It’s no surprise that we have a major sweet tooth for Caitlin Freeman’s art-inspired confections. From her café in SF MoMA’s rooftop sculpture garden, this pastry perfectionist turns out mouth-watering treats inspired by the art downstairs (her famed Mondrian cake puts Betty Crocker to shame), taking the notion of artful eating to a whole new level. A self-taught baker, Freeman is also the in-house pastry chef for the cult coffee roaster and café, Blue Bottle Coffee. Don’t miss the April 2013 publication of her new book, Modern Art Desserts: Recipes for Cakes, Cookies, Confections, and Frozen Treats Based on Iconic Works of Art.
Freeman’s Warhol Jell-O
What was your first Warholian moment, and when did you first encounter him?
I can’t recall when I first became aware of Warhol. But I do know that my deeper introduction to him was by way of a used book store on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley. It was about 8pm, it was in a bin outside, and I was on my way to eat deep dish pizza. It was right at the point in my life (my first year of college, 1993) where I was realizing that maybe I would be an art student instead of a dentist.
What or who would be Andy’s muse if he were alive today?
Lindsay Lohan.
What are your latest cultural obsessions?
Celebrity gossip, facebook, America’s Funniest Videos.
What would you consider Warhol’s most memorable quote or anthem?
“Uh, gee, great”. I love that so much was considered art when it came to Warhol, and that such an inane utterance would be considered a quote.
If you could collaborate with Andy on a project, what would it be?
Jell-O, of course.
Dream dinner-party: you, Warhol, and…?
The Jellymongers, Sam Bompas and Harry Parr.
Imagine Warhol had a Twitter account. What kind of thing might he say in 140 characters or less?
Um, gee, great.
Whose portrait would Andy most want to do now?
Osama bin Laden would be quite a provocation.
Soup can or Coke bottle?
Pepper Pot Soup.
Drag every day or only on special occasions?
I like it when people save their razzle dazzle for special occasions.
