291 "Pastry Week" GBBO Collection 11 E5

[00:00:00] Hey everyone, welcome to our bonus edition of Strange Indeed dedicated to the Great British Baking Show. This week we are covering Collection 11, Episode 5, Pastry Week and oh what pastries we had. They did not disappoint this week at all.

[00:00:25] And notably absent this week, we'll just say our dear friend Wendy is feeling a little under the weather so she was unable to join this week. We hope you feel better Wendy. Can't wait to have you back with us for the next episode.

[00:00:37] So it's up to Greg and I to talk all about pastries. Oh man, I feel the weight of the burden to talk about all of these amazing, amazing pastries and less amazing. There were a couple of nightmares on this one. Oh there was.

[00:00:56] It was, oh it just, you know, we've mentioned it so often in past seasons that we've covered. It's like you just really get to know week by week. You get to know the bakers a little bit more and a little bit more and they start to feel

[00:01:08] like your friends and when you start to see, you know, when they're having, when they're struggling during either during the whole episode or during one of the particular challenges, it just, you just, at least for me, get disheartened right along with them.

[00:01:21] You know, you just, you want to cry with them. But what a, what an interesting episode for sure because we lost two this week. So we're going to talk about that. But let's talk about it. Let's talk about first the signature this week.

[00:01:39] They were, the bakers were challenged to make 12 savory picnic pies from a hot water crust pastry. It's been a long day. And these looked really good. I, there were a few that weren't quite, I thought something I would particularly love, but I

[00:01:59] still thought that they turned out aesthetically beautiful. What about you, Greg? Did you have some favorite signatures or one in particular that you want to talk about? So I will, I will, I will very specifically just say I absolutely adore like mince pies or meat pies or whatever.

[00:02:22] And when you take a bunch of flavor and I think we got an answer that punchy is good, at least this week. Yes, thank you. I even have a note because he asked what Paul wants punchy flavor.

[00:02:36] So I'm like, okay, that's what we just, like, it's good or so bad. So he was like, yeah, it's very punchy. And I was like, okay, this is definitely good. So it like the, the, the, the very, like you take some meat and garlic and some nice

[00:02:55] vegetables with a nice flaky pastry and it's hot and it's, oh man, like just a couple of them in particular that I thought were really, that look really, really impressive. I really wanted to try Josh's sausage cheddar with the apple, like the post-match pies.

[00:03:18] They talked about them not necessarily being the best, but I was, I was like, oh, that that I could really, really get down with the Tasha with the, the, the sausage apple and cranberry with the mustard on the bottom.

[00:03:34] Like the, the mustard flavor in contrast to, I mean, sausage and mustard to me just goes together. But and then like with the, the, the extra cranberry Jason, they are pastry. And then Christie's, I mean, you know, she got a handshake for us.

[00:03:49] I mean, it's obviously it was pretty good with the, the leek, garlic and mushroom pies. Those were the three, like the, when she initially started talking about, and then Peru when she, sorry. When Christie initially started talking about like describing what she had in them, I was

[00:04:09] just like, that sounds really, really good. And then it came out amazing. I was just like, whoo. But yeah, those, those were the ones that I was, I guess Maddie's spanakopita was, was pretty good. I enjoy spanakopita.

[00:04:31] I think it's hard outside of like a Greek restaurant to, to get like good spanakopita. Like if you go to like a diner, even a diner that is owned by a Greek person, I still think it's maybe a little bit, I don't know.

[00:04:45] I haven't had phenomenal experiences there, but yeah, those are the ones that I really was like, yeah. I agree. I really was interested in Maddie's because it's, I don't think I've had anything like that before, but just the, I know I like those particular flavors and those things.

[00:05:05] So I feel like, oh, put them in a nice cute little pie, then yeah, that sounds pretty darn amazing. So I was definitely interested in Maddie's. I really would have loved to have tried Dana's. I, you know, I think that they did like hers as well.

[00:05:24] And it's interesting that her signature turned out to be something that they were going to have something very similar and make in the technical. So she had a little bit of a leg up going into the technical anyway, but that sounded very yummy to me.

