Best Baker In America - General Discussion

[Wings]

Strawberry shortcake is my favorite dessert.  I am going to do the tri fold Rashida did on her biscuit dough.   If truth be known it is one of three desserts I make.  I love to cook but not bake.  

I have come to like Scott, I didn’t used to.  His Phoenix restaurant is excellent and an affordable Uber ride so I can indulge in a couple of Jamesons with one huge ice cube.  Love that touch. 

[Jaded]

1 hour ago, Destiny74 said:

Soggy bottom.  Mary Berry would not he amused.?

I frequent a kitten cam that recently had a litter with a mama and they all had names based on The Great British Baking Show. The Mom was named Mary Berry and one of the 4 female kittens was named Soggy Bottom so now I also think of all of them when I see mentions of that show.

I must be getting really burnt out on these FN baking shows because I was looking forward to this season of Best Baker In America and it's just not doing much for me. I still like most of the bakers though.

[mlp]

I was mystified when Marcela told the woman with the nose ring that she had a good strawberry to biscuit ratio.  It looked to me like she had 4 or 5 slices of strawberry next to a large biscuit and no sauce to speak of.  

Lasheeda kept pronouncing strawberries like her name - shtrawberries.  LOL

As already mentioned, Scott looked terrible.  Either he bought that suit 30 pounds ago or he was dressed with something from the FN wardrobe that didn't begin to fit right.  Jason's jackets are flamboyant but at least they fit.

I was very glad that Adam won the round.  The microwave forest was creative but it didn't look like anything I'd want to eat.  The shade of green reminded me of split pea soup.

[Wings]

1 hour ago, Jaded said:

I frequent a kitten cam that recently had a litter with a mama and they all had names based on The Great British Baking Show. The Mom was named Mary Berry and one of the 4 female kittens was named Soggy Bottom so now I also think of all of them when I see mentions of that show.

I must be getting really burnt out on these FN baking shows because I was looking forward to this season of Best Baker In America and it's just not doing much for me. I still like most of the bakers though.

How cute.  What were the names of all the kittens?!

I noticed schtrawberries.  I knew someone who prounced S like this.  She was trying to describe sallow skin tone to a group of of women buying the make up she was selling.  Very funny. One there was, indeed, one woman with schallow skin! 

[Jaded]

8 minutes ago, Wings said:

How cute.  What were the names of all the kittens?!

Mary Berry (Mom), Showstopper, Scrummy, Victoria Sponge and Soggy Bottom. Now they have a group of kittens with newscaster and host names.

[Destiny74]

3 hours ago, Jaded said:

Mary Berry (Mom), Showstopper, Scrummy, Victoria Sponge and Soggy Bottom. Now they have a group of kittens with newscaster and host names.

I love this!  Scrummy and Victoria Sponge!  I hate to use this word because it sounds riche but those names are DELIGHTFUL!

5 hours ago, Wings said:

Strawberry shortcake is my favorite dessert.  I am going to do the tri fold Rashida did on her biscuit dough.   If truth be known it is one of three desserts I make.  I love to cook but not bake.  

 

I always use a tri fold.  Actually I use a couple.  I use a laminating technique.  About three turns.  My biscuits are really flaky, maybe due to this, maybe in spite if it.  I don't know, but it works for me.  

 

If FN wants to hire Sherry Yard to judge all the baking comps, I am all for it.  I love her.  And she has amazing cred.  She is fun but fair in her critiques.

I know plated desserts are usually sold at restaurants where you pay beaucoup dollars for dinner but if I wanted a one bite dessert, I would hope to not pay premium.  Sorry, it's the cheapy in me coming out.  I know all those desserts tonight would cost a lot in the restaurant but I'd be cheesed not get only 3-4 bites for that prices.  I thought nouveau cuisine went out in the 80's?

Edited May 23, 2018 by Destiny74

[Wings]

7 minutes ago, Destiny74 said:

I love this!  Scrummy and Victoria Sponge!  I hate to use this word because it sounds riche but those names are DELIGHTFUL!

