S02.E04: Pies & Tarts Week

[Athena]

Quote

This week the bakers are frantically whipping egg whites and lighting up their blowtorches to give their meringues toasted finishes, hoping their creations stand up - and out - to the judges. Next is the Technical Challenge, where Mary surprises the bakers with her recipe for Partridge in a Pear Tart. With no molds, the bakers must freeform their creations, and not everyone finds pear shape perfection. Finally, for their Showstopper Challenge, it's all about savory flavors with Hors D'oeuvre Tartlets. With ingredients like kimchi butter and southern grits, these bakers are going outside of the box to create delicious holiday treats!

 

[dubbel zout]

1 minute ago, Athena said:

southern grits

Gee, I wonder what baker is doing this?

I'm glad to see some savory bakes, at any rate.

[mjc570]

That was ok.  The most painful thing, for me at least, is having to watch those poor contestants forced to laugh at Ian's "jokes" and their generally exaggerated facial expressions, although Johnny's greasy hair is a close second.  But then of course, it is all balanced out by Mary - especially her use of the term "chuffed."

Not a thrilling episode - the bakes were all pretty pedestrian, pies and tarts (at least as met the show's requirements) just weren't challenging.  There really was nothing that I would be interested in making or eating, except perhaps Mary's partridge in a pair tart, and that was just a pastry bird stuck on a basic tart.

I'm also not invested in these contestants, all of whom seem like perfectly pleasant people.  I was sorry to see that Michael was unable to continue, because I thought he was the most interesting one there.  Clearly, Ashlyn was out of her depth as the competition advanced, and deserved to be sent home.  Although, some of the other bakes were less than stellar. 

[Primetimer]

There are very few 'soggy bottoms' in this episode, but they sure do say it a lot. Weirdest TV catchphrase ever!

View the full article

[Irlandesa]

I hate when people have to leave through no fault of their own (family emergency, sickness) and we've had two in a very short season.  And they were both contestants I was very interested in following.

I don't like meringue pies for the most part so that wasn't interesting to me.  Too much soggy bottom talk.  I did like the look of the pear tart and I think everyone seemed to do well. Not many of the show stopping flavors but even I, who has quite a sweet tooth, felt almost relieved at so much savory.  I can't imagine how they must have felt.

[GaT]

Wow, another contestant lost due to something that has nothing to do with the competition, I wonder if they're going to have another non elimination week? I'm not surprised Ashlyn is gone, she kept talking about how she knew how to make things, but they always came out wrong. The showstoppers didn't look much like showstoppers to me, aren't they usually a lot more elaborate? 

[mertensia]

I'm not going to miss Ashlyn. 

I did love seeing the contestants helping each other out cheerfully. 

I like Jeremiah, but passion fruit is so "in" right now. Plus I detest it.

[proserpina65]

Fig & Goat Cheese Tarts and Date & Prosciutto Tarts -  a couple dozen of each to my house immediately!

[DeLurker]

I'd like it if the bakers would drop the repetitive regional/cultural flavoring of things.  Once or twice is enough, but I automatically think someone is very limited if they only do Bulgarian (or where ever)  themed bakes.

[dubbel zout]

I agree with everyone who thought the bakes this week were on the easier side. I don't like the overly complicated bakes because I think everything should be genuinely edible—i.e., not just that something can be eaten, like fondant or sugar pearls, but should be eaten, like braided dough decoration—but so far things have been fairly dull.

I thought Mary's comment to someone that there was too much meringue showed a cultural difference: Has she never heard of mile-high lemon meringue pie? 

Ashlyn was the right person to send home this week.

I was wondering if the contestants were able to do any test bakes in the tent before the competition started. They're using unfamiliar ovens, and some British ingredients, like butter and flour, can different enough from their American counterparts that timing can be affected. Though maybe that's where general skill comes in. If you fold the puff pastry properly, it will turn out regardless of other factors.

Edited December 16, 2016 by dubbel zout

[Winter Rose]

That's too bad another contestant had to drop out, I liked Michael. It must suck even more considering how far they traveled just to compete.

I wasn't wowed by any of the meringue pies. I'm surprised that would even be a challenge right now when they have a meringue week coming up. The showstopper challenge also surprised me, that's something I'd expect for a signature challenge instead.

[zxy556575]

Mary sure gave Ian the stink eye when he joked in the judging room that he wanted to take all the appetizers with him.

I'm still an embarrassingly childish eater who often won't try unfamiliar foods, but a few of the showstopper offerings were so pale and anemic looking, I'd feel justified as a party guest in passing them up. Undercooked dough is awful.

