Season Two Talk: Spring Baking Championship

[hula-la]

I realise they're different shows, but I remember an episode of Top Chef Desserts when one of the contestants had an epic meltdown. At the time, the contestants had been given their challenge, and were in the stew room where the producers were giving them the parameters of the challenge. I wonder if the same applies to this show, which would mean the contestants would have some time to formulate a plan.

[candall]

Bye, Will, sorry to lose you.  At least you got in another shout-out to your grandfather.

 

Cream in the center of an Oreo?  Shortening.

[zxy556575]

Not a baker or cook here, but surely it's vegetable shortening, not lard? Asking hopefully with all those store bought office birthday cakes in mind.

[dahling]

6 hours ago, lordonia said:

Not a baker or cook here, but surely it's vegetable shortening, not lard? Asking hopefully with all those store bought office birthday cakes in mind.

I'm a baker and yes it's vegetable shortening; usually an emulsified or "hi-ratio" shortening availble from specialty stores that gives a creamier, smoother mouthfeel than what you would make with Crisco from the grocery store.  Will did indeed say it was emulsified shortening.  It's perfectly fine for some occasions, as Will said, he would use it for a child's birthday party.  He was trying to keep his damn frosting white to keep his colors true.  Maybe if this challenge weren't so dumb, he wouldn't have had to be thinking about the color of his frosting. I hated last week's "make this food look like a different food" challenge, and this week's "color" challenge. I'm ready for a challenge like "make something delicious" a la Great British Bake Off.  It's not fun to watch talented people go home because they're trying to meet the arbitrary rules of the challenge.  

All that being said, it's clear that in the end taste always wins over visuals. 

[candall]

2 hours ago, dahling said:

  He was trying to keep his damn frosting white to keep his colors true.  Maybe if this challenge weren't so dumb, he wouldn't have had to be thinking about the color of his frosting. I hated last week's "make this food look like a different food" challenge, and this week's "color" challenge. I'm ready for a challenge like "make something delicious" a la Great British Bake Off.  It's not fun to watch talented people go home because they're trying to meet the arbitrary rules of the challenge.  

 

Yes!  Did you hear the judges suggest that whipped cream would have made a better snow white base--like that would have been ideal, snort--and then they applauded the subtle colors and dinged the unrealistic exaggerated ones.  Umm, when they made the central parameter of the challenge "Rainbow," what did they expect?

[CherZ]

Interesting season so far. Nothing wow though although Susan (I think that's her name) is shaping up to be my favorite.

Crying lady and drunk lady I don't much care for. Cheekbone/Jawline for days I really like, also Kenny (whose name I *do* remember for some reason).

I HATED stoner guy. I was convinced he was high in his talking head interviews. Ugh - was glad to see him go. Maybe he misunderstood what "baking" in Spring Baking Championship really meant. :)

[NYGirl]

Well when Susanna said she owned a bakery she was not my favorite anymore.  I think this should be about home bakers and not people that own or work in a bakery. Bacon..yum.   Kenny was an annoying whiner this episode.  He was lucky he was able to do something with the beets after he burned them in the pressure cooker.  He also should have won the elimination challenge.

I am definitely not a fan of the girl who says she's the one to beat and the best there..blah blah..

[mjc570]

No way should Jane have won the preliminary = while her squash tart may have looked and tasted good, it was completely unimaginative, especially compared to some of the other contestants' offerings (like Dan's).  It seems clear to me that the producers really want her to win. 

I have to admire the contestants for putting up with all those awful puns Bobby was making.  Ugh.

[dewelar]

Maybe I'm using the wrong yardstick, but so far this season has been utterly uninspiring compared to the two previous iterations I watched (Halloween and Holiday). I chalk part of this up to the challenges themselves, as noted above, but another part has to be the lack of anyone to root for or against. Even the judges seem more subdued here. I'll keep watching to the end, partially because I watch the midnight EDT rerun before going to bed and it's improved its performance at helping me sleep :D .

ETA:

Quote

I have to admire the contestants for putting up with all those awful puns Bobby was making.  Ugh.

