S15.E03: Bread Week

[dleighg]

Oct 7 2024

Surprised a topic wasn't here yet!

I love Dylan to death, but I think he got star baker purely because Paul had never tasted Gochujang before! I mean, I've got a tub in my fridge and I'm in no way Asian. Paul can be a bit parochial in his taste, can't he? 

I wish Nelly had won star baker. She did great this week.

This is a really talented bunch. I'm amazed at their range of talents. 

[TVbitch]

Even I was shocked at Paul never having heard of Gochujang! I don't even cook and I've heard of it! Dylan seems very humble though and is adorkable with his cats (and dog). This is an exceptionally talented bunch.  

Good golly, GBBO, Australian AND Canadian Bake Off are airing at the same time. I'll never be able to keep everyone straight! 🤪 For those interested, AU Bake Off can be streamed for free at https://southhemitv.com/category/australian-bake-off/

Edited October 12 by TVbitch

[DkNNy79]

1 hour ago, dleighg said:

Oct 7 2024

Surprised a topic wasn't here yet!

I love Dylan to death, but I think he got star baker purely because Paul had never tasted Gochujang before! I mean, I've got a tub in my fridge and I'm in no way Asian. Paul can be a bit parochial in his taste, can't he? 

I wish Nelly had won star baker. She did great this week.

This is a really talented bunch. I'm amazed at their range of talents. 

I agree.  I thought Nelly had it in the bag - she did great on all 3 challenges.

[sharifa70]

I really like this group. The lavender/rosemary bit with Alison and Mike made me laugh, Nelly’s entire (on-screen) personality makes me wish we were besties, Dylan’s humility, Andy’s quips…so far this season feels like it has everything that makes this show my favorite comfort watch. I kind of thought Dylan would get Star Baker but I wouldn’t have cried if it had been Nelly. She had a great week too.

[Quilt Fairy]

This is the first week where I've really put names to faces to personalities.  Great episode, sorry anyone had to leave, but I'm glad it's not Andy. 

[Straycat80]

I love this group of bakers. I was rooting for Nelly for star baker, she’s my favorite. It broke my heart when she got teary eyed for winning the technical and saying she was always told she wasn’t good enough. You definitely are Nelly!

I was happy for Dylan though, he’s so talented and humble. 

[J-Man]

Noel's joke about wearing Paul's pants is a lot funnier if you know that the Brits use "pants" to refer to underwear, not trousers. 

[iMonrey]

I think it was probably a toss-up between Dylan and Nelly, and Dylan got a handshake. I think Dylan's Showstopper was a tiny bit neater/more elaborate too. But then he came in last in the technical for the second week in a row so that kind of made it even again. Maybe a coin flip. 

Surprised to see John go, he had frontrunner status written all over him the first couple of weeks. I guess bread just wasn't his thing. And this is a tough group.

It's nice to see some personality emerging from Dylan, he's been pretty quiet.

[dleighg]

8 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

Dylan got a handshake.

But I think Dylan only got a handshake because Paul thought the Gochujang was so innovative. Which it is, but it's not like no one has ever put it in bread before. I think Paul had just never heard about it *at all*. Anyway, I'll have to look up a recipe for it :) 

[blueray]

2 hours ago, J-Man said:

Noel's joke about wearing Paul's pants is a lot funnier if you know that the Brits use "pants" to refer to underwear, not trousers. 

Yeah, at first I didn't think of anything of it because in the US Pants are like jeans. Then I remembered it means something different in the UK.

I thought it was going to be Nelly should have gotten star baker. But Dylan did well. I know people kept comparing him to Jason Momola at first I didn't see it, but now I can't unsee it. He does look like him.

[springbarb]

I'm annoyed at Dylan getting Star Baker after coming in last in the Technical. I like him, but it wasn't deserved. Should've been Nelly all the way.

Also, did anyone catch Andy saying that he only brought 3 hats? Did they not go back to returning home during the week?

I'm so sad to see John leave, though he was the clear choice. Usually at this point there are still some bakers who I think probably shouldn't be there, but I quite like all the remaining bakers. John was special, though. Sad!

[Grumpbump]

I really wanted Nelly to be awarded Star Baker. She aced all 3 challenges!  She's got such a natural tv presence. Does she need a new friend? 

