S03.E08: Biscuits

[backgroundnoise]

2 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

I was also quite impressed by John's Colisseum and, to a lesser extent, Danny's Big Ben. 

I rewatched last night and noticed that Danny's structure had a white plastic tube down the middle to hold up the top piece.  I wouldn't think that would be allowed.

James' final piece was much more interesting than the original sketch showed.  I thought it was great.

Only two episodes left, sob.

[proserpina65]

34 minutes ago, backgroundnoise said:

I rewatched last night and noticed that Danny's structure had a white plastic tube down the middle to hold up the top piece.  I wouldn't think that would be allowed.

James' final piece was much more interesting than the original sketch showed.  I thought it was great.

Only two episodes left, sob.

I think in later seasons everything in the structure had to be edible, but I could be wrong since it's been awhile since I've seen the other seasons.

[Quilt Fairy]

2 hours ago, OhTheHumanity said:

I'm glad to know I'm not alone in feeling that Brendan grates.  He's clearly very talented, but there's something that's just...I don't know, maybe self-satisfied about him?  And unlike nearly every other competitor I've seen across several seasons, he never seems to offer any encouragement or kind words (or hands-on help, although he's of course not obligated to do that) to any of the other competitors.  Part of what makes this show so lovely is the camaraderie among the bakers, and Brendan doesn't seem to be part of that.  

I loved Brendan originally, there's just something fascinating about the designated slot the show has for "older guy who's really into baking", but this episode I started getting an Ian too-cool-for-school vibe.  Ian being one of a very small handful of contestants I did not like.

[mlp]

Quote

I loved Brendan originally, there's just something fascinating about the designated slot the show has for "older guy who's really into baking", but this episode I started getting an Ian too-cool-for-school vibe.  Ian being one of a very small handful of contestants I did not like.

I like Brendan and think he's a top-notch craftsman but he does lack something in the charm department.  Warmth maybe.  Ian, however, is one of my all-time favorites.  Funny how people don't always register the same to all viewers.

[illdoc]

2 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

I think in later seasons everything in the structure had to be edible, but I could be wrong since it's been awhile since I've seen the other seasons

I think it depends on the instructions: "free standing" (meaning no supports), or "everything must be edible" (didn't someone make a Dalek which wasn't completely edible?). If it just said "make a structure", then you could use supports (dowels).

[Mumbles]

On 8/4/2018 at 10:47 AM, Mabinogia said:

will miss Kathryn, which amuses me since, at the start I feared she was going to be another Ruby (quite possibly the only contestant on this show I did not like at all) but Kat has some much charm and humor to her (two things Ruby lacked) that I found her delightful. But she was clearly the one to go this week. You could see it in her face, she knew it was her time. I think it's better that way, when they know and aren't blindsided. 

Cathryn is one of these women who I can’t imagine being friends with in real life - a little too hyper and fussy and fake-cheerful - but yet who I’m drawn to rooting for because they work hard, buck up and try their best, and do not try to be “cool” or put on airs. And yes, she seemed to understand it was her turn, gave it her best, but it just wasn’t in the cards for her.

Quote

Brendan grates on me; he does execute things impeccably, but his vision for things seems off from what the judges want a decent amount of the time.

I liked him at first - I am fond of the seniors on this show who follow the the beat of their own drum, like Norman for a few seasons back. But he’s been coming off as smug in recent weeks.

[dubbel zout]

21 hours ago, chaifan said:

A final thought on usage of thermometers - we really have no idea if they are used on a regular basis or not.  They might be and it's just not part of what is shown. 

The fact that so many of them were surprised their bakes were underdone indicates to me thermometers weren't used on a regular basis.

On 8/4/2018 at 6:43 PM, sum said:

*I think as the bakers in the later season tend to be more skilled & challenges get more complex they started to bring their own stuffs (homemade devices or commercial kitchen gadgets) more and more.

This sounds right to me.

I love Brendan, and I don't think he's standoffish. I think he's the type who's going to help when he knows he can actually help.

