By Gus Saltonstall
A gingerbread rendition of an iconic Upper West Side building just won a citywide baking contest.
Pastry chef Julia Kiskie’s version of The Dakota building, on the corner of West 72nd Street and Central Park West, was recently crowned the winner of the Museum of the City of New York’s third annual “Gingerbread NYC: The Great Borough Bake-Off.”
The famed Upper West Side building has been home to John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Judy Garland, Lauren Bacall, Leonard Bernstein and many more. Kiskie’s gingerbread version of it is made up of roughly 13 pounds of cookie, gelatin sheets, and whipped marshmallow pipings.
The Dakota building creation is part of Museum of the City of New York’s Gingerbread NYC The Great Borough Bake-Off 2024 exhibition, which continues on display through January 12.
Kiskie’s rendition of The Dakota beat out 20 other gingerbread entries in the exhibit. It received around 20 percent of the more than 11,000 votes cast for the top creation within the exhibit.
Kiskie, who lives in Brooklyn, told the New York Post that it took her roughly 200 hours to create The Dakota from dough.
“I like challenge, and I like to try new things, even though I’m kind of scared to do it. But I work really good when I am challenged or under pressure,” Kiskie told the Post.
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I love this! Would love to see some of the other entries, too.
The show continues at the Museum of the City of New York (103rd and Fifth Ave) through this Sunday, 1/12.
Museum open 10-5 weekdays, 10-6 weekends. (I’m a docent there) Come visit….
Thanks Harriet – I’ll go today 🙂
All of the entries had charm but gotta say that this one was the most impressive.
I’m not surprised that it won, but also give some love to the folks who rendered smaller neighborhood “icons” in edible form .
terrific!
How long can this amazing gingerbread rendering of the Dakota be preserved? Will it ever be eaten?
Wonderful work!