S11.E03: Bread Week

[blueray]

25 minutes ago, dleighg said:

I think they mentioned exactly one butter (might have been Hermine's). Yeah that was really just to give them something to do.

It was because she put alcohol in, which made it remember-able (which I can't spell lol).  

Edited October 10, 2020 by blueray

[krankydoodle]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned how Noel couldn't resist saying "Those boots were made for walking" to Rowan after making the announcement that he was leaving, with the camera then panning down to show Rowan's boots. I sometimes found him irritating, but it's to his credit that Rowan could take a playful comment like that in stride, so to speak, even though he must've been really disappointed after having just squeaked by last week.

[theatremouse]

On 10/7/2020 at 10:57 AM, ShortyMac said:

I think she might be my favorite baker in the history of the show. I love her vibe, and personality.

That exchange about the blueberries might be my favourite conversation that has ever happened on this show. Watching that was like seeing Who's On First for the first time ever.

I didn't think the boot comment was after the elimination? I thought Noel noticed they were both wearing boots during the challenge?

My recollection is rainbow bagels showed up in about 2016, were A Thing for about a year, and then nobody ever thought about them ever again.

[AZChristian]

6 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

Dave sort of, kind of looks like he could be a cousin of actor Mark Ruffalo...at least to me. 

I see a resemblance to Benedict Cumberbatch in some of his more intense roles - like Dr. Strange.

[dleighg]

2 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

Benedict Cumberbatch

yeah I can see that!

[emmawoodhouse]

58 minutes ago, theatremouse said:

I didn't think the boot comment was after the elimination? I thought Noel noticed they were both wearing boots during the challenge?

Noel mentioned the boots twice, once during the challenge and again at elimination. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

On 10/9/2020 at 5:38 AM, dleighg said:

At the beginning of the pandemic our bagel shop was closed so I went to the trouble to make them. It was kind of fun, but yeah, if you can get them at a good shop, why bother. I liked the comment by the blond woman about making butter: "Who does that?" I thought they were just going to have to make a flavored butter. Not actually MAKE butter LOL.

 

23 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

Early in the pandemic, I got a big container of heavy whipping cream even though I had only ordered a small one.  I knew I wasn't going to use all of it in heavy cream form so I decided to just go ahead and make butter using my food processor and a nut milk bag.  I added some rosemary to it and I loved the end result. So who does that?  This gal did.  And if I ever have leftover heavy whipping cream, I'll do it again.

Just about everyone I know made fresh butter from whipping cream at some point during elementary school (usually for Thanksgiving). When my class did it, the teachers asked the parents to save baby food jars and then we each shook a jar full of heavy whipping cream until we had a little jar of butter. Of course, me being the butterfingers that I am, I was shaking my little heart out and the glass jar slipped out of my hand and hit the floor so there were shards of glass, bits of butter, and whipping cream all over the place.

On 10/7/2020 at 1:01 AM, Danny Franks said:

Loved Matt's question - "how much flavour do breads really need?" and Paul's reaction. He's got a point, though.

 

23 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

That was a good moment but I'm on Paul's side.  Bread should have favor.  There's nothing worse than having something labeled as a "cherry almond brioche" and not being able to taste the cherries, the almonds or even the butter of the brioche.

I get what Matt was saying in theory since well made bread tastes like, you know, bread. But the problem is that it takes salt and yeast and other stuff to achieve that. Flavorless bread is always super disappointing, doubly so when it's supposed to have some kind of added ingredient like cherries and you can see them but you can't taste them at all.

[rejnel]

That opening was in bad taste, IMHO.

[EyewatchTV211]

9 hours ago, Pepper Mostly said:

??? I often eat them untoasted, especially if I get them hot from the bagel bakery. 

 

As someone who grew up in NJ with amazing bagels who now lives in Virginia and has struggled to find good bagels, I understand both sides. Truly good bagels taste amazing whether or not they are toasted. Bad bagels are inedible untoasted, and the toasting helps a little (plus something on it like cream cheese). I've encountered some people who have never had a good bagel who don't understand why anyone can like bagels. 

