Sweet houses bring smiles
“To me, it’s just a little piece of happiness.”
Renaissance Marquis’ Dietary Director Mary Wilbanks explains her gingerbread town this way, and the residents of the assisted- and independent-living facility on Martha Berry Highway definitely agree with her.
Every year, Wilbanks builds something out of gingerbread, whether it be a replica of the Renaissance Marquis itself — that one was eight feet long — a candy shop or a winter wonderland complete with a working carousel and Ferris wheel.
“She does a great job,” said three-year resident Connie Leithauser. Stanley Sutton agreed. “I’ve been here nine years, and I think this is the best one so far,” he said.
This year’s creative confection is a replica of an Old West town, complete with a saloon, bakery, church, barn, hotel and general store. Wilbanks used about 30 pounds of gingerbread, licorice, pretzels, various types of hard candy and many miniatures to create the town.
“I try to find something the residents will like,” Wilbanks said. “They love Westerns, so I thought they would enjoy this.”
Wilbanks said building the town took her about a month.
“I started making the gingerbread in October and I always try to have everything built so it can be placed by the weekend after Thanksgiving,” she explained. “It really feels like playing with a dollhouse in a way.”
Whatever she chooses to build takes on a life of its own, Wilbanks added. “I don’t use a template, I just
start building, so it is really all in my head,” she said.
The gingerbread town isn’t the only sweet structure in Rome. Those who frequent Broad Street may have noticed the home of Gru, the supervillain from “Despicable Me.” Gru, his home and his Minions have taken over the window of Honeymoon Bakery.
The gingerbread house will be taken to Floyd Medical Center’s pediatric unit before Christmas so children can enjoy it, Honeymoon staff said.
from A1
The bakery staff have built and donated a gingerbread house to FMC for several years now.
Honeymoon’s creation — chiefly made of gingerbread, fondant, royal icing and sprinkles — is drawing the attention of children and adults.
Joseph Burnham, 3, of Rome, made a special trip to the bakery Tuesday with his mom and grandmother.
“He wanted to come back and see it again,” laughed Jessica Burnham, Joseph’s mom. “My mother-in-law needed to order a cake, and he wanted to make the trip to see the house.”
Joseph circled around the gingerbread house until he found his favorite part, a Minion sitting in snow made of royal icing and sprinkles, holding a puppy.
The house is a labor of love for the whole staff, explained Kate White, decoration manager and wedding consultant for the bakery.
“Building it is like a team sport,” she said. “We don’t do everything in one day, we simply can’t. But whoever is scheduled to work, they come in and work on a little piece when they can. For instance, the little yellow egg shape that will become a minion may be sitting there, and someone will put arms on it and
ABOVE: Renaissance Marquis residents Connie Leithauser (left) and Stanley Sutton examine the gingerbread Old Western town.
LEFT: Mary Wilbanks also built the inside of the gingerbread buildings.
RIGHT: Supervillain Gru looks a little disgusted as he is surrounded by Minions at Honeymoon Bakery.
Photos by Kristina Wilder, Rome News-Tribune
then someone else may put some overalls on it.”
There are plenty of reactions to the house, from passersby stopping to smile at it through the window to children coming in and asking a multitude of questions.
“They all say ‘Wow!’ first, and then they want to know how long it took us and is it edible and is it a cake,” White said.
The answers are it took a little more than a week; yes, it is made of edible ingredients; and no, it is not a cake.
“This year, they want to know if they can buy the minions,” White said.
White added that the gingerbread project is always something they hope will be easily recognizable.
“Last year, we made Snoopy’s doghouse and used Peanuts characters,” she said. “This year, we picked the Minions because they are colorful and funny and there are so many things you can make them do.”