Kims Kitchen

A round sugar cookie decorated as a leprechaun owl with green icing and a top hat

A perfect treat for St. Patrick’s Day

I’ve been active in the competitive Cake World for more than 10 years now, but there is one confection that just seems to bring more joy to people than anything else: the cookie. It makes …

An edible chocolate Easter basket woven from chocolate, filled with colorful jelly beans and candy

Create this precious Easter basket out of chocolate

Around the first of the month, I saw eight robins hanging out in my backyard—always a welcome sign for me that spring isn’t far away. Yes, I admit that I feed birds year-round, having …

An assortment of halloween-themed treats in glass covered with edible spiderwebs

Halloween food art

I absolutely love Halloween. One of the biggest pleasures for me is that you get to dress up and be whatever you want to be. Plus, I love the ghoulish imagery, the creepy lights and the elements of …

Three Halloween lollipops with haunted house, black cat, and jack-o'-lantern designs

Halloween lollipops

Devin Michael Housman loved Halloween. As a child, Devin was diagnosed with autism. The Housman family—mother Yvonne, father Jim, and older sister Briana—faced many …

Kim Simons standing beside a life-sized deer cake sculpture in an autumnal scene.

How and why I made a life-sized deer cake

“Would you be interested in making a life-sized mounted deer cake for my hunting camp’s one-hundredth anniversary?” I’ve had many an offbeat conversation with my friend …

A cupcake topped with a large pink modeling chocolate rose and colorful sprinkles

Make a beautiful rose out of modeling chocolate

It’s safe to say that this past month has been a challenge. I hope everyone reading this is safe and making the best of the situation. If you’re one of those people who is considered …

Two people each holding a small white dog, with decorated pet-shaped sugar cookies displayed in front

Make a cookie out of your puppy

Yes, my four-and-a-half-pound Maltese dog is named after Ozzy Osbourne. I can’t help myself. I love both Ozzies. The story of my Ozzy is a bittersweet one. My friends Yvonne and Jim …

Three fondant-decorated cupcakes designed as a pig, cow, and sheep farm animals

Make a double-stuffed farm animal cookie

Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I love animals. And I’m proud that the same love of animals has also manifested in my kids. My son Corey, for example, is a 6-foot-2-inch …

A red fondant cake topped with sculpted lovebird birds on a branch with flowers and hearts

Make a Valentine’s Day lovebird cake topper out of modeling chocolate

A lot of people look at what I do and say, “I could never do that.” While that might be true on a professional level, that doesn’t mean that you can’t let your creative spirit …

Two sugar cookies decorated with marbled blue, white, and black snowflake designs

Make an abstract snowflake cookie

If you’ve ever seen an image of a snowflake under a microscope, you know how amazingly beautiful they are. Individually or in clusters, snowflakes rival any artwork created by …

Sliced corned beef brisket arranged on a white plate, garnished with fresh herbs

Make some delicious corned beef

Growing up, my dad loved to cook for our family. A decorated Korean War veteran, he and my mom were very involved in the Liberty, NY Veterans of Foreign Wars, cooking for all sorts of events. He …

A translucent blue sugar sculpture featuring a painted tree with intricate, colorful swirling patterns in the background, mounted on a matching blue sugar base.

Make sugar like glass

I’ve always loved to sculpt, and this is the skill that has primarily gotten me into most of my competitions on Food Network. But while shooting “Holiday Wars” in 2019, I became …

Ingredients and supplies for making chocolate balloon cups laid out on a baking tray atop a bright green surface

Make these chocolate balloon cups

Dedicated to the memory of Carol M. Simons (12/25/1934-6/26/2024) Regular readers of Kim’s Kitchen probably know that my dad, Jack I. Simons, taught me a great deal about flavor profiles …

Several dark chocolate cookies on a white plate, topped with colorful M&Ms and candy bar pieces

Make these chocolate leftover Halloween candy cookies

By the time you read this, another Halloween will be lurking in the shadows right around the corner. And chances are, you’ll have some time and/or money invested in preparing for it, because, …

Golden brown cauliflower latkes on a white plate, garnished with sour cream and fresh chives

Make these delicious cauliflower latkes

Hector’s Inn’s annual Christmas Market happened in Bethel, NY this past December 1, and as always, there were a number of local artisans selling a wide variety of homemade, one-of-a-kind …

Chocolate-covered strawberries decorated with white and dark chocolate drizzle and sprinkles

Make these delicious chocolate-covered strawberries

More snow is falling as I write this column. Schools are closed, and I’m scrambling to alert participants that my Sip N’ Paint class scheduled for tonight at El Sombrero in Rock Hill, NY, …

A small white Maltese dog with its tongue out, looking at a treat held in front of him

Make these frozen watermelon and berry treats for your pet

The weather is hot as I sit down to write this. Very hot. And most everyone I know is grumbling about it. However, the one who suffers the most in the Simons household is undoubtedly Ozzy, my four-and-a-half-pound Maltese …

Two green avocado-banana frozen treats on sticks arranged on a plate with one split in half

