Great British Bake Off is back!

Yay!

Yes. I rarely watch reality tv but this and Master Chef Australia are the two I watch.

Is this without Sandy? I’ll miss her. She and Noel we’re great fun together.

Boring

Yes, Matt Lucas from Little Britain replaces Sandy. I wasn't a fan of that show, but I think he is good friends with Noel, so they may have a different kind of chemistry that works. We shall see.

OP has a soggy bottom.

Is Paul going shirtless?

[quote] Is Paul going shirtless?

I'm afraid we're 10 seasons too late for that. The only reason for Paul to go shirtless now is if a contestant needs to milk his titties to make frosting.

Lol, you are funny r8.

More food porn

Since everyone on Datalounge is a sophisticated European and/or a twentysomething who knows how to use a damn computer, I assume this thread will be hopping tonight.

I usually don't like Matt Lucas as a performer, hopefully he will be likable or at least bearable being himself. But I still wish they booked Richard Ayoade or Simon Amstell or Josie Lawrence or Jo Brand or a piece of string or a clump of mud.

[quote] Since everyone on Datalounge is a sophisticated European and/or a twentysomething who knows how to use a damn computer, I assume this thread will be hopping tonight.

Wrong again R11.

Are you a Megstain?

Whoooosh, R12.

Wrong. A-gain.

Do any of you fickle cunts still love me?

it's a fine line between a soggy bottom and a cumsloppy butthole, Henry

R16 = a thirsty Dr. Tamal

What a scrunched up little face.

the twinky scot is cute.

Those cake busts in the showstopper.... Oh my. Freddie Mercury had me howling.

I'm rooting for the pretentious eldergay, Rowan!

Matt Lucas reminds me a bit of a puppy. I don't care for his brand of humor, but I like his positive energy.

Rowan's Marie Antoinette with the choux buns was magnificently camp.

Rowan's drag name is "Victoria Sponge"

Did Henry ever come out?

I was flirting with the idea of baking along this year, but nothing appealed to me this week.

Cake sculpture was cruel for week one, but it was certainly entertaining. And the results, on the whole, were surprisingly decent. Bottom of the pack is really struggling though. I bet they had fewer applicants this year.

Likeable bunch of bakers though. Rowan and Sura stand out for me so far. Dave has that almost-eerie calm that last year's David had. Though if he was really chill he wouldn't have stalked off after the upside upside down cake incident.

And I didn't mind Matt Lucas!

Why do British bakers continue to use rosewater? It's rarely successful. Is that a big thing in Britain?

Yes. Every home should have one.

I will only watch if Matt Lucas hosts as Vicki Pollard the entire season - "yeah but, no but, yeah but..."

I hope they work "Fat Fighters" in somehow. Is there an Asian contestant?

Lottie seems like a gigantic bitch.

That cake sculpture challenge was hilarious for all the wrong reasons. "Make a cake head of your hero" -- who does that in real life? Virtually no one. I like the showstopper challenges best when they're tasked with making actual desserts that are actually difficult, like an opera cake or a princess cake, not some made-up nonsense (i.e., an allotment cake).

Still, happy to have the show back. And Paul H looks good with the very slightly longer hair.

Noel is awful. They should ahve stayed with BBC and the old cast.

How is Marie Antoinette anyone's "hero?" Did he only choose her because they're both queens?

[quote]They should ahve stayed with BBC and the old cast.

They should've brought in a BBC to host. Like Idris Elba.

Are those individual pineapple upside-down cakes a thing in the UK? I've never seen them in the US -- they're usually made in a regular round cake pan. The ones on the show were more like cupcakes.

[quote]That cake sculpture challenge was hilarious for all the wrong reasons. "Make a cake head of your hero" -- who does that in real life? Virtually no one. I like the showstopper challenges best when they're tasked with making actual desserts that are actually difficult, like an opera cake or a princess cake, not some made-up nonsense (i.e., an allotment cake).

That's what the other two challenges are for. I love to see the bakers' creativity in the showstopper.

The individual pineapple cakes were about creating six of the same item, each exactly the same. And it uncovered a LOT about the good skills of a few of the bakers and the poor skills of some of the others.

It must be impossibly hard to cast that show, but they always seem to choose appealing contestants. I am a big, big admirer of Mary Berry, but I think Pru is just excellent (kind, honest, lovely).

It’s a great show.

That said, I would not really want to eat anything they prepare because it’s all so “fiddled with”. I’m grossed out by bits of food that have been squeezed and rolled between fingers. I do like the buttercreams and caramels, though. I enjoyed this first episode. I hope it stays interesting. The gal they sent home was lovely but needed to go after the bubblegum and cream soda chemical flavors. No, no...

Matt Lucas looks like he wandered on the set. Did they explain about the missing lesbian host?

I was expecting to hate Matt Lucas. I did not.

I do not really like Noel Fielding; he thinks he is funny, but his humor misses more than it hits. I really did not like Mel Giedroyc; she tried so very hard to be funny and it was painful to watch. I was okay with Sue Perkins.

Mary Berry was a fantastic judge, and Prue Leith is okay. I give the edge to Mary Berry though, especially when judging classic British bakes. Prue Leith is not British and does not have the same give-and-take with Paul Hollywood.

I like Prue as a judge. Matt Lucas is working surprisingly well. Noel Fielding doesn't work and will never work because he never really connects with the contestants. Mel and Sue did, and Matt seemed to be even in his first episode. I think they should jettison Noel and try to get a warmer, more empathetic host to pair with Matt.

[Quote]I do not really like Noel Fielding; he thinks he is funny, but his humor misses more than it hits.

+1.

Noel has never been a good fit for this job.

Peter is adorable.

He is also hard to understand. Half the time I don't know what the hell he just said.

r43 That's why they invented closed-captioning. For me, it's a must for all British TV shows.

[quote]Make a cake head of your hero

Wait, it's not "give head to your hero?"

Well, no handshake for me.

Peter is adorable, indeed. I love how he cited John Whaite as the person who taught him how to tell if a cake is done by smelling it. I could just imagine John and his husband double teaming Peter. After all, apparently they advertise for a third whom they both can nail. Why not Peter?

Because Peter hopefully was enough sense to avoid the whiny, depressed and bitter John Whaite

John had major mommy issues and apparently no daddy.

R47 = Brendan

John's buns.

Val Stones also listened to her bakes to ascertain if they were done. I wish there was a full explanation on the technique. It could be useful.

I also wish that John Whaite would turn around in that photo above. Ah, yes.

I have been dreaming for John’s buns the entire season. Thanks for posting, r50. What’s the story though. Didn’t he inspire to be the greatest baker in the world. Or did he reside to go into porn? Bakers are dime in dozen, John‘a buns are unique. Sweet and soft and bouncy.

Paul Hollywood is one toned, strong, sexy muscle stud.

Some revealing pictures of John Whaite.

It's a subscription site, so don't bother. LPSG has erect frontals of John.

[quote] I love how he cited John Whaite as the person who taught him how to tell if a cake is done by smelling it.

It involved listening to it, not smelling it.

Smelling it would be a bit obvious, don't you think?

Sorry, I was just thinking about smelling John Whaite and Peter. Or, John Whaite's peter.

Cutie Peter is Scottish but his accent sounds sort of South West English/Dorset to me.

Peter.

He made gluten free things for his hunky bro. How gay is that?!

extra slice

One of the recent winners was openly gay, cute looking, too

Dave is hot

Making his baking gluten free because he has a celiac brother r60?

What sort of depraved family life did you grow up with?

Prison Paul was one of the hottest guys they ever had. And was a great baker.

Tamal Ray is still the hottest gay contestant they have had.

And he is a doctor...so good marriage material too.

I love the Christmas special that has Paul and Val on it. He really improved even after his season. Val is just so charming! I always root for the oldies, so I'm glad we got a couple this season again.

r66 Agreed. During his season, I always referred to Tamal as "my future husband." Oh, well ... a guy can dream.

Love that a new season is going again. This is a consistently entertaining show. Love Pru. Also pleasantly surprised by the new host. He is funnier than you'd think based on him being one of the most unattractive people ever.

Matt Lucas sings " Master of the House."

The Bake Off has had some sexy men participating over the years, to be sure. But Richard Burr was the hottest of them all.

I sooooo wanted him to be gay. And he's sooooo not gay. Damnit. But he's hot.

ewww

Former contestants Howard and Jane have a podcast called The Bake Down. It's pretty cute and they talk a bit about the experience of being in the tent.

Prue is wearing vintage Bea Arthur. Rather, it’s wearing her.

Just watched the first episode of this season which is also the first ever I've seen of the show. Love the female judge. Love Matt Lucas, Hollywood's a hot daddy and reminds me of Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio with his matter of fact assessment of the dishes. Noel Fielding sticks out like a sore thumb.

Prue Lieth is the female judge, R75. She is fantastic. She took over for Mary Berry who was well-loved but Prue has more than held her own. Great, fun aesthetics and on top of her game baking-wise. Believe it or not, Noel is better than he used to be. It is great watching the show and comparing it to an American show. The British contestants are all so self-deprecating and collegial. American contestants on reality shows are all brashness and oh-so-self-confident. You should go back and watch the earlier seasons; they are refreshing.

It's also hilarious that the only thing the winner gets is the engraved cake stand! Not a penny otherwise as far as I know.

R65 Prison Paul was stunning. Want him and Greg Davies to double team me.

Mary berry has her own cooking show, which is exactly as charming as one would expect.

Available in the US r77?

hdclump

Huh, no anti-Muslim hysteria about the hijab-wearing baker who accidentally knocked cutie's pineapple upside-down cakes down? You're slipping, DL.

[quote]Love Matt Lucas, Hollywood's a hot daddy and reminds me of Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio with his matter of fact assessment of the dishes. Noel Fielding sticks out like a sore thumb.