[00:05:38] The potato, dauphinoise with caramelized onions and some rosemary. I was like, oh heck yeah, stick a potato into some pastry. Give me all the carbs, you know, I'll take it. Josh's sounded great. Like you said, the post-match picnic pie and Tasha and Rowan's.

[00:05:56] I know that like Rowan's, you know, didn't turn out exactly as he wanted. So I would have really, and I'm sure they still tasted great. I just know that like the bottoms, he got some soggy bottom, which this was the episode for soggy bottom.

[00:06:16] They weren't executed perfectly, but they sounded amazing. Like the flavors, like his and Tasha's were both like these sausage inspired bakes, like from there. I think Tasha said hers was inspired by her Christmas stuffing that she makes.

[00:06:31] And I think Rowan's was also in a similar fashion as well. So they, I mean that I'm like, I'm here for that. Those sounded just amazing. I thought it was funny that Paul, when Dana was describing what she was making, she's making like a potato, dauphinoise, a petit-vier.

[00:06:52] She's like, a what? And she's like, how do you spell that? And then he just like walks away. And then later on you're like, oh, that's why he knew petit-vier. That's exactly what it was. Uh huh. Cause she's like, what?

[00:07:09] And he's like, he just kind of looking at her like, interesting. And I'm like, it is really interesting as we go into the next challenge, you know? Yeah. I think Rowan's sweet potato, like it's not that I don't like sweet potatoes.

[00:07:26] I just don't think of sweet potatoes as like a savory style. I understand even though the word sweet is in there, it's not actually sweet. But I mean, I would take the Dana's over Rowan's any day just because I love, love, love, love,

[00:07:46] classic white potatoes or not sweet potatoes, regular potatoes. So yeah, I thought there were a bunch of them. The only one that I would, I personally would not enjoy or choose would be Saku's, specifically my well-documented egg dystopia, not dystopia, but dysfunction.

[00:08:14] I would not enjoy that quail egg in the middle of the pie. I, I would definitely need, I don't mind egg, but I think I would need a warning that it's in there.

[00:08:23] Cause I think if I cut it open and just, I'd be like, oh gosh, it would just, I'd be taken aback. I think, cause I'm not used to, I don't know if we have a lot of bakes like that here in

[00:08:34] the U S so, um, you know, it would just be something I wouldn't be used to personally if I was served up something like that. And also I'm just, I'm not a big fan of like fish and hers was a tuna, had tuna in it.

[00:08:45] And I mean, I'd be willing to try it cause I feel like I would love to at least be open to trying something. Even if I am not a huge fan of the flavors, uh, to, you know, make a final like decision

[00:08:58] on it, but it would not be at the top of, you know, just, just knowing the flavors that the bakers use, that wouldn't be at my top. Yeah. The, the tuna kind of turned me off.

[00:09:10] I do enjoy some, uh, we'll say well undercooked tuna, um, like some seared tuna or, or, uh, but in general, I'm not a, not really a cooked tuna person. Um, Dan's, it was funny that we were talking last week about how Dan kind of like, like

[00:09:30] take you to the edge, take, give me what'll kill me and then back it off a little bit. And then, and then this week I was like, she, cause like Saku was like, yeah, I'm not going

[00:09:40] to make it like a, make it, make it at home because you know, it's maybe a little bit too spicy. And I was just like, okay, that's exactly what we're talking about. And Dan's just like spice, spice, spice, spice, spice, spice, spice.

[00:09:49] I was like, oh buddy, come on man. You gotta find that balance. Yeah. But he executed them, I think fairly well. Dan was, you know, doing a little bit better than what he had in previous.

[00:10:07] So he was, I think coming back up a little bit, but, um, and then with Christie, with hers, I just, gosh, my heart just broke for her when she started to take hers out and

[00:10:19] they were like filling over and she said like there was a whole mushroom or something coming out and she started to cry. I was like, oh no. I would just start to like immediately sympathy tears, you know, crying for, I'm like, no, don't cry.