Make these healthy and delicious avocado-banana frozen treats

I’ve noticed lately that I’m getting a lot of warnings in my social media feed regarding processed food. And a lot of that information is downright scary. Of course, you can’t …

Fondant-covered musical instrument cookies

Make these musical instrument cake toppers

I’m pretty sure that everyone in the world loves music in some way, shape or form. I know I do. Early on in my life, I wanted to play the drums. But my father, being of a certain age from …

Red, white, and blue patriotic cake pops with sprinkles and star candies in a glass jar

Make these patriotic cake pops

My father absolutely loved this country. His name was Jack Simons. He was born in 1932 in Scranton, PA, but ended up graduating from Liberty High School in upstate New York—a village in the …

Chocolate morsels with peanut butter filling

Make these peanut butter chocolate cake morsels

“How did you get on TV?” It’s a question I’m asked a lot. The fact is, I was tapped to be on my first competitive Food Network TV show—Sugardome—practically …

A cake decorated as a picnic scene with fondant hamburger, hot dog, and corn on a checkered tablecloth

Make these summer picnic treats from fondant

Summer means picnics to me, and not just any picnics. It means gigantic picnics hosted by the Volunteer Fire Department Ontario Hose Co. #3, out of Liberty, NY—my hometown.

A three-tiered cake decorated with colorful watercolor-style frosting and gold sprinkles is topped with a large, vibrant orange and red flower made from edible wafer paper.

Make this autumn flower cake topper

“Why make art with food?” It’s a question I’m asked every once in a while when people find out what I do, and it’s a good one. After all, food does seem like a …

A blue fondant fox sugar piece with large eyes and a fluffy tail on a light surface

Make this Blue Fox sugar piece

I always joke that I’m the cake artist who can’t eat cake. Why? Because I have an allergy to gluten. And to rice, potatoes, oats and barley too, as …

Chocolate cupcake with chocolate buttercream frosting, caramel drizzle, and pretzel pieces as garnish, sitting in a black and white patterned cupcake liner on a light-colored surface

Make this Bridge and Tunnel beer and pretzel cupcake

Rich Castagna knows beer. He ought to. He’s been brewing craft beers most of his life. And he and his family—wife Lisa, along with daughters Hailey, Sammy and Mia—have been …

Burn Brae Mansion, a large yellow Victorian house illuminated at night with a wraparound porch.

Make this Burn Brae Mansion haunted candy apple eyeball

I love Halloween. When people ask me which of my TV appearances is my favorite, I always say Food Network’s “Halloween Wars” in 2021. My team, Ghosts with the Most, were …

A white candle cake centerpiece decorated to look like a large candle

Make this candle cake centerpiece

Something happened while I snuck up on people as part of Burn Brae Mansion’s Dark Forest Fright Walk in Glen Spey, NY this past October… The holiday season snuck up on me! …

A chocolate snowman dessert with frosting, chocolate chip buttons, and a scarf

Make this chocolate bomb snowman

Maybe it was a coincidence that we experienced our first significant snowfall of the season as I began to write this column (January 7, to be exact—Russian Orthodox Christmas). And it’s …

A white fondant bunny figurine with large green eyes amidst colorful Easter eggs

Make this candy surprise bunny

Make this candy surprise bunny Anybody who knows me knows that I love animals. True, a few of them don’t love me—I have really bad allergies to most dogs. And …

A chocolate sombrero cake topper decorated with colorful fondant and edible paints

Make this chocolate sombrero piece

My friends Joyce Salimeno-Gitlin and her late husband Mel were buzzing down Lake Louise Marie Road in Rock Hill, NY one day in 2018 when they noticed activity at the site of the old Dodge Inn …

Side-by-side comparison of a whole chocolate pumpkin and one with candies spilling from a carved opening.

Make this chocolate surprise pumpkin

“Trick or treat!” It’s Halloween time again, and after the “trick” of 2020, we can certainly hope that Halloween 2021 is a “treat.” Of course, this …

A sugar art piece featuring clear amethyst crystals with purple-dipped bases sits in a glossy pool of swirling purple and white spun sugar.

Make this crystal amethyst cake topper

I’m often asked, “Who’s your favorite artist?” “Mother Nature,” I always reply. I’m very much in tune with nature and the elements. A lot of my …

A detailed fondant cake topper features a smiling scarecrow with curly blonde hair, a red shirt, and a brown hat with a small black crow perched on it, set against a backdrop of colorful autumn leaves.

