“When I grew up, my mom made all cakes from scratch, breads, everything. I grew up knowing how things should taste. She put love in her baking,and I got that from her.” Said Darlene in an interview for the tastecasting event held March 18th, at the Suisse Shop located at 2119 Polaris Parkway in Columbus, Ohio.

 

But that passion was not recognized at first. Darlene spent 17 years as a registered nurse, then attended Design school. Something in told her, however, this was the way she wanted to go.

 

“The shop went up for sale, and at the time it was in the Busch center, which as you know is an industrial park now.” Darlene said. “It was a tiny little place, kind of dark. But they had the recipes, so when I walked out, I said to my husband I WANT It. ‘What?’ my husband (Herb Jones) said to me? I said ‘I WANT it.’   So we went into proceedings to buy the company, and then I came right up here and started designing the store.”     

 

Darlene attributes her success to two factors. The first being location, and second being a perfectionist. “Use the best ingredients, and you have a much better product.”

 

The Suisse shop stands behind this statement of quality. If you are looking for a special occasion cake, the way this bakery does tastings really showcases that quality. Each component of the cake is tasted separately.  First the cake, followed by the icing, and lastly the filling. Therefore each cake is custom built to your exact taste and desire.

 

The formula is working. When The Jones’ bought the store they had done 25 cakes in a year, now their output is 145, and have increased the product line three-fold. Included in the line-up is delicious Boston Cream cupcake, and a Waldorf Red cake with a recipe dating back to the 1930’s, topped with a icing that is only used on that one cake. Then there’s the central Ohio favorite, the Buckeye. But unlike so many others, this cake does not beat you over the head with peanut butter, but balances against the rich chocolate like a ballroom dancing couple. A Tawney port comes to mind as the perfect complement to this.

 

It isn’t all pomp though. Unlike the famous bakers currently on hit shows like the food network, Darlene does not let unique get in the way of quality.

 

“With Ace of Cakes, a lot of that is Styrofoam and fondant, to the point that they really are not editable.” Darlene said. “We’ll make cakes for a child with a fire-breathing dragon. We’ll put fondant on the top, but the cake is french butter cream, and truffle, and really good stuff. So the top is decoration, but everything else is really good cake.”

 

It’s a mission that is demonstrated in everything this family does. “I wish my mom was around to see this.” Darlene lamented. “Because she said ‘I never thought you would be a cook or baker,’ and I said ‘don’t you remember me with my little hands on your pastry table watching you?’ She said ‘I thought you were bored.’

Now my kids are all interested. My boys are baking for their families, and my daughter is now my general manager of the bakery, and she’s in charge of all the design. It would not nearly be as much fun without her. All my employees, all the girls up here, all the girls in the back, they have passion. Everything they make is wonderful. They really have that same drive that I do.”

 

The Suisse Shop is located at 2119 Polaris Parkway, Columbus Ohio. Their phone number is (614) 846-5102.