[Orcinus orca]

1 hour ago, Grumpbump said:

I really wanted Nelly to be awarded Star Baker. She aced all 3 challenges!  She's got such a natural tv presence. Does she need a new friend? 

 

2 hours ago, springbarb said:

I'm annoyed at Dylan getting Star Baker after coming in last in the Technical. I like him, but it wasn't deserved. Should've been Nelly all the way.

I was flabbergasted.  Nelly did well on all three, she definitely should have gotten it. Imagine the boost to her ego if she had.  Watching her tear up at winning the technical made me want to hug her.  I bet she's a blast at a party.

[Irlandesa]

I agree that Nelly should have won.

If this were one of the final weeks when there are only 3 or 4 bakers left, I don't think coming in last should prevent someone from getting star baker.  Someone has to and the drop from first to last isn't that big.  But in this instance, he wasn't even in the middle.  He was dead last with 10? bakers left.

Edited October 12 by Irlandesa

[Sesquipedalia]

I agree. I don't like it when it seems like the technical doesn't count at all. Even if Dylan's showstopper was slightly better, coming in last vs. first in the technical should have put him in second.

Also I'm a white lady from Alabama and I cook with Gochujang all the time. It's cool Dylan thought to put it in bread, but it's not mind-blowing.

3 hours ago, springbarb said:

Also, did anyone catch Andy saying that he only brought 3 hats? Did they not go back to returning home during the week?

I was very confused by this! I thought they went home during the week.

Edited October 12 by Sesquipedalia

[Quilt Fairy]

19 minutes ago, Sesquipedalia said:

I was very confused by this! I thought they went home during the week.

Yes, I thought they only stayed together for a season or 2 during the height of Covid.  However, it might explain why Jeff didn't look any better between weeks 1 and 2. 

[magdalene]

The right person went home.  Having watched this show for many years it hasn't always worked out too well for the people who win star baker too early in the contest. Don't peak too early.

I am hoping folks won't be hating on Dylan now for the perceived slight against Nelly. I try to keep in mind that the judges actually taste the offerings while the audience just looks at them. There was another baker who constantly did poorly in the technicals, Nadia, and look how it all turned out for her.

The talent of this bunch of bakers is so high that it just takes one bad day - so far this is anybody's chance to win or go.

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, magdalene said:

I am hoping folks won't be hating on Dylan now for the perceived slight against Nelly.

I don't hate Dylan or think he's a bad baker.  I didn't even mind him being considered for the win.  I just don't think the math mathed for him to take it all.  And I side-eye Paul for being so taken with gochujang.  I don't know that I've had it either but I know I can easily find it and I think he, as a chef, would have at least tried it before. I doubt the UK is completely lacking in Korean restaurants. 

[libgirl2]

Well I was thrilled for Dylan and I would have been thrilled for Nelly as well. Starbaker is great but you can be that one week and leave the next. 

[iMonrey]

On rewatch, I remembered that the judges liked Andy's Signature Bake and he came in third in the technical so that's probably why John went home over him, even though his Showstopper was a mess. 

I also caught Mike saying he was using lamb from his farm in his Signature Bake. Does that mean he and his partner slaughter their own lambs? Yikes. 

It broke my heart to hear Nelly say "All my life I wasn't good enough." I wonder what this poor woman went through. She's got such a great sense of humor too. "If this doesn't work I know where's the exit." 

LOL on Noel giving Paul a handshake after Paul did the plaiting demo. 

But yes, Dylan's Showstopper was notably better than Nelly's, even though Nelly's was quite good. Dylan went the extra mile in making it look fancy and the bakes were great. I think that's what cancelled out the Technical. Paul said nobody really got the technical right, Nelly was just the closest. 

I didn't realize Sumayah is only 19! She looks older than that.

[illdoc]

14 hours ago, Sesquipedalia said:

I thought they went home during the week

It might depend on where he's from. One season there was a contestant who lived in Scotland---I doubt he went home every week. Depending on where they live, it might be cheaper/more convenient to just rent a flat for a couple of months nearby.

[libgirl2]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

It broke my heart to hear Nelly say "All my life I wasn't good enough." I wonder what this poor woman went through. She's got such a great sense of humor too. "If this doesn't work I know where's the exit." 

 

I have to admit, I did tear up a bit. Girl! I have been there. You are amazing. 

[Grumpbump]

Coming back to add that my sadness that Nelly didn't take Star Baker in no way diminishes Dylan's win.  This group really has no losers or "villains".

