286 "Biscuit Week" GBBO Collection 11 E2

[00:00:00] Hey everyone, welcome to our bonus podcast segment dedicated to the Great British Baking Show This week. I'm super excited. We are covering collection 11 episode 2 biscuits week Biscuit Week's always a good week right? Greg's week. Oh, yes Yes

[00:00:22] Biscuits are so good. Although I have to admit that this in this episode a lot of the things that they made Like the things that they made the biscuits look like actually I wanted to eat more than the biscuits themselves

[00:00:37] Those charcuterie boards looked phenomenal. I mean they looked delicious when she was like, oh, yeah, it's supposed to be Parmaham not bacon like I would eat the Parma ham Maybe I maybe I was watching it when I was hungry, but man, I was just like man that Bri

[00:00:54] It's your first mistake watching bake off hungry That's dangerous. Oh Yeah, a really great one to chat about this week was biscuit week and of course with biscuit week

[00:01:06] We know we're always gonna get some great sweet treats and I always find it interesting because you know, we get some of those classic British recipes normally not always I mean they do mix it up

[00:01:16] But you know, I think they're really kind of back to basics this season. So We I think we're seeing some more traditional Type bakes and I love being introduced to them and kind of you know

[00:01:28] Because I know what we have here in America and we don't even call them biscuits. We call them cookies for the most parts So I love I love getting introduced to some of the new things that they have so this week's signature

[00:01:41] we're gonna talk about some of our favorite bakes and we can you know, talk about signature technical and then the The showstopper but for the signature getting started with that this week and they were called to make a marshmallow biscuit sandwiched with chocolate

[00:01:58] And then they could like throw in any other flavors and things that they wanted jams or you know Any other kind of fruits and things? What did y'all think about the signature any any moments that stood out any of your favorite bakes I I

[00:02:15] Thought it was interesting that some people did the sandwich cookies Which I probably would have done and some people did like a tea cookie in a mold Which looked really cool. I mean they both looked really great The domes look looked really really good

[00:02:31] And I mean all of them like the specific I just want to call out the the rose tea cakes Look at rose water marshmallow. They were beautiful

[00:02:40] I to me it's a little bit much on the marshmallow. That's just my own personal preference. Like I'm not a peep person I Enjoyed marshmallow like I enjoy

[00:02:52] What's it called? But it was it when you like get it out of a out of a can you like Oh the fluff Yeah, more marshmallow fluff like that's like it like I enjoy a bit of it

[00:03:02] It's kind of like kind of like mayo right if you put a little bit on I'm good If you put too much, it's just like I think it's again. It's back to the texture for me I only like marshmallows like burnt to a crisp

[00:03:14] Texture that's a fire. Yeah But it's funny we have We have cookies here that my daughter is obsessed with called Malamar yes, that are kind of a very poor American version of what these Creations were I saw an article that said that

[00:03:40] They're they're kind of or at least maybe ours because their reps recipes are probably a lot older than ours I believe but if you think of like our version of like moon pies is kind of you know Just a fancier, you know

[00:03:52] Like version of those so think of like the the marshmallow between the cookies and then coated in chocolate It's like the idea and I don't know. I'm not I don't mind marshmallow like kind of like you Greg I don't love a big like

[00:04:05] Punch of marshmallow, but a little bit is okay, and I'd like a roasted marshmallow Texture But I but I wonder I don't think I've ever had like homemade Marshmallow, so I'm willing to bet that that really just elevates

[00:04:28] The biscuits, so I wonder if I would like it more knowing that it's like a homemade Marshmallow versus like what you get out of a snack box You know mass-produced

[00:04:40] Right. I don't know. I've never had it but but yeah, I agree those were roasty cakes were so so pretty They were really pretty. Yeah the the ones that I was like Flavor-wise I felt like would be right up my alley Were Dan's chocolate banana and

[00:05:01] Peanut butter. Yeah, I was like they were messy, but I'd be all over those I agree There's nothing there that would be wrong and then and then Keith's PB&J again messy, but Again phenomenal like I've just been like oh god. Yes, please I Loved secoos

[00:05:23] They were the little pistachio Sandwich cookies and they looked beautiful and I love pistachio I thought I would have really liked that and they liked her flavors, but undercooked. I just like yeah, I personally

[00:05:39] Don't really give a crap about undercooked. It's like I don't need I don't need a snap in them. I I Know I like my cookies probably on on the there's a theme going there. I like things cooked well, so I can appreciate it

[00:06:00] But I think that if I think for cookies that are going to have that that like kind of that crisp snap I think I prefer mine on the thinner side the ones that are like the ones that I like for example, I Love stop-and-shop

[00:06:18] White chocolate macadamia nut cookies and they are big. They are soft. They are just so good and That's my husband's favorite They're so good, but like stop-and-shop like you just go which here is basically a grocery store

[00:06:36] it's a Randall's or a Kroger's or those are all again Houston stores, but You know, it's not even like Harris Teeter which is like a fancy It's like it's like a fancy grocery store. It's not Whole Foods. It's like it's just a grocery store

[00:06:51] it's the ones that they're there literally every two miles down the road, but They make some damn fine Those cookies some other ones not so not so great, but those are good. I Think I'd be in trouble with biscuits

[00:07:09] Knowing that it seems like the like they're just supposed to be crispy You don't want them over baked or under baked obviously they definitely got critique a couple of different bakers for the cookies being or the biscuits being too soft and I

[00:07:23] For the most part when I make cookies there, especially my chocolate chip cookies. They're so under baked I mean they come out and they're still fairly raw there in the middle and I just let them do we oh my goodness

[00:07:34] They're delicious. I just give them like five minutes or so to cool off. They keep cooking. They're hot They keep cooking on the rack, that's what I keep telling myself anyway And I think about your brownies are your brand brownies also half done

[00:07:50] There they're cooked but they're definitely I I probably under under baked just by a you know a couple minutes You're just eating hot dough. Yes The center being gooey is Great because there's nothing well, there's many things worse than a dry brownie

[00:08:09] But in my opinion as far as baking goes like there's nothing worse than no Moisture in the middle of the brownie. I like super moist brownies, but I like cookies crisp That's fair, but I but I understand though that you know in order to qualify for these challenges

[00:08:28] You know a biscuits considered, you know, it's like a certain crispiness and that's what's expected There were some folks that kind of struggled with that this week How about some others were any others that stood out for you Wendy certain bakes or bakers for the signature?

