Buddy as Corina was ushered into the box truck.

On With the Show

Dana and Megan had one last task to finish their Hoboken cakes and deliver them to the DeBaun Center at Stevens Institute of Technology where a live audience of hundreds of fans and their families awaited them.

Zimmer and buddy's mother Mary Valastro were there to judge the final leg of the competition.

Courtesy of TLCDana Herbert, 34, of Bear, Delaware won the title of "Next Great Baker" for his version of a Hoboken-themed cake. He will soon join the cast of season 4 of "Cake Boss" which airs next week at 9 p.m.Ultimately, it was Herbert's detailed depiction of City Hall, Carlo's Bake Shop and other iconic Hoboken images on a three-tiered vanilla cake won him the coveted title of Valastro's new protege - despite Zimmer's professed preference for Megan's chocolate cake.

"I want to officially welcome you to my church," said Valastro as he lead Herbert into the bakery in the episode's final shot and issued him a white Carlo's baker's coat. "You are now part of the family."

Tune in to catch Dana on "Cake Boss" season four next Monday at 9 p.m.!

'Cake Boss: Next Great Baker

For the second episode of "Cake Boss: Next Great Baker," the editing made one thing very clear from the get-go -- Joe was in trouble. He had trouble impressing Buddy following the first victory, and he then struggled to make carrot cake during the first challenge. Suffice it to say, the boss was out for blood. Corina clashed with the guy on a frequent basis, primarily during the second challenge where teams had to design a tribute cake for Monopoly.

When it comes for the first challenge, the winner was Megan with a devil's food cake that did in fact look delightful. As for the second challenge, it was really pretty obvious that Joe's team would be losing -- cake-wise, it actually seemed that their cake wasn't any worse than the team with Brian, Greggy, and Pamela.

The ultimate decision here for Buddy came down to Joe and Corina, and ultimately Buddy decided to settle their dispute by being rather unfair. The debate here involved whether or not to dismiss someone who wasn't really in their element (Joe) or someone who made a threat with a knife (Corina). Buddy asked Joe if he deserved to go home, and he said "yes" in that he did the worst job.

However, he didn't quit -- but for some reason Buddy bullied him into being a quitter. He was just being honest! The truth is with Joe is that he may have been a better fit for a show like "Top Chef: Just Desserts," where he could focus more on the parts of baking he excels at.

We're going to try and chat with Joe about this elimination Tuesday, so check back then for more news. What do you think about his exit?

More "Next Great Baker" news and exclusives

Bakery Cake Boss Buddy Valastro: Next Great Baker

Buddy Valastro, TLC's Cake Boss, has started a new show called The Next Great Baker, in which the ten competitors fight for $50,000 and the chance to work alongside Buddy himself at Carlo's Bakery.

The contestants are: Joe, who spent 26 years as a plumber and is now a pastry chef; Pamela, an electrical engineer, cake designer, and Diva; Dana, who owns "Desserts by Dana"; Johanna, who has been in the culinary field since high school; Megan, a very perky girl from Texas who said, "Even though I don't have all the experience in the world, I can probably do what you do and do it better"; Corina, a full-time Mom who started her own cake shop; Greggy, who called himself the "Lady GaGa of cakes"; Jay, who owns Maple's Wedding Cakes; Kendra, a sixth grade English teacher who bakes at home; and Brian, who makes crazy cakes and has even blown some up using dynamite.

In the Baker's Challenge, Buddy asked each person to make him their best dessert in two hours. The winner would get an advantage later on. They contestants all had to share the equipment, which included mixers and the ovens. No one seemed to have that easy of a time, but it was Greggy who burst into tears after not allowing his cake enough time to cool and ending up with a big, floppy mess. Talk about a Diva. This guy was shortening words like crazy, almost to the point where they were unrecognizable, like "tots" instead of totally or "jelly" instead of jealous. Then, he has ridiculously long names that include hyphens for pretty much every cake he makes. Frankly, he was pretty annoying. In the end, he and Corina were told they had the worst cakes, while Pamela and Joe had the best two. As the winner, Joe received a free pass for the next round and was told he wouldn't be sent home.