Matt Lucas LOOKS like a thumb.

Check out naked gay Tom Hetherington from Season/Series 8.

R80 I DID! Well, at home I screamed it was a Islamic plot against the homosexualist. That cunt! Swatting a fly? Utterly self involved moron.

ha! she seems pretty nice and funny.

[Quote] He is funnier than you'd think based on him being one of the most unattractive people ever.

What does that even mean r69?

I would expect him to be funny precisely because he is unattractive.

R82 Who knew Tom Hetherington had such a banging body?

All of the participants are so damn likable, I would be thrilled if they were all gay.

I can’t look at Matt Lucas without thinking of him saying he dealt with his ex-husband’s suicide by having lots of sex. It would be fine if I didn’t actually picture it in great detail.

ewww

Lucky you, R75, you have ten more series to watch! Plus assorted specials and spin-offs! (Though I don't think any of the spin-offs hold a candle to the original.)

I think Rowan doesn't finish his bakes because he gets distracted by Tasteful Friends threads.

I watched Mary Berry's new show, which is available on Netflix. Her enthusiasm seemed forced.

I recently read that Pru's son is an arrogant type who doesn't wear a face mask on the train.

R91 You shut your mouth, or Mary will smack you with her gnarled, arthritic hands.

[quote]I watched Mary Berry's new show, which is available on Netflix.

I can't find it on Netflix.

It was pulled for inappropriate content, not sure what that means.

Did Mary present hole or something?

The inappropriate content must have been the rolling pin incident in the episode with Bonnie Mace as a special guest.

Mary said it was okay to use shop-bought fondant. It was quite the scandal. Too hot for Netflix.

But, it was there just three or four nights ago!

So I guess it's your fault it's now gone r98.

I'm team Pru. Mary Berry is like nails on a chalk board for me. Her prim British approach to food did help shape the character of the show, that's true. But I still hate her. And if you look at some of her BBC cooking vids available on YouTube, you'll be left gagging. Salmon and asparagus terrine? No thanks, Mary. No way.

She might make a good Miss Marple. Marple is always prim, always British, and usually slightly annoying. If not Marple, then let her play herself as an aging lady sleuth. Mary Berry and the Case of the Soggy Bottom. That might work very, very, well. I can see her rolling a pie crust while reasoning through the clues in a murder. It would work.

Mary could be quite bitchy in the beginning of bake-off, but she really had the right mix of scary school teacher and warm, boozy grandmother. Pru just seems dull and efficient. The show has become the standard issue reality series.

But no one could take a bite out of something quite like Mary.

I think Prue is underrated. She looks incredible at 80 years old and she has a subtle, but sly, sense of humor that I enjoy. Mary was very old school and while I find her soothing to listen to, it got a little tedious to hear things referred to as "scrummy."

After reading Mary's Wikipedia, I love the image of her driving around the country teaching housewives how to cook with gas in post-war Austerity Britain.

I wonder how many times she and Fanny Craddock ever encountered each other. That could be 'Feud' level.

Yes, R104. You have identified Ryan Murphy's next project.

Maybe Epic Rap Battles could take that on.

I'm scrummy, you're a dummy, send you crying to your mummy, someone hold my pastry bag while I scold this pasty hag...it writes itself!

They did do Julia Child vs Gordon Ramsay.

I fancy both of the new star bakers, Peter and David! There's no-one else though. The totty range was stronger last year.

That new episode was a disaster though. They should never do a cake head episode again.

But I loved hearing the spongecake Bob Marley referred to as Sponge Bob.

And the microcephalic bike racer felt like a real step fore ward for disabled diversity

The Lupita Nyong’o cake was a hate crime. Lupita’s friends must have busted out laughing when they forwarded that to her.

[quote] It was pulled for inappropriate content, not sure what that means.

It must be her constant reference to (and disdain of) [bold]soggy bottoms[/bold]

Prue has great fashion sense for someone her age.

Dave is some odd OCD weirdo. He gave someone a big eye fuck after the judges spoke to him after the first challenge. Tinky Scot or Ponytail Girl?

I'm sorry, calling Dave a weirdo when Rowan is right there!

Mary makes Chelsea Buns...

mary's latest eppy is on hdclump

so is gbb.

R103 Pru is 80? I’d seriously never have thought that. She looks really good for that age.

She'll be 81 in February. She doesn't seem that age at all.

I liked how Mary Berry bit into biscuits with her right lateral incisors, not her "front" teeth.

[quote]not her "front" teeth.

More accurately her front "teeth"

Mary gave me the impression of a Brexit voter, particularly after she blackballed the Northern Irish baker for his "temperament"

I don't know about Mary, but Prue voted to leave.

Wooden Paul in his untucked shirt with his hands in his pockets. He’s one dimensional but here to stay. Matt is a good fit for the show, Of the three worst bakers in the head cake episode, two were older, so they weren’t going to boot them off first because they’ve been accused of ditching the elders too soon in prior seasons. They do a good job of demographics this time, but they are missing the ‘fish out of water, gruff straight man’ this season.

r124, I thought they covered that group with the single dad?

[quote]Prue has great fashion sense for someone her age.

I think I would attribute her look to the stylists working on the show. The same people who make the contestants wear the same clothes over 2 days of shooting for one episode since she would have to as well for consistency.

The demographics are good, R124. This year i believe the Bake Off has its first amputee. But the personalities are odd. In past years, there were bakers I liked immediately. This year... not so much. Except that cute young man who is so exceptionally photogenic. Who doesn't like a puppy?

I love Rowan, even though he never delivers what he promises. Linda is a sweetheart. I think most of their personalities are just fine.

Newest episode was good...very happy with who won (not to give a spoiler). Hoping one of the two who one the first two weeks wins the whole thing.

I cannot believe that Dave is straight, based on his mannerisms. Dave’s girlfriend will inevitably suspect that Dave likes to take huge black dicks in his English rose.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Does anyone else struggle to watch this show without a bowl or plate of something sweet and fatty?

Paul Allen is a laugh on Extra Slice, that slag.

R131, he's mine also. Gay, pleasant, and avid fan of musical theater, Andrew Smyth

Forget the baking. I want to see Peter and Dave flip fuck like wild animals.

Another selling point for Dave is that he has a shiba inu! Such a beautiful dog.

It’s rare that a television program makes me smile broadly, but this week’s segment where Pru responds to the flavors in the simulated haggis filling was joyous and fun to watch. I like her very much.

Rowan got a pass this week and there may have been some disagreement among the contestants about the fairness of that. Mak was a gentleman about his dismissal. Poor Rowan has something going on with the cold sores on his lips. It may well be nerves. He’s a handsome fellow, but a bit twee with the chatter about waistcoats and foppery like that. He’s ok but kind of a preening swan, and that may be the editing of the program (they sometimes “construct” characters by showing clips that define them in ways that aren’t their true nature).

Dave smiles very easily and seems very comfortable in his own skin. His “shimmying” with happiness is endearing.

This is a very nice cast. Not a turd among them. Matt’s goofiness and “hail queer well met” has actually improved Noel’s appeal. They seem more comfortable with each other than Noel did with Sandi. The opening bit was less cringing and forced than I recall last season’s to have been. Poor Sandi reminded me too much of the murderous dwarf film “Don’t Look Now”, and I’m sad to admit that because I know it’s mean.

I enjoyed when the gal making the Viking tablescape growled at Noel “I’m ready for you to go now” and bluntly called him annoying. Nice!

[quote]He’s a handsome fellow

Have you seen his teeth?

R39 Fair point. It’s a mean stereotype but I don’t really factor teeth into the appearance of Brits. It’s like when you weigh produce on a scale and automatically subtract the weight of the container. Also, even though they are stained and slightly python-like, they do in fact look like his own. I almost prefer that to a loose chicklet veneers and gray receding gum lines from old caps, or loose dentures. But, yes, the poor guy’s teeth are clinically “janky”. Maybe they didn’t have fluoride in their water.

On the Bake off subreddit, someone dug up a post that appeared to be written by Mak, based on his history. He claimed that he purposely sabotaged his spot on the show so he could go home to deal with something. So maybe there was more influencing the judges' decision than we could see.

I don't think Rowan will be given any more favors though. He's like Terry and Val, not that great at baking, but an endearing old eccentric who adds character to the show.

he's 1000 years old...

R39 and r40 Noel Fielding’s humor seems predicated on some intentional awkwardness. It reminds me (uncomfortably) of the type of improvisational comedy you see performed in cities that are tech hubs. I know several moderately successful software people, some who write code for a living, who also take improv lessons to socialize and experiment with their personality. The laughter they draw from the audience is uncomfortable and forced. But Noel seems to be improving. His own laughter can be meek and slightly defensive. I think these two comic “engagers” have a tough job. I didn’t find Sue Perkins very funny at all, but liked her for the sweet way she interacted with the contestants. I have since seen here in some documentary/travel program and she was excellent in that.

I am not a fan of Noel Fielding, but in the past his sweetness with the contestants won me over. His instinct to connect and encourage the contestants took away the edge of unpleasantness that made me dislike his previous work.

I think all of the female hosts seemed only interested in using contestants to set up their comic bits. Noel may not have been as funny, but because his bits seemed to be collaborations with the contestants, they were more satisfying.

Watch the way Fielding talks during bisquit week. It really feels like he is joking to relax the bakers rather than performing for the camera like that blond woman from last season.

Are the bizarre elaborately decorated baked goods common in Britain? Or is it just something that is done for the program?

(This year the showstoppers are really awful.)

I thought Mak was the best-looking of the contestants. (Dave is a close second.) He also pinged big-time.

I'm r75 and I am starting to warm up to Noel. His interaction with Sura making light of what happened in the previous episode was rather endearing.

Pru is my new (gay) icon. What a lovely woman and a great sport (like her double entendre about Mark's nuts).