I tried to buy ingredients to make my own NJ-style bagels early on during the pandemic since my mom could no longer bring me actual NJ bagels to keep in my freezer (she still works in NJ and lives in PA). Unfortunately, I only managed to get some of the ingredients while others were sold out. I didn't know ahead of time because the store only notified me of what they were out of when I picked up the food. I have since found one decent bagel place that isn't too far away. So now I have a few ingredients that I haven't been able to use for anything else.

To get back to the show - I agree with those that say the bright colors make the bagels look unappetizing. 

Not sure if anyone else caught it, but I think I saw one of the bakers blowing on their bread during the first challenge to help cool it off. Even though we know none of the bakers had Covid, that was gross for me to see right now. Though admittedly, it wasn't a great thing during pre-Covid times. 

[Clanstarling]

On 10/10/2020 at 7:29 AM, Sharpie66 said:

You can freeze heavy cream in ice cube trays.

I've done that with other leftovers - juice with zest in it, leftover tomato paste, etc. Never did it with milk products though. Interesting idea.

17 hours ago, Gwendolyn said:

I even like Rowan this week, despite his being so over the top, but you could tell he didn't care if he won or lost. He'll go on baking, gardening, antiquing in Worchestershire (I can't tell if I spelled it right or not, I did my year abroad in Norwich, Norfolk which is much easier to spell) and be has happy as can be. Though his final bake looked the best, he didn't get the bake right on top of being dead last in the technical and the gritty soda bread in the signature. If he'd come back it would have screamed production interference

 

I've learned how to spell Worcestershire because of the sauce. 😆

[AZChristian]

24 minutes ago, Clanstarling said:

I've learned how to spell Worcestershire because of the sauce. 😆

Just for you . . . .

[Quilt Fairy]

13 hours ago, rejnel said:

That opening was in bad taste, IMHO.

I don't know about bad taste, but it certainly wasn't funny in the least.  And while I'm trying to give Matt a chance, there wasn't a single thing he said this episode, not a single interaction, that I thought was funny.   Noel is doing all the heavy lifting, Matt seems quite superfluous at this point. 

So are harvest plaques a "thing" in the UK.?  

[dleighg]

8 minutes ago, Quilt Fairy said:

So are harvest plaques a "thing" in the UK.?

For awhile I was wondering if it was a different word for "horn of plenty" or "cornucopia" as it's the right time of year for that. 

[Deskisamess]

16 hours ago, rejnel said:

That opening was in bad taste, IMHO.

How so? I just rewatched the opening bit, to see if I had missed something. It was a tad weird maybe, but I didn't see anything in bad taste or offensive.

Edited October 11, 2020 by Deskisamess
To clarify my comment

[sharifa70]

18 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Just about everyone I know made fresh butter from whipping cream at some point during elementary school (usually for Thanksgiving).

Me too, right down to the baby food jars! I was almost hoping to see them making their butter the same way.

[Ellaria]

6 hours ago, Quilt Fairy said:

And while I'm trying to give Matt a chance, there wasn't a single thing he said this episode, not a single interaction, that I thought was funny.   Noel is doing all the heavy lifting, Matt seems quite superfluous at this point. 

I'm not enjoying Matt at all. Not sure if he is trying too hard or if he doesn't fit the vibe of the show. It is affecting my appreciation for Noel, perhaps because he is doing the heavy lifting. 

Overall, I like these contestants. Bread Week is always my favorite and this episode didn't disappoint. 

[BusyOctober]

Like most people on the planet (okay maybe the Northeast region), I love a fresh hot from the oven NY a style bagel.  The rainbow ones have been around my neck of the woods for years, but I think they look unappealing.  Onion, Everything, Egg, Sesame...yes!  Absurd colors (and chocolate chips and raisins) are a big NO a for me.  I found a bagel recipe during quarantine days and I made them a few times.  They weren’t that difficult to make, and adding the barley malt to the water bath really helped them brown and get that distinctive chewy outer crust.  Only problem is they were best eaten same day.  After a day or two they lost their texture and had to be toasted.

Anyway, Lotte and Mark (star baker) are my favorites so far.  Gotta say, I wasn’t really impressed or tantalized by most of the breads this week.  I HATE soda bread.  The idea of sausage or salmon chopped into it is so much worse.  Rainbow bagels were hideous.  As for the show stopper, meh. It was more “style over substance” IMO.  I can appreciate the artistry of the plaiting and designs of some of the bakers, but besides that, meh.   I guess my bias comes from my undying admiration for Paul Jagger’s legendary “Lion” bread sculpture. THAT a was impressive and looked like something I would want to eat.
 