[00:10:32] It's just, it's just some pies. It's okay. Especially after last week where you're like, oh gosh, it's just another, another heartbreak on top of another heartbreak. Um, but I mean, yeah, it all, it all came well in the end. It did.

[00:10:48] It, it ended up working out for her because, and, and it just made me, I think cry then enjoy for her because then when she got the praise and got the handshake from Paul, when

[00:10:58] she had just been, you know, just heartbroken thinking that they were overfilled and leaking out and that they were messy. And she was saying, you know, felt feeling like she had like imposter syndrome or something. And I was just like, oh my gosh, you poor thing.

[00:11:14] I was like, no, no, please don't get upset. So then to see it turn around for her so quickly there in that first, first challenge, I love to see that. I felt so good for her, um, in that moment. For sure. Absolutely.

[00:11:29] I don't like to see anyone cry over like, no, no, it's okay. It's, you know, it is okay. Uh, so yeah, a lot of great picnic pies and I'm, I'm inspired. I want to make one of these. I don't know what I'd pick.

[00:11:45] I'd have to check the, um, I try not to go onto the website, um, ahead of time because they will sometimes push the recipes before we have a chance to see the episode here.

[00:11:57] So I'm like, oh, I don't want to see anything that I shouldn't, um, too early. So I need to go in and see it cause they will oftentimes publish some of the, um, the star bakers, uh, bakes on the website so you can get the recipes and stuff.

[00:12:13] But, uh, I'd, I'd love to, to make one of these. Cause I was like, they sound amazing. I think it's a perfect time of year, uh, for me anyway, to make one of these like savory, not, not a picnic necessarily, but just having one of these savory pies.

[00:12:27] It was picnic weather today. It was like 78 and sunny, but cool in the shade. It was beautiful. Oh golly. I think this is like a actually like up here in new England. It was like a latest in the year, highest temperature since like 1914. Wow. Yeah.

[00:12:46] No, it was absolutely stunning day. Uh, but I think we're gonna have like a 30 degree snap tonight. So, uh, well, that's, that's kind of what we're starting. Not quite that cold, but yeah, same here.

[00:12:57] We had a very warm week in the mid to late seventies, which is a little unseasonably warm for this time of year, like week before Halloween. Uh, so it would've been good picnic weather this week, but now we're definitely headed down into the cool and the rain today.

[00:13:12] But, um, you know, I can enjoy one of these picnic pies inside. Fact. I have a picnic on my living room floor with my dog. Okay. Well, let's move on to the technical challenge, which as we mentioned, Dana had a little bit of a heads up on.

[00:13:31] There was, um, the challenge was a daffodil, daffodil potato and caramelized onion pâtivier. I hope I pronounced that right. I'm terrible with pronunciations, but wow. That thing looked yummy. Oh, yeah. What did you think?

[00:13:49] The presentation, the, the sauce that, uh, that prune that there are the, the Roquefort blue cheese sauce. I mean, I am a blue cheese fan. Um, but the, the, the reaction from like Josh and Maddie is like, look, there's more mold than cheese.

[00:14:11] The reactions were so relatable for me. Cause I do not love blue cheese. You were talking about making the picnic pies. I mean, I was like, I could probably make that, you know, that blue cheese sauce and really, really enjoy it. Um, that was pretty funny.

[00:14:31] Um, the, uh, yeah, I thought these looked great. And, you know, Dan again, returned to form with the technical and that. I don't know if he just like super piled the potatoes or if he just like baked the pastry really well or what?

[00:14:50] Um, but I think it was a combination of both. Uh, I am not a professional baker, but I have seen enough bake. I mean, I've literally watched all episodes of the baking show from its inception.

[00:15:08] So I feel slightly qualified to talk about it that I I've seen enough pastry episodes to know that when they're calling for a puff pastry, it really is key to, uh, fold the butter, grated butter and into those layers.