Rowen seems like a nice and charming old gentleman, but I have to agree that he's too ambitious and promising too much and so far not able to deliver. Just for not finishing the decorations of his Florentines he should've been sent home instead of Mac who, at least, finished on time in all challenges.

David and Peter look physically hot or at least cute. However, I get a bit of a sexual predator vibe (that slick smile?) from David for some reason and Peter has this intense stare that makes him look a bit creepy like a kid who likes to rip off insects' wings.

Love Sura and Lotti . And I am rooting for Hermine and Linda. Allthough all the contestants are very pleasant.

Can't figure out Dave's intense yet unfocused gaze. On the spectrum maybe?

Rowan's lack of concern cracks me up,

And which of you soggy bitches is tweeting as Sweary Berry?

[quote]And which of you soggy bitches is tweeting as Sweary Berry?

Someone with an over-inflated opinion of their own sense of humor.

The contestants loved Mel and Sue. If this got too emotional they would intervene and inn necessary swear, so the scene couldn't be used in the programme.

I'm watching stoned and the florentines are making me hungry

Love this show and Paul Hollywood

Mel and Sue has worked as a team for years, so even though Sue wasn't very funny, their chemistry with each other and the participants worked. Mary Berry was a provincial (deep roots in Somerset, father was mayor of Bath) who'd seen the world and could embrace a certain old school Englishness with some open-ness to new experience. Prue is efficient but devoid of character.

[quote]Prue is efficient but devoid of character.

Errant nonsense.

Hmm, I thought Sue was the funniest of them all. I don’t think Noel, Sandi, or Matt are that funny. I was sick to death of the stupid “Sandi in a sack” jokes last season. That said, I don’t mind Noel or Matt as people. I just find their brand of humor rather forced and awkward.

I want Noel Fielding to just come out already.

I would like to have an All-Star episode of just nude male baking alumni, judges by equally naked judges Matt Adlard, Johnny Iuzzini, and Yigit Pura.

I'm curious as to the popularity of marzipan and baked meringue, which seem to be prevalent in these shows. Are they that popular in Britain? I'm not sure that they are as popular in the States. We seem to see a lot of marzipan and meringue on the show, however.

I am an American and I am not even sure what marzipan is. Never heard of a florentine outside of the show either.

I really have no idea what a lot of what they talk about. Do Brits actually know these foods and terms?

R160, unless you are allergic to tree nuts, go get yourself some marzipan. It's almond meal and honey or sugar, plus a tiny pit of butter or oil. And it's fucking heavenly. The holidays are a great time to have it on hand. Get some. Make some. It will be done in 10 minutes.

Prue is the farthest thing from being devoid of character. What an odd thing to state; she has tons of charisma and character.

As an American, it is always fun to see the truly British sensibility of the show in general and of the contestants in particular. The contestants always seem like overall lovely people across the board. American reality shows are definitely not cast that way; there is always one or more "villains." I just wonder if there are equally villainous Brits and they just aren't cast, or whether it really is just a difference in overall demeanor of the general population.

R162, they all seem lovely in the tent because they are consumed with their baking and focused on their own workspaces. If you saw them interact with one another for long, you would see the British class system begin to rear its ugly head. Subtly. Almost always subtly. But it's there to be used when you want to hold someone down.

This may sound stupid, but where do you buy marzipan? I have never seen it in a supermarket. (Of course, I am not sure where it would be---is it a candy? Is it an icing?)

I know I can buy it online, but will it taste good or is it something you need to get fresh?

As with everything else in the world, R164, you can find it on Amazon.

R164, just make the marzipan. If you have a food processor, you have all you need.

You can skip removing the skins from the almonds by simply buying blanched almonds with the skins already removed. Sugar + almonds + food processor = marzipan.

This show - and the fact that they get 10K+ applicants every year - does make me think that home baking is more common in the UK than the US. I mean I only know a few people who bake at all, and none of them try anything fancy. Only one of them even makes bread.

But we should remember that the idea is to find the *best* amateur baker. They cast people with serious skill and experience, not folks who sometimes make a tealoaf on a Sunday.

Apparently the show doesn't give out cash prizes? (which makes it even more astounding anyone would put themselves through quarantaine and separate from loved ones just for ... bragging rights?)

Which could explain that the contestants are rather pleasant and relaxed and not driven by desperation and greed to win.

R165, right. That is why I said you could buy it online.

R166, thank you. It does look like it would be impossible to make without buying a food processor--which I might even consider if I had space to store one.

But they say it will keep for two weeks, which makes me think that it does not need to be fresh, so I can buy it online.

R168, you get a glass display tray. Just a regular sized one to fit a normal cake or pie. No money.

One big difference from American reality shows is that they do not film all the episodes back to back in a short amount of time. The contestants on the baking show go home between episodes and have a week to practice baking their signature and showstoppers. (Which makes Rowan seem even more pathetically deluded.)

Often the younger bakers will say that they could not practice that week because they had exams to study for at school.

Marzipan is awful.

Cloying and with little discernible flavor.

They are bubbled this year and have only a couple of days off between recording, due to COVID, to give Rowan a small excuse - though of course they are all in the same boat. It might make it harder for him to roll back from his more elaborate recipes in the sort term, however..

But you wouldn't think it would prevent him from brushing his teeth occasionally, however.

Actually, American Rainbow cookies are essentially marzipan with added coloring plus jam and chocolate.

Indian wolfman and the bear guy are attractive too.

Is Extra Slice available in the States?

hdclump

Dave was quite gracious when his cakes were accidentally knocked over by Sura.

Dave is hot. I'm trying to pinpoint who he reminds me of, probably an actor.

Oooo, I would LOVE to knock into Dave's cakes.

R179 Jonathan Bailey?

R164, marzipan is usually in the baking aisle. I think I've seen it in boxes and in plastic tubes/bricks. Check the best buy dates!

Sometimes marzipan is in the international section of the supermarket, too.

Marzipan is similar to almond paste (but not identical.)

I went to Publix today and they never heard of marzipan.

I even searched to see if any Publix had it (in Florida they have a near monopoly on groceries).

Not even a search term.

Well duh, R185. Florida!

Someone said it is the layers in rainbow cookies. To me it is more cakey than the pictures look, but I will accept that as marzipan and stop looking now before this gets more annoying than it already is.

I might try making marzipan for the holidays this year. Seems like buying almond flour would be the easiest way to go, no?

I wonder if regular Brits really eat all those pies filled with pigeon, black pudding, eels(!) I don’t think anyone on the show made eel pie, but Sue visited a shop that was known for them. I do miss the history lessons they used to have.

Someone asked about An Extra Slice...you can find the links in the UKTVLand subreddit every week.

Go to a Whole Foods or something, certainly they have it.

One of the main reasons why the show is so popular in the US is because the concentration is on the baking. Had it been done on Bravo, the emphasis would be on conflict and asshole bakers who try to intimidate or sabotage. A show filled with yelling.

I beg to differ, r171. It has the light scent and taste of sweetened prussic acid.

A search of Whole Foods says no, R189

I really like the fact that we don’t have to sit through the long, drawn-out drama of the contestants getting criticized and deciding who goes. Just a couple minutes of discussion over a cup of tea. I don’t want to watch any American competitions any more. Also, Zumbo’s Just Desserts - Australian, but the same kind of over the top drama and extremely shady judging in the last season. Left a terrible taste in my mouth. I know Paul gets criticized sometimes for being arrogant and he may be, a bit...but I prefer him a thousand times over to the Gordon Ramseys and other obnoxious hosts I’ve seen elsewhere.

^ Oz Bake Off is cool, and Maggie Beard is lovely.

Extra slice

When did they start extra slice? Can I go back and get more of the Tamil Ray season?

I love on Extra Slice that they introduce people as "presenters." Not even a pretense that they have any other skills or talents.

R197 After the fifth season. Paul Allen also hosts Bake Off Professionals.

R197 Presenting is a skill in itself.

r197 "Presenters" is the equivalent of "host," "anchor," or "emcee" in the US.

R200, in the US they would never introduce someone as a host, anchor or emcee. They would be actress, renowned chef, journalist, etc.

Both Jo and Paul are well established stand up comics in England. Jo also acts well.

I always see 2-3 sad packages of marzipan in the baking aisle, down near the floor with the candied fruit.

It becomes more visible before Christmas, in the seasonal section, before getting marked down 50% on the 26th along with the mincemeat, hard sauce, and Christmas crackers that Americans want no part of.

I’m assuming there’s a lottery and the two losers go back to the baking aisle and never get a chance to go on clearance.

Marzipan is pretty gross. If you can’t find it through your grocer, try mixing equal parts almond flour, confectionery sugar and sand. Or visit your hardware store to buy some spackle paint filler.

One does not just eat a plate full of marzipan, though one could. It's an ingredient incorporated into a variety of different pastries. And baked into a pastry, it is delicious.

A big spoonful of it.. no, probably not so great.

I've seen marzipan at Cost Plus/World Market.

Great! R203 introduced small handful of new British baking ingredients to confound me.

The only one I know is mincemeat. My mother grew up in the depression and loved mincemeat because that was all they could afford. She made it for herself but the whole rest of the family was disgusted. Not every part of an animal should be eaten. And some things should not be included in baked goods.

As kids, we would roll out a block of marzipan to be cut into small squares which would then parcel walnuts, glazed cherries, dates etc to be dipped in melted chocolate.

On the recent episode, Peter was making some kind of filling I'd never heard of for the faux haggis. I had to look it up.

[quote]Not every part of an animal should be eaten

Wait, what? I didn't even think meat was still used in mincemeat in the twentieth century.

The only meat part is the fat from lard (optional).

Talk about typing fat!

R207 Mincemeat in Xmas mincemeat pies is sweet. At least it is in new Zealand.

