Baking Through the Quarantine
Last month, as threats of the novel coronavirus drove us to #stayhome, there were memes floating around the Internet about how Shakespeare wrote King Lear during the Bubonic Plague quarantine. While it is admirable to stay productive in this time of hardship and uncertainty, some of us are struggling to remain inspired without abusing Netflix and TikTok.
One brand that has found creative solace during social isolation is Nu Dake, an “artistic dessert” brand launched by South Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster late last year.
Nu Dake—pronounced ‘noo-deik’—is short for “New Different Cake.” As its name suggests, Nu Dake strives to create a world of fantasy through the medium of baking. Its edible creations are unlike any other—menus border on the experimental and experiential, so delicately and expertly crafted that they sometimes even trick the eye.
Nu Dake’s baked goods range from Apple AirPod sugar candies to Chanel lipstick chocolate, and most recently, matcha tofu cake in the shape of a medical mask. ASAP Rocky once posted a Nu Dake custom birthday cake on his Instagram Story, which was frosted in bright yellow as the infamous four-eye smiley face.
Amidst the ongoing pandemic, Nu Dake has opened a YouTube channel featuring baking tutorials for those of us who are still social distancing. “I was bored just being home during the coronavirus quarantine,” Nu Dake’s dessert director tells us. “I wanted to spread the message that you could be happy at home just making or eating dessert.”
Out of Nu Dake’s YouTube tutorials uploaded so far, one that stands out the most is its caramel creme and dacquoise rendition of “Ram-don,” an instant noodles dish that appears in Parasite.
“The toughest part about social distancing was not being able to share the same dessert with my friends in one big plate,” the director says. “But baking with my loved ones gave me a good break from everyday life.”
Nu Dake’s goal is to open a physical shop all around the world with a delivery system. Currently, they have one outpost in Beijing called Mars Cafe, situated inside the SKP department store. If you happen to be in Beijing, you can get Nu Dake’s desserts delivered to your door by ordering through the apps Eleme or Meituan.
In the meantime, Nu Dake is experimenting with jelly, and hopes to bake for Solange Knowles and Steve Jobs some day. “Steve Jobs completely changed the lifestyle of all of humanity and is still an inspiration to our entire team. We’d love to gift him an amazing apple cake.”
To those of us who are still under lockdown, these are Nu Dake’s final words: “If you want to get into baking, I suggest you think about why you want to bake and for whom, rather than just considering the ingredients or your baking skills. If you take some time with sweets and coffee, you will be able to forget whatever’s going on and feel some happiness.”
