Myriad

Larissa: two failed pana cottas and the trophy. Weeee! Tessa was always a bit too serious, but that I understood when she came in with her two feet heavily planted on the ground at the beginning of the season. Like she was not there to only win, but mostly to right a wrong. What's a superlative for "terrible"? Abysmal? Godawful? Woeful? Abominable? All of these answers? When years later forgiveness hasn't yet come having chosen this ~winner~, it's telling how deep the wound was. Ah, Georgia, Tear Manufacturer Supreme, follower of the all mighty Breakdown Meltdown Crushdown. Wonder how she's doing nowadays, when pandemic/quarantine has everybody getting more teary than usual. Good thing the toilet paper craze hasn't extended to kleenex boxes yet. But Georgia, I have once been very, very impressed by her. Which never happened with Emma, not even almost. Remember that how-can-anyone-forget white chocolate velouté by that John guy? Georgia being last and working miracles to save that mess and present a correct and finished dish was quite the feat. When she crunched down at the end, totally exhausted mentally and psychologically, I was right there with here, sending her back rubs and words of congratulations months after she had actually accomplished that. How come she didn't fail under that thick pressure that time, but would always have her "I can't! Boohoohoo me!" moments in a team environment where she was not all by herself? Maybe being alone is her secret life vest. Maybe she can push herself further when there's no one but her to count on.

*quietly opens door* She gone? Can a blue crab pinch me or...? Oh, it's true? 🤩 HA! Hahahahahaha! Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-hahahahahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahahahahaha! Ahee! Ahee! Haaaaaaaaa! Heeeeeee! Hahahahahahahaha! *wipes forehead* Sorry for such a wordy and heartfelt post. I'm so devastated. 🤥

Ah, thank you for the precision, Athena.

Oh... First, I've been so behind all season, with the pandemic and quarantine bringing about all sorts of unforeseen circumstances, that I've watched this episode just yesterday and needed a bit of time to recollect. Second, I was left very, very sad after watching. 🥺 I'd like to honour the great Khan, even though he doesn't seem to have gathered a big fan base. This guy is the real stuff. His core self is the real stuff. The stuff we don't encounter all that often in a whole lifespan. Do you remember that time in his season when he won a challenge over a chef upon choosing Vegemite over peanut butter? And how he went all out creating a stupendous multi-dish meal with half of Poh's drama and twice the delivery? That's when he got me. That's the episode of all of MasterChef's seasons that I can't get tired of watching. This little amateur cook pitted against an experienced restaurateur shoveled down the drain through sheer clear logical thinking. "He's not from Australia, he's not gonna know Vegemite that well. He's gonna know peanut butter, though. Vegemite it is, then!" And bang. Khan isn't from Australia either, mind you. But he has a brain that's something else than a grayish serpent-like mass sitting under his skull. I was all about my boy Callum when the lineup was first announced. But this person called Khan rightly distracted me, and rooting for him just happened as it should have. Fake drama? Never. Honesty? There on the plate with his food, no matter whether he was proud of it or not. Hardworking? Positive? Dynamic? Enthusiastic? Knowledgeable? Humble? Tick, tick, and tick. And look carefully at the opening scene, he brightens the place with his sheer happiness, true laughter. Even if the season has been somewhat disappointing on my side, I would sometimes tune in just to take in Khan's happiness, to the point of wishing he would end up in the elimination challenge just to get some of his contagious joy of cooking. I'm just a naturally happy gal. Happy people make me happy. Brilliant people give me joy. I was very sad that he went, he deserved to go further much, but I'm glad I got to know him, twice, and will never forget that big huge smile and joy of living that have brightened many nights of a lonely quarantine. 🙂

Yes, Indian cooking doesn't care about pastel colours on the taste buds. Like the decorations and clothes of the country, it's flashy, it's in your face, it's lively. It was rigged, so I don't need to yell through a tasteless keyboard that when presented with this kind of cuisine, the taster should proceed with caution when it comes to the sauces, just like one gives a taste before adding condiments in any other cuisine. I'd like to say that Jock only put too much sauce on his taco, but being honest might have caused him his position. Never have I seen Melissa say contrary to Jock. She'll go against Andy's opinion, as she did in this occasion, but not against Jock's. Even when she's the first to voice her judgement, you can tell through what Jock says afterwards that some editing out has happened, but she knows where he stands and she follows suit. It's just a little thing I've noticed.