R210 it is some godawful concoction of organ meat. I never asked for the recipe.

I loved scraple and could not handle even the smell of mincemeat.

How about suet? I thought that was just something for the birds.

R214... View.

R214 Xmas 'mince' meat is fruit, and delicious.

I watched your film R216. I do not know what sultanas are, but I am guessing they are some animal organ. That is nothing like the mess my mother made.

My guess is that eastern european cuisine is not big in the US, so no one is going to make the real slovac mincemeat--especially given how disgusting it is.

The weird thing is that even though the video looked nothing like the mincemeat I grew up with and I could see there was no actual organ meat, I still got nauseous while it was playing.

I sometimes see marzipan at health food stores, rarely at grocery stores.

Sultanas are like big currants.

OOOOPS! I mean to say:

"I am guessing they are NOT some animal organ."

It was cute they way they turned Mak into Jessica Fletcher on "Extra Slice."

[quote]Presenting is a skill in itself.

Don't I know it!

I'm a first-generation American on my mother's side. They came to the U.S. after the war. (Luckily, my grandmother had family who immigrated before the war and they were sponsored.) I still remember all the British people at family weddings or celebrations. Eccentric, witty, determined, and they loved to sing old pub songs. We had Mince for dinner sometimes, but it was only ground beef and vegetables. We'd pour it over mashed potatoes. Current Bun was served on New Year's Day (very short with black currents, great with a cup of tea.) My grandmother's shortbread could not be beaten. No cook was without her Bisto for making gravy.

We'd go to Canada on a weekend to buy the British foods they missed. They brought back blood pudding; wasn't that illegal? Also haggis and those foods with internal organs of animals. The thought of them grossed me out. But I miss all of those British influences in my life. They have all passed. Watching the GBBS feels like I'm around family again.

[quote]They brought back blood pudding; wasn't that illegal?

Black pudding is fine, it’s the haggis that can’t be imported. Lungs are banned is the US.

Marzipan is delicious, but a little goes a looooooooong way. A Swedish "princess cake" is a (mostly) unsweetened layer cake topped with a green layer of marzipan. It is my absolute favorite dessert and goes especially well with strong, black coffee. I lived near Stockholm during high school and this became my Achilles heel for sweets. There used to be a bakery around here that made them if you ordered one, but they went out of business years ago.

Oops, forgot the pic. Swedish princess cake.

They made that cake on GBBO a few seasons back.

[quote]it is some godawful concoction of organ meat

Are you thinking of sweetbreads? Whatever if it you're thinking of, it's not mincemeat.

R227 That cake was a technical challenge on the show one year, and I think Mary Berry prepared one the Master Class program. Ever since I saw that cake on the program, I have wanted a piece.

I looked online for one, but it looks like it wouldn’t be suitable to ship one by mail.

It looks incredible.

No, R229. It was mincemeat.

I am afraid to google sweetbreads.

Another question for Brits: Why do so many bakers insist on using rose water? It's the kiss of death, akin to making risotto on Top Chef. Is rose water that common in your bakery? Why would anyone want to eat something that tastes like roses?

[quote]No, [R229]. It was mincemeat

No. It wasn't. She may have called it mincemeat, but it was not mincemeat.

[quote]Why do so many bakers insist on using rose water?

Because they like it? I genuinely don't understand your question. Why else would they use a flavour other than they like it?

[quote]No. It wasn't. She may have called it mincemeat, but it was not mincemeat.

Your boot is really a trunk. Your windscreen is a windshield. Your bonnet is a hood. And you drive on the wrong side of the road.

Words are sometimes used in different ways by different people. It does not mean they are wrong.

R234 Okay then, find me a recipe for mincemeat which matches what R231 was describing.

Also, the fact we were talking about mincemeat such as that used in mince pies means I can absolutely say that whatever was being described is not that kind of mincemeat.

Why don't you go find a law that says that guy's Depression era mother of Slovak heritage cannot use the word "mincemeat" however she wants. That seems to be the word she used. It's definitely the word the guy learned.

You can denounce them both or you can expose yourself to a new idea. Either way, your Empire is gone for good and you don't get to decide these things for others.

R236 The fuck is your problem? Whatever that guy is describing is clearly not the mincemeat which was being described in this thread. Get the fuck over yourself, Karen.

It is really hard to tell if a lot of the words used in the show are just obscure baking terms or unique Britishisms.

"mince" means to shred or grind up. so, it could be anything.

"Meat" doesn't necessarily mean it comes from an animal. Ever hear of "nutmeats?"

Rosewater is a common ingredient in middle Eastern sweets. Maybe that's more prevalent in the UK (and some of the GBBO contestants have middle Eastern heritage.)

R240, no. Seriously, I have never heard of "nutmeats."

I looked it up and saw it was a real word, but I cannot say I ever heard it used.

But, R241, the bakes who use it are most often criticized for the overuse of the ingredient. It is an unnecessary ingredient in most of the desserts, as is lavender.

[quote]Ever hear of "nutmeats?"

Could you whisper that like three or four more times?

Speaking of nuts...

Wikipedia is your friend, mincemeat discussers! Waaaaay back in the day (the 1400s), yes, it contained meat (fermented meat!). Now it does not (usually) contain meat, depending on local custom, but can use beef suet. It is certainly an acquired taste. My mother buys a couple jars of prepared mincemeat (which has no meat) and doctors it up a bit (brandy, chopped fresh apples, etc.). It is the only dessert pie I would rather not eat.

R246 Yes, we've already discussed how it used to have meat. But nothing like what that one poster was describing.

Fanny Cradock recommended keeping your mincemeat for a year before using it.

I shudder to think about where Fanny stored her mincemeat for a year before using it.

Ha, I do at least admire the mince pies and crepes she made, encouraging people to fill generously. The omelette, on the other hand...

When I was living in London over one Christmas there were two foods constantly being advertised on tv -- those miniature mincemeat pies and roasted potatoes. Both barely a blip over here in the U.S. and highly coveted and traditional in the U.K.

This is a series the whole family can agree on -- and invite over the gay neighbor!

R226, I have to brag - my husband made me a Princess Cake last year for my birthday - it was absolutely extraordinary. I can see developing an addiction to it, it’s just about the most perfect dessert there is.

Yes, R251, please invite the gay neighbor.

He sounds like a keeper Sparkle!

R254, he is. 26 years together, so far. I’m a lucky man!!!

Sultanas are what we call in the US call golden raisins.

Please appreciate Noel's more subtle humor!

"I eat with my eyes. That's why I'm not allowed in restaurants."

Matt and Rowan’s little exchanges over sausages and inches are the dictionary definition of bottom energy.

Rowan has got to get it together next time or he will go.

The silver fox did not look pleased.

I liked Mak. He is handsome. Great wolfman vibe going on.

R259, Rowan should have gone THIS time. He has not been good at all so far.

So there's only one gay male contestant this year? I've lost track.

No. Noel Fielding is still physically repulsive and completely fucking annoying. I haven't watched since I turned it off halfway through his first episode...however long ago that was.

I thought Noel worked well with Sandi.

R264

I did, too. Sandi's maternal air worked well with Noel's little boy antics.

I think he and Matt are finding their stride. Sometimes their bits are downright embarrassing.

The biscuit episode is better for the two of them.

R263 Here. R264 Sandi wasn't terrible. I just really, REALLY CANNOT FUCKING STAND Noel Fielding.

R266

I get it. He's like 98% dark chocolate. You have to have a certain palate.

[quote]So there's only one gay male contestant this year? I've lost track.

I think the jury's still out on Peter.

Mak pinged big time, but apparently he has a wife.

I'm a happy cow now

Because it's vegan week

What about the prissy antique collector?

"The comments were not entirely positive."

Oh, Rowan. I'd say never change, but there is zero chance of you ever changing.

Hermine is fun to watch. She's just having a good time.

What episode is the majority of the thread on? Don't want to risk spoilers.

Does seem slightly odd that there's two NHS workers and a guy who works in public health for developing nations who can take time off for a baking competition right now.

Peter and his brother...yes please.

So far we’re up to episode 2, r72. So you’re clear to read all the replies if you’ve seen the first two eps.

R273 Thank you, I meant I wanted to avoid giving spoilers, as we've just had the third episode here.

Oh, thanks for that! In America we get the new episodes on fridays, so spoiler alerts would be appreciated if you post episode related stuff before that. Thanks! 🙂

Well that was a major cat fight. I would be pissed if someone tampered with my ingredients.

I thought the show airs new episodes on Fridays?

R277 Tuesdays in the UK.

Random question - for the American broadcast, did they keep Matt's Boris skit from the first episode?

No. The American broadcast is on Netflix and they cut the whole Boris skit!

Thanks, R280, and that's a shame, but makes sense I guess. I wonder if there are any more little bits they cut for being a bit too British. Though I don't wonder so much to actually watch the same episode twice to compare!

I've been resisting the temptation to post much until the episode is available in the USA.

But I can't wait to discuss Marc beating Paul with his prosthetic leg.

I'm kidding.

Or am I?

Boris skit? Is that the SNL type opening the show did in the first episode?

R283 Yes

Just watch the third episode now on hdclump.com

R280, they had the Boris skit on Netflix in the US. It opened the first episode..

R280

Do you work at Trump's WH? They had the Boris skit! Matt was very good. We recognized those plummy tones instantly, even in the U.S.

Another American who saw the BoJo sketch.

peter and his bro with those pink, pink lips and hands, you know they have pink, pink cockheads under the foreskin.

R289 They look quite similar, I wonder if they're twins. They also seem very close...

Passionfruit is another ingredient that GBBO bakers seem disproportionately fond of. Some seasons more than others. I can't relate at all, I guess partly because it isn't that common here in the US, but it also looks disgusting. And it doesn't sound like it has all that much flavor, anyway.