Gochujang is a staple in Guy's Grocery Games, which I am unabasedly a huge fan of.  GGG is like in it's 390th season, so it is quite recognizable to me, even if I don't use it in my cooking (although I am constantly telling my spouse that we need to use it, if for no reason other than my tv food competition obsession).   Why, indeed, would Paul see it as so novel?  No matter I guess because the sheer joy of Dylan with the handshake is worth it.  Am I the only one who claps along at home anytime a baker gets a Hollywood handshake?

[kittykat]

1 hour ago, Grumpbump said:

Am I the only one who claps along at home anytime a baker gets a Hollywood handshake?

Nope my 7yo likes to watch with us and she cheered when Dylan got his handshake.  GBBO is family TV hour in the kat house.

Great episode.  I have to agree with Paul and say this bread week knocked the last few years (even S12) out of the park.  And once again, THEY ALL HAD ENOUGH TIME!  I was shocked when they got 4.5 hrs for the showstopper.  Kudos to the producers for actually taking notes this time around.

Poor Josh, he started off so well in the first two weeks but just didn't do well in any of these challenges.  And since everyone else got 2/3 right he really was the only choice. It sounds like he just really wasn't into bread and sadly it showed.

As for Star Baker, I like Dylan I really like his flavors but I do think it should have been Nelly.  And Gojuchang is a stable in my kitchen so I found odd that the judges were like Huuuuhhhh!

Enjoying the new technical twists.  Paul plaited that bread like it was nothing.  As far as Dylan getting last and winning SB, it's not the first time.  And the judges basically said there wasn't that much difference between all ten, they all tasted good and that it came down to minute things. Still not sure it justifies Dylan winning over Nelly but I'm not upset over it.

[Cattoy]

4 minutes ago, kittykat said:

As for Star Baker, I like Dylan I really like his flavors but I do think it should have been Nelly.  And Gojuchang is a stable in my kitchen so I found odd that the judges were like Huuuuhhhh!

 

Hence the trope that "Britain conquered half the world for spices, but then never used them." 😜

Considering how good this group did with bread, I'm surprised how many of them struggled with the braid. Outside-to-middle is the easiest plait I remember seeing on the show, but several of them couldn't reminder what Paul showed them.

[Orcinus orca]

1 hour ago, Cattoy said:

group did with bread, I'm surprised how many of them struggled with the braid. Outside-to-middle is the easiest plait I remember seeing on the show, but several of them couldn't reminder what Paul showed them.

I did strike me that a) he was going so fast and b) some of them were watching "upside down" from across the table.  Unless I was standing next to him, I probably would not have remembered either.

[magdalene]

The one thing that gave me a bad taste was the lamb. I just have a big problem with killing and eating a creature that hasn't even had any life, a baby. I admit I have taken against that particular baker because of that.

Edited October 13 by magdalene

[AZChristian]

1 hour ago, Orcinus orca said:

I did strike me that a) he was going so fast and b) some of them were watching "upside down" from across the table.  Unless I was standing next to him, I probably would not have remembered either.

I'm not a baker (Betty Crocker is my patron saint), but I do crochet.  I had that plaiting pattern down on the third strip Paul placed.  The plait wasn't crocheted, but the concept of following a pattern is similar to what Paul did.

[dgpolo]

2 hours ago, Orcinus orca said:

I did strike me that a) he was going so fast and b) some of them were watching "upside down" from across the table. 

I don't think being 'upside down' made any difference at all to the pattern. They could do their own plait 'upside down' so it looked exactly like what Paul was doing. Basically you just take the outer strand of whichever side had more and put it in the middle. The part most of them screwed up was how long to make the strands and that didn't, or shouldn't, have taken any time (so Paul going 'fast' shouldn't matter) and it didn't matter if they saw it upside down, the length of the strands would be the same whichever way you looked at it. I don't see how they could have looked at the example, seen what Paul did with it, and still made short stubby strands.

[Sesquipedalia]

I agree that the plait looked so easy! It was cracking me up that so many of them couldn't remember how to do it. But apparently most figured it out because the wreaths mostly turned out okay.

[xfuse]

14 hours ago, magdalene said:

The one thing that gave me a bad taste was the lamb. I just have a big problem with killing and eating a creature that hasn't even had any life, a baby.