In the Elimination Challenge, they each had three hours that night and six hours the next day to make a celebration cake. The loser of this challenge would go home. Buddy also brought his sister Mary, in addition to Mauro, in to judge this round. At the end of the first three hours, everyone left for the night. Pamela, who says she is an electrical engineer, somehow decided it would be a good idea to leave her cakes in the oven overnight since they hadn't cooked all the way through yet. Not smart. The next morning, everyone returned to a very angry Buddy, who had found Pamela's smoldering, blackened cakes the night before. He scolded her in front of the group, and then everyone got back to work.

Basically, almost everyone's cakes looked pretty rough. Pamela went crazy and spilled gold everywhere, the handle on Jay's Easter basket cake fell right off onto the table, Brian's cake was supposed to have special effects, but just smoked instead, and Joe's cake looked like a tall column of brown and orange smudges with some random green "vines" going up it.

During the Final Elimination, Dana, Brian, Corina, and Jay were all safe. Greggy, Megan, and Johanna were told they had the three best cakes and that Greggy won the challenge. That left the bottom three of Pamela, Joe, and Kendra. They all agreed Joe had the worst cake, even Joe himself, but he refused to give up his free pass and was allowed to stay until the next elimination. Kendra was the one sent home, and they sat her out in the "box truck" that is usd to make deliveries for her exit speech.

Overall, the show wasn't terrible, but it also seems like a rip off of something along the lines of Top Chef. It will be interesting to see if the person who wins actually shows up at Carlo's Bakery or not. Personally, I'm a sucker for cake shows, so even this one is a bit overly dramatic and doesn't always end up with the best looking cake results, I will probably keep watching anyway, just to find out who wins. What did you think? Will you watch, or was one episode enough?

Frozen Yogurt Maker

When trying to lose weight, people often make the mistake of denying themselves treats. This guilt trip often does not work and a person trying to lose weight is often demotivated. A frozen yogurt maker can allow you to make your own lower calorie treats.

While it is possible to buy frozen yogurt from a store or a restaurant you cannot always be sure what you are getting. It may contain artificial additives, sweeteners or preservatives, a particular concern if you have children. With a yogurt maker, you control what goes into it and are ultimately responsible for what goes inside. Again if you have children it is a great way of getting them to eat more fruit and making it fun.

When using the machine you need to pour in the liquid ingredients first. As these are stirred in by the machine you can then add solid ingredients such as strawberries, blueberries, chocolate chips or nuts. Ultimately it is up to you what you add and there is a large number of possible combinations.

Yogurt makers vary in both size and how long they take to produce frozen yogurt. Some can make a quart in around 20 minutes, while others can take up to 40 minutes. This is worth noting as you may want to do a batch for the week and a shorter amount of time can make all the difference.

A lot of models come with recipe books. This is a great way to start using your machine and getting used to what to add and in how much quantity. As you become more confident you can start experimenting with your own recipes. This can often be a lot of fun as you find out what works best.

If you are still not sure it is worth looking at demonstration videos online. It is worth noting how each model looks and how easy it seems to use. If it seems complicated in a video then it is probably not worth buying. On the other hand if a machine seems easy to use that is the ideal model for you.

Finally check reviews carefully to see what you buy when getting a frozen yogurt maker. You should be able to find out the warranty and the contents of the machine. Ideally you should be able to find one with storage jars or a recipe book. If not you can get recipes and advice on the best storage online.

Tired of Chocolate Fudge? Vanilla Fudge Is a Great Alternative!

Chocolate fudge is great! But, there are many people who prefer vanilla fudge over chocolate. Vanilla fudge is a simple delicious alternative to chocolate fudge. If you are like me you probably looked all over the web and found that there are many chocolate fudge recipes, but there are not as many vanilla fudge recipes. Not only does it taste great, it is quick and easy to make! This is the perfect fudge recipe. Next time you host an event and it calls for you to make dessert make vanilla fudge. This will give your guest a sweet surprise that they will remember.

Ingredients:
- 3 ? cups of confectioner's sugar
- 6 table spoons of butter
- 3 table spoons of milk
- 1 table spoon of vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
- nonstick cooking spray

Tools:
- 9x5 inch pan
- Wooden spoon
- 3 Quart sauce pan

Take the 9X5 pan and coat it completely with one coat of the nonstick cooking spray. Set the pan aside. Put the 3-quart saucepan on low heat. Mix in vanilla, butter, confectioner's sugar, milk, and salt with your wooden spoon. Stir the mixture until everything is blended and creamy. Quickly pour the contents in to the greased pan. Refrigerate this scrumptious dessert until it is firm. Once the fudge is firm cut it into square sized pieces and serve. Store the rest in an air tight container. These treats are just as delicious as chocolate fudge. Sometimes variety is just what we need.