I'm glad others here get Noel, too. I haven't watched anything else he's been in, but he seems sweet and strange.

^ I make a killer passionfruit curd.

I can see why the production company is called Love Productions. The show is so humanistic and sweet, a real pleasure to watch. This cast is probably the most appealing in recent memory. The big blond girl is very pretty and seems connected emotionally to the other bakers, particularly Mark. The scene with his daughters was genuinely touching. Rowan was the right choice to send away, but this episode he came across like a very sweet guy. A few odd dick jokes landed flat, but it was a good episode of a really great show. The goth chic is a better technical baker than it seems, she might be a dark horse winner.

[quote]I can see why the production company is called Love Productions.

Some of Love’s other productions:

Famous, Rich, and Homeless

Tower Block of Commons

Young, Autistic & Stagestruck

The Baby Borrowers

Young Mums' Mansion

Make Bradford British

Benefits Street

Underage and Having Sex

8 Boys And Wanting A Girl

Britain's Youngest Boarders

I didn’t know Mark had a fake leg. Has he mentioned it before this episode (the third)? I liked his showstopper- very colorful

But I loved the cow that older lady made. It was adorable.

REALLY WHAT AN INNOCENT CUNT!

BRITS LUV A SOB STORY!

R295, he did not have to mention it. We saw it when he wore shorts.

r294 I watched 'Benefits Street' on YouTube, very tabloidish.

I watch it on netflix and saw the Boris skit. not sure what r280 is smoking.

Peter is adorable, and i will miss Rowan.

The Baby Borrowers was the worst of Love’s productions. Babies, as well as older children with ADHD and cystic fibrosis, were removed from their parents and handed over to teenaged couples for three days. They also took care of elderly people, some of whom appeared to have dementia.

There were nannies on call for the inevitable disasters but they were just as bad as the teenagers. If I remember correctly, one recommended letting a toddler sit in its own shit after a toilet-training accident.

Kids are cunts.

I would have lost it if either Peter or Dave went home already. They need to stay!

Dave knocked up his wife?

What about ME?

I so want to paddle Peter's bottom.

R305 And have his brother watch

Marzipan lambs are big in NYC Italian bakeries at Easter as well as the little hand-painted fruit.

[quote]The Dying Art of Sicilian Marzipan

Hope for the world after all!

This shows a mold and the process of making the little marzipan fruits.

Rowan's show stopper looked superb. I believe he would have stayed another week if it had tasted good.

The guy with glasses, Pete and the goth lady all seem to be front runners.

The savory soda breads look delicious.

I want to try Hermine's smoked salmon and chives soda bread, which Paul raved over.

Soda breads are always dry as Camilla's vagina.

Copious amounts of butter are required for just that reason r315

[quote]Dave knocked up his wife?

Paul referred to her as his wife, but in all of the introductory segments, she appears to be just his partner/girlfriend.

The opening segments on Netflix are always different from the UK versions, if only because they have to change it up to call it "The Great British Baking Show" in the US.

[quote]The goth chic is a better technical baker than it seems

Who is this referring to? I haven't noticed anyone particularly "goth-y," at least in my understanding of that word.

[quote]Well that was a major cat fight. I would be pissed if someone tampered with my ingredients.

What is this about? Which episode?

Lottie, r319

So no one's mentioned the complete lack of references to the LGBTQ community in connection with the rainbow bagels?

Lottie is Goth? In what way? This is what I think of as Goth.

The most pressing question raised by this episode: Will Paul ever see a musical in the West End?

I think my Goth that poster meant she's perpetually scowling and in a bad mood. Kind of like that cartoon "Daria".

Lottie is Agnes Angst.

A goth wouldn't have the passion to bake. And it wouldn't look pleasing for any cooking show to see a goth bake and mumble about the futility of it all.

Helena. During Noel's first season. She kept baking representations of dead things. Or things that ought to be dead.

R328, Helena was funny... I knew her "walking dead" shtick would get tired after a few weeks. For her Halloween was every day.

Bread week is always full of really disgusting food that defy the nature of bread.

They have to make up weird things like a "Bread Plaque."

IRL who would want something like that?

Did I hear correctly when they said that rainbow bagels were an American thing? In what part of America might that be?

18th and Castro?

R322 Since the pandemic started the rainbow has become a sign for the NHS over here, it has rather sidelined the gay community in that sense

No one will ever surpass "Prison Paul's" lion bread plaque.

Paul came back for a Christmas special and he did great. I think it's the first Christmas episode on Netflix. He's definitely one of my all-time favorites.

Mmm, Prison Paul. I’m glad construction worker Richard gave him the confidence to apply for the show. Otherwise we wouldn’t have gotten bread lion! Is that the only bake that has received a special award?

An Extra Slice #3, featuring Rowan

Goth as in she has a nose piercing and several in one of her ears. Also heavy black eye makeup.

Two mega-goths wearing black and eating pancakes before bravely defying the sunlight to do a bit of brass rubbing.

Marc seems like a sweetheart. Did they explain how he lost leg and why he's a single father?

On Extra Slice, they said Peter's brother (the gluten-intolerant one) was his twin. Did they ever say they were twins on the show? I could've sworn they only said they were brothers.

r341, a wood chipper accident.

R342 No it's never been said. Could just be Aisling assuming, though does seem a fair assumption to make.

Peter's brother is older.

I make it a point to never trust someone who is "badminton mad".

Nice twinky body. The rest of his IG is mostly stuff he's baked, the only other people he has photos with are his brother and parents.

[quote]Lottie is Agnes Angst.

It's AGNUS, you SPECK!

Nobody pays any attention to Dracula's Daughter r348.

Well played, R348.

I just had my ass handed to me, right and proper.

Please stop talking about that cake!

I don't think this counts as a spoiler but this episode (chocolate week) I think saw Peter at his most puppyish. When the judges come over to him to judge him in the first task, he really did look like a puppy.

Also, the men have very shiny smooth looking legs.

Peter is adorable.

I want a Prugasm.

Chocolate week for those who can't wait.

R355 Oh, good on you. x

Do British people not like brownies? I can make amazing brownies in my sleep, and I wouldn’t consider myself an advanced baker. They’re not that complicated!

Brownies are very American. But they also went too complicated and busy.

If they don't have marzipan, meringue, rosewater, or creme patisserie, they're doomed.

I needed a break after those brutal brownies. Flashbacks to that season of Irish Bake Off when most of the bakers just weren't up to snuff and the judge quickly developed a thousand yard stare.

Okay, so the three versions of mincemeat mentioned in this thread is some organ meat concoction, a ground beef and vegetable mix, and a sweet hash of ground up fruit and nuts.

Just imagine if you confuse one for the other.....

Poor Sura, but what the hell did white chocolate ever do to her?

I feel like there aren't clear front runners yet. Peter and Dave have a bit of lead but not a massive one.

Peter is definitely a virgin.

True, brownies aren't difficult and they'd all made them before, but the 90 minutes allowed was very tight, even for basic ones, and they went fancy.

Not sure about Peter's virgin status - there's an instagram find on a Famous Males thread that suggests he has a different side.

R365 The black sequin bikini says he's not as innocent as he looks.

I choose to believe he's a virgin and the black speedo is a joke costume. Don't shatter my fantasy.

What's your fantasy? Woman shows ankle to chimneysweep's shock?

Looks like an outfit Charlene Tilton would have worn in 1982 or so.

So are we not doing spoilers for those who want to watch at the US pace?

R365 Nice find, his on-screen persona is a bit too nice..."oh, crumbs" and whatnot. I bet he's a slag really. Also, does seem a bit obsessed with his brother.

Are virgin and slag the only options?

R371 Who said they were?

Not aren't they the only options, I'm not sure they are even mutually exclusive r371.

Any interest I might have had in the young lad in the sequined bikini went out the window when I saw the pink camisole top.

Feh!

Good point, 373. Anal doesn't count.

That's why it's a party joke, R 374.

Whatever, R376. Whatever.

Whatever it is, it's still a boner killer.

[quote]it's still a boner killer.

A favorite pastime on the Datalounge.

Meanwhile, Americans are stuck watching shit like this.

Although WCiA gave us hottie Zack Ignoffo this year.

R379 Nailed it is also, shit.

Paul is not happy with the bakers this year...especially after the brownies disaster. I'm wondering if they didn't get the best bakers because they didn't want to quarantine...

The bakers were all bubbling together and recording every two days; in previous years, they did the filming at weekends and had five free days between recordings to practise and re-evaluate and refine their bakes. Rowan, for example, didn't really have the time to react to Paul and Prue's criticisms for the six bakes he had prepared for recording across a six day period (3 signatures and 3 showstoppers). In some ways it is really a different competition from previous years.

The brownie challenge was just a disaster. I don’t know anyone who bakes even a little who can’t knock out perfectly good brownies within 90 minutes.

I can't wait to see this episode tomorrow.

How can you fuck up a brownie?

[quote]How can you fuck up a brownie?

Nine

^^Nine ways, I meant to write.

One of the bakers explained it really well. They all tried to do too much instead of keeping it simple which great brownies are. You can add an ingredient to spice it up but these bakers did figs, meranges, cheesecake and multiple things instead of just making a simple gooey but cooked brownie.

Part of the problem is per the legal rules of the show, they have to use recipes of their own invention. So it’s easier to do crazy stuff like make a scale model of your favourite Seven Wonder of the World out of nougat, than a standard like brownies, since most people who bake brownies regularly probably have a standard recipe they’ve been using for years. But for Bake Off they wouldn’t be allowed to use that recipe due to copyright.

There are only so many ways to bake a brownie, so it’s harder than it looks to come up with a recipe that is unique.

R388, several of them, and indeed the judges, also said 90 minutes was tight for even a simple brownie - it was deliberately made difficult; presumably they didn't feel they could get away with just a 'simple' bake (P&P very often complain if things are too basic) - wrongly, in retrospect, but understandable.

