Season One Episode Talk

[zxy556575]

I actually gave a little squee when Erin won because I thought the editors were making her seem like the front runner solely in order to have a surprise twist. I would gladly hang with her -- she'd cheer me up. Sourpuss Bill I can do without.

 

Since the judging was apparently close, I wonder how much sway Duff had since his bakery is heavily weighted in favor of design appeal over taste.

 

As ever, I wish contestants were given sufficient time to produce their best work.

[CMH1981]

 

I wonder how much sway Duff had since his bakery is heavily weighted in favor of design appeal over taste.

 

I always thought on Ace of Cakes that the flavor of the cakes played into the presentation, they didn't make dry cakes or anything that was inedible unless it was just a design aspect only that the purchaser wanted.

[GaT]

What a surprise! Just kidding, they might as well have said during the first episode "Join us on 12/14 when we declare Erin the winner!", it's been so obvious she was going to win all this time. 

[howmanywords]

I always thought on Ace of Cakes that the flavor of the cakes played into the presentation, they didn't make dry cakes or anything that was inedible unless it was just a design aspect only that the purchaser wanted.

I actually attended a wedding many moons ago,before "Ace of Cakes" was a TV show, that Charm City Cakes supplied the cakes for and they had 2 cakes - one was a gorgeous standard tier layer buttercream iced cake filled with a strawberry/banana custard with a fluffy yellow cake that was delicious, and the grooms cake was smaller but more design oriented (it was a replica of a NY Giants helmet) and it was awful.  The cake was dry and there were chunks of rice krispy treats crumpled and it was covered in fondant which I never even tasted until then and it was cloyingly sweet.

[Lura]

Drats!  I am so disappointed that Erin won.  I was hoping for Naylet.  Even Bill would have been fine with me, but not Erin, who was so sure that she would win all the way through

 

I'm not big on conspiracies, but I definitely noticed Duff's preference for Erin and his lack of enthusiasm for the other two.  Something that I found especially annoying in this final round was the judges starting off with a critique of someone, and they all said positive things.  Then, when the contestant was flushed with praise, thinking that he/she won, and each contestant thinking  they nailed it, the judges began criticizing all of their negatives, and it was such a letdown.  It seemed cruel to me.  Boo on this show, boo on Bobby Dean, and boo on the final judgment.

Edited December 16, 2014 by Lura

[ABay]

I'm perfectly OK with Erin winning, and would've been equally fine with either of the others...Bill more than Naylet because her design in this challenge was kind of repellant to me. I also have no problem with Erin's perkiness--it's less than an hour a week, on TV where I have a choice to watch or not, or fast forward or not, so I don't see what the big deal is.

 

Duff's perceived favoritism for Erin was more than off-set, I thought, by Lauren's obvious dislike of her. And Lauren's fondness for Bill was off-set by Nancy's not-so-fondness. That's how it looked to me.

[tobysmom]

well can't say I'm surprised that Erin won and I did like her concept.

 

But I agree about her stories..the one that got me was last week's with we go home after caroling and have hot chocolate and peppermint candies..REALLY - seriously who goes home have caroling and eat peppermint candy especially with hot chocolate?  You say you bake all the time Erin, you mean there weren't some cookies or other baked goods to go with that hot chocolate???

 

Was hoping that Naylet could have pulled this off  but her design was bad and I don't think it was fair to give them the challenge to make a gingerbread design.

[Bobcatkitten]

I was never bothered by Erin so I didn't mind her winning.

 

Her gingerbread display was so far superior that it was unbelievable. I mean the guy essentially just did a structurally-terrible gingerbread house. No imagination or anything. And Naylet's? Ugh it was awful.

 

To me she won the display and he won the treats. But in this particular competition the display was a more important factor. 

[Matryoshka]

I thought that was a pretty disappointing finale all the way around. I didn't think any of their final gingerbread displays were that good, frankly. The whole scale of the final challenge should have been smaller. Why give your contestants such an overwhelming task that none of the results actually show off their talents? If they had had to just create 3 or 4 amazing and beautiful treats incorporating ginger or just an awesome gingerbread display I think the results would have been much more impressive.