20 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

I think in later seasons everything in the structure had to be edible

Gingerbread used for structures isn't always the same recipe as what's used for cookies. "Edible" can mean you can ingest it without getting sick, but it's not going to be the tastiest gingerbread. It's a good thing it's so highly spiced, because that can camouflage the fact there's less butter.

Edited August 7, 2018 by dubbel zout
"think" isn't "thing"

[Brookside]

I think Brits tend to use thermometers less than Americans.  My mother has never used one in her life, and she makes jams (jelly). chutney, fudge, toffee.  And many, many cakes and pies.

I used one for roasting meat/chicken a few times but never liked the results so went back to my old methods and trusting Barbara Kafka for times and temps.

I'll FB my sister-in-law who bakes a lot, but it's 2am over there so I won't get a reply for a few hours.

Later: My sister-in-law confirmed that Brits don't use thermometers much.  She's only used one once, for "a particularly complicated cake."

Edited August 7, 2018 by Brookside
Heard back from my SIL

[ElleBee]

On 8/4/2018 at 9:02 PM, escatefromny said:

Cathryn was delightful, especially in standing up to Paul.  (I wonder if all the “Good Place” cursing is because she has young children).  Sorry to see her go.  

(Totally laughing at the random "Good Place cursing" reference in a GBBO thread.) 

I'll be sorry to see her go too. She was a bit over the top with some of her self deprication, but she seemed pretty sincere and she'd had some pretty outstanding bakes in the past. I thought she'd make it further, but one bad weekend is all it takes...

[Rickster]

On 8/4/2018 at 6:43 PM, sum said:

I do remember bakers using them, mainly for bread, meat pies, chocolate and a more traditional looking one for syrup (maybe more frequently in the later season?*), so it's definitely not banned. Why wouldn't they use more often, I don't know.

*I think as the bakers in the later season tend to be more skilled & challenges get more complex they started to bring their own stuffs (homemade devices or commercial kitchen gadgets) more and more.

I’ve baked a lot over the years, and most applications of using thermometers I’ve seen have been in tempering chocolate and cooking sugar syrups, either for candies or frosting. I’ve also seen temperature recommendations for some breads. But I would have no idea what internal temperature to cook a pie, cake layer or croissant to, and I guess most contestants would be in the same boat. I suppose if you were making a pie starting with a raw meat filling, you’d need to check the temp on that, but they’re not common in the US.

 

I’d also say comparing a wholemeal digestive biscuit to a graham cracker is not quite right. The digestive has more of a crumblely texture like a cookie, not crisp like a graham cracker.

[Kohola3]

19 minutes ago, Rickster said:

I’ve baked a lot over the years, and most applications of using thermometers I’ve seen have been in tempering chocolate and cooking sugar syrups, either for candies or frosting. I’ve also seen temperature recommendations for some breads.

Same with me although America's Test Kitchen episodes are using thermometers more frequently. I had never used one for bread until I saw it there.  But I don't believe I've seen one for chocolate or frosting. I think the old glass ones were commonly used for sugar syrups and candy though.

21 minutes ago, Rickster said:

I’d also say comparing a wholemeal digestive biscuit to a graham cracker is not quite right.

I lived close to Canada and used to get digestive biscuits at the grocery stores there because they seemed so, well, exotic.  But really they are pretty tasteless.

[strippedhalo]

42 minutes ago, Kohola3 said:

I lived close to Canada and used to get digestive biscuits at the grocery stores there because they seemed so, well, exotic.  But really they are pretty tasteless.

That's why you put chocolate on them :)

(Also, I am Canadian - are digestive biscuits really something that Americans don't have?)

[dleighg]

25 minutes ago, strippedhalo said:

(Also, I am Canadian - are digestive biscuits really something that Americans don't have?)

At least around me (NY metro area), you would only see these in the "British/Irish section" of a very large grocery store like Fairway Market. We Americans think it's a ridiculous name for a cookie :) Sounds like something you eat when you are vomiting :)

Edited August 7, 2018 by dleighg

[Kohola3]

36 minutes ago, strippedhalo said:

(Also, I am Canadian - are digestive biscuits really something that Americans don't have?)