I agree the time constraint made it non-trivial, but it was weird how many of them had time management issues. If you know they need 20 minutes to cool you have to work backward from that. And maybe don't plan on fancy decorating. You could do marbling instead.

I almost wonder if there was some kind of backstage shenanigans. Surely these bakers can get brownies in the oven in 15 minutes.

I've never baked brownies, so forgive what might be a stupid question, but could the heat have played a part, like it did in the other challenges?

R389, you're wrong -- recipes are not covered by copyright law, and there is no such restriction on the contestants. Besides, how would the production staff ever know if a recipe that is submitted by a contestant was previously published by Ina Garten or Jacques Pepin or Aunt Sandy? You think they're going to scan every cookbook ever published to be sure?

R383 There's also the issue of Rowan being a silly queen who couldn't bake worth a shit.

#NotOneOfHisFans

TBH, this really isn't a good season. Last season was very well cast; lots of interesting people and all those cute gays, but this year isn't very cute and everyone truly is very much an amateur baker....meaning they all kinda suck.

Though, it's not as annoying as the season before last when the annoying Rahul won.

R394 I'd be genuinely interested to see what he would've come up with without the time restraint.

How common are brownies in Britain?

Not as common as Scouts

Recipes are absolutely covered by copyright law if they are published, and numerous former Bake Off contestants have gone on record as saying one of the requirements of the show is creating all your own recipes, because often recipes from the bakers are included in the official GBBO cookbooks.

Obviously if you want to use a very standard Victoria Sponge recipe and modulate it that’d be fine, or if you wanted to steal from something obscure maybe you’d get away with it, but you can’t go on Bake Off and just bake Nigella’s devils food cake or whatever.

That’s the reason all the contestants have to submit all their recipes (iirc for the first six weeks) far ahead of time.. And why it sucks for people who leave in the first week or two, they did all that work coming up with and testing recipes for challenges they never get to make.

[quote]creme patisserie,

Ooh! You hit on one of my pet peeves about this show! Why do almost all of the contestants on every season pronounce "crème pâtissière" the way you spelled it? It should be krem pah-tiss-ee-YARE. And this week we were again treated to people pronouncing "genoise" like Genoese. Maybe that's an acceptable alternate pronunciation in the UK, but it sounds all wrong to me. It should be zhen-WAHZ.

I'm hoping the nice person who links us to "An Extra Slice" each week is still with us!

Two of the brownie recipes attempted to incorporate a s'mores flavor, but do they even have s'mores in Britain? I thought graham crackers were unheard of there. Maybe they substitute digestive biscuits?

Recipe ingredients are not copyright. You could publish NIgella Lawson's recipes (without using her name) but only the ingredients, with no legal problem. The method to the recipe, if copied word-for-word from the published text, could be considered infringement of copyright. This applies to both the UK and the US.

[quote]Recipes are absolutely covered by copyright law if they are published, and numerous former Bake Off contestants have gone on record as saying one of the requirements of the show is creating all your own recipes

While that may be a requirement of the show, under both US and UK law a recipe is treated as a list of ingredients combined with a list of instructions, thereby creating a collection of facts with a functional purpose — function, facts, and lists are not covered under the law. Further, one can't copyright an idea.

A written introduction to a recipe and any commentary provided by the author falls under the category of original literary work and is therefore covered.

Cookbook editor?

So if I take Nigella's recipe for Eclairs, and a new ingredient such as 1/8 teaspoon of white pepper, is it suddenly a new recipe?

and add a new ingredient...

Yes that’s right, R406.

It's basically a requirement to cover the arse of the producers, so if some author of a cookbook does decide to try and sue, they can say "not out fault, we were lied to, sue the person directly". Clause 12 at the link.

You can take her recipe and call it R406’s Magical Never-Been-Made-Before Eclairs and that’s what it will be. For purposes of legality, however, there would be no need for you to go to the trouble of adding or changing anything.

Just remember to remove anything that isn’t fact, function, method, etc., such as the anecdote in her header about standing in front of the refrigerator and sucking down two dozen of them at midnight.

I'm thoroughly unimpressed by Peter. The way you all go on about him, I do believe you've never seen an actual attractive Scotsman before.

Mark (Northern Irish) and Lottie are my two favorite characters. I'm very let down by the quality of the bakes this season. It does feel as if all the competitors were lifted from the wait list.

But the copyright restriction only covers publication of the recipes, not the use.

If it were not for the publication, the balers could use any published recipe they wanted as long as they did not give it on the air.

(Just like a person can be on screen reading a book without violating copyright. The only problem is if they start reading aloud.)

The competitors were lifted from the group who consented to be quarantined for the duration.

I love Paul Allen.

Correct, r412. The rule about not using published recipes is in place to cover the eventuality that Love Productions/C4 want to publish some of the recipes themselves. It’s simply easier for them to insist that all the recipes used are original, than have to figure out which recipes can be published and which ones can’t.

"A génoise, also known as Genoese cake or Genovese cake, is an Italian sponge cake named after the city of Genoa"

No excuse for the creme pat confusion though.

Don't get me started on how they pronounce bara brith.

R400 We do it on purpose to annoy the French. Most of the things we do in Britain can ultimately be traced back to annoying the French. The rest are to annoy the Germans.

It's been pointed out, by 413 most recently, that it's not a normal year and comparing the contestants to previous years is unfair. It is a differently chosen group (prepared to go into quarantine for the duration) operating under very different conditions, with much less time to prepare their bakes and take on board criticisms and comments. We're lucky to have it at all.

[quote]it's not a normal year and comparing the contestants to previous years is unfair

No it isn't. What the fuck else are supposed to compare them to.

Under the same conditions, previous years' contestants might have been 'not as good'. It's perfectly reasonable to make allowances for different conditions. And there have been plenty of 'bad weeks' through Bake-Off's history. Plus, it's still early in the series.

This year is much more interesting. The bakers' experience, skill, and knowledge, are all right up front for everyone to examine. I always thought the week of practicing was strange. Now we see them au naturale, so to speak. At the end of the series, we will know who has the goods and who does not.

The producers blew it with the brownies. 2 hours would have been barely sufficient to accomplish the assignment. 30 to bake and 30 to cool. Leaving them only 30 minutes to make the effing batter and trim the g.d. brownie This was insufficient, unless the goal was to get footage of everyone stressed and failing. There should be plenty of that without intervening weeks to practice, practice, practice.

Was it last season when hardly anyone knew how to make a choux pastry? We could also look at the very early seasons when the tasks were much more simple. I didn't like it last year when they had all the young kids and few older bakers. And I don't think we can say this year's group is particularly worse than others, especially this early on. Chocolate week is always rough, anyway.

Datalounge will bitch about anything

Sura should be beheaded for diluting white chocolate with WATER. Any baker should know that would add excessive moisture. Paul and Prue horrified looks when Sura was saying this meant that she was going to kicked off right then.

I'm not even sure there's a big difference between the amount of practice these bakers get and the previous seasons. They have two whole days in the bubble to do whatever they want, versus going home and baking between all the obligations of normal life.

they have practise kitchens.

The published recipe thing is stupid. How in the world would anyone know that what they are doing hasn't already been published somewhere? It isn't like they can know what is in every cookbook ever published.

Also, brownies are one of the absolute best baked goods ever, but everyone also knows that the best part of the brownies are the edges. There are even pans made that allow you to have many more edges. Trimming the edges is a crime against humanity.

Wow they all messed up on that brownie challenge. I agree the skills of this cast are uneven. But the cast is very appealing and the show’s composition overall is (to me) still a pleasure to watch.

Paul seems disconnected to some of the humor transpiring between Noel and Matt (I think I registered some “side eye” glances from Paul during the presenter’s strained bits of humor).

Paul and Pru seem determined to be honest but overall kind. I am really enjoying Pru. She is strangely telegenic for someone with such unusual style. She is just awesome.

These bakers are all over the place in terms of skill and creative output, but they seem very kind and cohesive. It’s turning out to be a great season.

[quote]These bakers are all over the place in terms of skill and creative output, but they seem very kind and cohesive.

I think the lockdown has a lot to do with the kindness between the bakers. Instead of only seeing each other every weekend, they are all confined together all the time. They show short clips of the lockdown on An Extra Slice and all the bakers are hanging out together. Paul even made pizza for everyone one night.

I am totally unable to remember a season where the bakers were not kind and cohesive. They always assist one another in times of need and are unfailingly affectionate toward one another

It is the unique feature that sets this apart from all other similar shows and the reason that it is the only one I find watchable.

R429

Matt keeps coming on to Paul with his over-the-top gay humor.

Paul's just not interested, hence the side-eye.

True, Paul thinks they are going to make a gay joke about him.

Peter's obsession/devotion to his brother and making baked goods in his honor is just... odd.

I make Mark Bittman's brownies. They are dead simple, foolproof and delicious. Prue and Paul would ding them for not having rosettes, gold leaf or sparklers, but the brownies would get points for taste and texture.

Too bad Sura had such a terrible week. She was one of the most talented.

The brownie fiasco was in part because nobody made a plain brownie. They had to stuff it with crap like figs and cheesecake.

R434

I would imagine that the producers encourage them to honor family, friends etc. It makes the series more homey.

I know this is so mean, but it's a shame that both of the older lady's (grey bun, really nice personality) homages to dead relatives have failed spectacularly. There was the ambulance that looked like a brick. And then there was something on the chocolate episode. I and my terribly cruel son couldn't help snickering.

Bro like li'l bro's cakes. Gluten free!

[quote] I and my terribly cruel son couldn't help snickering.

Matt? Matt Gaetz, is that you?

