It S No Sugar Shack

It's no Sugar Shack

Summary: This article tells the reader about the Westin hotel in San Francisco and their latest confectionary marvel, a foot sugar castle.

westin, hotels, san francisco, castle

Article Body: It's a tradition now at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco. Executive Pastry Chef, Jean-Franois Houdr, aka "King of the Castle," is diligently working day and night perfecting his signature -feet rotating holiday Sugar Castle, to be unveiled in the Tower Lobby of The Westin St. Francis on Friday, November .

"The creation of the Sugar Castle is truly a labor of love," says Chef Houdr. "Each year, I begin working on it two months in advance, adding more special touches and details each time. This year's version promises to be the best yet!" The inspiration to create this one-of-a-kind, grandiose Sugar Castle came from Chef Houdr's trip to Europe with his family in . While traveling around Bordeaux, the Houdr family visited many remarkable chteaux, particularly Mont Saint Michel and La Cit de Carcassonne, which is one of Europe's most complete examples of a fortified abbey.

As the Houdr family toured these extravagant castles, his son Henri, age ten, and his daughter, Claudia, age eight, were able to experience an earlier time when royalty once occupied these magnificent castles centuries ago. From that experience, the children were able to convince their father that he must build a sugar castle at The Westin St. Francis to rival the royal castles in France and display it for children to visit during the holiday season. Resembling a French Chateau from Chef Houdre's hometown of Bordeaux, the % edible castle is made of pastillage (a combination of powdered sugar, egg whites and gelatin dough), gingerbread, sugar, molasses, flour and candy. Weighing over pounds, this magical castle features more than grand circular towers, approximately rooms, illuminated windows, and is surrounded by a quaint village and a running train.

The castle is entirely edible, and is comprised of: pounds of gingerbread, pounds of pastillage (Powder sugar egg white and gelatin dough), pounds of pulled and bubble sugar, Royal icing made of pounds of sugar and egg whites, pounds of molasses, pounds of flour and pounds of assorted Christmas Candy. It takes approximately hours to complete the holiday masterpiece.

Opened more than a century ago on March , , The Westin St. Francis is the only hotel located on San Francisco's famous Union Square, The Westin St. Francis is just steps from The City's best shopping, dining, theatres and art galleries. For reservations and more information, visit www.westinfrancis.com.