[PBnJay]

On 10/10/2020 at 9:22 PM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Just about everyone I know made fresh butter from whipping cream at some point during elementary school (usually for Thanksgiving). When my class did it, the teachers asked the parents to save baby food jars and then we each shook a jar full of heavy whipping cream until we had a little jar of butter.

I didn't know one could do this and make butter! Now I want to try it. I've also never had a real fresh bagel so now I wish I could have one of those, too. Just not a Bagel of Many Colors. 

I have frozen milk before and it separated and was useless when thawed. Maybe heavy cream is different than regular milk for freezing.

[iMonrey]

Quote

I'm not enjoying Matt at all. Not sure if he is trying too hard or if he doesn't fit the vibe of the show. 

I think he's doing OK at being quiet and understated. He's not as in your face as he might be. I'm not quite sure how I feel about the fact that he keeps calling Noel "Uncle Noel" in these opening skits, though. It's like he's playing the part of a giant child, and I get the feeling that's basically his stock in trade. That's going to get old real fast.

[skipnjump]

59 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

I think he's doing OK at being quiet and understated. He's not as in your face as he might be. I'm not quite sure how I feel about the fact that he keeps calling Noel "Uncle Noel" in these opening skits, though. It's like he's playing the part of a giant child, and I get the feeling that's basically his stock in trade. That's going to get old real fast.

my question is, "why do we even need an opening skit?"  The early seasons of the show didn't have one.  The bread plaques weren't bad, but it seemed to me to be something you would see on Pinterest.  that being said, I am liking this season much better out of the seasons since the switch

[joanne3482]

21 minutes ago, skipnjump said:

my question is, "why do we even need an opening skit?"  The early seasons of the show didn't have one. 

I know they won't come back, but I always liked the little bit of history they would provide during the opening and midway through. 

[Yokosmom]

I don't think that Matt and Noel work all that well together and agree that their skits are labored.  However, I do think that Matt works well with the contestants.  I'm not super impressed with the skills shown so far by the contestants, but they are in an extremely weird situation and have much less time to practice their bakes.

I'm inspired to try out making some soda bread now, so that's something.  I love salmon and would have loved to try Hermine's soda bread.

[leighdear]

For me, Matt is a less attractive "Wallace" from "Wallace & Gromit".   His insistence on injecting too-personal sexual humor is so tired and inappropriate.  It's not the flirty-type of Noel, it's just creepy.  Yes, we GET IT, you're gay, and it's fine.  Move on!  

Lottie rounds out my top 3 fave bakers with Kim Joy and Ruby.  All 3 just inspiring ladies, a bit quirky and a delight to watch.  

Rowan was a sweetie, but a competition was just not for him.  

[Deskisamess]

4 hours ago, PBnJay said:

 

I have frozen milk before and it separated and was useless when thawed. Maybe heavy cream is different than regular milk for freezing.

You have to let it thaw completely, in the fridge, then shake it to mix it back up. It's fine for baking. Years ago, my dad took a yearly fishing trip to Canada, and they didn't have easy access to a grocery store. They froze milk in half gallon containers, and used them in the coolers for the trip up there, then let them thaw in the fridges at the camp, and used it for their cooking. Whole fat milk probably freezes better than lower fat versions.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

4 hours ago, PBnJay said:

I didn't know one could do this and make butter! Now I want to try it.

It's super easy! Just be prepared to shake that jar like there's no tomorrow! If you're not feeling up to that, you can also use a stand mixer, a hand mixer, or a blender.

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

It's super easy! Just be prepared to shake that jar like there's no tomorrow! If you're not feeling up to that, you can also use a stand mixer, a hand mixer, or a blender.

You can also use a food processor with the metal blade.  I know it sounds counter-intuitive because the blade is supposed to cut things up into little pieces but it whips heavy whipping cream into whipped cream much faster than even a hand mixer. So much so that I have to watch it and I lament ever using anything else.  Keep it going and it passes over to butter. 

