Artistic Treats: Nectar & Stone
/Caroline Khoo, founder of Melbourne-based sweet shop Nectar & Stone, is all about breaking the mold, with confectionery delights designed to celebrate femininity. Khoo has a strong background in fashion, and having begun this venture after the birth of her two sons, female power, beauty and delicious indulgence are at the forefront Nectar & Stone's scrumptious vibe.
What began in July 2013 has now become a bigger business than was ever anticipated, with an enormous instagram following and bookings for 12 months in advance. With such a wide range of chocolates, cakes and miniature treats available, Caroline's husband has come on board to run the business end of things while her culinary creativity continues. While weddings and engagement parties are queuing out the door, I can see no viable reason not to through a party entirely devoted to cakes and chocolate, and no better supplier than Nectar & Stone - but you might have to wait until next year.
Caroline's background in fashion becomes instantly apparent. Each design is explosive, with a use of color and meticulous attention to detail that simultaneously invites you to eat it and to leave it as an untouched piece of art. Miniature cakes in a variety of shapes with delicate decorations and elegant accessories are boxed and packaged like jewelry and should only be handled by manicured hands and eaten by magazine mouths. These are items of beauty which should be enjoyed beautifully.
Her instagram account @nectarandstone shows the full range of designs. The ways in which she manipulates chocolate, sugar and icing to emulate artistry is mesmerizing, and the creative composition of each portrait photo further edifies that Caroline is much more than a baker or chocolatier - she is an artist.
Nectar and Stone aims to take your breath away, and if they can do that by simply casting your eyes on their feast of treats, then god only knows what happens when you taste - fainting? Collapse? I believe they call it "Death by Chocolate".
Photography courtesy of Nectar & Stone