Yes. All I could think when the challenge was finished was "thank goodness it's fennelly over!"

Edited May 2, 2016 by dewelar
Add a quote, spelling

[needschocolate]

The woman who has been winning most of the time is very giggly.  Normally, I would think she was just really friendly or peppy or maybe nervous, however, since she keeps adding alcohol to her desserts and talks about how much she loves alcohol, every time she giggles, I think she is tipsy.  

When I watched this show last year, and when I watched the Holiday versions, I thought nothing of them making desserts every week.  But I recently watched the Great British Bake-Off (aka Great British Baking Show)a nd now I keep thinking "Why not make breads or savory pies?"

[Darian]

I still love this show. The people are mostly nice, Bobby seems like he's having fun and gets on with the contestants, and I like the judges. When Audrey was told her offering was burnt, you could see Dan behind her and he stuck his bottom lip out like he was sad for her. They seem like good sports. Even the "are you serious" talking heads don't seem mean-spirited. And if I lived around Jane I'd want to join her women who get stuff done (when she said it first episode, she stumbled over "stuff" so I think it's "get shit done.") while drinking group. She just seems fun.   

[needschocolate]

My mind only goes to "tipsy" when Jane giggles because she mentioned liking to drink.  I don't think she is actually tipsy.

I always feel sorry for contestants on FN shows because of the questions and "direction" they must get for those talking heads. You know the must be asking them "What is your influence for this dish?"  Why does every dish have to have an inspiration?  It woudl be one thing if the challenge was to "Bake your favorite cake" or "bake your 'comfort food' dessert" - then they might have an inspiration.  But they tell them to make a dessert from beets or that it must have five different colors, then expect them to also be inspired by some dead relative of childhood memory. I wonder how many time they are honest about it and we don't see it - "My inspiration is the beets you told me to use" or "My inspiration is to not go home this week."

Fortunately,  FN's searching for sob stories and/or trying to create drama, isn't overtaking the show (as it does sometimes on Chopped and Food Network Star).  The contestants all seem like normal people (except maybe the deadhead guy that went home a few seeks ago) who all seem to like each other and get along.     

[mlp]

I'm pulling for Dan.  I also like Kenny and Susana and wouldn't be really disappointed to see either win.  I find Jane highly annoying and I can't imagine why her boring squash tart won although I obviously couldn't taste all the offerings.  

I thought Bobby's awful puns were amusing because he clearly knew they were terrible.  The production staff must have knocked themselves out coming up with them.

[NYGirl]

The first time they had this show on it was exactly like the one we see from England with some great contestants.  Now we have this modified version with annoying people. I wish they'd go back to basics and make it like the one in England.

[candall]

I'm just now watching the vegetable challenge and Blonde Judge is in a super-pissy mood.

The little mascarpone tart with the fluted edges, spiral of overlapping squash slices and carmelized sugar sprinkles is "just a little plain."

The presentation with the perfect muffin, the tiny bowl of artisanal butter w/ garnish and the trendy plating schmear gets an "I'm not wowed" and a complaint that the butter's "too buttery."

She dings the zucchini cake for being "bland," five seconds after Man Judge notes zucchini is one molecule of green away from water. 

Whuzzup, crabbypants?

[candall]

On ‎5‎/‎2‎/‎2016 at 4:12 PM, needschocolate said:

When I watched this show last year, and when I watched the Holiday versions, I thought nothing of them making desserts every week.  But I recently watched the Great British Bake-Off (aka Great British Baking Show)a nd now I keep thinking "Why not make breads or savory pies?"

It didn't dawn on me until this episode that every damn dish is going to be a dessert. 

Every week, every contestant has to bake two sweet treats, within the theme gimmick and with a last minute flavor twist that may or may not suit the recipe???  Seems just A LITTLE BIT limited in scope, since it would be infinitely more interesting to see what these people are really capable of producing.

I like to bake, but I'm not really much of a sugar fiend, so this is very disappointing.

[DeLurker]

The majority of time nothing appeals to me - visually or to taste.  I never think "wow!  I would love to try that!"