I always use a tri fold.  Actually I use a couple.  I use a laminating technique.  About three turns.  My biscuits are really flaky, maybe due to this, maybe in spite if it.  I don't know, but it works for me.  

What is a laminating technique?  

ETA.  Just looked on youtube. 

Edited May 23, 2018 by Wings

[Destiny74]

1 minute ago, Wings said:

What is a laminating technique?  

ETA.  Just looked on youtube. 

I only know thanks to TGGBS.  ?

[Wings]

2 minutes ago, Destiny74 said:

I only know thanks to TGGBS.  ?

What the hell is that!?  'lol

I see that laminating is tri fold 3 times.  

[bilgistic]

16 minutes ago, Destiny74 said:

I know plated desserts are usually sold at restaurants where you pay beaucoup dollars for dinner but if I wanted a one bite dessert, I would hope to not pay premium.  Sorry, it's the cheapy in me coming out.  I know all those desserts tonight would cost a lot in the restaurant but I'd be cheesed not get only 3-4 bites for that prices.  I thought nouveau cuisine went out in the 80's?

I don't know much about baking beyond what I watch on these shows (I hate to bake and cook, but I like watching it), but the "shortcakes" looked like the "deconstructed" food craze that was hot a few years back. I would be highly pissed if I was in a restaurant and got anything like what I saw on the show. I want a slab of carrot cake. Tiramisu the size of a brick. Big, thick, chewy, chocolate chip cookies. Hunks of dark chocolate brownies with ice cream.

Get out of here with that thimble-sized shortcake.

[Wings]

8 minutes ago, bilgistic said:

I don't know much about baking beyond what I watch on these shows (I hate to bake and cook, but I like watching it), but the "shortcakes" looked like the "deconstructed" food craze that was hot a few years back. I would be highly pissed if I was in a restaurant and got anything like what I saw on the show. I want a slab of carrot cake. Tiramisu the size of a brick. Big, thick, chewy, chocolate chip cookies. Hunks of dark chocolate brownies with ice cream.

Get out of here with that thimble-sized shortcake.

I am the opposite.  I like something sweet after dinner but 2 or 3 bites is perfect.  I would have loved some of those desserts.  I love lemon cake (mine) but I don't want lemon with my schtraberry shortcake for one thing.   Some of the others in the second round appealed to me.  I like to split a dessert.  

[LittleIggy]

I loved when Jason said that splashed mint julep sauce looked like someone had been sick. I had the same exact thought! ?

[ruffy666]

On 5/20/2018 at 9:37 PM, novhappy said:

PS I noticed something odd about the camera work last week. The shot almost never stayed on Scott for more than a split second. It was dizzying. 

i think this is a FN trademark now.  try watching an episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and see if any camera shot lasts for more than 3 seconds.  it (literally) gives me a headache to watch this show for reasons other than its host.

[dleighg]

6 hours ago, Wings said:

I am the opposite.  I like something sweet after dinner but 2 or 3 bites is perfect.  I would have loved some of those desserts.  I love lemon cake (mine) but I don't want lemon with my schtraberry shortcake for one thing.   Some of the others in the second round appealed to me.  I like to split a dessert.  

yeah, I'm at an age and health situation where healthwise I need to watch my sugar (I've never had much of a sweet tooth so that's ok). I kinda love the fancy pants deserts that are just a bit of this and a bit of that. GIves me a treat without me feeling too guilty about it.

[Chit Chat]

9 hours ago, Destiny74 said:

My biscuits are really flaky, maybe due to this, maybe in spite if it.  I don't know, but it works for me.  

Kudos for being able to make a good biscuit.  I'm from the South and we're known for our biscuits, but I'll be damned if I can make one!  I watched intently as the bakers described their techniques (cake flour being one of them,) and I've basically done what they're doing, but mine never want to rise.  Maybe I'm rolling the dough out too thin.  Destiny74, what thickness do you roll out your dough?  I've also tried not overworking the dough, but maybe I'm not doing enough.  Any suggestions from you fine folks would be appreciated!  