2 hours ago, Yokosmom said:

However, I do think that Matt works well with the contestants. 

I agree.  This is the most I've ever liked Matt in anything.  That's not exactly a high bar for him to clear but I do think he seems quite natural with the contestants.  I also get more of a sense that he cares/is invested in their success in a way I don't quite get from Noel.  That's not to say I think he hopes they fail but rather he's a bit detached. 

[chaifan]

If this were the first episode, or my first time seeing Matt on the show, I think I'd agree with the posts above that aren't crazy about him.  I'm not sure if it was actually Matt, or the editing, or what, but I didn't enjoy him at all this episode.  But I really liked him in the first 2 episodes, and I had no idea who he was before this.  He just had no spark this episode.

I'll admit - I find bread week boring.  It's almost always my least favorite episode of each season.  This was pretty much par for the course with me.  With the exception of the incredibly funny blueberry tete a tete, it was a ho hum episode for me.

 

[Clanstarling]

22 hours ago, BusyOctober said:

I guess my bias comes from my undying admiration for Paul Jagger’s legendary “Lion” bread sculpture. THAT a was impressive and looked like something I would want to eat.

To be fair, that's an incredibly high bar. But yeah, I'm always a little disappointed when the bakers don't come close to that amazing masterpiece.

[Danny Franks]

20 hours ago, Yokosmom said:

I don't think that Matt and Noel work all that well together and agree that their skits are labored.  However, I do think that Matt works well with the contestants.  I'm not super impressed with the skills shown so far by the contestants, but they are in an extremely weird situation and have much less time to practice their bakes.

I'm inspired to try out making some soda bread now, so that's something.  I love salmon and would have loved to try Hermine's soda bread.

I think they're too comfortable with one another, and would happily riff all day to the exclusion of everyone else. Which is a problem, because that can become obnoxious and annoying.

I think Matt's little asides and comments are fine - stuff like "call yourself a gay man?" to the overtly macho Paul, who had just proudly announced he'd never seen a musical on stage, and his chats with the bakers - but the prepared stuff, like the sketches and the 'get ready, bake' bits are falling very flat. Then again, they always did with previous hosts too.

Honestly, the perfect host duo would be Noel and Sue, as two very different personality types who have different senses of humour but probably have a lot of respect one another's comedic abilities.

[janie jones]

I agree that Matt is better one-on-one with the bakers than he is in the bits. The bits aren't funny, but they're way funnier than the millionth joke about Sandi being short, so I'll take them.

[Rickster]

1 hour ago, janie jones said:

I agree that Matt is better one-on-one with the bakers than he is in the bits. The bits aren't funny, but they're way funnier than the millionth joke about Sandi being short, so I'll take them.

With all the complaints about Matt, I find the chemistry on the show a million times better than when Sandi was there. I just found her interactions with especially Noel very awkward.

I would agree that Matt and Noel are a little too chummy at times.

[Rammchick]

2 hours ago, Rickster said:

With all the complaints about Matt, I find the chemistry on the show a million times better than when Sandi was there. I just found her interactions with especially Noel very awkward.

I would agree that Matt and Noel are a little too chummy at times.

Clearly it's going to take a little while before he finds his rhythm on the show.  I enjoyed Sandi and I'm enjoying Matt, mostly because I liked him in things before this.  

[kay1864]

 In earlier seasons, it took me a while to realize that signature and technical run on Saturday, and showstopper was on Sunday. So I guess they get five nights of practicing 1 and 3 at home.

But didn’t they say for this season they would be sequestered for seven weeks?  So if you send home 9 bakers, plus the final, 10 episodes, that would mean a five day cycle, right?  Three days of practice, then two days of tent baking.

 Also, is everyone taking (or at least planning to take) a seven week holiday? I can’t imagine they’re still doing their jobs  remotely for three days out of five.

Edited October 13, 2020 by kay1864

[marinite]

On 10/9/2020 at 1:41 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Rowan's bread sculpture was visually appealing so I was disappointed that the judges said it didn't taste great.

Normally when I watch this show, I crave whatever the bakers make but I didn't have an urge for anything I saw until the showstopper. Watching that made me really want some focaccia!