[00:08:44] Josh did really well and they looked really good, too They looked perfect That was another tea cake one, right? It was yeah Is that because he had like all it would basically look like the profile and he had little roses like little flowers on top

[00:08:59] And they looked like they were piped really well Yeah, I felt really really bad for Nikki at one point I thought that maybe she was gonna be like, oh, yeah, I totally forgot to put the jam in

[00:09:14] But then I remembered which I remember I remembered when she was like, yeah, I'm just gonna put I'm gonna put jam you know just a slather of jam on the top of the on the biscuit and then all of the marshmallow on top and I just like I

[00:09:28] When she said, yeah, I'm just gonna put a little bit. I was like, I feel like that's maybe the wrong call Oh, I'm so glad that you thought I was like, oh, I know I feel like I'm not like obviously the best judge

[00:09:38] But I'm like, oh you need more jam It's funny because he said last week he said I want to be punched in the face and then this week he said Yeah, very orangey really punchy. I'm like what make up your mind man? Yeah

[00:09:55] But I mean, I think he liked it but he was like wow, that's a lot of bars She was like, well, I was gonna punch in the face dude last week you asked twice

[00:10:04] You said it twice you want to be punched in the face and it wasn't a flavorful enough And then I think in I think in this particular situation

[00:10:12] It was because the marshmallow was kind of supposed to be the star and it was being overridden by the by the orange That makes when somebody's they disagreed like Paul was like

[00:10:26] It overpowers the marshmallow and prue was like no, I disagree. Who was that? That was Dana's. Oh, yeah Yeah, Dana's prue was like nope. I disagree with you. I think the marshmallow needed So pretty like the drop. Yeah. Yeah the teardrop with the textured

[00:10:43] Thingy she had a few that didn't come out right? Yeah, I think what stopped Whenever I saw her mold I was like, I'm not very experienced. I've used the molds similar to some of the tea cakes that they made the

[00:11:04] Look like that looked like a half ball or sphere I made hot chocolate bombs Last year for hot chocolate and you have to use a mold like that. So I

[00:11:15] Know got to experience that a little bit and thought well, that's a really great idea to make these little cakes But I've never used that and I thought that is so beautiful. But what's it gonna be like taking those out?

[00:11:26] I don't know if you can I don't know if you really want to spray anything in there or lightly Something to help them pop out Because the chocolate was quite thin. Yeah well, I think I think that one it's a matter of baking it correctly and

[00:11:42] Two it's a matter of getting that very thin like the not just baking but like the the mixture so that it does in fact coat the entire thing and the molds that you have if you have them made out of silicone or something like that where

[00:12:00] You can actually like poke them out I think it makes it a way easier than trying to trying to use one that like it's hard and you're just like why won't This come out

[00:12:10] I think she had better like it looked like when she kind of flipped it the other way and kind of stuck your finger Into kind of push it out instead Force it or whatever. It seemed like they started stick together that way but but they were beautiful

[00:12:25] I thought and they certainly did sound tasty Any others I Realized in this episode that Nikki sounds exactly like mrs. Doubtfire. I Mean, I'm telling you once you think about it. You can't unhear it

[00:12:47] Or I should say mrs. Doubtfire sounds like Nikki because mrs. Doubtfire is not actually Scottish Help is on the way so so the the last one that I I was just Way impressed with not only looks but I would love to try them were Tasha's melted chocolate

[00:13:12] Biscuits like they look like the whole plate The platter that she presented was fun. I mean, she got a handshake out of it Like my response is good. Yay good for her And I was just like man those that presentation and

[00:13:31] Like and because I do think and I know that I mentioned that I don't like chocolate It's not that I don't like chocolate. I don't like to be overpowered by chocolate and this malted chocolate

[00:13:40] Specifically, I think is a little bit more muted. It's not super super rich. It's It's it's more subtle and that's the type of chocolate that I really enjoy like I love dark chocolate But like I feel like the these in particular would

[00:13:59] Really be kind of in my wheelhouse. I Agree they were so pretty What have you ever either of you ever had cuz I know I haven't Had parma violet or I don't even know what it what it was But it was interesting to see Paul and Pruse

[00:14:20] Reactions when they heard what Rowan, you know one of the flavors he was gonna use and I'm like, what what is that? I don't I guess I could look it up, but I don't know what it tastes like So, I don't know if that would help me

[00:14:30] But I thought how intimidating would that be for a baker right to be like, oh, here's what I'm using And they're just both looking at you going. Yeah, I don't really fancy I But he probably put the tiniest bit

[00:14:48] He was originally going to use like a couple of drops and he intentionally held it back to like just a drop Flavor just fluffing it on like The aroma That's like oh, I'll take my martini and I'll just wave the bottle of

[00:15:09] Whatever is over the top of the martini and now you're just drinking gin. I don't never understood that that concept but I'm like, he's probably just gonna take the bottle of the essence or the flavor Just kind of wait a hand and give it just a little

[00:15:29] But no, he did use a drop of it which You know, I guess Help balance it out a little bit more and I thought I think we've seen before in other seasons You know because I'm like, you know, I know that you like you bake for a living

[00:15:45] This is what you do and you're a judge on a show But there has to be some things you don't like right and we've seen it before in other seasons where you know They have to judge on something