[00:15:26] And when I saw Josh and oh, who else was it? Um, yes, Maddie was trying to find their, oh, Josh. Nikki and Maddie. Yep. It did write their names down. They were just putting it into their mix. And I was like, oh, I was like, no, no, no.

[00:15:43] You have to fold it and layer it to get it. Um, get those layers because that butter is what helps it puff and the lamination. Yes. And I was like, oh no, no. I was like, that's not going to be good. Um, I'll be honest.

[00:16:00] I was like, I was like, they're turning it into a little thing. I don't remember how you turn this, how you like get it from a folded brick into like actual dough. And then I watched them rolling it out after they're, after they froze it for a while.

[00:16:16] And I was like, oh, okay. I don't, I think maybe I never picked up on that beforehand. He's like, yeah, you fold it. Yeah. You, you, you put fold and turns and you do that. I'm like, but now all you end up with is like folded stuff.

[00:16:32] I don't understand. Eventually I figured it out, but it was pretty funny. Well, and they cut so much out too, right? For time we don't see, um, every single step of the process, but yeah, that's exactly it is.

[00:16:44] They have to do that lamination where they're folding that the layers of the butter into each layer of the sheets of the dough and they have to keep it cold. It had to keep going in the fridge because the, you know, um, just for pastry in general,

[00:16:58] pastry doesn't like heat. Um, and then you don't want your butter to melt, you know, you don't want to overwork it and start to melt the butter, uh, because it needs to melt in the oven to then get the little poofs.

[00:17:10] Um, so I think it was both because there was one of the, um, I did not, my, my notes are just not that detailed, but I remember someone had some potatoes left over. It was Christie. Okay. Yep.

[00:17:22] And it's just like, oh no, I should have, yeah, you probably should have that probably did help give some height. Cause I think the key, especially like with the picnic pies in the signature challenge,

[00:17:34] there's that balance of, you know, you want a nice full pastry, uh, but you don't want to over full so it doesn't like pop out and leak out. But then at the same time, if you don't put enough in, then you've got a big old air pocket

[00:17:46] and it can really dry out. So there's, you know, definitely the pressure, um, pressure with that. Um, so there was definitely that balance and, you know, I was surprised though, uh, that some of the bakers had undercooked potatoes. That was, that was odd.

[00:18:05] I mean, I feel like that's a pretty reasonable, like not reasonable. That's a pretty common thing to cook and that you wouldn't, you wouldn't let non tender potatoes go into a, uh, no, maybe, I don't know.

[00:18:22] Maybe they were just distracted, um, because they were trying to do several different things at once and trying to do it all in time. But yeah, I thought that was, that was, that was very, very odd that not only you had one,

[00:18:36] but you had two or three that were, had were undercooked. Yeah. Maybe they were counting on, and I don't remember the exact cook time cause you know, of course you don't get that in the recipe. They're just like cook, cook the pastry. Oh, that's a good point. Yeah.

[00:18:50] That's, that's a good point. You're kind of like, hmm. So maybe, you know, cause I know that they did cook it cause it had to be nice and saucy and had to, you know, cook the onions as well.

[00:18:59] But maybe they were counting on also the cook time in the oven. Cause if you overcook them, uh, in the skillet or as you're, as you're cooking them, if you, if you overcook them then, and then you put them in the oven to then also bake in the

[00:19:12] oven with your pastry, then they would be like mashed potatoes practically. So it's probably a very delicate balance. I'm not saying I, I'd probably have to make it a couple of times to try to get it right or figure that out. But you know, I was just surprised.

[00:19:28] Yeah. And then, uh, Rowan, uh, was the only one who didn't blind bake, uh, his, his pastry. And I was just like, oh man. Like I, I feel like this is one of those things where you would like, this is, this again,

[00:19:45] back to the technical aspect of it that you have to know when you do this, you have to blind bake and that, you know, so you've got the sturdiness, uh, in a little, a little

[00:19:56] bit of space for the juices to go in, um, before you actually, uh, go in and cook the rest of your dish. Yeah. I felt so bad because I don't think that it tells that in the, in the instructions again,

[00:20:14] like you said, it's a technical, it's something that you, you, they're challenging you. Do you know this right? As far as your skills with, with pastry and, you know, I was like, oh, you should be blind baking that a little bit. It really helps with the soggy bottoms.