Nope.  Not that I have ever seen.

[strippedhalo]

12 minutes ago, dleighg said:

We Americans think it's a ridiculous name for a cookie :) Sounds like something you eat when you are vomiting :)

Hahaha, harsh. :D

[Rickster]

I have lived in suburban Chicago and Southern CT near NY, and have found  Mcvities digestives to be pretty widely available in larger supermarkets, but they are a specialty imported item and there are no American made versions.

[Eliza422]

2 hours ago, strippedhalo said:

That's why you put chocolate on them :)

(Also, I am Canadian - are digestive biscuits really something that Americans don't have?)

I have bought them in the "International" aisle only - and frankly, I really like them! They are definitely different than anything I've eaten, so I wouldn't compare them to a graham cracker.

I have also bought other things like Jaffa cakes I've seen (or heard about) on this show (and other British shows) so I could taste everything, and I've liked just about all of them!

Edited August 7, 2018 by Eliza422

[Nysha]

I like Brendan, to me he comes off as knowledgeable and comfortable in his own skin. I recently read an article about him and he goes into nursing homes and talks to dementia/Alzheimer patients about the food they remember eating and then cooks it with them. So unless he starts kicking puppies, I'm always going to think he's a lovely man.

[Mabinogia]

2 minutes ago, Nysha said:

I recently read an article about him and he goes into nursing homes and talks to dementia/Alzheimer patients about the food they remember eating and then cooks it with them.

Awe, that is beautiful. I've always had quite the soft spot for Brendan so I'm happy to hear this. IDK why, I just can't see the smug other people are talking about. I think he's just proud of how far he's gotten. 

[chaifan]

59 minutes ago, Nysha said:

I like Brendan, to me he comes off as knowledgeable and comfortable in his own skin. I recently read an article about him and he goes into nursing homes and talks to dementia/Alzheimer patients about the food they remember eating and then cooks it with them. So unless he starts kicking puppies, I'm always going to think he's a lovely man.

Well, if that's not a movie script waiting to be written, I don't know what is.  Except, of course, Brendan will be played by Ryan Gosling.  Or Jennifer Lawrence.

[proserpina65]

1 hour ago, Mabinogia said:

Awe, that is beautiful. I've always had quite the soft spot for Brendan so I'm happy to hear this. IDK why, I just can't see the smug other people are talking about. I think he's just proud of how far he's gotten. 

I don't see smug, I just find him less personable than the other remaining contestants.  But I do still like him, and admire his skills.

[carrps]

15 hours ago, ElleBee said:

I'll be sorry to see her go too. She was a bit over the top with some of her self deprication, but she seemed pretty sincere and she'd had some pretty outstanding bakes in the past. I thought she'd make it further, but one bad weekend is all it takes...

I think the stress was getting to her. I noticed some acne along her jawline this last week and wondered if it was stress acne.

I like Brendan. I think he's a different generation and is more reticent about showing his emotions. He just very slightly squirms and smiles a bit embarrassedly when praised. But he is proud when he carries something off -- and I think that's appropriate. And the nursing home story cements the good vibes I get from him.

[Rinaldo]

57 minutes ago, carrps said:

I like Brendan. I think he's a different generation and is more reticent about showing his emotions. He just very slightly squirms and smiles a bit embarrassedly when praised.

I like him too (I like all the remaining bakers). I think when he speaks on his own behalf to the camera, he's not being smug; he's reassuring himself that while the others are younger and sometimes more creative or flashy than he, he may have some of the advantages that come with long experience, so don't count him out just yet.

[magdalene]

We have the World Market stores here in SoCal - if you have those stores in other states you will find digestive bisquits there.

In addition to Brendan doing a lot baking in nursing homes for the elderly I also read that sadly he can no longer eat his own baking creations because of medical reasons.  How sad!