I've read that Joanna Gaines from Fixer Upper added an egg to her dough, and her family raves about her biscuits.  Has anybody tried that technique? 

I'm enjoying seeing these more sophisticated plates on this show compared to some of the stuff I saw on Spring Baking Championship.  I feel that this show is a notch above in the talent, with the exception of the occasional duds! 

[Rammchick]

9 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I loved when Jason said that splashed mint julep sauce looked like someone had been sick. I had the same exact thought! ?

I volunteer in wildlife rescue and I couldn't help but think that it looked like a seagull pooped on the plate.  That shplatter thing is definitely a trend that can die now, thanks!

[BoffoDaWonderSheep]

2 hours ago, ChitChat said:

Any suggestions from you fine folks would be appreciated!  

Check to see how old your baking powder is. That's one product that goes bad with time and it loses its power.

[justjen]

Jason Smith: At Least He's Not Damiano

Is what I would subtitle this thread.

[Chit Chat]

Thanks, BoffoDaWonderS…!  I'll double check it.  I don't think I've been rolling it thick enough though.  I think that's just one of my problems!  I'll recheck my basic ingredients for expiration dates though.  Sometimes things sit in the pantry longer that I realize!  

Edited May 24, 2018 by ChitChat

[Brookside]

Jeremy, the "s" in macerated is silent, as in it doesn't exist.

Also, don't make excuses by citing a failed first dish.  The judges care about what's in front of them, not what's in the bin.

I can't for the life of me understand why the show doesn't supply enough ingredients/equipment.  The contestants have to share mascarpone?  Piping tips?

[Destiny74]

49 minutes ago, Brookside said:

Jeremy, the "s" in macerated is silent, as in it doesn't exist.

Also, don't make excuses by citing a failed first dish.  The judges care about what's in front of them, not what's in the bin.

I can't for the life of me understand why the show doesn't supply enough ingredients/equipment.  The contestants have to share mascarpone?  Piping tips?

Adds to the draaaaaaaaaaaaaaama.?

[jcbrown]

I am one of the few who enjoys Jason but I thought he was not great in this last episode. He kept repeating that he did "not see summer on a plate." What does that even mean? He needs to stop emulating Nancy Fuller and start giving specific critiques.

[Ilovecomputers]

Does anyone know the technique for lemon curd biscuits?  I assume they made a flour biscuit and not puff pastry.  Could you inject lemon curd into the biscuits like a cupcake?  I so want to try to make these but I'm puzzled about how to do it.  Saw some online recipes where they slathered the curd on top of the biscuit like a scone.  Would you just dump the strawberries on top of that?

[Brookside]

4 hours ago, Destiny74 said:

Adds to the draaaaaaaaaaaaaaama.?

I know, I'm just disappointed I suppose.  It's no GBBS, but is closer than pretty much anything else and I wish they didn't have to add stupidness.

[CharlizeCat]

I like Jason.  My only problem is even though he's won two major FN competitions, I don't think he has the level of expertise to be judging the caliber of contestants, especially this round. For that matter, I also question why Marcella is a judge. I like her, too, but ... 

This show really needs a judging panel of experienced, well-respected pastry chefs that solely focus in that area in their work. 

Anyway, that's probably why the only critique he feels confident enough stating is about the appearance on the plate. He did seem knowledgeable about the biscuit making during the strawberry shortcake challenge. 

[CharlizeCat]

Is Adam a one-trick pony with his cylindrical desserts?  I'm surprised that none of the judges mentioned that he'd already done that.

[tobeannounced]

My DVR cut off right after the strawberry shortcake challenge. Can someone tell me what the second challenge was and who was booted? Thank you in advance!

[Wings]

8 hours ago, tobeannounced said:

My DVR cut off right after the strawberry shortcake challenge. Can someone tell me what the second challenge was and who was booted? Thank you in advance!

They had to make a dessert representing fire and ice.  I have forgotten who was booted.  I am not fond of the French contestant.  Sure he is employed as a pastry chef but that does not automatically make him better.  Are all college grads automatically smarter than those without degrees?  NOPE. 