I liked Michael and am sorry to lose him. I hope it wasn't anything serious but even a 24-hour bug can send someone home because the show can't wait for them to feel better.

[Bretley]

17 hours ago, mjc570 said:

There really was nothing that I would be interested in making or eating

You are a crazy person.

[starri]

Mary's face when she has to try all these weird, new American things and then breaks into a smile is BAE.  I wish she'd be willing to come over to this side of the pond just long enough to film, say, a six-episode series for PBS with her traveling around and eating things she's never had before.  I bet she's never had soft-shell crabs or a peach grunt before either.  Seriously, WGBH, you're welcome to that idea for free.

So glad it was Ashlyn.  I don't think Pratchi is long for the tent either, but I like her a lot better.

6 hours ago, DeLurker said:

I'd like it if the bakers would drop the repetitive regional/cultural flavoring of things.  Once or twice is enough, but I automatically think someone is very limited if they only do Bulgarian (or where ever)  themed bakes.

It doesn't bother me when it's Pratchi explaining what coconut means in Indian culture.  Or if Jeremiah is making stuff inspired by California.  I mind it severely when every other word out of Ashlyn's mouth is "Southern" which seems to be a problem unique to Southerners who go on these types of shows.  Also, Ashlyn, if Mary suggests you do something, you do that something.

Speaking of Jeremiah, am I the only one who suspects he commanded that bee to fall into Amanda's orange juice?

[dubbel zout]

27 minutes ago, starri said:

I don't think Pratchi is long for the tent either, but I like her a lot better.

You could tell at the end how relieve Pratchi was that she stayed. Her puff pastry dough looked really rough, though she might been making a quick puff instead of the classic puff. It was lucky Ashlyn's bakes were worse than hers. 

I like that for the most part, the remaining bakers seem to be pretty even, and I think that gives it some suspense for who will be underwhelming. It's a real horse race, in other words.

[Rinaldo]

3 hours ago, starri said:

Mary's face when she has to try all these weird, new American things and then breaks into a smile is BAE.  

Translation please? breaking and entering?

[starri]

3 minutes ago, Rinaldo said:

Translation please? breaking and entering?

Before Anything Else.  It's a term of endearment those Millennials we hear so much about use.

It's funny, because I'm saying it as I'm pushing 40.  I'm one of those late-stage Gen Xers who like to complain about Millennials despite the fact that I'm technically married to one.

[sassykattt]

I hate meringue. 

[dleighg]

Was Michael the doctor?

[dleighg]

I'd like to know whether Mary (or whoever) had the same time limit on baking that partridge in a pear tart? 

[cherrypj]

1 hour ago, dleighg said:

I'd like to know whether Mary (or whoever) had the same time limit on baking that partridge in a pear tart? 

I doubt it. But I did wonder if she made it herself!

I'm reminded of one episode I saw of Masterchef Canada, where one of the judges participated in the challenge. He was so obviously heads and shoulders above the home cooks. He sat on the sidelines for like five minutes, his station was the cleanest, he was done way before the others, and his finished dish was the best one.

So if Mary cooked that pear tart, she did it in 45 minutes, and Johnny's taste buds were transported to heaven.

5 hours ago, dleighg said:

Was Michael the doctor?

From Brooklyn, yeah.

[LaChavalina]

As much as I liked Pratchi, they would have been very justified in sending her home this week. I guess sometimes a show might really have two contestants with completely unforeseeable emergencies, but it did irk me to see a second contestant drop out.

There seems (to me at least) to be a glaring talent disparity between the bakers who are left, and I thought most of this week's technical bakes were pretty poorly done. Added to that, the heat and the bees make it obvious they aren't really shooting this in winter. I'll probably keep watching, but they really need to address some of the quality issues if there's to be a season 3. I just imagine this must seem very junior-varsity to Mary.

[meep.meep]

23 hours ago, Winter Rose said:

 

I wasn't wowed by any of the meringue pies. I'm surprised that would even be a challenge right now when they have a meringue week coming up. The showstopper challenge also surprised me, that's something I'd expect for a signature challenge instead.

That's because on the British show it was the signature challenge.  Nothing show stoppery about it.

I love Amanda's artistry.  Last week her bread show stopper was beautiful and this week her meringue was fantastic.  And I am in the hate meringue camp.