Make this cute scarecrow cake topper out of fondant

I have always loved fall. In our corner of the world, it is absolutely beautiful. When I see brightly colored leaves on mountain trees against a blue sky, I feel invigorated. I feel that Mother …

A red, white and blue teddy bear made from fondant sitting on a wooden surface

Make this cute teddy bear out of fondant

As I write this, I’m anticipating June 14 in a big way. Not because June 14 is Flag Day, although that was always a big deal in my house growing up (more on this later). No, I’m …

A Halloween shaker cookie decorated as a black cat on a jack-o'-lantern with sprinkles inside

Make this Halloween shaker cookie

I’ve always loved Halloween. Not only does it happen during my favorite season—fall—but it represents much of what I love about Mother Nature. As a kid in Liberty, NY, I …

A gingerbread tree of life cookie decorated with colorful frosting leaves in a rainbow gradient

Make this gingerbread Tree of Life

Remember when we were kids and used to climb trees? This isn’t something you see often anymore. At least, I don’t. But back in the day around my neighborhood in Liberty, NY, …

A gummy candy replica of a beer pint with golden liquid and white foam

Make this Hector’s Inn gummy beer

It’s late in July 1969 when farmer Max Yasgur, 49, agrees to allow the Aquarian Exposition—better known as the Woodstock Music and Art Fair—to happen on his property in Bethel, NY. …

A red fondant gnome with a white beard and green hat holding a holiday ribbon

Make this holiday gnome out of fondant

My mother was born on Christmas Day, which is why her name is Carol. But to hear her tell it, that wasn’t necessarily a great thing—at least for her. She was the youngest of four in a …

A sculpted bald eagle head made from fondant with feather details and an American flag background

Make this liberty eagle out of fondant

I have always loved birds—raptors, in particular. When I see a hawk in flight, I know I’m going to have a good day. I have also always been proud of where I come from—Liberty, …

A gingerbread cookie decorated with a landscape painting featuring white birch trees, a blue sky, and pink and yellow flower details

Make this ‘Mountain View’ cookie

Anyone with eyes can see that we live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. And because we live here, sometimes that’s easy to forget. I’ve been lucky enough to see …

A sculpted cake designed as a freshly baked square pepperoni pizza inside an open cardboard box, with melted cheese bubbles, glossy curled pepperoni slices glistening with rendered fat, white onion pieces peeking through, and a golden-brown crust.

Make this Pelkey’s Tavern Detroit-style pizza cake

“Hey! Would you consider doing a Sip and Paint class over at Pelkey’s Tavern?” The question came from Shannon, a friend of mine who regularly attends my Sip and Paint …

A white fondant polar bear cake topper with black eyes and paw pads on an ice-themed base

Make this polar bear cake topper out of modeling chocolate

My birthday is in January, and as a child growing up in Liberty, NY, I remember how it was always too cold and snowy for me to have a party. On the plus side, the ice, snow and freezing wind made …

A two-tiered cake with blue watercolor design, white frosting, and sugar flower decorations

Make this sapphire-blue cake

Whenever April comes around, I find myself thinking of the concept of renewal. It strikes me that the traditional April showers are Earth’s way of cleansing itself in preparation for the …

A colorful painted elephant design on edible paper with blue and purple stripes on a vibrant background

Make this psychedelic, edible elephant

Since I got into the competitive cake world in 2010, I have been amazed at the technological advances that have been made in edible art. A wide variety of new, mind-blowing products have been …

Decorative wine bottle and wine glass cookies

Make this Solaia bottle cookie

By the time you read this, we as a society will have recently celebrated two milestones of freedom: Independence Day, which celebrates the birth of the United States on July 4, …

An isomalt sugar swan figurine on a marbled red and purple base with heart decorations

Make this sugar swan

I’ve been fascinated by birds since childhood. When I see a hawk in flight, I know I’m going to have a good day. I’m lucky that I live in the mountains of Wurtsboro, NY, because …

A brownie topped with yellow frosting piped into a sunflower shape with dark sprinkles in the center

Make this sunflower brownie

I’ve always loved birds. When I was a child, my grandmother on my mother’s side—Evelyn, a bird lover herself—taught me about them. I learned a lot from her about the different …

A modeling chocolate tiger face with rainbow-colored fur stripes and yellow eyes on a green background

Make this tiger cookie out of modeling chocolate

Summer is in full swing now, or at least in as full-a-swing as it can be in Phase Four. With the weather being warm, the sun shining brightly and COVID-19 cases waning (at least in New York), …

Kim Simons and Paul Ciliberto holding SPAM cans in an office.

Make this sweet and savory meat treat

Paul Ciliberto was 15 years old when he decided exactly what he wanted to do with his life. Standing on the street in Duryea, PA, he stared in wonder through the window of the local radio …

Round chocolate chip cookies topped with swirled chocolate frosting and caramel pieces on a white surface

New Year’s resolution-breaker cookies

I’m often asked how I got into making cakes and competing on TV. The short answer is that, back in about 2010, I was watching a cake show and thought, “I can do that!” I abused …

Two edible-paper bunnies painted in Van Gogh style with a swirling, colorful background

Paint these van Gogh bunnies on edible smart sheets

One of my favorite things is looking at the stars on a clear summer night. Whenever I do, I think about Vincent van Gogh’s famous painting. Of course, when most people think of van Gogh, …

A hyper-realistic sculpted cake of a classic cheeseburger and fries — thick dark brown beef patty with bright yellow melted cheese and red ketchup, layered between pale green lettuce and red tomato slice, topped with a golden-brown sesame seed bun, all on a platter piled with golden-brown french fries.

Why not make a hamburger out of cake?

There are few things in the world that smell as good as a hamburger sizzling on a grill, and I say this even though I really can’t digest red meat. What says “summer” more than …