Generally: A chicken is killed at 8 weeks out of a 6 year life span

Cow at 2 years at 20 years life span. A calf is just considered a cow at the 2 year mark.

Lamb is about 6 months at 10 year life span. Lamb is considered a lamb until 1.

Pigs is about  4-7 months and live for 20 years.

All meat is killed early the difference is lambs are cute and we think of them as babies but they are killed the same time in their life cycle as cows.

15 hours ago, kittykat said:

As for Star Baker, I like Dylan I really like his flavors but I do think it should have been Nelly

Think of the three challenges as school. The first challenge is about 25 percent, second also 25 percent and the final is 50. When you add all three of his scores up he came out ahead of Nelly.

Edited October 13 by xfuse
Because I wanted to look up bacon. I mean pigs.

[iMonrey]

21 hours ago, Grumpbump said:

Am I the only one who claps along at home anytime a baker gets a Hollywood handshake?

Speaking of clapping, I notice all the bakers applaud when Noel calls time's up. I don't remember them doing that after every single bake before. It's gotten to be a thing.

Quote

Why, indeed, would Paul see it as so novel? 

Is it possible that Gojuchang isn't normally used as a flavoring in buns? That might be why it seemed like such a novel idea. (I honestly have no idea. Never heard of Gojuchang in my life.)

[libgirl2]

48 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

Is it possible that Gojuchang isn't normally used as a flavoring in buns? That might be why it seemed like such a novel idea. (I honestly have no idea. Never heard of Gojuchang in my life.)

I have had it before but I wondered if it is just not that popular in England, let alone in a bun. 

[dleighg]

I just did a little research (that is, I googled it), and there are a lot more Korean people in the US, percentage wise, than in Britain (0.6% vs 0.04%). So it would stand to reason that Americans are genereally more exposed to Korean food, particularly in more urban areas. I'll admit that I only bought my first tub of Gochujang about 5 years ago to make a recipe from the NY Times. My son is now engaged to a woman of Korean heritage, and I'm watching the great Netflix cooking competition set in Korea, so I'm learning even more about Korean food :) 

[Quilt Fairy]

4 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Never heard of Gojuchang in my life.

I watch a lot of cooking shows (not that I cook any more than I bake) and it seems to be popular at the moment.  Started hearing about it a few years ago.  Professional chefs always seem to be looking for the new spiciest spice.  My German-heritage palate says, "No thank you."

[magdalene]

9 hours ago, xfuse said:

Generally: A chicken is killed at 8 weeks out of a 6 year life span

Cow at 2 years at 20 years life span. A calf is just considered a cow at the 2 year mark.

Lamb is about 6 months at 10 year life span. Lamb is considered a lamb until 1.

Pigs is about  4-7 months and live for 20 years.

All meat is killed early the difference is lambs are cute and we think of them as babies but they are killed the same time in their life cycle as cows.

Think of the three challenges as school. The first challenge is about 25 percent, second also 25 percent and the final is 50. When you add all three of his scores up he came out ahead of Nelly.

I am a vegetarian. No need to preach to me what we do to our fellow creatures and how they die in terror and agony for our pleasure.

Edited October 13 by magdalene

[meep.meep]

On 10/12/2024 at 1:39 PM, Cattoy said:

 

Considering how good this group did with bread, I'm surprised how many of them struggled with the braid. Outside-to-middle is the easiest plait I remember seeing on the show, but several of them couldn't reminder what Paul showed them.

Starting the plait was what did in Dylan on the technical.  Instead of laying all the strands down parallel, he crossed five on the bottom with four on the top like

  ➕

 

[Irlandesa]

10 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Is it possible that Gojuchang isn't normally used as a flavoring in buns? That might be why it seemed like such a novel idea. (I honestly have no idea. Never heard of Gojuchang in my life.)

It wasn't just the bun.  That's what I thought at first and would make sense.  But then he focused on Gojuchang itself. 

[Shrek]

23 hours ago, libgirl2 said:

I have had it before but I wondered if it is just not that popular in England, let alone in a bun. 

Why just England? Seems to me there may be a Welsh person in there somewhere. 

I had never heard of it either, but then I'm not a baker or a cook of any sort.

Edited October 14 by Shrek

[libgirl2]

Just now, Shrek said:

Why just England? Seems to me there may be a Welsh person in there somewhere. 

Sorry, how about the whole of the UK? IDK.