[00:15:55] That they may not have a particular flavor for and I'm like, I don't know that I could be unbiased Personally if it were me like if I have to taste something I agree I can't imagine how tough that would be to try to well like for example, I

[00:16:09] Flat out don't like the taste of eggs So I can't eat a quiche and be able to judge it on What it's supposed to taste like because the flavor just makes me want to throw up

[00:16:22] So it's like undercooked overcooked. Nope all like smelling cooked eggs makes me feel ill So I'm like, yeah, so like it's like I'm like I couldn't do it I just absolutely couldn't be like, okay Well, I'm gonna learn how to appreciate nope. Nope

[00:16:41] Don't want it. Nope. Nope. Nope Yeah, it's such a common thing. Yeah So I Agree with a lot of what y'all had said as far as like the the ones that really stood out for me I really loved Christie's tea cakes. They were so pretty never thought to

[00:16:58] Paint the inside of a mold like that So I was like that would be really lovely an idea to take away for something, you know In the future, you know to bake something like that Josh's bake the dried cherry biscuit the black forest jam the vanilla marshmallow

[00:17:13] I mean those just sounded like such amazing berries and he uses his own berries that from his garden So I loved hearing that, you know He he has such a green thumb and I love it when they incorporate things from their own garden

[00:17:27] So I loved that that looked really yummy And then yeah Tasha getting the handshake. I loved her reaction. It was so sweet. I think she's just such a sweet Sweet girl. She just didn't know what to do with herself after she got that

[00:17:42] She was so excited you could see it, yeah but I love seeing the presentations in the and and and Keith who really struggled this Episode and I'm sure we'll talk more more about him as we talked about the rest of the bakes

[00:17:56] But you know, he he nailed his flavors, but you know, it was messy. It was rushed, you know He struggled I think with some of his timing which we've kind of seen from the first episode And then, you know again struggling with with time

[00:18:13] So he definitely gets his flavors right and everything seems to mesh. Well, it's just that presentation I mean when I saw his You know when they kind of do the overhead shot of the plate and there's just like chocolate everywhere and it's smudged And I'm just like oh

[00:18:28] Like that's not gonna go over that. Well you got to kind of have both you got on the presentation and you got to have the You know the flavors and that it was I was really sad for him

[00:18:41] yeah, I mean I think you have to have a bit of an artist in you because there's Competitive that a lot of those bakers are incredibly talented. I mean I think about like Saku Like the stuff she has created is amazing. You gotta live up to that

[00:18:59] Absolutely. Yeah, I can't just taste good. It has to look good, too I mean, it's fine like I know I I'm I can relate a lot to Keith as far as I won't say like I could be in a cooking show anything like that

[00:19:13] But I can bake pretty well with things but I can be a little messy I'm not the bet I try to make it a good presentation if I'm cooking for others

[00:19:21] But if it's just me around the house, it might look a little slapped together, but it'll taste amazing Definitely more worried about the taste like I wanted to look pretty and I make efforts But I'm more much more worried about this lately a hundred percent

[00:19:36] All right. So the technical this week were custard creams Let's talk about some custard creams. I Don't think I've ever had a custard cream. I'm not sure what to compare it to if we have anything similar I Think I mean

[00:19:53] Custard creams in general, so I I don't like again. I don't like custard And when I say custard, I mean like a Boston yeah, like Boston pudding. I don't like that. I don't like pudding. I don't like I mean it's okay

[00:20:14] The flavor the flavor is what but where they were piping like I have had like the ricotta Cannolis that are almost like Frosting I don't like record. I don't like it. I don't like the texture. I don't like feel like I'm eating

[00:20:36] And I'm not gonna talk about what I feel like it's eating because it's really gross, but it's just it's I think it's I think it's really disgusting and but then I The first time that I realized that I liked it was with these

[00:20:50] Basically, like they added so much sugar and they whipped it so well It was just almost like not even a frosting. It was just it it was so smooth and that's what I'm picturing Yeah, you don't like the the lumpy tech like cottage cheese. Yeah

[00:21:08] But but yeah, so like I I But so the custard the custard that they were making and they were putting on these cookies Sorry on these biscuits Looked so Phenomenal the thickness the creaminess. Oh, yeah. I want to see Yeah

[00:21:32] And it's interesting, you know, they all have to make the same thing And it seems that they're like, oh, yeah, I see these all the time, you know as a child

[00:21:43] So they all at least either seen them or had them as kids and it looks like like I was like, okay I don't know what this is when they were describing, you know making them but then when Paul and Pru You know

[00:21:53] We're sitting at the table talking about them and showing them was like well This looks like a really simple cookie, but then Prue's talking about like oh, it sounds simple But you know what makes these really challenging is like the details and getting it, right?

[00:22:05] You don't want to curdle your custard. You don't want to under bake the biscuit, you know things like that So what would you guys think about this? It did look simple and yet they had a lot of problems with it like more than normal

[00:22:18] I think I think that this was a very good example of a technical challenge It is it's not that it's hard But if you are given very little instruction You don't know that it has to be very very cold when it goes into the oven

[00:22:40] Otherwise the right is just gonna leak out. You don't know that it has to be hard enough Coming out in order to stamp them and have it and then when it's baked Like you if you don't know that if you don't understand the the technical aspects of that

[00:22:57] Then you're not going to get the details that they were looking for. Mm-hmm, and that's why I think this was an excellent example of a technical challenge I Agree I think so because even if you've never made one before if

[00:23:12] It really challenges your skills as a baker. That's what the the technical challenge is all about, right? You are giving these very little instructions. It could be something that you've never ever made before Maybe you've only seen it in a shop before or something like that

[00:23:26] but you know if you don't know like you said Greg that the Dough biscuit dough has to be very cold You know if you're fairly skilled or just have that talent with with a