[Skyfall]

I hope Erin and Dante don't last long because too much of either gets on my nerves.  Erin is so over the top with her excitement I had to hit the mute button less than half way through.  Dante please stop using your hands when you talk.  It looks so odd, as if he's told to put your hands up when you talk. Odd and out of place.  I'd much rather have the Jeff Foxworthy baking show.

You were saying? :D

[Skyfall]

She has a baking company? These aren't supposed to be professionals, owning a company that makes desserts sure seems like a professional to me.

 

This is the FNs description of the show:

How is she an amateur?

She doesn't have a show on FN or CC. ;)

[blubld43]

Also disappointed in the outcome, but I have to admit, Erin's gingerbread presentation was beautiful!

That said, I wasn't especially pulling for anyone in particular.....Bill had great baked treats, Erin had the tea party, and I just liked Naylet.  I enjoyed this series, just wish we could find some of the recipes.

[Crucial]

You were saying? :D

 

I got half of what I had hoped for :D

[jojomano]

I was never bothered by Erin so I didn't mind her winning.

Her gingerbread display was so far superior that it was unbelievable. I mean the guy essentially just did a structurally-terrible gingerbread house. No imagination or anything. And Naylet's? Ugh it was awful.

To me she won the display and he won the treats. But in this particular competition the display was a more important factor.

My exact feelings!

[Texasmom1970]

Wasn't surprised Erin won. Kind of glad it is over got sick of hearing about all her we do this on Christmas Eve and we do that on Christmas morning. Seriously does anyone believe her family really has all those traditions.

Her tales and stories seemed to be a bit hard to believe. But maybe that's just my inner Grinch brought out by her saccharine, cutesy over the top way she acts.

Edited December 19, 2014 by Texasmom1970

[Mittengirl]

Erin's mother could be Hispanic in the sense that her mother may be Mexican and her father Colombian and Ecuadorean. Using a shorthand method of including several ethnic origins doesn't seem strange to me, at all.

I wish they would have not judged the gingerbread on taste. I have never attempted a gb house, but can certainly understand that a recipe for which taste is a primary concern may be very different than one for structure. And the almond paste seemed kind of like a wasted challenge. Even I could make something like bill's logs or Erin's stick of butter out of marzipan, and I think I could make better mice. They really were not at all cute.

[Biosynth]

I have built gingerbread houses before, and generally, the more elaborate, the lousier they taste.  You have to have strong gingerbread to hold up, otherwise they will bend if they are too soft.

 

My Dad used to make really delicious houses, but then again, he made them cute and a moderate size, easy for purchasing and transport.

 

Traditionally, you are supposed to use Royal Icing, so I knew that Bill was doomed when he said he used Italian Merengue.  I had visions of it sliding around, and it did. 

 

What Erin did was very smart, using boiled sugar.  That stuff will harden very quickly.  Bill could have done that as well, his house wouldn't have caved in.

 

Given the time constraints, for a ski chalet, he could have done an A frame house, which could have been really beautiful.  There are a lot of A frame gingerbread houses out there.  And then cover that sucker with candies.

 

I'm not too disappointed that Erin won.  I had hoped it would have been Naylet though.

[tom87]

Erin: Every year on the 3rd day after Christmas the whole family makes turkey sandwiches using bread I make with my nieces.

 

I would have prefer either of the other two to win.

[grisgris]

I wasn't surprised, but I was disappointed that Erin won.

 

In the end, presentation is what ultimately did both Bill and Naylet in.

 

I would totally watch another episode of this next year. Maybe with different judges.

 

P.S.: Does Erin still live at home?

[mlp]

 

I would totally watch another episode of this next year. Maybe with different judges.

 

P.S.: Does Erin still live at home?

 

I would watch again too.  I like the format.  I've always liked Duff although I didn't agree with him a lot during this show.  I liked the British judge whose name I've already forgotten.  I have no interest in ever seeing Nancy Fuller again, ever.

 

I have no idea where Erin lives but I assumed all along that she lives at home.  In fact, I thought to myself at least once every episode "No wonder she still lives at home" without actually knowing if she does or not.

