I have a new obsession. Perhaps you've heard of it? Or you might already have the same obsession - after all it is rated the number one show in England, and that often spills over the pond. It's "The Great British Bake-Off", a reality show of soft-hearted-but-determined bakers that compete weekly in a beautiful cooking tent set up on one of England's sprawling, aristocratic estates. Inside the tent you'll find the legendary Mary Berry who has been teaching England how to cook since the 1940's, and who is now an acknowledged saint of baking. Gaining Mary's approval is everything to the bakers! The ultimate compliment from Mary Berry is if your concoction tastes "scrummy". If so, you're on cloud 9. If instead your bake is a disappointment, and you garner from Mary one of her level, piercing blue stares...you're doomed.
With Mary is the dead-serious Paul Hollywood. He is a no-nonsense Master Baker (who also happens to love car racing so on his facebook page you get pictures of him in space age helmets and leather, followed by a beautiful pan of Hot Cross Buns). :) Paul Hollywood also has a piercing blue stare, which is more of a glare, that will turn your knees to jelly and woe unto him or her that gets a comment from him like "That's raw dough".
TGBBO is what reality television should be. No monetary prizes, no big contracts at stake, no back-stabbing, no bitching, no false alliances. Everyone is so positive, supportive and passionate about baking, it's an inspiration. Watching them fail under pressure is a relief to all of us because boy have we been there. If these amazing bakers can ruin a custard, then we're not so awful after all! And when they succeed, so brilliantly with their show-stopping creations, then we cheer! And salivate! And want to try it too!
I haven't even mentioned the HILARIOUS, GENIUS comedy duo of Sue Perkins and Mel Gibroycht. They keep the bakers laughing, no matter how stresfull or disasterous their results. And they constantly poke fun, gently teasing the stoic Paul Hollywood and legendary Mary Berry until they can't help but smile.
All in all it's a brilliant show, and I am having a lot of fun baking along with it! There is a facebook page called "The Great British Bake-Along" where people from all over the world try their hand at the same bakes as on the show, and post their results. I've decided to join in, but veganize everything. So far I've made a delicious vegan Madeira cake, and a rather too-sweet Frosted Walnut Cake, but it has been so much fun trying my hand at new thing! I carmelized walnuts for the first time! They were incredibly delicious, by the way!
Check out the show if you like to watch sweet, funny people bake their hearts out. And maybe next time there is a bake sale in your world you'll have something quite fantastic to donate!
happy Monday! xoxoxoxo DR
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