Cake Boss Buddy Valastro looking for Next Great Baker

Buddy Valastro, of Cake Boss on TLC, is searching for 'The Next Great Baker,' in a new series on TLC, according to a November 1, 2010 press release from TLC. Cake Boss: Next Great Baker is a new six week series premiering December 6, at 9:00 ET/8:00 C.

Cake Boss Buddy Valastro, along with family members, put 10 talented pastry chefs through the ringer to earn the title of "Next Great Baker." The prize includes $50,000 cash and a chance to work side-by-side with Buddy at Carlo's Bakery.

 Buddy pushes the contestants' baking and decorating skills to the limitevery week throughout the competition. The challenges are increasingly difficult,  testing  their business sense and cake artistry. Someone will be sent packing each week until the NEXT GREAT BAKER is the last one standing.

"This show is as much about learning how to run a successful business as it is about learning the tricks and techniques to be a great cake artist," explains Buddy Valastro. "My family and I put the contestants through the challenges we face every day and think the viewers will learn even more what it takes to be the best in the business."

The contestants vying for the sweet prize include:

•Brian Stevens from Austin, TX
•Corina Elgart from Huntington, NY
•Dana Herbert from Bear, DE
•Gregory Paul Soriano from Jersey City, NJ
•Jay Qualls from Nashville, TN
•Joe Glaser from Brooklyn, NY
•Johanna Lyons from Hanson, MA
•Kendra Jordan from Emporia, VA
•Megan Rountree from Keller, TX
•Pamela Ahn from Washington, DC

NEXT GREAT BAKER is produced for TLC by High Noon Entertainment. Executive producer is Art Edwards.

The Cake Boss the Valastro family in Italy

Cake Boss 3rd season pictures

Hoboken's own Washington Street dubbed one of Top 10 Great U.S. Streets

Amy Sara Clark/The Jersey JournalA long line of tourists and customers outside Carlo's City Hall Bake Shop, home of the "Cake Boss" on Hoboken's Washington Street which has just been named one of the Top 10 Great U.S. streets.

The American Planning Association has dubbed Hoboken's own Washington Street as one of the Top 10 Great Streets in America for both its strong sense of history and its embrace of the future - an exemplar of urban planning.

Once a thriving part of the Mile Square City's booming warehouse and shipping industries, Washington Street has been Hoboken's "main drag" since the 1980s when the city began going residential with the arrival of Young Urban Professionals or "yuppies," who settled into the then-modestly priced historic apartments with an easy commute to Manhattan.

Today, the 15-block street is home to four annual festivals, a wide range of shops and several well-known bars and restaurants including La Isla and The Taco Truck, both recently featured on Food Network television.

And since April 2009, the thoroughfare has seen swarms of tourists who line up down the block just to get a glimpse of the famiglia at Carlo's City Hall Bake Shop, home of TLC's reality series "Cake Boss" starring famed baker Buddy Valastro.

"Although Hoboken has transitioned over the centuries from an industrial region into a bustling residential community, Washington Street has thrived by adapting to the community's evolving needs while preserving its historic character," said Mayor Dawn Zimmer.

While it has welcomed several new business ventures and residents, Washington Street does indeed wear its history with pride, featuring 19th Century lampposts, clocks, brick sidewalks and benches.

The APA also commended Washington Street for its dedication to height restrictions and affordable housing.

Washington Street made the cut along with Bank Street in Wallace, ID; Wydown Blvd. in Clayton, MO; Broadway Street in Red Lodge, MT; 5th Ave. in San Diego, CA; Middle Street in New Bern, NC; Massachusetts Street in Lawrence, KS; Washington Street in Middleburg, VA; Spring Street in Eureka Springs, AR; and Liberty Street in Franklin, PA.

The APA is a non-profit member organization for planners, elected officials and citizens who share ideas and resources in the building and maintaining of communities. Each year, the organization names Top Great Places in America to honor neighborhoods, streets and public places that "represent the gold standard in community planning outcomes," according to its website.