[Ja1979]

1 hour ago, cherrypj said:

3 hours ago, dleighg said:

I'd like to know whether Mary (or whoever) had the same time limit on baking that partridge in a pear tart? 

I doubt it. But I did wonder if she made it herself!

In the British version they have a Masterclass (two or three episodes long) in which both Mary and Paul take turns to cook the (most of the) signatures and technicals themselves, in the tent, same ovens, in the same time, though they do help each other, which cuts the time a bit (the helper would handle things like measure quantities, hand ingredients and simple things like whip eggs). 

[dgpolo]

2 minutes ago, Ja1979 said:

In the British version they have a Masterclass (two or three episodes long) in which both Mary and Paul take turns to cook the (most of the) signatures and technicals themselves,

My local PBS station is playing the Masterclass episodes right now, a Christmas one right now and they are not in the tent and then Masterclass 1, 2, 3 and 4 are following.

[ChelleGame]

On 12/16/2016 at 1:49 PM, starri said:

I mind it severely when every other word out of Ashlyn's mouth is "Southern" which seems to be a problem unique to Southerners who go on these types of shows.  Also, Ashlyn, if Mary suggests you do something, you do that something.

The more she said the word the more I wondered if she was trying to "brand" for future opportunities. The use of the word was so excessive that it made me think she was trying to subliminal message TV producers and cookbook authors or to establish a blog later.

I liked seeing the contestants help each other. Glad they went close to the British version this season with kindness and none of that "I didn't come here to make friends" crap that plagues reality competitions.

Wish the season was longer.

[hula-la]

10 hours ago, dleighg said:

I'd like to know whether Mary (or whoever) had the same time limit on baking that partridge in a pear tart? 

In the British version, it's made by Home Economists (I saw them listed in the credits, and as a Home Ec teacher, I get excited when we I see my subject area!). I assume they use professionals as well in the US. version. http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/great-british-bake-offs-mary-9108243 (note, this link makes you answer/skip an annoying survey in order to read it).

[dubbel zout]

2 hours ago, ChelleGame said:

The more she said the word the more I wondered if she was trying to "brand" for future opportunities. The use of the word was so excessive that it made me think she was trying to subliminal message TV producers and cookbook authors or to establish a blog later.

There is no dearth of Southern blogs, cookbooks, etc., in the world. Good luck, Ashlyn! 

[Ja1979]

  11 hours ago, Ja1979 said:

In the British version they have a Masterclass (two or three episodes long) in which both Mary and Paul take turns to cook the (most of the) signatures and technicals themselves,

My local PBS station is playing the Masterclass episodes right now, a Christmas one right now and they are not in the tent and then Masterclass 1, 2, 3 and 4 are following.

I didn't see a Christmas Masterclass. The one I saw was the same technicals and signatures as the regular season, with quite detailed explanTions (like, preheat at x temperature, bake at y for so and do minutes, then bake at y temperature for do and do minutes.

[Sew Sumi]

11 hours ago, dgpolo said:

My local PBS station is playing the Masterclass episodes right now, a Christmas one right now and they are not in the tent and then Masterclass 1, 2, 3 and 4 are following.

They played ours in reverse. We saw the regular MC episodes first, culminating with the holiday episode. I've noticed that nobody's PBS schedules are synched very well. But back to the Yanks. I'm not as invested as I have been with the British version, but I'll hang in there. 

And dammit, I liked Michael. Sorry that he had to leave. 

[RealityCheck]

10 hours ago, hula-la said:

20 hours ago, dleighg said:

I'd like to know whether Mary (or whoever) had the same time limit on baking that partridge in a pear tart? 

In the British version, it's made by Home Economists (I saw them listed in the credits, and as a Home Ec teacher, I get excited when we I see my subject area!).

I think I read in Mary Berry's autobiography, Recipe For Life, -but don't hold me to it- that Mary and Paul baked the technical challenges for seasons 1 and 2 but the technical staff baked them from season 3 on.  Since BBC had no idea the show would be such a hit, it makes sense Mary and Paul made the finished products for the initial shows.

[Rapunzel]

On ‎12‎/‎16‎/‎2016 at 1:49 PM, starri said:

Mary's face when she has to try all these weird, new American things and then breaks into a smile is BAE.  I wish she'd be willing to come over to this side of the pond just long enough to film, say, a six-episode series for PBS with her traveling around and eating things she's never had before.  I bet she's never had soft-shell crabs or a peach grunt before either.  Seriously, WGBH, you're welcome to that idea for free.