[00:23:38] Knowledge of dough that has that butter in it like that to know it needs to go in cold then, you know Then yeah, it's not gonna turn out as well So I think that's what makes them these technical challenges really great because it really does You know test

[00:23:55] What you know your knowledge is a baker and and Paul and Prue were hitting people on The deepness of the stamp and it was like that like oh they went they didn't go far enough

[00:24:07] They didn't go far enough then. Oh, this was this definitely when they stamped this it wasn't cold enough so they it didn't didn't stick and I was like Like they are technically hitting them Yeah

[00:24:22] And I think that happens with something even that simple like because it's a you know, it is a basic biscuit with a custard Every detail matters, right? Right. Sorry when you go ahead So I wrote down last place was key second the last was Saku and

[00:24:43] Then Christy and then third place was Rowan and I somehow missed who came in second And first was Abby Dan came in second and then Abby came in first Yeah

[00:24:55] I mean Abby's well in the only reason that Abby who the only reason that Dan didn't get first was because it just wasn't quite As good as Abby's and so I think we come back to what we talked about last week where Dan's technical expertise is

[00:25:11] very very strong And you know, I think in the let me just see where did he what he so You know, he messed up on the stir shot showstopper when I say messed up I mean he overcooked his shortbread a little bit

[00:25:29] But that put it but that but that puts you middle of the pack You know you slightly overcooked one of your one of your five components was slightly overcooked and that puts you middle of the pack Which is bonkers

[00:25:43] It is it is because everything else was just like wow You know, I couldn't stop going look would you look at that? Look at the detail of that how perfect it is. And yeah a little overbaked element

[00:25:58] Yeah, I'm very happy for Abby getting getting number one, yeah, yeah, yeah, that was really great Anything else for the technical before we move on to the showstoppers Not for me. I wanted I want to get the custard creams out of the store

[00:26:16] I try to compare them. Yeah, I like that Stanford. That was really cool And yeah, they all had a lot of fun trying to get the dough out of Feel like most of the bakeries, you know, they're just

[00:26:32] Not not that they're not good because we have some good bakeries, but like it's very much the traditional Food like we have a Amish market near us and their bakery is just Amazing like it's incredible, but it is it is very much basic German heritage foods

[00:26:56] So I wonder where you could go for British Baking goods. I went to I mean it wasn't in France But it was in here in the States to a really nice Like French patisserie and it had some really great You know

[00:27:13] Big big goods and got to try a few yummy things that I've seen on the on the show before But I don't have it. I was obviously in a very much different city. I don't have anything like that around here

[00:27:25] Yeah, I feel like most of what we have is very German Baltimore's a very German city I Feel that not that I'm complaining because I mean we have good. Yeah, but it's always fun to have something a little different

[00:27:38] Try something a little little bit that you don't see every day. Yeah, it's totally good Yeah, maybe we'll find some fun things in Boston in a couple weeks Yeah, I'll have to be on the lookout everybody's gonna be out like doing all these fun things

[00:27:49] We're gonna be looking for you know histories I mean we We can make a quick stop by Mike's pastry just pick up a couple canolies to go and And then and we can go find some other patisserie places. Yeah, I'm gonna start mapping them out

[00:28:09] There are a couple of Mike's pastry and I know that they are They have become a little bit more like oh, well, that's just where the tourists go A Reason why yeah

[00:28:24] All right, so let's talk about this showstopper. So we've already kind of mentioned a couple of things So this was their illusion bake that they had to make entirely from biscuits And these are always fun

[00:28:36] Just to see what what they come up with and their flavors and I thought there were some beautiful pieces and really Demonstrated some of the bakers talents. What did y'all think?

[00:28:51] Do you have any favorites or particular ones you want to talk about? I thought Dana's pizza looked amazing No, it was talked about They talked about like oh, I've never seen a pizza that deep dish before I'm like, that's Chicago pizza. What are you talking about?

[00:29:07] That's well, they're in England As world traveled chefs like how do you have never seen a pizza built like that come on And I thought it looked really good and I thought she struggled last

[00:29:23] Week, and she really pulled herself out this week and did a great job like her creativity is really good I thought hers looked the most amazing. She was the only one that kind of did a That had like a floating illusion and I thought that was super cool

[00:29:42] I really loved it the the string cheese, and I thought it was awesome. I would have liked that It was very artistic Mm-hmm. I Have like I mentioned it already but like each of the charcuterie boards looked

[00:29:59] I mean, I was almost like I'd rather have the meats that these are supposed to look like then the biscuits themselves, but I was really impressed with The with suckers Sri Lankan breakfast and The different types of they had in there, although

[00:30:18] After what we talked about last week Nikki's no, I'm not Nikki. Sorry Abby's Brandy snaps in the dim sum. I was like Brady snaps and then I loved I absolutely love the Fortunes I need to go back and watch it again to see what fortunes they got

[00:30:37] But like oh this this is getting really intense because we're in a tent I was like, oh my god, that's awesome They really like they seem to really like the taste of secoos biscuits Yep, and hers was beautiful. It was very creative and she definitely nails her flavors

[00:31:02] Mm-hmm. I thought the Keith's actually looked really really good They talked about it being almost simple But I keep able to like bagging on his tomato Because it only had a little like don't go wrong. Was it as good as Josh's? No, but Josh's looked

[00:31:23] Phenomenal like I'm sorry the same word Wait, was it Dan? No Yep, they were opaque But I agree with you Greg. I thought for as much as Keith struggled that his final product was pretty good Again, we didn't taste it

[00:31:48] Yeah, they said it was I think it was more. Yeah the execution the flavor Yeah, yeah because there were several that were under baked and so I don't I think he got where we're in the signature he