There was one series years ago (back on the BBC) where it was rumoured that the bakers had split into two factions or cliques, with the two sides not getting along. Some of the bakers from that year have discussed their experience and generally were not entirely positive about it.

The only brownies you'll ever need to make are Katharine Hepburn's recipe, linked below.

You're welcome, fat whores.

No nuts in brownies, R440. That's a deal-breaker.

Those are walnuts, right? Some old lady made those for covered dish church events and they were great.

I got a wicked case of food poisoning from Kate Hepburn's recipe. It's baked at a lower temperature, and I made the mistake of leaving the leftovers on the kitchen counter. The following night at 3 AM there was projectile vomiting and profuse diarrhea.

R443 But outside of that, it was good, right?

r443, is that you, Meryl?

R443 is full of shit (NOT caused by Kate's delicious brownies).

R443 Yep, that’s food poisoning. It’s very serious because you can have a stroke from the trauma of it (combined with the change in your blood’s viscosity from losing so much fluid). You may have also felt like you’d been hit by a car afterwards because you actually strain the accessory muscles of your thorax vomiting so violently. It’s so serious and unpleasant. You may also have bloodshot eyes from the ocular pressure during your body’s violent expulsion of the microbes. If you drink Gatorade to rehydrate, you may never, ever want to taste it again because your senses will link the flavor of it to the food poisoning episode. Undercooked eggs and poultry...no, no.

R447 yes what was described sounds like food poisoning, but nothing about a baked good would have caused it. Salmonella, for instance, is killed at 160 degrees

That show is absolutely the worst. That Paul fucking Hollywood and that Mary Berry are ghastly. Matt Lucas seems to have improved things so I hear, but I can't bear to watch it's so awful.

I like the blue fridges! If I needed a second fridge (or had somewhere to put one) I’d get a fridge this color.

And Mak looks cute here, too.

Love it

I got a wicked case of food poisoning from Kate Hepburn's cooch.

They're calling it GB-BO. More like BO for tv. Gross, and they all have bad teeths (sic).

[quote]That show is absolutely the worst. That Paul fucking Hollywood and that Mary Berry are ghastly.

Mary Berry hasn't been on the show for several years. Try to keep up.

[quote] Mary Berry hasn't been on the show for several years.

That's why she is now a dame.

Mary Berry has a new show.

Mary Berry needs new teeth.

all brits do.

She's a dame like LIz Taylor, couldn't Mary get new teeth with the medal?

I think Mark is kinda cute. I’m envious of his hair.

R460 types fat and bald.

The worst part of it was having to clean up the puke while I was still sick.

An Extra Slice, pt 4.

I could stare at Mark's hair all day.

I agree that Peter's degree of focus on his brother is strange. Is there no one else in their family?

Why didn't the judges have anything bad to say about the fig brownies' appearance? I was appalled. They looked like hamburgers with a mess of mushrooms on top. The "upside-down fig brownie" concept is the very definition of unnecessary. Ain't nobody want that.

For the person who mentioned the older woman's failed family tributes, on the chocolate episode it was her little dead daughter. I can understand your laughing--it's just so awful, isn't it? Her sweet daughter, "a little English rose," and the cake turns out terrible.

I thought her babka turned out stunning. It looked absolutely perfect, and since she had no previous experience with them, I think this speaks to her mastery of home baking.

R485 the old woman’s daughter was retarded and 18 years old when she died. Hardly a “little dead daughter.”

New one on the clump.

"Great British Bake Off viewers 'in horror' after Cornish pasty challenge 'Cornish Pasties have European-wide protected status... Praying for Cornwall at this difficult time.'"

Excuse me, Linda is only 61. She is not old. Not by a long shot, whippersnapper @ R466!

Here is the new episode in case someone wants to peek, Just don't post spoilers.

"The traditional Cornish pasty, which since 2011 has Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status in Europe. Therefor you should not call anything that is made outside of Cornwall a Cornish Pasty."

At last, we get something to offend us! We've joined the club!

It really is appalling.

Susan Collins on the non-traditional Cornish pasties.

Oh god, those idiots really do take that shit seriously as well. It's as bad as the people who get upset over jam or cream first on a scone.

France ought to be traumatized by those eclairs. And by Lottie trying to pass off a mille feuille as a tart.

Now...should I change my user name to Thunder Fingers or Upmarket Tart?

And what about the rainbow bagels?

I was not outraged.

New episode is out! Loved it but sad at who went home. When can we discuss spoilers?!

Lottie's voice drives me batty. It's so studiedly blasé and nasal. I also hate nose rings. So there. She can go home next week, as far as I care. I think she'll last a little longer, though; there are at least two people who are flagging and might have been sent home this week.

[quote]When can we discuss spoilers?

You should wait at least 7-8 years, and then someone will still cry because you spoiled it. That’s what happens when you pander to infants.

"When can we discuss spoilers?!"

Since the entire episode has been posted above since Wednesday, I think it's okay.

The directions for the technical seemed a little unfair. I am pretty sure they implied the directions for the technical were to make a choux pastry. I was under the impression that they were all amateur bakers. So, how would they all have a choux pastry recipe on hand? Or, maybe that is one of the requirements of the show? It seemed unnecessary to leave out those directions since its the technique and finesse they are looking for in the end.

[quote]When can we discuss spoilers?

I think the courteous thing to do would be to wait until the Netflix episode has dropped (Fridays.) But since I know people will be discussing it after the Tuesday UK airing, I just avoid this topic until I've seen the episode myself.

[quote]Now...should I change my user name to Thunder Fingers or Upmarket Tart?

I don't know, but new band name is Paul Hollywood's Bum Bag.

Prugasm!

Or a smart person would wait and just skip the thread.

Peter! oh no!!

Most of them seem so nice that I am sad to see them go. Poor Linda, but she did the greatest Reality TV sin of them all: Declare that it's her week to shine, for sure.

Most of them seem so nice that I am sad to see them go. Poor Linda, but she did the greatest Reality TV sin of them all: Declare that it's her week to shine, for sure.

What exactly caused her eclairs to go wrong the way they did?

[quote]I don't know, but new band name is Paul Hollywood's Bum Bag.

Mine is Counting Crimps.

I often think the technical challenge is a bit mean. But on the other hand, choux isn't exactly obscure and they are meant to be the best amateur bakers in the nation. There have been much harder technicals.

I was getting a bit tense watching them handle their pastry cages!

I will miss Linda's enthusiasm and cheer.

Rooting for Mark and Hermine. I just find them charming.

I think they mentioned she added (the wrong amount of?) flour.

They have always expected people to be able to make the main sorts of pastry, including choux.

None of them were using a knife dipped in water to tidily cut off and shape their eclairs!

I liked Linda, she seems like a real decent person.

Laura’s cage was excellent. Decent enough to keep a little Peter in, lol.

Laura channelling DL

[quote] little Peter

Peter appears as tall as Noel who is 5’11”.

Huh...I thought that Goth cunt was taller than that.

A little Peter. Matt asked Laura who she would keep in her cage and she said ‘a little Peter would be cute’ or something like that. He then asked what she’d do with him and she replied, “feed him cheese”

Peter.

I’m sad Linda went home. I really liked her crazy energy and positivity. And she clearly has an interesting and challenging life with a special needs daughter who then died at 18.

There is a bit in the press in the UK saying Paul Hollywood is giving preferential treatment to Lottie because she’s young and attractive. Wouldn’t be the first time!

I Want both Marc’s/Mark’s to go a long way. And Hermine!

I want Lottie to go home next. I like everyone else, though, and would be happy with any of them winning.

Mel and Sue used to spend an inordinate amount of time talking to the young, cute women. and, on more than one occasion, in an effort to help, they would destroy the baked goods.

Mel is a carpet muncher

Sue likes dick

An Extra Slice - episode 5.

Lottie is the only one who is "on" as in performing for the camera with her dark and ominous stare like she's planning to kill her competition and rape Hollywood with a strap on.

lol at r505

Extra slice - " The search for the perfect bottom..."

" My wife.... as my name in her phone, is Sausage Joel."

Mel is the dick lover

Sue is the carpet muncher.

Mel Born: June 5, 1968 (age 52 years), Epsom, United Kingdom

Spouse: Ben Morris

Children: Vita Morris, Florence Morris

Sue:

Born: September 22, 1969 (age 51 years), East Dulwich, London, United Kingdom

Partner: Anna Richardson (2014–)

Excuse me...lezzies all look the same.

[quote]Sausage Joel

Yes, we've all seen the videos.

She calls him " Sausage Joel," because of his love for sausage rolls.

[quote]There is a bit in the press in the UK saying Paul Hollywood is giving preferential treatment to Lottie because she’s young and attractive.

There's always someone eager to say that. Says more about them than Hollywood IMHO.

I love "Extra Slice" but I miss out on some of it because they don't have closed captioning, and some more of it because there are lots of British references that I don't understand.

Some of Noel’s humor seems to be grating on Paul.

Those are some cute guys on Extra Slice.

"Those are some cute guys on Extra Slice."

I agree.

How many seasons of Extra Slice have there been? I would like to go back and watch them all.

The early ones are better as they were a lot shorter. When they made them an hour, it's a bit of a slop. (and a little of Tom Allen goes a long way.)

Slog, not slop!

Did they do Extra Slice when the show was on the BBC, or did it start with the Channel 4 series?

It predates the move to C4, but didn’t start till series 5.

The BBC did do it.

Think Extra Slice started with Season 5.

I wonder why Extra Slice was never aired in the US. Maybe because all of the "celebrity guests" are unknown here? I still find it pretty enjoyable, despite all of the references that go over my head.

Americans prefer the Housewives shows or Kardashians.

Americans would rather see Guy Fieri and Bobby Flay

Sausage Joel

I don't understand why Peter didn't win this week. His pasty (which I had never heard of before) was apparently a little dry, but tasted good and I liked the fish shape. He won technical by a lot, and they really liked his caged tart. Was glad that Dave did well as well.