[00:20:29] It really helps give it a little bit of that, that structure before, especially when you're making something that has like a sauce, you know, when you're putting moisture into that pastry and it's, you've got these layers, it's just sitting on that bottom.

[00:20:45] You know, it helps to have that a little bit cooked already. Um, so it, it, it, it, it bakes right. And it's not just sitting with all that moisture. So, oh, poor Rowan. Yeah. He had a rough week. He did have a rough week. That was just hard.

[00:21:03] Um, so as far as the technical, it came down to Nikki came in ninth. She also struggled. Uh, it was just hard, hard to watch. I've just felt so bad for them. She came in ninth. Josh was an eighth. Maddie was seventh.

[00:21:18] Tasha was, uh, came in third and Dana was in second. Cause she's already had a practice round. She was probably so pissed that Dan won. She was like, mother fucker. I literally just did this and then, oh, he got great scalloping. Uh, fine. Yep.

[00:21:41] Got it on the scalloping. Every detail counts. It was a beautiful, beautiful pastry. Yeah. I would love to cut into that and have a big old slice of that minus the cheese sauce. Or if there was some other appropriate cheese sauce substitute. Oh, the blue cheese.

[00:21:59] Oh, I was, this was, I mean, I was jamming on, on all the savory stuff this week. That's awesome. Uh, well the showstopper this week, they, uh, had to make some decorative sweet pies.

[00:22:15] Um, and they had to do at least three pie types using a sweet short crust, short crust. My goodness, words are hard today. A pastry and pru wanted them to, you know, make some varieties of the pie types and they all had

[00:22:30] to, uh, have a tie in together, some sort of theme to tie all of the pies together. I thought this was a fun, fun challenge and some really beautiful work, uh, from, from the bakers. There were some stunning ones. Um, so and some were really, really impressive.

[00:22:49] How about, how about you go first? You're always asking me when you, you, you, you go, what, what was impressed to you? Golly. Um, you know, I know that they said it was too sweet, but I liked the idea of Dana's pies.

[00:23:03] She was inspired by honey baklava and I'm like, bring it on. I'm all about the sweets. I, I would take that, um, any time. And I, and I thought she executed that really, really nicely. That did look really impressive. And I'm, I'm with you.

[00:23:24] Baklava is really, really a fan, a well-done baklava is fantastic. Um, I thought Josh's was beautiful. It was stunning. Absolutely stunning. Put that thing in a frame. You could have. Yeah, it was absolutely beautiful.

[00:23:46] And it was so sweet to, um, that he dedicated those to his late Nan, uh, who, who had passed away and sounds like he had also learned to bake from her. And so I thought that the, the, his beautiful decorative sunflower pies were just absolutely

[00:24:02] gorgeous and the flavors just, you know, sounded amazing. I loved Tasha's, her sea or ski pies were just so creative and inventive. And she even, I don't know how in the world my clumsy fingers could never like carve out

[00:24:24] and make these tiny little hands and then place them just so perfectly in, um, the British sign language, um, spelling to, uh, for her signs for the sea or ski. I mean, just wonderful.

[00:24:41] I absolutely have to, you know, I'm not bragging at my own ignorance, but I, even though it's called ASL American sign language, I never thought about the fact that you might have British sign language, uh, which was very confused.

[00:24:59] I was like, BSL was, I don't know what, it's not like a cooking term. Oh no. British sign language. Yeah. That I feel like a real moron at this point. Um, and then when in on the signs, because you had little hands pointing in certain directions,

[00:25:14] I thought it was almost like a, Hey, you're pointing this way and I'm pointing this way and which way, oh wait, no, those are actual sign like sign. I was super impressed. As you said, the, the, the detail and the intricacy of the positioning of each in particular,

[00:25:28] each particular hand signal or hand sign was so phenomenal. Um, yeah, it was, and that was the pecan one and I love me some pecan pie. I could eat that all day and I usually do around Thanksgiving.