[Shrek]

Just now, libgirl2 said:

Sorry, how about the whole of the UK? IDK.

That's more like it. 😉

[Dobian]

I thought Nelly should have been star baker.  She won the technical, did a spectacular showstopper, and was solid in the signature.  Dylan was great in the signature and showstopper but last in the technical.

Edited October 15 by Dobian

[Lois Sandborne]

Just more evidence that they don't actually care about the technical challenge.

[chaifan]

It was nice to see Paul so pleased with everyone at some point, and remarking that it was one of the best (the best?) bread weeks they've had.  That really says something about the group.  I loved the choice of the bread cornucopia for the challenge.

Paul has had other instances where he says he never heard of an ingredient, or the combination of specific ingredients, or whatever.  Someone caught an inconsistency with him between two seasons - I think it might have been ruby chocolate - where he said in one episode he hadn't heard of it but it was used the season prior.  So sometimes I wonder if he just does this for effect.  But, I also would easily believe that Paul is someone who, despite being in the food industry, doesn't really seek out the new or unusual.  He seems to be a guy who knows what he likes and sticks with it.  A traditionalist. 

Normally, I'm a big fan of different accents, but this cast has too many voices that are like fingernails on chalkboard for me.  Sumayah, with her vocal fry and twang.  Christian also has vocal fry, although to a lesser extent.  And I know I'm going to get beat up for this, but Nelly's sounds like she has a mouth full of marbles.  She's funny, but I can't stand her voice! 

[Cattoy]

2 hours ago, chaifan said:

Normally, I'm a big fan of different accents, but this cast has too many voices that are like fingernails on chalkboard for me.  Sumayah, with her vocal fry and twang.  Christian also has vocal fry, although to a lesser extent.  And I know I'm going to get beat up for this, but Nelly's sounds like she has a mouth full of marbles.  She's funny, but I can't stand her voice! 

Nelly doesn't bother me too much. The vocal fries can go at any time. I agree with Alison that Christiaan's accent jumps all over the place. He's definitely fluent, but my brain can't figure out where he's trying to be from! To be fair, he did explain all the regional influences, so it does make a bit of sense that he's all over the map.

[PaulaO]

Paul once said that almost everyone who wins Bread Week goes to the final. Tom (I think, don’t remember which season) won Bread Week but was eliminated before the final.

[Ancaster]

On 10/12/2024 at 9:16 AM, iMonrey said:

 

I also caught Mike saying he was using lamb from his farm in his Signature Bake. Does that mean he and his partner slaughter their own lambs? Yikes. 

 

They probably have a professional butcher slaughter them.

On 10/12/2024 at 2:48 PM, magdalene said:

The one thing that gave me a bad taste was the lamb. I just have a big problem with killing and eating a creature that hasn't even had any life, a baby. I admit I have taken against that particular baker because of that.

At some point most of the bakers use meat in their bakes, so you it seems unfair to single out Mike.  As was pointed out above, all domesticated livestock that is eaten in the west is slaughtered well before its natural lifespan.  At least Mike, since he raises animals, will have an good appreciation for an animal's life cycle.

On 10/13/2024 at 9:14 AM, iMonrey said:

 

Is it possible that Gojuchang isn't normally used as a flavoring in buns? That might be why it seemed like such a novel idea. (I honestly have no idea. Never heard of Gojuchang in my life.)

Paul Hollywood was quick to point out that he gave a handshake because it was beautifully baked AND it was a flavour he'd never had before in bread and he rarely gets new flavours.

Edited October 27 by Ancaster

[magdalene]

On 10/27/2024 at 2:54 PM, Ancaster said:

At some point most of the bakers use meat in their bakes, so you it seems unfair to single out Mike

A man who slaughters lambs or has them slaughtered ought to be prepared that not everyone is going to like that. I am entitled to my feelings about that and quite frankly I don't feel guilty at all. Why should I feel bad about Mike?

And as to the other bakers using meat in their bakes - that may be , but Mike was the one who boasted about the dead lamb in his bake, so I singled him out.

Edited October 29 by magdalene

[CatLover74]

On 10/28/2024 at 3:50 AM, PaulaO said:

Paul once said that almost everyone who wins Bread Week goes to the final. Tom (I think, don’t remember which season) won Bread Week but was eliminated before the final.

That was Series 7 (won by Candice).  We just had that episode screen here in Australia in the last couple of days.