Remember that old Betty Crocker jingle inviting consumers to "bake someone happy"? Well, your guests are guaranteed to approach your next breakfast, brunch or lunch party with big smiles on their faces when they encounter their names emblazoned in ... dough.
To make the kind of edible place card shown here, simply insert some basic choux dough (the light pastry dough used to make profiteroles, beignets and eclairs) into a pastry bag, pipe out the names of each guest in script and bake them all on a non-stick pan for no more than 10 minutes. (Take the nameplates out of the oven when they're golden, not brown.)
After letting them cool – you can bake them the night before – set them on each plate as you would a place holder. Guests, at the risk of spoiling their appetites, may be tempted to take a bite immediately; the pastry can also saved for dipping into après-meal coffee or espresso.
Chef Michael Tong is the owner of Toronto's Sublime Catering.