[chaifan]

1 hour ago, magdalene said:

We have the World Market stores here in SoCal - if you have those stores in other states you will find digestive bisquits there.

In addition to Brendan doing a lot baking in nursing homes for the elderly I also read that sadly he can no longer eat his own baking creations because of medical reasons.  How sad!

Brendan can't eat his own bakes.  How tragic!    This movie script is getting better and better.

[Kohola3]

27 minutes ago, chaifan said:

Brendan can't eat his own bakes.  How tragic!  

But good news for friends, neighbors, and family!  Bakers gotta bake so I wager he's not hanging up his measuring cups.

[kokapetl]

Brendan is from Ireland and left in his twenties. I think his accent elimination/elocution makes him sound snooty. 

[carrps]

16 hours ago, magdalene said:

We have the World Market stores here in SoCal - if you have those stores in other states you will find digestive bisquits there.

In addition to Brendan doing a lot baking in nursing homes for the elderly I also read that sadly he can no longer eat his own baking creations because of medical reasons.  How sad!

Yeah, I got a tin of English "biscuits" (not digestive) at World Market when they were still called Cost Plus. They were Huntley Palmer and were awful. I ate one and dumped the rest. I saved the tin to use as a portable sewing box -- it had the Beatrix Potter Tom Kitten illustration with mama Kitten about to sew his buttons back on. Coincidentally, many years later I started collecting the really old antique Huntley Palmer tins. When I checked my sewing tin, I saw that it was a "modern" Huntley Palmer.

[theatremouse]

On 8/3/2018 at 7:18 PM, adhoc said:

And please do not spoil me--I don't know who won this season--but seriously, how does Brendan not win this?

If his future showstoppers are as underwhelming as that birdhouse, I'd say that could easily be how.

I was confused/intrigued by the reaction to James. I mean, I'm glad they liked it but it's gingerbread...there's a limit to how interesting/good it can be and still be gingerbread. But they seemed SO enthusiastic about how good it all tasted. Made me want to eat it to try to understand. Not that I doubt it could've been really good it just seemed such a disproportionate reaction.

[Kohola3]

12 minutes ago, theatremouse said:

But they seemed SO enthusiastic about how good it all tasted. Made me want to eat it to try to understand. Not that I doubt it could've been really good it just seemed such a disproportionate reaction.

And I am assuming (maybe incorrectly) that the judges see what the finished project is supposed to look like.  Seems like an epic fail would be a point against even if the gingerbread was tasty. And I agree, there isn't a lot of variation in gingerbread so the praise seemed a bit over the top to me as well.

[Mittengirl]

Kohola3, next time you venture near a Meijer store, they have them in the international aisle.  I walked past them today and debated purchasing some but passed them up on this trip.

[Kohola3]

1 minute ago, Mittengirl said:

Kohola3, next time you venture near a Meijer store, they have them in the international aisle.  I walked past them today and debated purchasing some but passed them up on this trip.

Closest one is about 90 miles away but thanks for mentioning it.  When I lived north of Detroit I would get them from Windsor.  I loved the maple creams from Peek Freans!

[chaifan]

21 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

And I am assuming (maybe incorrectly) that the judges see what the finished project is supposed to look like.  Seems like an epic fail would be a point against even if the gingerbread was tasty. And I agree, there isn't a lot of variation in gingerbread so the praise seemed a bit over the top to me as well.

I always assumed the judges have the same information we see on screen (or possibly more) - the cute little drawings with the key ingredients pointed out.  When they chat with the bakers they seem to know what they're planning to do.  However, I think if a baker changes course and still produces a bake that comports with the theme/instructions, they should not be penalized at all.  If something is going wrong and they're able to pull out a different but equally good/creative end result, then I think that is a sign of a good baker. 

[dubbel zout]

11 minutes ago, chaifan said:

If something is going wrong and they're able to pull out a different but equally good/creative end result, then I think that is a sign of a good baker. 

Same here. It's not as if James ditched the gingerbread all together and presented a brioche creation.