[backformore]

Wasn't surprised Erin won. Kind of glad it is over git sick of hearing about all her we do this on Christmas Eve and we do that on Christmas morning. Seriously does anyone believe her family really has all those traditions.

Her tales and stories seemed to be a bit hard to believe. But maybe that's just my inner Grinch brought out by her saccharine, cutesy over the top way she acts.

Yep. She even had a tradition for the day AFTER Christmas, the tea party thing. I just wanted to chime in "my family has a tradition too! The day after Christmas we all roll out of bed, hungover, around noon. Then we eat all the leftovers while we argue about what to watch on tv, and plan a trip to the mall to return all the lousy presents we got from relatives."

[Texasmom1970]

Yep. She even had a tradition for the day AFTER Christmas, the tea party thing. I just wanted to chime in "my family has a tradition too! The day after Christmas we all roll out of bed, hungover, around noon. Then we eat all the leftovers while we argue about what to watch on tv, and plan a trip to the mall to return all the lousy presents we got from relatives."

Are you sure we aren't related because this sounds exactly like my family!!

[blubld43]

I just wanted to chime in "my family has a tradition too! The day after Christmas we all roll out of bed, hungover, around noon. Then we eat all the leftovers while we argue about what to watch on tv, and plan a trip to the mall to return all the lousy presents we got from relatives."

 

Bwah!  My family rolled out this way on both Christmas morning (because you know, Christmas Eve) AND the day after Christmas. 

[Wings]

I just found this show and watched this season just put S2 on my DVR.  If I had to listen to Erin one more episode I would shoot myself in the face.  Jesus.  She is too much for me.   Loved Bill and hoped he would win.  

[gik910]

I happened to catch a rerun of this tonight.  I have never watched a single episode but I cannot understand any world where the best tasting food does not win.  I do not care how pretty something is- if it tastes bad or is done poorly- it losses.  

[kj4ever]

My DVR picked this season and season 3 up and I enjoyed the rewatch.  You can really see how the FN monkeys encourage their talent to exaggerate personality traits (I'm looking at you Nancy) seeing them from the start until now.

I forgot about how much I loved Bill and still think he was the best on the show.  I can't believe I forgot what an epic a-hole Dante was!

Watching it knowing about Erin the fluffy elf's Food Network Star meltdown brought a new perspective too.  There were a few times that it was about to come out when they critiqued her - Once when Loraine said her dough was under cooked and she insisted that she took the one and only bite in the whole pie that was not cooked, and another when she started rattling off all the places she put salt when they couldn't taste it in a salted caramel dessert.  I think she got an extremely good edit because she won, and probably was a sulky brat whenever they criticized her on this show too.

[mlp]

Quote

I forgot about how much I loved Bill and still think he was the best on the show. 

Me too.  In fact, when Erin showed up on FNS, I remember making the comment that I'd never forgive her for beating Bill.  

[Mrs. DuRona]

Just finished a binge watch of this on Hulu.  

It got to the point when I would cringe at the word bourbon.  We get it, honey.  You're from Kentucky.  Also maybe an alcoholic.

I wanted to smack Mr. "This is the bomb!" Best of the best of the best sir! Guy.  

Erin didn't bug me too much at first, but then an air of entitlement started sneaking in... (also, I HATED referring to herself as "fluffy".  As a fat girl myself, just... ugh).

I want the recipe for the maple candied bacon yule log.  

Erin totally wasted her advantage of Duff assisting her.  She already established she was a great decorator - use him to give your cake some oomph by adding a sauce or some other component you otherwise wouldn't have time for!

As someone who loves to make pies, I was proud of the home baker who wanted to open a pie shop, and also felt so bad that she got *thisclose* only to kind of bomb at the end.  

Rather enjoyable, I am excited to get caught up on the next couple of seasons as we watch the current one.

[Little Sun]

On 12/7/2014 at 8:40 PM, LittleIggy said:

Word! She is so annoying even Tiny Tim would get pissed off at her and hit her with his little crutch.

hahahahahahaha!!!!!!