[cherrypj]

On May 6, 2016 at 0:43 PM, DeLurker said:

The majority of time nothing appeals to me - visually or to taste.  I never think "wow!  I would love to try that!"

I agree. I think it's because the twist, whatever it might be, just ruins it for me. Coffee and peaches? Blech.

[TomGirl]

Jane looks like Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

[Wings]

I am not into desserts that are very sweet.  I like dessert and make a few myself but they are on the less sweet side and delicious.  Really delicious.  I have to carry a chocolate cake to my family in Taos because it cannot be baked in a high altitude. It is other and out of this world, no icing.  Whipped cream or ice cream. You bake it for an hour at 250 degrees.  I drive from Phoenix occasionally, TSA will NOT let you bring it onboard.  I found that out thought I knew it was a risk.  I begged them to eat it.  I doubt they did, it could have been poisoned.  

[LexieLily]

I would have eliminated Annoying Jane just for putting what looked like a pound of curry on her cake.

That, and because in my mind I had mixed up cinnamon and curry and kept thinking the judges were all going to choke to death on her cake.

Edited May 9, 2016 by LexieLily

[mlp]

The more I see of Jane the less I like her.  She seems destined to win though.  I like Susana a lot but I'd really like to see Dan win.  

Duff's mother added nothing to the show.  

[GaT]

On 5/8/2016 at 9:37 PM, TomGirl said:

Jane looks like Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

I was thinking Reese Witherspoon, but she looks like Julia Louis-Dreyfus too 

[Mrs. P.]

I'd also like to see Dan win.  I was really worried for him tonight - I thought for sure the judges would boot him and keep Kenny.

The only baker I don't like is Jane.  She seems destined to win, but I really hope she doesn't.

[dahling]

Totally surprised that Kenny went home.

I do love me some gorgonzola cheese, but the idea of it in my brownie makes me want to throw up in my mouth. I did not think Dan could survive that combination. 

[NYGirl]

Jane seemed drunk last night.  She's a little bit ridiculous.  When she pushed them into the table I thought everything was going to fall.  I do not like her either.

Dan for the win!!!

[Grommet]

Jane's a bit of a nut but I enjoy her, and she does seem to be a talented baker. I like all of the remaining contestants (hell, I liked most of the beginning contestants!) so I'll be fine with whoever wins.

Duff's mom was fun.

[Wings]

11 hours ago, LexieLily said:

I would have eliminated Annoying Jane just for putting what looked like a pound of curry on her cake.

That, and because in my mind I had mixed up cinnamon and curry and kept thinking the judges were all going to choke to death on her cake.

That was cocoa.  Very odd thing to do.  It reminded me of the cinnamon challenge.  

The cinnamon challenge is a viral internet food challenge. The objective of the challenge is to film oneself swallowing a teaspoon of ground cinnamon in under 60 seconds. 

[Ilovecomputers]

I continue to be mystified by Jane's continuing wins. She did dump a pound of cocoa on her cake and the judges complained they had to go mining to find her dessert, but she won over Suzanna's incredible brownie and salami dessert?  She does seem destined to win, much as the Italian man from last season (Diamo?) is destined to have his own cooking show. 

 

Can we just stop with the goofy food combinations and have everyone submit their best cheesecake or whatever?  I like the British baking championship show better in part because the judges are judging blindly. 

[candall]

Really?  We're just going to handwave a mountain of dry, inedible cocoa powder and give her the win?

Boy, all that bubbly attitude must be a lot more charming when you're in the same room with it.

[Texasmom1970]

4 hours ago, dahling said:

Totally surprised that Kenny went home.

I do love me some gorgonzola cheese, but the idea of it in my brownie makes me want to throw up in my mouth. I did not think Dan could survive that combination. 

I was also surprised. But it could be because I could not even listen to him describe how he used the gorgonzola without gagging. 

Also WTH how could they just give her a pass on all that cocoa powder, if anyone else had presented that, no way.

I want Duffy's mom to come back love her!

[barbedwire]

Duffy's mom  was indeed great!  I too was surprised Kenny left.  Nice to see Italian guy (forget his name) back.

[SpottedCoachDog]

Damiano (Italian guy) is going to be on Food Network Star this season. 