Like many breads, homemade ones are the best I think. I’ve never liked store-bought focaccia (too oily) or ciabatta (no flavor, too floury). We made them in culinary school and they were magnificent!

Generally I really loved the way the rainbow bagels looked. I missed the day in school where we made bagels but might try these someday.

[marinite]

On 10/9/2020 at 10:33 PM, Nordly Beaumont said:

I had to watch the part where Marc's concoction exploded all over his face and workplace about three times before I could move on! I loved when Noel came over and just laughed. He couldn't even come up with a line, could only laugh!

I had to watch that a second time too, it really had me laughing. "I'll put in less... mooore? NONE!"

Noel looked smokin' in that outfit, and I generally don't like leather of any kind!

I love Hermine's voice/accent.

The blueberry exchange was fun. At first I didn’t take the Lottie but I really like her on rewatches.

Loreia’s admitted mishmash accent was interesting but I like Hermine’s too, along with her demeanor and attitude. Actually, I like them all, as usual. Loving Matt’s easy friendliness with the contestants.

Mmmm, soda bread! So quick and satisfying! I love all the crunchiness on the outside.

 

On 10/9/2020 at 11:02 PM, Irlandesa said:

 

Early in the pandemic, I got a big container of heavy whipping cream even though I had only ordered a small one.  I knew I wasn't going to use all of it in heavy cream form so I decided to just go ahead and make butter using my food processor and a nut milk bag.  I added some rosemary to it and I loved the end result. So who does that?  This gal did.  And if I ever have leftover heavy whipping cream, I'll do it again.

Another recipe you can try, if you like it, is making clotted cream. I’ve never had the bravery to do it, but maybe someday.

 

On 10/10/2020 at 4:56 PM, Gwendolyn said:

 

Like most people I tried baking bread at the beginning of the pandemic on these shores and the second proof was always my undoing. I'm better at cakes, cookies, and pies.

 

I’ve made a no-knead sourdough before that came out nicely. Lots of recipes out there. I would give that one a try if you’re interested since it’s a bit simpler.

Man, I live for bread!

I am so thankful they were able to figure out how to bring the show around this year. I really needed it.

[AZChristian]

14 minutes ago, marinite said:

Another recipe you can try, if you like it, is making clotted cream. I’ve never had the bravery to do it, but maybe someday.

If you need someone to be a taste-tester, call me.  I LOVE clotted cream on scones!!!!

[Mabinogia]

20 hours ago, marinite said:

I’ve made a no-knead sourdough before that came out nicely. Lots of recipes out there. I would give that one a try if you’re interested since it’s a bit simpler.

I live for sourdough, so thanks, I'm going to find a recipe and give that one a try. 

I've always enjoyed bread week because I enjoy bread, but nothing will ever come close to Prison Paul's lion. That thing was magnificent. 

I would have been happy to sample all the breads this ep. Bread! *makes heart eyes*

[jpgr]

On 10/13/2020 at 5:58 PM, marinite said:

Loreia’s admitted mishmash accent was interesting but I like Hermine’s too, along with her demeanor and attitude. Actually, I like them all, as usual. Loving Matt’s easy friendliness with the contestants.

 

Another recipe you can try, if you like it, is making clotted cream. I’ve never had the bravery to do it, but maybe someday.

 

I am so thankful they were able to figure out how to bring the show around this year. I really needed it.

I have a really hard time understanding Hermine sometimes. I find myself rewinding and re-listening a lot.

Tanya Ott (from the last season of the Great American Baking Show) posted a recipe for Clotted Cream here.

Like others, I wasn't sure at first about Lottie but I really like her. This show is saving my sanity at this point.

[Brookside]

On 10/7/2020 at 1:01 AM, Danny Franks said:

How has Paul Hollywood never been to a West End show? I'm no musical theatre fan and I've been to three. I guess he's playing up his 'gruff, straight, working class man' credentials.

I can believe Hollywood has never been to a West End show.  I'm sure my parents (also Northerners) never saw one, and the only one I've been to was Billy Elliot.

 

On 10/7/2020 at 1:21 PM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I laughed when Paul said that rainbows are totally an NHS thing now because I'm pretty sure the LGBTQ+ community might have something to say about that. I'm all for rainbows though so I didn't mind this challenge, but I did think the NHS connection was a bit tenuous. The episode description made it sound different (just because you're making something with colors doesn't mean you're honoring NHS).

