Moist chocolate layers cradle kirsch-kissed cherries, kept together by pillows of whipped cream. The Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte is the embodiment of decadence. “Shelving Seasons” is a series of twenty-minute tasting events exploring a new and liquid form of the regional Black Forest cake. Making local cuisine great for critical cosmopolitans again.
During the tasting events (first come, first serve), taking place at a high-end jewellery store Juwelier Leicht in the city centre of Pforzheim, small groups of visitors are welcomed to try out the liquid cakes from a custom-made cool box crafted from wool and mycelium; contemporizing traditional ecological knowledge. The event by food designers Philipp Kohlmann and Suzanne Bernhardt advocates for a shift for retailers and bakeries: moving away from a culture of abundance and embracing seasonality, local preparation methods, and nearby ingredient sourcing. Instead they develop an even more contemporary product using overlooked but high-quality food materials such as cherry pits. The result is a newly made seasonal commodity: the black forest cake in the form of a cocktail, with a longer shelf life than any fresh cake.