[00:32:02] Kind of flopped on his presentation where he was more messy and it wasn't as pretty or aesthetically pleasing Show stopper. I think he nailed the presentation. I think it was just the you know, that's when it just kind of fell apart He couldn't get you

[00:32:18] the comparison to Josh like Like a handshake worthy like they were so like it was very very Very very good. Like I it was it looked amazing Yeah, but they got like but the the Florentine in that like the chocolate-covered

[00:32:39] I'm not even sure if it's chocolate covered shortbread, right? That's what Florentine is. I Think I think that's what it is like a chocolate covered shortbread. It's typically pretty snappy Like pretty crisp, but it could be wrong and I'll take that

[00:32:57] Please please people tell me what I am wrong about. I will not even Google it I will just let you guys tell me next week how wrong I am but yeah, like I the Florentine style and

[00:33:09] And the brandy snaps like those are the ones that I like the snaps in I don't need it, but it's just I feel like that's part of the cookie. Sorry part of the biscuit I Did not realize that Tasha put like I was less impressed with Tasha's

[00:33:39] Presentation in the showstopper. I mean just me well, I Specifically I I'm not Saying that it was didn't look good. The fact that she made bowls that looked like Japanese bowls Out of out of biscuits is yes That's that's impressive

[00:33:58] but like the the chocolate sauce that was supposed to be the gravy on the the chicken katsu like Chicken katsu is something that I became familiar with when I was in Hawaii and I agree like to me

[00:34:09] It's chicken parm, right? Like she talked about would you whenever we go to Japanese restaurant? You you know, we order the the katsu to Kind of Oh how what what kind of take are we gonna do on this to me? It's chicken parmesan like if

[00:34:23] it if you can nail a chicken parmesan or You can make it better than what I've got in my head Then like hey, you know what? I'm You've got me period same thing with the tiramisu

[00:34:36] If you can give me a tiramisu that is either a new take or what that impresses me I go, okay You know what? Hey, I'm gonna give you a lot of leeway to try some stuff. I may not be comfortable with I thought hers looked

[00:34:52] More simple than many of the others. I thought what she did was very well done But it did seem a little less complicated and simple but you could see when they tasted it that they were just So, I think that's really what I

[00:35:10] Didn't know that the biscotti had white chocolate in it and I'm a white chocolate nut dark chocolate and white chocolate those are my like black and white cookies are my my jam and The cake cookies like the cake though, so not even cookies for the cake anyway

[00:35:28] but I didn't even know that there was in that was in that until Until she talked about it at the end and then I Keep I'm sorry. I'm not trying to talk over you guys

[00:35:37] I just get so excited about some of it. I think was it was it Dan who talked about it? It was like a peanut Something maybe that was his signature, but the cheese and onion pie

[00:35:48] I have zero concept of what it was supposed to taste like because I I was just I don't remember I Remember because I thought I maybe I had missed what it was gonna be. They liked the flavors of his What they were in the filling?

[00:36:04] Yeah, but his was that was his was like, oh they're slightly overdone All right Gotta take their word for it. I guess what about you? Well, I had a lot of the same thoughts, you know, and I I mean obviously we can't taste anything

[00:36:22] So we just have to go off of the presentation. We have to go off of you know, the judges details They're describing, you know, oh this is you know

[00:36:30] We've got the perfect crisp to it or it's got you know, your blend of flavors and as they're describing it You know, that's what I try to like. Okay. I'm trying to you know, imagine that myself

[00:36:38] But I thought you know at least aesthetically Tasha's I thought was so pretty I just thought the colors that she used in her Japanese bowl that she made out of I thought was just

[00:36:47] It looked so lifelike. Maybe that's what did it for me? Is it really look like like a lot like Josh's burger? I mean that thing I was like

[00:36:54] It looks like you could just like grab a whole of it and smash it all together and take a big old bite out Yeah, try to anyway, it was so stacked But it was cool to see Josh who you know

[00:37:06] And we're only two episodes in so there's so so many more, you know challenges to go But Josh last week kind of stayed about in the middle of the road You know and just kind of was in the background a little bit and to see how he really

[00:37:18] Kind of stepped it up this week. I thought was really quite love to see that out of out of bakers So that that was really cool to see like wow that dude

[00:37:25] He he's got some hidden talent there that we didn't see last week as much, you know, or he didn't really stand out But you know here he did So I love seeing that when you could see see their strengths

[00:37:37] I was thoroughly impressed by those tomatoes, you know watching them make those tomatoes with the the Sugary bits and baked them in a way to get them to crystallize. I was just like I just how Every time I watch one of these

[00:37:54] Show stoppers when they're when they're creating something out of just like some dough and biscuits and what-have-you Whatever the challenge is. I'm like, how do you even you know the techniques that you see, you know, see them make

[00:38:08] You know or the things that they have to do in order to get it to turn out that way It's just I'm so envious of talent like that you know that they're able to just you know have this vision in their head and then actually

[00:38:21] Make it a make it a thing so But yeah, I loved all of those. Those are ones that really stood out for me I'm just I'm impressed by all of them, honestly, just because you know, I can't do that Try I could try but I can promise you

[00:38:42] Like there's did Anything else that you all want to Say about like the showstopper the signature the technical I thought Nikki's was really colorful and pretty and I feel like she saved herself with her

[00:39:00] Showstopper because I think she was in the running to potentially go home as well And I think that that put her back in the safe land. I Think that he struggled enough That it was almost like I mean it was they almost just had to say well

[00:39:20] Who else could possibly be going home? Right and they're like, oh Well, I guess Nikki. I mean, but I yeah, I mean, I think that I think that it was a clear

[00:39:30] I don't want to say loser, but as a clear person who was going to be going home this time based on Judges Going away and again, we're still only in week two. Yeah But it's early but you're you're you're talking to go home. It's this one in particular