[dleighg]

1 hour ago, chaifan said:

I always assumed the judges have the same information we see on screen (or possibly more) - the cute little drawings with the key ingredients pointed out. 

I think those drawings are done in post-production and would not be available for the judges. So I think what the judges know is just from their discussions near the beginning with each baker.

ETA: they are done following each filmed episode, from pictures of the final product. For early episodes he has more time (until airing begins); for later episodes he has less time, but fewer bakers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4fr6jXM3XQpXG9sc8t0tQH/meet-the-great-british-bake-off-illustrator-tom-hovey

Edited August 9, 2018 by dleighg

[carrps]

22 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

  I loved the maple creams from Peek Freans!

Trader Joe's has a maple sandwich cookie (shaped like a maple leaf) that I love!

[Kohola3]

35 minutes ago, carrps said:

Trader Joe's has a maple sandwich cookie (shaped like a maple leaf) that I love!

Sadly the nearest TJ's is 160 miles south.  Will have to see if I can get someone from down there to pick me up a box.  I bet they are the same, the Peek Freans cookies were shaped like maple leaves as well.

[carrps]

1 hour ago, Kohola3 said:

Sadly the nearest TJ's is 160 miles south.  Will have to see if I can get someone from down there to pick me up a box.  I bet they are the same, the Peek Freans cookies were shaped like maple leaves as well.

I'm sure they're pretty much the same. TJs often duplicates existing products with different names. Or do they just repackage them?

It's like Swedish Fish at TJs are called Scandinavian Swimmers. 

[Rinaldo]

2 hours ago, dleighg said:

So I think what the judges know is just from their discussions near the beginning with each baker.

Which, in most cases, have to be more extensive than what we see. Editing two days' worth of activity down to an hour requires a lot of compression and judicious omission.

3 hours ago, chaifan said:

If something is going wrong and they're able to pull out a different but equally good/creative end result, then I think that is a sign of a good baker. 

Absolutely. Such a recovery is a triumph.

[Lady Iris]

On ‎8‎/‎3‎/‎2018 at 11:46 PM, Winter Rose said:

It wasn't just that Brendan only made a house, using cereal for the roof was also a bit of a shortcut and not very impressive to look at.

I was very surprised he didn't make the roof out of gingerbread, that would've been easy enough. I'm reminded of the ginormous Christmas Gingerbread House that Disney puts out. You can buy a cookie in the shape of the roofing slats or whatever you call them. I found their gingerbread to be somewhat bland but it was fun eating part of a roof I suppose.

 

On ‎8‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 2:49 PM, dubbel zout said:

Regular digestive biscuits are pretty similar to animal crackers (the ones that aren't cookies, I mean). The whole wheat diggies are pretty close to graham crackers. (See here for the wonderful world of digestive biscuits.) 

Thank you, I've never heard of digestive biscuits and agree with the poster above who said they sound like something you eat when you're sick. "Oh dear, barfing again, lets get you a digestive biscuit!"

 

On ‎8‎/‎6‎/‎2018 at 2:49 PM, chaifan said:

I thought Brendan's bird house was very cute, but I also thought it missed the mark for the challenge.  What would have made it a show stopper is if he lifted off the roof to reveal a birdcage with a little gingerbread man in it (bird in a house, man in a cage).  I'll side with Mary that I didn't like the shredded wheat roof. 

Omg...that is brilliant and certainly would been a showstopper.

 

On ‎8‎/‎7‎/‎2018 at 9:04 AM, strippedhalo said:

That's why you put chocolate on them :)

(Also, I am Canadian - are digestive biscuits really something that Americans don't have?)

As above, never heard of 'em before but to find out these teacakes were the American version of Mallomars or Pinwheels was interesting bec I love those things and will probably buy some this weekend.

[Jordan Baker]

Carr's Assorted Biscuits (which I think are found in most grocery stores in the U.S.) include digestive biscuits. I recall thinking, the first time I saw one, that it seemed an odd name for a cracker and, like many of you, thought it might have some medicinal value!