It's because Paul is a sucker for Key Lime.

Remember a few seasons ago when Ryan, who was on the brink of elimination with last place in the technical made the key lime pie that made Paul give him star baker? You want to win, make a key lime pie.

Laura has a serious case of Resting Bitch Face.

Laura is a closet Karen.

Dave has crazy, serial killer eyes. He looks like he’s barely suppressing rage most of the time. His tart looked good, though.

Lol, Dave does not have crazy, serial killer eyes! He has great big brown eyes like a deer. He also has really good hair...although not as good as Mark's.

Dave looks like he’s barely suppressing his lust for cock r533

He shimmies like Hillary Clinton when she was debating

Dave's a cutie.

Dave seems to be quite well-traveled (Mexico, Thailand ... can't remember where else.) Must be well-off. Mark has some kind of connection to Africa. And Linda went to Goa. I guess Brits are just more adventurous than Americans, most of whom don't even have passports.

Dave has that annoying skin tag on his eyelid that is so off putting. Brits travel because the airfares are cheap for package deals and they’re stuck on a grim, grey, wet island - they want to experience new countries and climates any chance they can.

[quote]Americans prefer the Housewives shows or Kardashians.

This American prefers Sausage Joel.

[quote]Mark has some kind of connection to Africa

His job is working as a project manager for public health projects in developing nations. I said earlier, seems odd he has time to take off for a baking competition right now.

Peter looks like he could be James McAvoy's son. They must both be descended from the same cutie-pie Scottish laird.

If anybody is flirting with Lottie, it's Noel. Her tough goth chick demeanor seems to ring his chimes. Contrary to appearances, he IS straight, and Lottie looks a bit like Noel's partner, Iliana Bird.

I don't care about any of these pastries, I just want to eat Dave's ass.

International travel from the UK can be extremely cheap, and there are dozens of countries just a short flight or even train or car journey away. You can fly from London to Marrakesh or Tel Aviv or a hundred cities in Europe for £30. Many Brits who live in the SE pop over to France regularly for the weekend. Having such easy access to foreign travel encourages a different attitude, I guess.

Dave is one of those people who is close to being extraordinarily attractive, if maybe his features were just slightly different.

But they are not and he is even less attractive than most other people.

🙄^^^

R545 Dave is attractive, just not in a classic way.

Dave is cute.

I just think Dave is pretty hideous.

None of you would kick Dave out of bed for having a soggy bottom.

This looks like a fake selfie found on a serial killer’s phone.

I am mesmerized by Mark's hair.

A Festival of Dave

I'd rather have a Festival of Peter, including Dave's.

Dave looks like that actor who played Henry VIII in 'The Tudors', Jonathan Rhys Meyers.

He does look like JRM if you turns the lights off and put a pillowcase over his head.

Episode 6 for those who don't want to wait. It's Japanese week. Wonder how they can work marzipan into the show this week.

I’ve been enjoying this show tremendously.

It’s great fun.

I saw the brownie episode and laughed. Why complicate such a simple cake?

It made me go and make a double batch of brownies from the Ghirardelli box mix I had in my cupboard for the last year. I add some espresso powder to kick up the chocolate flavor.

They came out perfect! Crispy top and moist and chewy inside.

I do love how a couple of weeks ago the weather was so hot it was a risk to their baking, and this week they're in coats, it's raining and the wind is pounding the tent. Truly is British.

And next week it's hot again and they are making ice cream!

Aww I'm sad about this elimination.

And about the fact that even for Japanese week someone used rosewater.

Those showstopper cakes looked fantastic though.

Noel's hints about an eating disorder have officially gone from bad jokes to cries for help.

Testing 1?2?3

For a competition show, it’s great. There’s no back stabbing or bitching. They all get along. .

I follow several of the bakers on Instagram and they still get together for friendly meet ups long after their season has ended. It's very heartwarming.

Candice's wedding.

Tour de Bakers.

I hated Candice's stupid mouth.

Hermine's showstopper cake looked like it was inspired by the Japanese suicide forest rather than kawaii. Lottie's was great because unlike the others it wasn't smothered in fondant

Royal cheater.

Mincemeat pie is my favorite , Has no meat in it, just dried fruit although I have had it made with meat and fruit, didn't like that one

Peter and his brother win badminton trophies.

Peter and his brother should just get it over and get it on and do porn together.

Peter would probably be more than willing, his brother is probably just wishing he'd stop baking him cakes.

Stop baking cakes and start showing your cakes, Peter.

I hope someone will give us a link to the new "Extra Slice" episode!

As soon as it's posted, it will be here.

Since it was Japanese week, I was very glad that Dave incorporated his shiba inu; that cake was cute.

Here's a link to this week's Extra Slice. Warning: it's on Russian YouTube. Scary!!

I thought visually Lottie's showstopper was ugly. Her cakes must taste as good as her minge. And Lottie must have given Pru a taste of it with her raving about Lottie all of a sudden.

The program is so good, and the strengths are in the casting and very good production values (you can see and hear all the elements and the lighting is very good even on cloudy, wet days, in a tent!).

The elimination this week was apt and fair, but sad. The baker sent home was a lot of fun to watch, so expressive, with the charming brogue and flop of hair and an easy smile. But the avocado cake sounded like it tasted gross.

The interaction between Noel and Dave looked odd during the crepe making segment. Noel is a sweet guy, yet strange. His style, with the garish sweaters, tight “leggings” and high healed boots reminds me of a 1980’s mob wife, like the costumes in the Jonathan Demme comedy “Married to The Mob”.

Noel is desperate to be interesting.

You nailed that one, R581.

Bravo!

[quote]Noel is desperate to be interesting.

Which is pretty much the entire reason he is on the show.

You don't hire hosts who are desperate to be boring.

If you don't want to link to Russian YouTube, here is An Extra Slice from Japanese Week:

At first I didn't like the switch from Mary/Sue/Mel to Pru/Noel/Sandy or Matt. But now I actually prefer this new crew. Paul Hollywood seems to me to be less uptight now, and kinder to the contestants. Noel's sometimes cringeworthy, and I liked Sandy more than Matt, although I adore Matt's talent in 'Little Britain'. It would be hilarious if Matt came on the show as Marjorie Dawes and judged the technical challenges.

I think Matt is much better than Sandy and significantly better than Noel, although Noel is finally improving. Prue is just as good as Mary Berry in my opinion, and Paul is fine as always.

I think the problem is that the talent level of the contestants seems markedly less than previous seasons--and this is true of ALL the seasons with the new crew. I don't know if the producers are favoring personality over talent, but I haven't seen nearly as many good bakes in these later seasons than in earlier ones. It could also be that they are rushing the contestants more than they used to. It seems that the contestants are given JUST enough time if they do everything perfectly and there are absolutely no errors or delays. I know that ups the drama, but it ruins the bakes.

[quota]I am mesmerized by Mark's hair.

Me too—I'd kill to have hair that thick.

[quota]I am mesmerized by Mark's hair.

Me too—I'd kill to have hair that thick.

I just can't stand Sandi's accent. Even the queen would think it's trying too hard. I do feel a little bad because I know she developed it due to bullying, but then again she's also quite snobbish with it.

I like the show a lot, but I always find myself looking at the two hosts (old hosts and current hosts) as they stand off to the side like two mannequins while Paul and Prue taste the baked items at the Judging table. They just look so awkward, silently waiting waiting waiting and looking on. It's the same when the judges go to each bench and Noel or Matt tags along - sometimes throwing out a quip but sometimes just looming mindlessly. Do they HAVE to be on camera during judging? Loomers!

R586 That observation about the timing of each challenge is a good one. That’s also why I never watched cooking competitions before this one. They often overplay the tension and drama of timing (“when we return from five commercials...disaster strikes as Myra’s spun sugar tower threatens to collapse...”). I do wonder how strict they can be when it almost always seems that contestants on this show are ready on time.

One of them, Laura, seems messier than the others. Sometimes they show the floor of the tend when the bakers are putting things in the ovens and proofing drawers, and it looks pretty gross. I wonder if they have a lot of production assistants who have to scrub down that tent.

Has anyone read Prue's autobiography?! Apparently she was a big whore when young, she carried on a 13 year affair with a married man who helped raise her as a child. He eventually left his wife for her.

R592 See I knew there was something special about her, something we relate to.

Somehow I don't think a 13 year affair qualifies one as a whore.

A loose woman perhaps, but hardly a whore.

Well until this week she was a member of the Conservative party, so we know she's a cunt.

[quote]I wonder if they have a lot of production assistants who have to scrub down that tent.

They do. There's been a couple of times where contestants mention now having to clean up after themselves.

[quote] Noel's hints about an eating disorder have officially gone from bad jokes to cries for help.

Wait, what? I heard what he said this week about not liking most food, and how he'd rather look than put most things in his mouth, but I didn't notice any similar comments before. Very strange that he's been hired for a cooking competition, then.

I was happy about the upside-down pineapple cake. I thought it turned out really cute and was glad that they thought it tasted good, too.

There was frautrage when he was first hired and said he wasn't going to be eating any of the food on the show. It was like the world was coming to an end.

[quote]Well until this week she was a member of the Conservative party, so we know she's a cunt.

First, Prue loved Brexit. Then she tried to both-sides her way out of it when she got a taste of backlash. It wasn't until it affected her directly, in the form of chlorinated chickens, that she finally had a change of heart.

And who could forget her hand-wringing and pleas for kindness and understanding when Dominic Cummings decided to go on two 250-mile road trips during lockdown, flitting from COVID-infected person to COVID-infected person.

Yup, she's a cunt.

[quote]he'd rather look than put most things in his mouth

Is strange, no? I put everything in mouth.

I am in shock to learn all this about Prue.