[00:39:51] yes, Keith had a bad week and But so it's just kind of like okay, you know everybody else was If Keith wasn't there it would have been Nikki because Everybody else did so well. It was so impressive

[00:40:14] What about standout moments, I mean maybe we've already covered some while we were talking about the bakes but was there anything any moments outside of the bakes or any any other standout moments that That y'all appreciated even just funny lines or interactions So I would say that Paul

[00:40:34] Having to take a minute to soak in Josh's burger And then having to go go out go go go back to him go to his table to give him a handshake was pretty pretty funny I have some some British isms maybe maybe

[00:40:53] You guys have heard of before but Rowan So he was like you're at uni how can you afford to do these things and it's like oh You don't want to see my overdraft

[00:41:06] Which I'm assuming is like you had like because to us overdrafting is like hey, I wrote a check I couldn't cash or I couldn't cover so I'm like Is that like your bank account? overdraft is

[00:41:19] That's how I took it spinning. I guess overdrafting his account I guess on on some charcuterie boards I He's not kidding that stuff's expensive Yeah, I thought it was really funny when

[00:41:38] Allison realized that Tasha got the handshake. She was like, oh I'm taking two of these with me Yeah, I thought that was really funny I wonder how much But they get to eat all that stuff or maybe they're sick of it by now, I don't know. Yeah

[00:41:57] I I don't see how no was not, you know an extra couple stone Stones another one right? So weighing weighing people in stones But so every time I hear him say it it's every time I hear no will say off you pop

[00:42:14] I'm like for the the technicals. I'm like it just makes me happy to hear off you pop Yeah, and I almost miss it whenever I don't hear it Yeah Sod it

[00:42:26] Remember like I was like, oh sorry, I've heard that before but not not not super frequently over here Opsy-bopsy was Abby She made a mistake but then Allison at one point and maybe she said bothered but what I heard was you're not even bothered

[00:42:49] Familiar with Katherine Tate's and I'm a bothered. I'm not bothered. Are you bothered? Just the you bothered Very I thought it was very clear, but I could have been wrong. But that's what it made anything. It was funny About you Wendy any other favorite moments

[00:43:14] I think that was about it. I I noticed Last week, I thought Matt might be one of the first to go home and he still wasn't the strongest But I think he stepped up and I think he seems to be hitting his stride

[00:43:29] So I'm I really can't wait to see you know What else they have for us same same and you know, sometimes you know, we've seen it before sometimes

[00:43:39] It takes a couple episodes or more for some bakers to really hit their stride and then you know by you know They really hang strong almost to the end, you know, and you're like wow Where were you hiding? You know because you kind of was middle-of-the-road

[00:43:52] Or you know kind of struggled a little and you really see how how strong folks become they just really hit their stride And sometimes it's just being around really great bakers to you know, when you're an environment like that It really levels you up sometimes for some people

[00:44:07] So yeah I think he's got some promise One moment for me that I thought was really I love watching the interactions With Noel and the bakers and Allison is fantastic. I think she's just really such a natural I think she proved it again this week. I

[00:44:23] Think she's just such a bright personality like she just seems like a blast to hang out with but I do love Noel and there was a moment when he was talking with Abby as she was Talking about and they were kind of showing her with her

[00:44:39] Aerial the big hoop the aerial hoop that she that she likes to do in her free time And so when Noel was talking to her and he's like, you know

[00:44:47] So, what do you what do you do when you're not when you're not baking and she's like, oh, I you know I hang from an aerial hoop and he's like what what are you talking about? and and She's like, you know

[00:44:57] I just drive to the farm and go to a barn and hang from an aerial hoop and the look on his face just I Just was dead Yeah, he's great and it seems to come to her now. You drive to a barn? You what? Just loved it and

[00:45:19] Then the the voiceover Noel had a voiceover and he mentioned something about Keith's tube trauma Just saying the word I'm like it's a biscuit but it's a trauma and I'm like well he's kind of right in this instance

[00:45:36] On a on the Bake Off show and you're being judged It probably was a bit of a trauma to have it crumble there in the oven like that But just to hear him say say it in the way that Noel says it

[00:45:47] Just cracked me up so that you'd refer to it as a trauma Yeah, so based on this week I mean, it's we've just we lost Keith. So we still have a pretty healthy group

[00:46:06] Has based on what you've seen this week with the bakers and and what they presented do y'all have any favorite Bakers has it changed any at all from first week. I still like Tasha I Even though she got star Rekha this week. I

[00:46:27] Just don't know if she has the staying power I Think that Abby is still One of those, you know top-tier bakers I think that Tasha is as well I think that maybe her youth is going to

[00:46:43] I feel like she's going to come up lacking in something and depending on when it is I think I think she might be in trouble obviously not after this week

[00:46:54] She did a phenomenal job this week, and I don't mean that I just I've seen too many times where you kind of get that high and then You don't necessarily fall off, but you can like okay. Well, how could where can I possibly go?

[00:47:09] And you know, sometimes you do end up going home. I I was very impressed with Saku though. I think that her Her poise under pressure and the Her mistakes were very very minimal and I feel like she is a person who is going to take that input and

[00:47:34] Really start to shine But I still think that Abby and Dan are kind of the people to beat this so far I think Josh came really close to winning star Baker this week So I think he's somebody to watch out for that's that's fair. That's absolutely fair

[00:47:55] And I think Dan's still up there in the thick of things And if I had to pick one more Actually, I'd pick two more like Saku and I think Dana I think don't count him out I think Dana's presentation and her daring

[00:48:15] Really? I think she's going to make it further specifically because she's willing to try more I think she'll get more forgiveness by trying to be creative and try to like that You're absolutely right that that pizza and the the gravity defying Construct or structure or whatever

[00:48:34] I think that that is that I think she's going to go far with that creativity Yeah, I agree What about Predictions Anyone have any predictions this week for? Who's even even if you just wanna say who's gonna be in the final? You don't have to

[00:49:03] If I had to pick three I'd pick Dan Josh and Tasha It's hard not to include Abby though Abby is yeah, I'm thinking Josh Josh and Josh Josh and Josh Josh and Josh Josh and Josh Josh and Josh Josh and Josh

[00:49:30] I'm looking at the people that I don't think are gonna be in the finals, right? So I don't think Maddie's gonna make it. I don't think Christy's gonna make it I think Rowan has good opportunity but

[00:49:46] But I don't think he'll make it. There's a possibility that Dana because of her her daring her daring do Like said, I think I think Tasha may hit a snag I don't think Nikki will so I would yes a Dan Dan Abby and Like Saku

[00:50:11] Yeah, and I think somebody could you know come out from The what sometimes it takes people a couple weeks to hit their stride And sometimes all it takes is one bad week for someone who who?