I like Carr's biscuits and have been buying them for years, but I didn't realize until doing a quick search that Carr's is a UK company.

[Mystery]

On 8/9/2018 at 12:26 PM, dleighg said:

So I think what the judges know is just from their discussions near the beginning with each baker.

In one episode this season, in their wandering-around-talking segment, one of the judges discussed something with a baker that they'd seen in the baker's "notes." I mentioned it at the time, but I don't remember which episode it was. So Paul and Mary come into this show with notes that the bakers have given them about what they plan to do. I think that's why they have time to figure out what might be problematic and mention it during their on-screen discussions. 

[Mindthinkr]

FYI...

You can get those tea cakes here in America. The ones I buy are called Tunnock’s and from the Glasgow area of Scotland. Oh they are good! I have found them in World Market in the Brisish section and they can also be ordered on Amazon. The adults I know enjoy them as much as the children. They also make good hostess gifts combined with some teas. 

[Lady Iris]

1 hour ago, Mindthinkr said:

You can get those tea cakes here in America. The ones I buy are called Tunnock’s and from the Glasgow area of Scotland. Oh they are good! I have found them in World Market in the Brisish section and they can also be ordered on Amazon. The adults I know enjoy them as much as the children. They also make good hostess gifts combined with some teas. 

Ermagerd!!! They come in dark chocolate!!! Thank you for the fyi.

[carrps]

On 8/10/2018 at 1:56 PM, Jordan Baker said:

Carr's Assorted Biscuits (which I think are found in most grocery stores in the U.S.) include digestive biscuits. I recall thinking, the first time I saw one, that it seemed an odd name for a cracker and, like many of you, thought it might have some medicinal value!

I like Carr's biscuits and have been buying them for years, but I didn't realize until doing a quick search that Carr's is a UK company.

Yeah, my one non-Huntley-Palmer vintage tin is a Carr's salesman sample. It's a mini-tin shaped and designed as a little chest. So cute. Also got it because it's my last name.

[FoundTime]

On ‎8‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 12:22 PM, Rinaldo said:

Exactly. Because like other competition shows (The Amazing Race comes to mind) the competition resets to zero each week. And as with those other contests, at first it's apt to seem unfair -- you lose your advantage a week later! -- but then on reflection it becomes clear that that's the only way it could be done impartially.

I think GBBS is actually more like Survivor (or maybe Project Runway, since it and GBBS are both skills-based shows) in this regard. In The Amazing Race, the contestants get to start each leg at a position predetermined by their performance in the previous leg, whereas in Survivor and PR, somebody is gone but the game continues with a new set of challenges and no overt advantage for the contestants. This makes particularly good sense for the skills-based shows since each episode presents a different, specific challenge. Obviously these are all imperfect comparisons.

I would have called Kathryn (fellow Kathryn with that spelling here, we are a rare breed!) and Brendan as shoo-ins for the finale, early on, but now I'm thinking Danny is something of a dark horse and has a real shot. You can't say it wasn't Kathryn's week to go; she just clearly met her Waterloo.

escatefromny, I time-shift GBBS so I'm always one week behind; that way, when the season ends IRL, I can pretend it has one more week to go ? I briefly tried to have snacks at home that paired with the specialty/ies of the week, but found it really didn't add to my enjoyment of the show. So now a glass of wine suffices!

[Rinaldo]

13 hours ago, FoundTime said:

I would have called Kathryn (fellow Kathryn with that spelling here, we are a rare breed!)

Maybe I've missed your point, but she's Cathryn.

[FoundTime]

On ‎8‎/‎13‎/‎2018 at 7:33 AM, Rinaldo said:

Maybe I've missed your point, but she's Cathryn.

Thanks for the correction. Oh well, it was nice while it lasted (in my head)...

[Kohola3]

Well, for what it's worth FoundTime, the closed captioning showed it with a K so for all of us who cannot translate English with a British accent, she will always be just like you.

[mishy]

I wonder why the captions got it wrong. Her name appears on the screen every episode it clearly says Cathryn.