I liked that they were doing a more on trend recipe for the technical because often Paul is either totally clueless or he just acts totally clueless about trends in the food industry. As was mentioned last week, he and Prue seemed not to know what ruby chocolate was when a baker used it on the show in a previous season and he's done the same about really popular flavors like matcha and yuzu in the past. I'm not in the food industry and I've seen stuff like ruby chocolate, matcha, and yuzu everywhere so it seems ludicrous that someone who is a food professional hasn't heard of these things before.

 

A lot of houses in the UK have been sporting rainbow flags in support of the NHS.

Not all flavours/ingredients are common in all countries.  An American food professional (on Chopped maybe) recently referred to Spotted Dick as a savoury dish - it's a pudding.

 

On 10/9/2020 at 6:52 PM, Johnny Dollar said:

And Paul’s bagels looked much to puffy and roll-like for my taste.

 

I agree Paul's bagels were too fluffy looking, and the way he sliced it directly towards his palm was horrifying.  (There are many many visits to the ER because of bagel slicing accidents.)

Edited October 15, 2020 by Brookside

[Clanstarling]

5 hours ago, Brookside said:

I agree Paul's bagels were too fluffy looking, and the way he sliced it directly towards his palm was horrifying.  (There are many many visits to the ER because of bagel slicing accidents.)

That is always startling, though it does seem to be the natural inclination, as risky as it may be. My European mom and her sisters used to slice bread (German black bread with hard crusts), holding them against their chests and slicing toward their bodies. I was always anxious when I saw that.

[sharifa70]

3 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

That is always startling, though it does seem to be the natural inclination, as risky as it may be. My European mom and her sisters used to slice bread (German black bread with hard crusts), holding them against their chests and slicing toward their bodies. I was always anxious when I saw that.

I slice bagels and boiled eggs toward my palm (the eggs are usually actually in my hand). Until y’all just mentioned it, the danger has never occurred to me - that’s just how I’ve always done it. Strangely enough, I’ve never cut myself that way. I didn’t even notice how Paul did it - that’s how normal it is.

[akr]

On 10/10/2020 at 2:24 PM, blueray said:

It was because she put alcohol in, which made it remember-able (which I can't spell lol).  

Hermine didn't put alcohol in her butter (at least not that they mentioned)- she soaked the fruit for her sweet bread in orange liqueur for several weeks. (Linda also soaked her fruit for several weeks, in brandy). Mark put a little stout in one of his butters, though, & they did mention they liked his butter.

The butter I found memorable was the one with black garlic - which turned out to be Hermine's! (to go with the salmon bread. They didn't mention what she put in her butter for the sweet bread, just showed her tossing salt over her shoulder after she shaped it into a four-leafed clover). I really like black garlic but haven't mixed it with butter, so it stuck with me. Others, since I went back to check (they all made two separate butters but described few of them): Lottie - rosemary; Linda - Mak's honey since he never got to showcase it; Laura - orange zest (she mentioned it wouldn't go through the piping bag cleanly); Rowan - olives. Lots of them had herbs, and several were dark or mustardy in color.

[marinite]

13 hours ago, jpgr said:

 

Tanya Ott (from the last season of the Great American Baking Show) posted a recipe for Clotted Cream here.

Like others, I wasn't sure at first about Lottie but I really like her. This show is saving my sanity at this point.

Thanks for the recipe! The concerns that I had had on previous ones were the setting out overnight at room temp, which I thought was weird. I like that they give an Instant pot recipe.

This show saves my sanity as well. That is why I keep re-watching all the collections on Netflix.

[blueray]

4 hours ago, akr said:

Hermine didn't put alcohol in her butter (at least not that they mentioned)- she soaked the fruit for her sweet bread in orange liqueur for several weeks. (Linda also soaked her fruit for several weeks, in brandy). Mark put a little stout in one of his butters, though, & they did mention they liked his butter.

 

Oh, I must have misunderstood. But at least she put it in something lol. 