I'm married to a Brit and we spend about half our time in the UK. We are there now (just arrived yesterday) for the holidays, and everything that Mary has claimed to be "unfamiliar" with is available over there.

I have had snickerdoodles in the UK, I've had soft shell crab dishes, especially soft shell crab rolls which are one of my favorites at Japanese restaurants. I've also had them in soups, in noodle or rice dishes, served with just some steamed veg and maybe a sauce on the side, etc. There are plenty of places to find these things there. I've had them in most other cities in Europe as well, and even tried something I hadn't had before, even after living in Japan for several years, at a Japanese restaurant in Amsterdam.

I love Marry and own a couple of her cooking/baking books, but if she truly wants to broaden her horizons and try some of these things, there are plenty of places to do so even within UK and certainly within broader Europe.

ETA: I'm also fairly certain that Mary has been to the Fat Duck in the UK. That restaurant is known for highly inventive dishes, including desserts.

Edited December 18, 2016 by Rapunzel

[starri]

Just now, Rapunzel said:

I have had snickerdoodles in the UK,

Snicker...noodles?

Can you get real McCoy American ketchup, or are you stuck with Red Sauce?

[Rapunzel]

8 minutes ago, starri said:

Snicker...noodles?

Can you get real McCoy American ketchup, or are you stuck with Red Sauce?

I admit,  I've never heard of a Snicker Noodle, but maybe someone could create something interesting - dessert type pastas are actually starting to pop up in some places. :-)  I wouldn't be surprised to see Snicker Noodles show up at a place like the Fat Duck at some point in time. I was, of course, referring to soft shell crabs being served with noodles/rice in my original post.

If you consider Heinz as the real McCoy as far at Ketchup goes, Heinz is actually pretty popular in the UK. Heinz is also popular in the UK for other sauces things. They love their "brown sauce, " which is typically a combo of tomatoes, molasses, dates, apples, tamarind, spices, vinegar, and sometimes raisins or anchovies (kind of similar in taste to Worcestershire, but just slightly different enough), their Malt Vinegar (which, of course, is a must for fish and chips in the UK). They also love Heinz baked beans and whatnot.

[starri]

I discovered today that Heinz has the Royal Warrant for Condiments.  This is because they're now the makers of HP sauce.

There are a few places to get British stuff around here, so Heinz beans and Branston Pickle are not unknown to us.  And real Smarties as well.

[Quilt Fairy]

ABC is re-airing the pies and tarts episode tonight (Monday, 12/19) at 9pm Central.

[andromeda331]

Your all making me hungry with all this talk of shoft shell crab, snickerdoodles and noodle and rice dishes.

[Lunula]

I have to wonder if I am not as invested with this group (I honestly can't remember the name of even one contestant right now) as I've been for all the past British groups is because they aren't wowing me with anything. And is that because they all had to leave the US and live in Britain for 8 weeks and do not have that week in between to practice their bakes like the Brits can? I don't know about the mechanics of the show, but even if they have access to a kitchen, it just isn't the same as being home with your stuff and having your friends and family to help with tasting & feedback. 

And would we be losing contestants to a family emergency or illness like this if it were filmed in the US? Maybe, but at least they'd have some time to go home during the week and come back? I dunno.

I'm still watching, though, and I hope it sticks around. 

FYI - I lived in London for a year & a half after I graduated from college and made snickerdoodles for Christmas - my boyfriend and his family had never heard of them (but loved them). Granted, this was the mid-90s, there was no Internet and they were not professional bakers, but still - it's a least possible Mary had never heard of them. Regardless, it was a funny moment.  

[dubbel zout]

1 minute ago, Lunula said:

come back

This makes me wonder: Has anyone left for any reason and later returned? If you have to miss a bake, I'd think the rules wouldn't allow you to return.

[theatremouse]

20 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

This makes me wonder: Has anyone left for any reason and later returned? If you have to miss a bake, I'd think the rules wouldn't allow you to return.

I doubt it'd be possible timingwise on this one, but in theory, if the bakes were really on the weekend, and people were going home during the week, then hypothetically, if you were tops in the first two bakes, couldn't participate in the third, and someone totally screwed up all three, and your illness or family issue were such that you expected to be available again a few days later, I could fathom it that they'd eliminate the one who screwed up and keep the one who missed a round. But since the US contestants' homes are at least an ocean away, a situation they had to go home for would all but rule out any coming back. Illness is debatable. If Michael had, say, a virus, depending on the filming schedule, which we so far only speculated about, if he were totally ill one day and couldn't participate, if the next episode didn't start filming until 2-3 days later, I suppose it's feasible he could've been available again. But if it were something requiring serious medical attention, or even just that kept one ill and not easy to be on your feet for several days in a row, not really possible and he'd probably know at the onset/diagnosis. And if you missed all three rounds of one week, I can't imagine them saying "yeah sure, come back; bye-bye some other eliminated person".