Jane makes ME want to drink, so I'm resigned to her win. I personally think if you have to scrape something off a cake to be able to eat it? That ain't the winning plate.

[mjc570]

Sorry, hate to bad mouth anybody's mom, but I thought Duff's mom not only added nothing, I was totally repelled by her awful hair.  And why did she refer to herself as a "tiebreaker"?  Doesn't she know that 4 is an even number?

Totally agree that  (1)  Jane should not have won that challenge,  and (2) am sick of her "alcohol love"  and giggles.  She should have been required to pick her ingredient last, after the way she rushed to the table. Don't personal fouls usually result in a penalty?

I don't even know if I'm going to bother to watch next week, since it seems pretty obvious who is going to win.  And it's not that cutie, Dan. (hey, I'm an older woman, I can say that!)

[SingleMaltBlonde]

7 hours ago, wings707 said:

That was cocoa.  Very odd thing to do.  It reminded me of the cinnamon challenge.  

I think she was going for truffle like...and failed.

[CherZ]

Add me to the 'Not a Fan of Jane' group. I was joking about her being drunk before but no I seriously think she is now. And that cocoa powder? How did she beat out Susanna? I call shenanigans! Shenanigans I say!

I hope Dan or Susanna win. That is all.

[Quilt Fairy]

All of the remaining bakers have decent personalities but Kenny in particular seemed like such a nice guy (as well as an inventive baker) and I'm sorry to see him go.  I don't dislike Jane as much as some of you, but of the remaining 3 she's definitely at the bottom of the list.

I always wonder what the contestants think when one judge tells them there isn't enough of an element (like the gorgonzola), another tells them there's too much of it, and the 3rd judge thinks it's perfect.  It's like Goldilocks and the 3 Bears.

The Great British Bake-Off really spoils you for other baking shows because it's just so superior and pretty much perfectly done. I've been in withdrawal since PBS hasn't aired another season yet.  I've watched some of the episodes of the most recent UK season on YouTube, but for some reason a few episodes right in the middle are not available.  And then in Googling around trying to find them I was spoiled as to who won!

[zxy556575]

Nancy needs to bury her head in a vat of cheese, the way she was going on about more Gorgonzola, even more Gorgonzola, drenched in Gorgonzola! She usually doesn't bother me, but shut up already.

The judges can often forgive one mistake in a winning dish, especially if there weren't close runners-up, but that pile o' cocoa powder was egregious. That Jane even considered it should have been a disqualification. Does she not know what it is? Did she not bother to taste the stuff? She coated her cake with something inedible! (Which is also what I think about fondant, so maybe it's me.)

[Winter Rose]

It always seems like the baker that wins the 10 minute advantage of an extra pair of hands is the one to go home. So to be perfectly honest, I wasn't surprised it was Kenny.

Regarding Jane, it's the amount of wins that's gotten on my nerves more than anything. If they were all deserved it wouldn't really bother me but it just looks like they're trying to set up a clear favorite for the finale. Also, we get it, she likes her alcohol!

[Wings]

14 hours ago, SingleMaltBlonde said:

I think she was going for truffle like...and failed.

Ah yes, now it makes some sense. 

The reason Jane is off putting to me is her cocktail party personality.  She has one note which is very surface.  I don't know her any more now than I did on the first day.  

[TaraS1]

Susanna should have flipped a table over, given them the double middle fingers and rolled out.  "Gee, after we scraped off the ton of cocoa powder and found the cake hidden underneath, it was so good that you deserve the win!"  No. Screw that.

I can't deal with Jane.  All I can see/hear when she's onscreen is Katy Perry, which makes me very cranky.  As does the judges' love affair with her.  

[KLovestoShop]

I can't believe they kicked Kenny to the curb.  I thought that during their presentations that Dan would be the one to go because his stuff just wasn't up to standards.   I wonder if they kicked Kenny because his presentations, according to the judges, always looked the same?  If that's the case, the judges are too stupid to continue.  