Edited October 15, 2020 by blueray

[Crs97]

I love how Paul reacts to Matt, especially the look when Matt wouldn't stop asking questions about Dave's house or when Matt scoffed that Paul hadn't seen a West End musical (and how sweet that Noel asked Laura about seeing Matt in Les Mis and they got to be fans for a moment).  His question about bread flavor was perfect.  You can tell that Matt knows exactly what buttons to push with him until he gets the look and sometimes laughter.  I like that dynamic.

Rowan was a sweetheart who was just enjoying his time baking without a care in the world about the competition.  He wasn't going to cry if something went wrong, just giggle about it and move on.  It was his time to go, but I found him delightful.

Peter's lines about apprentice/master and about GBBO being on for over half his life were hilarious.

The breads themselves didn't satisfy, but this episode did.

[bethy]

On 10/12/2020 at 3:06 PM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

It's super easy! Just be prepared to shake that jar like there's no tomorrow! If you're not feeling up to that, you can also use a stand mixer, a hand mixer, or a blender.

Back in the day, on a  road trip from Austin, TX to Santa Fe, NM, my younger brother and I got cream containers at a convenience store when we stopped for gas not far outside of Austin. Determined to make butter, the two of us shook those little containers, pretty much non-stop, from Austin to Lubbock (about 8 hours). When we stopped for the night, excitedly and expectantly we pulled back the tabs of the little plastic pods to reveal .... powdered creamer. 

When we told my dad, after he'd finished wiping his eyes from laughing so hard, he said, "Well. It kept y’all occupied." 

Edited October 17, 2020 by bethy

[sharifa70]

14 hours ago, bethy said:

Back in the day, on a  road trip from Austin, TX to Santa Fe, NM, my younger brother and I got cream containers at a convenience store when we stopped for gas not far outside of Austin. Determined to make butter, the two of us shook those little containers, pretty much non-stop, from Austin to Lubbock (about 8 hours). When we stopped for the night, excitedly and expectantly we pulled back the tabs of the little plastic pods to reveal .... powdered creamer. 

When we told my dad, after he'd finished wiping his eyes from laughing so hard, he said, "Well. It kept y’all occupied." 

Ok, this literally made me laugh into a coughing fit and I think I stopped breathing for a second. I’m still wheezing. Thanks for that!

[bethy]

1 hour ago, sharifa70 said:

Ok, this literally made me laugh into a coughing fit and I think I stopped breathing for a second. I’m still wheezing. Thanks for that!

You’re welcome! And maybe also sorry about that. 😬

[snarktini]

On 10/13/2020 at 3:26 PM, kay1864 said:

 In earlier seasons, it took me a while to realize that signature and technical run on Saturday, and showstopper was on Sunday. So I guess they get five nights of practicing 1 and 3 at home.

But didn’t they say for this season they would be sequestered for seven weeks?  So if you send home 9 bakers, plus the final, 10 episodes, that would mean a five day cycle, right?  Three days of practice, then two days of tent baking.

 Also, is everyone taking (or at least planning to take) a seven week holiday? I can’t imagine they’re still doing their jobs  remotely for three days out of five.

I want to know how this works, too! In olden years they could practice and submit their ingredients weekly -- did they need to know the whole season's worth of recipes in advance this time? Do they have access to the kitchens on down days? With all the gimmicky challenges they need MORE time to practice, not less.

Ugh, rainbow bagels look gross. The bread plaques were somewhat better than the previous arts & crafts challenges but still, not a great challenge or showing. Never thought I'd be so grateful to see a plain ol' soda bread challenge!

I've liked Matt a lot in his acting roles so I want to give him some space to settle in. Mel & Sue were much more awkward in the beginning so maybe there's hope.

[Aulty]

27 minutes ago, snarktini said:

I want to know how this works, too! In olden years they could practice and submit their ingredients weekly -- did they need to know the whole season's worth of recipes in advance this time? Do they have access to the kitchens on down days? With all the gimmicky challenges they need MORE time to practice, not less.

Bringing over this link from @AZChristian in the media thread, which describes how they filmed this series. They work on a 2 days on, 2 days off schedule. 2 Days of shooting (Day 1: Signature + Technical, Day 2: Showstopper) followed by 2 days off where each baker has access to a kitchen.

I wouldn't be surprised if Love Production stuck to that format post-Covid if its cheaper for them.

Edited October 20, 2020 by Aulty