Tiptoeing without reading any posts since I'm behind, but I've just watched the latest of Bon Appétit on YouTube and was screaming for MasterChef to take notes. Three cooks were tasked to cook carbonara: first one the traditional way; second one a modern way; third, experimental. Well, that third one just whipped up a frigging dessert out of all the usual ingredients involved in the carbonara dish. It involves ice cream, but let's just be tolerant for this once, because it's one of those times. Imagine something like this instead of the now "don't I have housework to do"-inducing replication of "my oh so spectacular dish that's there just for the bells and whistles" during some eliminations?

It has begun, yay! Heading in with Gordon was good marketing (and when he appeared, I did not swallow my tongue in girly-fan surprise, what a ridiculous thought). Bring the crowd in immediately, plus use him as a transfer sheet to present the new judges, since many heads in said crowd have declared not wanting to watch the show without the original trio. No auditions, and also no going through multiple episodes figuring out who's who. Yeah, thanks, show, for once you're not peppering us with a shower of look-alike blonds; the only season it wouldn't have been an additional suffering puzzle. We need a few villains. This one comes for free as we don't have to cross dangerous rivers to find her. But yeah, why oh WHYYYY? I thought she was very popular among the fans and that my "Ugh, no no no no no" internal reaction upon seeing her face would be an isolated one. Well, hello friends of not friends of Poh! Poh: Villain number 2. Or might be number 1 since she's bound to have more screen time than Rooooose. Lady! I should say "get out of my head" but... No, stay there! We'll have fun telepathying (this exists as of now, quarantine is free time to do whatever) over eye candies. First, yes, rooting for my boy Callum is a given, then the Fantastic Khanh, then of course Get-Lost-Emma-Should-Have-Been-Lynton, my teddy bear Simon... slight feeling of guilt in the absence of a favourite lady. There could be Courtney and Laura, but they've matured so much that I don't recognize their vibrations. Emelia? 50's Sarah? Check back in a few episodes? Clearly, the dishes will be something else since they're all pros now. Can you all see that poor ice cream disappearing down the road in front of us, sadly melting under her baluchon? Can't say we hardly knew you, Ice Cream.

Guys! I'M SO EXCITED! That our show is on the eve of a new season is the best news amidst this chaotic time. And my boy Callum has grown into quite a piece of man. Rooting for him from the get go, yes indeed. Mwah! I hope everybody is well, and well protected, and I'm excitedly looking forward to share another go at ice cream/parfaits snarks with you all. ^_^

I had begun a rewatch before the finale, but since knowing that Lady of the Failed Pana Cotta has won, I refuse to ever never watch this season again. Maybe @katisha could let us know of the reactions on Facebook, but were I ever on that crappy thing, it would be with a fist in the air. But I'm guessing the talking is more about the judges than the winner. And everybody hating George.

Thank you, Athena. 🙂

You must be my lost sister, because the same thoughts went through my mind, the haircut, the welcome back and the TRUE mentoring. I was beyond myself when I saw his face showing up through the door! But that haircut, Shannon? Doesn't look like you at fucking all. I find myself very excited to see the next season (hello, @PepperMonkey! See you in January for the countdown!) with brand new judges. I'm guessing the producers will take this opportunity to invite all kinds of changes and turn the show around. As long as they stick to the relay challenge, my favourite one, I'm all for a renewal.

Hahaha! I had about the same reaction. "Leave him alone, you frigging control freak too happy to be on camera for no reason at all!"

Just marking my place, as I will follow this show based on the invitation of @TVbitch. Hopefully, many other MasterChef Australia enthusiasts will join!

Will you be the mod? If you know. But thank you for posting the date here, it is appreciated. And the link, maybe?

You're very generous. Half an episode would be enough on my side. 😄

I'll be there, youppi! Provided some kind soul lets me know of the beginning date. And wherever we are in January, @PepperMonkey, I'll be thinking of you just like I did this last January. Five, four, three, two, one month... "THAT'S IT!" Count down has begun! Heee!

Funny you say this. I do have the sane vibe. Same for Nigella. I may be wrong, but to me it's more about them being seen on the show rather than helping the show. I'd add to the list Heston and the one-timer Gordon whose RAW salmon was down in swimming in the ocean even though it was dead, I would so loved to have seen Gordon's face at the sheer idea of a white chocolate velouté. Mmmmm...

Whoever the new judges are - and it's not for me to offer suggestions or judge any others' ones -, they'll be walking in big shoes and all of the audience and new contestants alike will need time to adjust to a new MasterChef style. As I like to say in my everyday life, all things pass. Better to go with the flow, not drown in it.