Edited May 27, 2018 by Wings

[RealityCheck]

2 minutes ago, Wings said:

I have forgotten who was booted. 

Jeremy Fogg, Pastry Chef of Emeril’s New Orleans.

[tobeannounced]

Thanks for the update, guys! I'm not surprised Jeremy went. He seemed to be struggling.

[mlp]

I felt sorry for Jeremy.  He seemed like a nice guy and he must be good at what he does if he's the pastry chef for Emeril but he needed to be put out of his misery.  My guess is that the pressure and time constraints did him in.  He probably doesn't have those problems when he can work at his own pace.

[cynicat]

6 hours ago, mlp said:

I felt sorry for Jeremy.  He seemed like a nice guy and he must be good at what he does if he's the pastry chef for Emeril but he needed to be put out of his misery.  My guess is that the pressure and time constraints did him in.  He probably doesn't have those problems when he can work at his own pace.

A common problem --he was trying too hard to impress with too many techniques in the allotted time.  The contest is a balance of skill and strategy.  Face it they'd all probably knock it out of the park if they had plenty of time to make the dessert.

[LittleIggy]

I like that Marcella, unlike Giata and Lorraine, actually takes good bites of the food instead of just scraping her fork on her teeth.

[Wings]

First round is Boston Cream pie.  That was my oldest son’s favorite desert so I made one every year when he lived at home.  I like them too.  The chocolate icing was a bitch.  You have to remove it from the heat at just the right time.  It gave me profound respect for bakers.  Even making them all those years and still do on occasion I had to redo the icing a number of times.  

Apple cheese cake.  Doesn’t call to me though I love cheese cake. 

7 minutes ago, LittleIggy said:

I like that Marcella, unlike Giata and Lorraine, actually takes good bites of the food instead of just scraping her fork on her teeth.

Yes! 

[Chit Chat]

I figured Adam took on too much in the cheesecake challenge.  As soon as he said that he was making a second, no-bake cheesecake, I quietly yelled at my TV "No!! Do the required one cheesecake, and definitely not a second no-bake one!"  Less is more with this challenge!  At least he didn't get sent home over it.  I really wanted to taste the bourbon cheesecake that won.  That looked yummy!

[bilgistic]

Adam making a no-bake cheesecake on top of a New York-style cheesecake was really dumb, but why did he throw out the first batch when the cylinder collapsed? He could've just poured the still-liquid cheesecake into a new piping bag and put it in a new cylinder.

It looked like a yule log.

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, Wings said:

Apple cheese cake.  Doesn’t call to me though I love cheese cake.

When I was a kid, one of the bars that was made for potlucks was an Apple cream cheese streusel bar. (I don't know if that's the actual bar but it was similar.)  It was delicious and the apple and cream cheese worked really well together.

But I don't know if I would like a lot of apple with a lot of cheesecake.  I'd need another textural element.

[MerBearHou]

If Becca says “Shan-tee” one more time, I will scream.  I’m sure Becca would state that somewhere it is pronounced that way but it sounds so pretentious to me when she says it.  She annoys the hell out of me (hate that stupid nose ring) and I was so hoping the first challenge would be an indicator that tonight was her good-bye.  But kudos where due, her second project was very, very well done.  

Glad Leigh went home with her un-set cheesecake.  That was the right decision for departures.  Adam wayyyy overdid tonight and it bit him in the rear — I’m glad he was safe.

I like the wee Frenchman — he is a delight to me.  And he is the executive pastry chef at one of my favorite places in the US so I root for him.  They all give him such a good-natured, hard time about being tiny and French and finishing a little early — it seems like he’s easy to joke around with.

[staphdude]

Jason has no reason to judge this show. I love realize people love the Everyman but there are cases where someone an amateur is so far outclassed by professionals that their opinion is irrelevant. If he can be there, anyone who labels themselves an amateur baker deserves airtime. In fact all this does is to underscore the sad desperation FN has in featuring these development projects.