Lordonia, I totally agree with your assertion that the cocoa powder is inedible and she should have been disqualified.  And, I HATE fondant and have no idea how anyone would want any baked goods covered in that nasty stuff.  When I see shows that do cakes in fondant, it comes close to making me physically sick because I see how people handle it with their bare hands and manipulating it.  Plus, the stuff tastes nasty, plain and simple

Edited May 11, 2016 by KLovestoShop

[jcbrown]

I am bummed that they kicked off Kenny. He was my favorite. As long as square-head or fake Jane doesn't win, I guess I'm okay. suppose that makes me rooting for Susannah.

And I found Lorraine's giant shark teeth very distracting this episode for some reason.

[needschocolate]

So surprised Kenny was out - I was sure that Jane and Kenny would be in the final.  

When they said that 10 minutes of help from Damiano was the advantage, I thought "Did he make it this far into his season?"  (Looking back to the season one thread, it had it to the end but lost).  I can see having a winner help, but "Your advantage is getting help from a guy who lost on this show in the past" doesn't seem like a bonus.

On 5/10/2016 at 7:13 PM, Quilt Fairy said:

The Great British Bake-Off really spoils you for other baking shows because it's just so superior and pretty much perfectly done. I've been in withdrawal since PBS hasn't aired another season yet.  I've watched some of the episodes of the most recent UK season on YouTube, but for some reason a few episodes right in the middle are not available.  And then in Googling around trying to find them I was spoiled as to who won!

PBS has aired two seasons - They call it  The Great British Baking Show - season 1 was aired in the fall of 2015, I think - I missed it and caught it on Netflix).  Season 2 aired recently.  I missed it too, but am catching it in reruns - they just showed Season 2 Episode 4 last Monday in my area.   Season 1 is the same as Season 5 of The Great British Bake Off in the UK, and Season 2 on PBS is the same as GBBO season 4.  

[Quilt Fairy]

7 hours ago, needschocolate said:

PBS has aired two seasons - They call it  The Great British Baking Show - season 1 was aired in the fall of 2015, I think - I missed it and caught it on Netflix).  Season 2 aired recently.  I missed it too, but am catching it in reruns - they just showed Season 2 Episode 4 last Monday in my area.   Season 1 is the same as Season 5 of The Great British Bake Off in the UK, and Season 2 on PBS is the same as GBBO season 4.  

Right. I was talking about GBBO season 6, which has not been shown in the US.

[Thump]

Not that I'm overtly in Jane's camp, but for point of reference: Many moons ago while in France with four classmates as part of a student exchange trip, we cobbled our francs (pre-Euro) together and purchased a gateau au chocolat from a patisserie.  Cake in hand, we opted to have an impromptu picnic and headed to a waterside park.  Very european and romantic, no?  One small detail overlooked: no cutlery.  Thus, we just started digging in with our hands and scooping out hunks and shoveling them into our mouths.  At this point, we realized that the cake was *heavily* dusted with cocoa, to the point that had brown dust all over our faces, arms, clothes, and hair.  And no napkins.  So, after the cake was demolished, I elected to do what any clever young 17-year old might do, and ambled down to the riverside to cup the water in my hands and have a crude wash-down.  Except, clever 17-year old me misjudged his balance, and proceeded to tumble into the river.  Thankfully, not treacherously deep, but enough to provide an adequately embarrassing drenching.

So, in comparison, it really didn't look like Jane had *that* much cocoa on her cakes.

[Wings]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

[Ilovecomputers]

"I'm so surprised that Jane won," said nobody.  I was really pulling for Dan to win. As much as I liked Suzanna, she already has a shop and this was Dan's dream. However, his cake, with its primary colors,chalkboard and odd decorations looked more like a child's birthday cake than a wedding cake. Probably won't watch this again--must find the British one. 

[Grommet]

Quilt Fairy, I managed to find all of GBBO season 6 on You Tube, but some episodes were pretty poor quality. Still great fun to watch, though!

I thought Dan should have won, based on how it looked and how I imagined it tasted.

Eta: the chalkboard thing was stupid.

Edited May 16, 2016 by Grommet

[Wings]

Ok, moving along.   Food Network Star starts on Sunday!