One of a kind edible sculptures created by NYC’s master pastry chefs to be featured on display and for raffle

A celebrated group of New York’s Master Pastry Chefs will kick off the 2004 holiday season with Gingerbread Homes for Animals, an exhibition and fair at Central Park’s Dana Discovery Center, to benefit New York’s at-risk animal population. The event, set from Wednesday, December 1st through Sunday, December 5th, will feature each pastry maker’s creation of a unique gingerbread house, inspired by an animal he or she loves. The one-of-a-kind edible sculptures will be sold by raffle. Admission to the exhibition and fair is free.

GINGERBREAD HOMES FOR ANIMALS is presented by Rational Animal and hosted by a list of prestigious city gourmets and animal-related organizations. Held during the holiday season, its goal is to illuminate the plight of the city’s most needy four-legged inhabitants and raise awareness and funds for them. In addition to the edible sculpture exhibit, the fair will feature a list of daily activities including animal-related workshops and lectures each day, face-painting for children and the sale of baked goods and treats. Surprise guests are expected to be announced in coming weeks.

Among the chefs set to create an original gingerbread house for the exhibition are Susan Punturieri of Tribeca’s heralded Chanterelle Restaurant, whose house will be “A Snoopy Christmas.” Noted chefs from The French Culinary Institute have signed on, including Jurgen David, Thomas Jones, Toni Dickinson, Lauri Ditunno and Rebecca Kaiser, whose confectionary sculptures honor sea creatures, a dog named Fido, a “Canary Cathedral,” a reindeer house and a special cat house; Jeri Gottlieb of Flour Girl Bakery will build a “Holiday Music” bird house, and Colette Peters of Colette’s Cakes is designing a birds’, “House for Fric and Frac,” Additionally, Elisa Strauss of Confetti Cakes is building a “Palace of Harmony” – inspired by frogs!

Funds raised during the five-day event will directly benefit The Picasso Fund, supporting costs of medical services for homeless animals; and Rational Animal, a non-profit organization whose mission is to grow public awareness of New York’s at-risk and homeless animal population.

GINGERBREAD HOMES FOR ANIMALS will be held at The Dana Discovery Center (Central Park at 110th Street & Lenox Avenue) from Wednesday, Dec 1st – Sunday, Dec 5th, from 10AM-5PM daily. Additional details about the exhibition and fair will be announced and posted as they become available. The event’s website is: www.gingerbreadhomesforanimals.org.

Gingerbread Homes for Animals is made possible by:

Rational Animal www.rational-animal.org
Mayor’s Alliance for New York City’s Animals www.animalalliancenyc.org
PastryScoop.com www.pastryscoop.com
The French Culinary Institute www.frenchculinary.com
ASPCA www.aspca.org
Central Park Conservancy www.centralparknyc.org
Animal Care and Control (AC&C) www.nycacc.org

With additional support from:
Damage Studios
Laura Brandt Design
Meow Mix
Leashes & Lovers
Gotham Caterers
Other 8
Street Treats
The Dog Door

Press Contacts:
Judiaann Woo (646) 254-8543, jwoo@pastryscoop.com
Susan Brandt 917-239-9229, sbrandt@rational-animal.org
Elizabeth Rodman 212-595-0179, erodman1@aol.com