[00:50:24] Yeah, or who's who's always either in the middle or always, you know kind of coming out atop They can have one really bad week and then they're done Absolutely. Absolutely. Absolutely How about you? I mean, I agree with y'all. I definitely think Abby is a very strong Baker

[00:50:43] I definitely think she's definitely got a shot at going all the way to the finals I think I'm really interested to see what Josh can do like it. Can he he really came out this week? Can he stay there? No some really great, right, you know competition there

[00:50:59] I think Dan definitely is probably gonna be in the finals and I do love Tasha though I think she's just such a sweetheart. I don't know if it's just

[00:51:07] Her age and she's young and she reminds me of my daughter or something, you know at that age or something So there's something about her that I just find really sweet

[00:51:16] So I'm really pulling for her. I really love to see her go all the way but you know, they're also great I I hate even saying, you know that like oh

[00:51:25] I don't think they're gonna do well cuz you just never know you really do see some folks really just continue to grow and grow And just you know, you're like wow. I didn't know you had it in you, you know

[00:51:36] So I think they're all great though. I think I think Specific to this show. I think because you know what each of the weeks are right? It's always cake week

[00:51:48] It's always biscuit week is next week bread week or is that week for bread week? Yes bread week next week so so like it's always bread week and I the thing that I love about this is that

[00:52:02] Each of them has something up their sleeve for each one of these things like hey, you know what? I know this is what my plan is for for biscuit week

[00:52:11] This is hey cake week if I feel like I am pretty good as long as I can execute my basics Someone's gonna screw up But bread week is I I'm always interested like I remember one that was like a I

[00:52:28] can't remember who it was or even what but series it was but it was it was like an olive oil and No, it was an olive and black pepper Focaccia, and I was just like that sounds so good. Oh my god And

[00:52:47] Apparently it was it was very popular about man. Yeah bread week. I'm looking forward to Yeah, so my point being was that each of them typically has like oh hey, you know what I can't wait I need to make it to this week so that I can

[00:53:08] have my secret ingredient or whatever that I brought from home or my amazing idea and You know and reveal it and this is my week for a start like hey, I'm biding my time I'm playing the survivor game

[00:53:22] I'm not going above and beyond in the first few weeks letting it kind of settle out so that I've got This ready to go in like week five or six then you just hope that you can make it You know, the technicals don't screw you up too bad

[00:53:38] And you can and you can exit and you can execute your your signatures and your showstoppers up to that point But I feel like each one of them has to have something. They're like, I cannot bleed wait for

[00:53:49] Through this week. Yeah, cuz some of them do have strengths in certain You know elements of baking like we've had some you know in the past really great You know, but of course bread week intimidates everyone because that's obviously Paul Hollywood's wheelhouse there and he's pretty tough

[00:54:05] Pretty tough. I think he's tougher during bread week than he is any other week. Honestly, I feel like every time I watch Yeah And be very critical

[00:54:16] But they all seem to have like oh I can nail a cake like cakes are my thing or Oh biscuits are my thing Or you know, we've had a few like Oh bread. I'm comfortable with bread, you know, they weren't worried at all

[00:54:27] So everyone, you know seems to kind of have their strength with what where we know where they really shine They just have to hold out till they get there so they can really you know, demonstrate those talents and show the judges

[00:54:38] Is it like week six or seven that they that they veer and they don't do a standard one I feel like they did like one time. It was like patisserie and then another time it was Like I think they had a caramel. Yeah caramel

[00:54:56] Basically, it's like it's like the the wild card week. Yeah. Yeah. Hey, I just have to make it to wild card week because everybody's gonna screw it up I Can do this so we're all on the same level. Yeah It's great

[00:55:13] All right, any other notes? So we talked about Tasha did you know did for anyone who maybe did miss it? Was a star Baker which she didn't think she was gonna get it after Josh's Hollywood handshake You know, she was like, oh Josh. She was so excited

[00:55:29] So, yeah, that was great and then unfortunately Keith had to go home This week so any other notes This week before we move on to feedback I've yet enough

[00:55:46] Well, we did get some feedback and I apologize in advance that we did get some feedback early on I had overlooked it My error, so I apologize everyone

[00:55:56] I did go ahead and go through and pick up what we had from when we announced that we were gonna cover bake-off From last week and also for this week. So please if you thought we missed it You know go ahead and send it in. We'll definitely

[00:56:12] You know be sure to include and I know we're recording a little early So if you you know are able to watch episode 2 just yet go ahead and put your feedback in

[00:56:23] You know include it for next week, you know, I I don't mind I love hearing about it regardless of the week we're covering So let's go ahead and jump into feedback for this week Greg. Do you want to take the first one for me? Sure, Jennifer McGinley

[00:56:38] Bake-offs cracking good to see it spreading across the pond y'all. Thank you for using a Local Colloquialism no Whatever it doesn't matter y'all I say y'all literally all the time enjoy I say it all the time mostly I say because it annoys my kids Check All right

[00:57:05] Karen she hi Karen says loved your guys coverage of episode 1 great British bake-off brings me so much joy That I actually cried happy tears when the opening credits music started to play ha

[00:57:19] I'm an easy mark for sappiness. Thanks for podcasting about the show. I agree like it's the thing that It I'm just so happy to watch it Karen wrote Oh Wendy and Greg I agree with your predictions

[00:57:33] I really like Abby and how versatile she could be given her foraging background Liking Keith Dan and Tasha who has the bluest eyes I've ever seen that's actually true My father said something about that while we're watching it. He's like that's got to be photoshopped, right?