First disappointing win since that horrid Emma from season 5. While Simon was my favourite because of personality and sheer passion, Tessa was the strongest cook of them all. Now, Lady Pana Cotta who completely screwed up her first one at the beginning of the season and relentlessly kept on making the likes of? I'll soon be aligned with a lot a of you and start believing in conspiracy/favouritism theories. Maybe even the UFO's and the like, something the punk lady dessert chef could very well create in one of her LOOK AT ME!!! inane concoctions. I do wish well to Simon and Tessa in their culinary future. Both have loads of potential, talent, will and character, and I bet they'll never let themselves. go.

Welcome back, PepperMonkey! You've been missed. My opinion only, but it seems like it's easy to mix personality with cooking abilities in this type of show. Guilty as charged myself. This season has a lack of outstanding personalities. I don't mean the ones who get the more talking heads or the more attention, merely the ones who stand out. Like Billie, who was mostly ignored, she stood out for me in her very first pressure test by her calm composure, even if I had no idea that she had the winner vibe. This season, Simon stands out because of his sheer passion and the constant twinkle in his eyes, plus he seems to have no ego at all. Now, take Tessa, probably a more accomplished cook than Simon, who seems dull and lifeless. It's easy for the viewer to root for the one who is more sympathetic to their eyes rather than the one who can cook better. I'm just stating quite the obvious, ain't I? 😛 ETA: @TVbitch I miss Shannon, too. Although it was time he left, he clearly didn't have it in himself last season. I was planning on moving on to the old MC Australia Professionals after this season. But I can sure change my mind and kick a couple of tumbleweeds in your lonely thread. 🙂 I love the British people and their low profile dry humour, yet find that Australians and Canadians have a thing in common, to be warm and outgoing, so that's a reason why I relate so well with this show.

Gaaaah! Me too, like @babs1226, found myself confused by that partner thing from Nicole. Thank you for clearing that up, @katisha

Oh, yes, I've noticed that as well and went to hahahaha! mode. Yet, I was unsure, was he trying to get back at her or merely trying to treat her like a... er... mate, the way he says Tim Bone? I did laugh when he called her mate. Well deserved and well done, like a Simon's pork.

Wow, that was an emotional episode on my side. George nearly tearing up at the beginning, then putting heart like he's never done coaching the contestants. It did bring some questions, though. Gary having sold all of his restaurants, George closing down his most celebrated one. It's none of my business digging up what's going on fir real, but from a different angle, I still wondered if after so many years of hard work amongst their many venues, they opted to enjoy their role on MasterChef, being mentors and teachers instead of restauranteurs - which could have been quite the weight, doing both. Was I the only one getting eyes big like this O_O when Larissa started to call George "mate" non-stop? I sure know a mother of mine who'd have slapped to to the moon. Of course, we don't use "mate" here, but we have few versions of it, that's what I mean. And we don't use those words towards someone who's technically above, such as a chef welcoming you in his kitchen for the very last meal ever. So Larissa lost points to me yesterday with that in-your-face-over-red lipstick (WHAT? I'm an intellectual, hahaha!) and with the mate thing today. <-- Oh, that sounds dirty, sorry. Otherwise, I thought Tessa, from my standpoint, had the toughest challenge. If was pretty brilliant of her to introduce tartar (tahtah, heee! @xchouchoutex) to ease on in (with?) the saltiness of capers, Favourites conspiracies die hard, don't they? I've never really bought into those because it's most like a case of "You don't like MY favourite, so YOU have favourites, yeah, the ones who get on my nerves!" It's hard to tell, and they'll never ever admit to this, so I go with the flow. Well, I'd say Reynold probably was a favourite, but it didn't distract them judges to give what they thought were fair points. And if Emma was ever their favourite... bwuahahahaha! I want a divorce! Isn't that a new thing? Again, I had eyes like this O_O when Larry Mate decided to throw black olive in her sweet thingie. Got rave reviews, went on with parsnips in similar sugary concoction, then, yay! Cucumbers, watatow! Lady. We all know that it's radishes and jalapenos that make the perfect funky sorbet/parfait/ice cream, and whatever ice floor you fancy to dance on. Cucumbers is for when you've just learned that some ingredients taste nothing but what you pair them with. Huuummpfweehee! I gave your post a laugh for that sentence alone. Questionable humour aside... Pfweeheehee! Ahem. Yes, it was... hahahahaha! er... weird. Cucumbers can be so tasteless. (See, I became a lady and stopped... ... laughing. Crumphfeeehahahee).

I admit to have chuckled seeing George practically emptying the oil jug over the dish. Not only the main plate, but in the separated portions as well. Hahaha! But really, tarragon oil sounds like something I need to make before Man lands on Mars.