[mlp]

Adam is clearly talented and skillful and I'm sure he's a master of many techniques but he really needs to stop with the cylinders.  He's already proved to the judges that he can make them and the repetition isn't doing him any favors.  That giant cylinder on top of his baked cheesecake looked very clunky.

I was hoping Becca would be sent home.  Watching someone with a nose ring work with food almost turns my stomach.  She seems like a nice person but I really hate looking at her.

[dleighg]

6 hours ago, MerBearHou said:

If Becca says “Shan-tee” one more time, I will scream.  I’m sure Becca would state that somewhere it is pronounced that way but it sounds so pretentious to me when she says it.

I had no idea it was "supposed" to be said that way (is that French pronunciation?). But I have NEVER heard it said that way here in the US. Pretentious indeed. 

[tunajune]

In the NY cheesecake episode, Jason remarks "this looks like something you would see in a New York gallery," and "this looks like something you would see in a Paris café."  Maybe he's traveled extensively since his FN wins, but his persona just doesn't extend past "this looks like something you would see in a Kentucky school cafeteria."  He's much more at home with the "slap your hogs" remarks.

[Chit Chat]

5 hours ago, mlp said:

Watching someone with a nose ring work with food almost turns my stomach.  She seems like a nice person but I really hate looking at her.

Watching sweat roll down the guys' faces while they work feverishly over their desserts is what grosses me out.  

[Maya]

6 hours ago, mlp said:

Adam is clearly talented and skillful and I'm sure he's a master of many techniques but he really needs to stop with the cylinders.  He's already proved to the judges that he can make them and the repetition isn't doing him any favors.  That giant cylinder on top of his baked cheesecake looked very clunky.

I don’t hate Adam but there was something very satisfying about watching a giant cylinder take him down. I was starting to sense some smugness too. 

[Wings]

2 hours ago, dleighg said:

I had no idea it was "supposed" to be said that way (is that French pronunciation?). But I have NEVER heard it said that way here in the US. Pretentious indeed. 

I was distracted as I watched and missed this.  What is the real word she  mispronounced  when she said "shant-tee?"  

[dleighg]

20 minutes ago, Wings said:

What is the real word she  mispronounced  when she said "shant-tee?"  

Chantilly.

[MerBearHou]

1 hour ago, dleighg said:

Chantilly.

She said it last episode too and it just grated.  

Ok, I’m so curious/annoyed/dorky that I checked online about the pronunciation of Chantilly in both English and French.  

All have 3 syllables — either “shan-Till-ee” like we’ve always heard it in the US and in French, it’s “Shon-tee-yee”

The Chantilly pronunciation lesson for the morning...back to work.

[OoogleEyes]

I wish he would just SHUT UP. What the hell,  'slap your hog and put it in a book'? What does that even mean? I can understand the cutsey colloquialisms, but why say something just for the sake of saying something?

[Destiny74]

9 hours ago, mlp said:

Adam is clearly talented and skillful and I'm sure he's a master of many techniques but he really needs to stop with the cylinders.  He's already proved to the judges that he can make them and the repetition isn't doing him any favors.  That giant cylinder on top of his baked cheesecake looked very clunky.

I was hoping Becca would be sent home.  Watching someone with a nose ring work with food almost turns my stomach.  She seems like a nice person but I really hate looking at her.

Haven't watched yet but, Adam used a cylinder again?  Like I said, he's going to look like a one trick pony soon.  Adam, stop with the cylinders...please.  It's starting to look gimmicky.

[luvapickle]

On 5/25/2018 at 6:18 PM, CharlizeCat said:

I like Jason.  My only problem is even though he's won two major FN competitions, I don't think he has the level of expertise to be judging the caliber of contestants, especially this round. For that matter, I also question why Marcella is a judge. I like her, too, but ... 

This show really needs a judging panel of experienced, well-respected pastry chefs that solely focus in that area in their work. 

Anyway, that's probably why the only critique he feels confident enough stating is about the appearance on the plate. He did seem knowledgeable about the biscuit making during the strawberry shortcake challenge. 

Marcela actually is a classically trained french pastry chef. It's sort of like with Duff, who is a trained savory chef, but many only have seen him do baking.