[00:57:49] I'm like no, I think she's just got gorgeous eyes She could give Paul a run for his money on beautiful eyes I think Nikki is also a delight even before she made her Is that a mouse Oh? Okay Thank You Karen So like I said

[00:58:15] We did get a little feedback when we announced that we were gonna cover the season of great British bake-off and one of our dear Friends Derek O'Neill wrote in and said excellent looking forward to your thoughts on the new host Alison Hammond

[00:58:27] She's a big favorite over here. Check out her interview with Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling It's hilarious. I Will have to go check that out. Yeah. Yeah, that must have been for Blade Runner. I believe it was Yep, he did provide a link to that

[00:58:42] Y'all wanna check it out on our page Yeah, well Jennifer Camille Camillerie. Ooh Very happy to hear this Sarah Saltzman says awesome And Then for episode 2 Jamie Dimick another one of our dear friends says those showstoppers were amazing I can't pick a favorite yet

[00:59:09] The burger it just again it just looks so We did get a voice message from our friend Steve on episode 1 last week, sorry Steve again Like I don't know where my life was I guess I've been my the break on podcasting has affected my brain so

[00:59:31] Let's see what Steve had to say about episode 1 Low strange indeed. This is Steve and this is a great British baking. What does it call? Hold on the Great British baking show C11 episode 1 that breadfather opening and this is great. I love the openings of these shows

[00:59:54] He used the same opening credits scene for the entire run of this show This little girl's gotta be like 50 now, isn't she? That's just a cute one, isn't she? No wonder your beard tastes awful. You're brewing it next to a rhubarb plant. Oh

[01:00:07] Christy that's a lot of lemon. Oh, that was a great time call Allison. Good job Did she just say we know where can you go from a hug? Did she just say home? To the BSL translator. I hope you soften in some of Paul's rudeness

[01:00:21] No technical challenge seems really difficult because that cake at the beginning of the credits is looks really good Well, that was a strong statement there about the technical that this is the closest any technical has ever been Wow

[01:00:34] All this beaver talk, you know is gonna lead to some funny moments I had a shake from Noel and from all on that named her beaver Norman Wow, these showstoppers are ambitious. Oh Maddie's dog looks really really good on Rowan's lobsters in a cage

[01:00:50] That was cool or whatever. They call those things Paul Hollywood ever the showman. I don't like that Tasha I love it seems like it's gonna be a tough one to judge The at least the best ones at least Nobody likes a bone-dry beaver

[01:01:05] All right. Talk to you later. I mean goodbye to Amos. Sorry to see anybody go but somebody's gotta leave, right? You were worried about us being dirty dry dry beavers are the worst Yeah, it's no no one likes dry beaver. That's for sure Thanks Steve Really appreciate everyone's

[01:01:31] Feedback be sure to keep writing in letting us know what you thought of each week's bakes and the bakers We really appreciate you especially since this is out, you know kind of not our normal What we cover around here so a

[01:01:50] Little black mirror a little great British it's all about balance And I love the juxtaposition of it all, you know, and I don't like being you know in a box like Purposely being different maybe to a fault sometimes

[01:02:07] So as we talked about next week, we are covering episode 3 from collection 11, which as we mentioned is bread week All right, no pressure bakers. No pressure So yeah looking forward to that one. Be sure to watch

[01:02:26] And let us know what you think about bread week or any of the episodes if you are just catching up. I Was just gonna say as far as what we have coming up next Which is eerily sneaking up is that next week?

[01:02:39] It's like next week. I can't even keep up. I don't even I don't even know what day it is Less than oh gosh, I don't know if I'm ready, but I'm super excited We are going to be covering the fall of the house of usher

[01:02:51] From the flanniverse here on strange indeed and really looking forward to that nothing gets me more excited for spooky time Than covering something from Mike Flanagan. So hope everyone joins us for that That sounds good I have been down a white lotus rabbit hole

[01:03:08] Totally binging which I never binge Had to we watched five episodes last weekend and we never do that, especially my husband I can usually get like one or two hours of TV in a weekend from him

[01:03:24] But we couldn't do that this week. So I'm excited to be back I Loved it Loved it Loving following along with the podcast It's great. Yeah, you definitely need to hop back on there and your thoughts

[01:03:44] Awesome. Yeah. I'm looking for I think they're what skipping a week this week and then they're doing episode 3 next week Yeah, looking for I think they're what skipping a week this week, and then they're doing episode three next week

[01:03:56] Yeah, I figure we're I mean we're all meeting up in Boston. So I'm gonna be talking a lot And then I've got we're wrapping at Wheel of Time, I think it's tomorrow night

[01:04:09] The season finale the season 2 finale was out and it is like I gotta say it was Pretty damn impressive they a lot of really really good things and If you haven't checked it out like it's

[01:04:25] There's actually I saw an article phase like hey Amazon has its Game of Thrones and it's not rings of power It's the Wheel of Time because they I mean I have to admit that they are

[01:04:35] They did a really really good job this season, and I'm hoping they can they can stick the landing better than But a better than Game of Thrones did in a more broad sense I enjoy Game of Thrones like the ending of it but yeah, I

[01:04:53] Really really hope that they continue to do this justice because it's been so good That's awesome. Nice On your marks Get set