Edited December 22, 2016 by theatremouse

[Rinaldo]

1 hour ago, dubbel zout said:

This makes me wonder: Has anyone left for any reason and later returned? If you have to miss a bake, I'd think the rules wouldn't allow you to return.

Something of this sort happened in the third British season. A contestant cut their finger on the second day, and had to get medical attention instead of finishing. The judges made it a non-elimination, the baker returned the following week, and two were eliminated that week (not including the previously injured baker).

[Rapunzel]

23 hours ago, Lunula said:

FYI - I lived in London for a year & a half after I graduated from college and made snickerdoodles for Christmas - my boyfriend and his family had never heard of them (but loved them). Granted, this was the mid-90s, there was no Internet and they were not professional bakers, but still - it's a least possible Mary had never heard of them. Regardless, it was a funny moment.  

I spend half my time in London as I'm married to a Brit and we are here for the holidays. We went to one of the bakeries nearest our home the other day and they had snickerdoodles for sale. It's not the first time I've seen them either. They aren't necessarily going to be in Sainsbury's or Tesco's, but they are here in the UK and have been for at least a few years, though perhaps maybe only at more specialized bakeries. I'm not even a huge fan of them myself, but my husband likes them and is glad they can be found at least in some places.

Edited December 22, 2016 by Rapunzel

[bybrandy]

In fairness, I'm American and I live in America and I only heard of snickerdoodles about 10 years ago and have never, to this day, had one.  Not opposed in theory, just not something I've run across except once when a friend was making some for a cookie exchange an I thought it was a seriously funny name for a cookie.  

[Mabinogia]

 Life long American here and I only heard of snickerdoodles last time I went to Disney World, they were giving them out at the Mickey's Christmas Party. This was about 5 years ago. I still don't exactly know what they are, though I did have one. lol

[Omeletsmom]

I think snickerdoodles are very regional.  Wikipedia states they originated in Germany (or perhaps with German immigrants to the US), so they are likely more popular in areas of the US where a lot of Germans settled.  

I'm wondering if the seeming gaps in Mary's culinary knowledge are generational rather than cultural.  There are a LOT of things I eat that my 85-year-old mother has never heard of, even though she lives in a far more cosmopolitan area of the US than I do.  

[dubbel zout]

4 minutes ago, Omeletsmom said:

I'm wondering if the seeming gaps in Mary's culinary knowledge are generational rather than cultural.

I'm sure that plays a part. According to her website, she trained at the Cordon Bleu in Paris (as classically French as it gets) and the Bath School of Home Economics (probably as traditionally British as it gets). I doubt there was too much innovation/ethnic cooking being taught at either of those places when Mary was there.

I always enjoy finding out what's unfamiliar to her, and it's especially fun when she's completely won over by the ingredient/flavor/texture/technique.

[Mabinogia]

8 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

I always enjoy finding out what's unfamiliar to her, and it's especially fun when she's completely won over by the ingredient/flavor/texture/technique.

That's one of the things I love about Mary. She seems genuinely thrilled to discover some new flavor or food she's never been exposed to. And she's never ashamed of her lack of knowledge about something. I couldn't love this woman any more if she made me a whole batch of snicker noodles covered in meatball sugar.

[Athena]

On 2016-12-24 at 0:34 PM, dubbel zout said:

I'm sure that plays a part. According to her website, she trained at the Cordon Bleu in Paris (as classically French as it gets) and the Bath School of Home Economics (probably as traditionally British as it gets). I doubt there was too much innovation/ethnic cooking being taught at either of those places when Mary was there.

I definitely think it's really generational as well. If you ever get a chance to read Mary's autobiography or watch one the BBC documentary about her life, I recommend it. She was food magazine editor for many years in the 1960s and 1970s so she was aware of British food trends then but definitely not adventurous food times by our standards. From there, she got started in TV and hasn't really left TV since.

[NotRedRobyn]

Sorry I am very late to the party but I just started watching to get me through until the next season of GBBO starts in a few weeks! 

When Ashyln started saying “Lordy - lou” I started hoping she’d be eliminated.  I guess I should just be glad she didn’t say “fiddle dee dee”.