[00:25:50] I usually make a pie and then be like, okay, this is for everyone else. This one's for me. Love pecan pie. Uh, but those were some of the highlights. There's, there's others too that, um, that I'm sure we'll talk about, um, as showstoppers,

[00:26:06] but what are, what, what were your, some, uh, some of your favorites? Josh's was absolutely, as I said, absolutely stunning. And, uh, I could not be happier for him. Um, I actually was really, uh, hoping for Rowan to succeed because I really enjoy absolutely fabulous.

[00:26:30] And I think that a, a absolutely fabulous themed set of pies, uh, would, would be great if I think that maybe if he had used some of the flavors that Dana had, like the mulled wine, like that would have, that would have made, made a lot of sense.

[00:26:47] Although he did have, you know, I think one was blueberry, which makes for a good, a good one. Um, but, uh, like I was, but man, that turned into a, into a train wreck.

[00:27:03] And I didn't really understand what he was doing with the, with the, like the paper things to like lift that. I mean, I understood the concept of what he was doing, but like in that case, don't do

[00:27:17] that if you haven't been able to get it out of the 10, like you're coming to a challenge where you have to be able to accomplish this. So don't do the thing that, you know, that you failed on that.

[00:27:29] You have to like get little cheat things in order to, to do it. I just, I think, I think that was his inexperience, uh, or maybe his, his, his youth, uh, kind of giving him a little bit of overconfidence and why I really can do this.

[00:27:48] I can, I can figure out a way to make a way to make it work. And he did not, uh, Christie's, uh, on, on the positive side, Christie's, uh, autumn pies looked so good. Um, and I thought that those were the, her flavors. Yeah.

[00:28:08] The flavors were in general, like all of these, Hey, I think you kind of hit the, my, the pecan pie, the baklava. Uh, it's not that I don't enjoy, uh, fruit pies. Um, but it's kind of like, okay, that's a fruit pie. Okay, cool.

[00:28:25] I haven't had one that's blown, but knock the socks off or anything like that. Um, but which one was it? The rhubarb custard. I just don't know. And that's that custard thing that I just, I'm like, I feel like maybe I, yeah, maybe

[00:28:40] I, maybe it would be good if it was like well set. Um, I believe that Nikki had one that was, that was like really, really well set, but something else. I think that was her good one, right?

[00:28:53] The rhubarb custard for her and the rubber custard for Maddie, the two that were like pretty decent out of there when their, their others were less stellar. Um, but, uh, yeah, so the, the rubric customer makes it very, very interesting.

[00:29:12] Um, but, uh, Dan's, uh, mango, papaya, pineapple one, the, the, the tropical flavors. I really, uh, not, not something that I see a lot, although they did say that the flavors weren't quite there.

[00:29:30] So maybe if they had had, he had cooked them a little bit longer, but that was when I was interested in as far as the flavoring goes. I agree. I agree. I've not had anything like that before, but I'd certainly be willing to try it anyway.

[00:29:45] And are you familiar with frangipane? I, I had to look it up because I kept seeing them a lot of bakers using that. Um, and I don't know that I've had it.

[00:30:00] Um, but I looked it up and it says it's a sweet almond flavored custard that is typical in French pastry. Um, so I thought, okay. Um, and it, it's kind of, it says custard, but I don't think it's like a pudding type texture.

[00:30:17] I think it's a little bit thicker than that, if that makes sense. And I think it's used to help with, um, kind of that liquidy part of that can come with some like fruity pies kind of instead of the kind of like poor Rowan had very soupy, um,

[00:30:35] you know, interior parts of his pie. I think frangipane, um, can be used to kind of give it a little bit more of a sturdier texture. That makes sense. Was it, was it Christie that had the frangipane and raspberry that Paul was like, Oh, I've

[00:30:50] never seen that before. And like the, that texture in there looked good. It looked almost like a, almost like a, either a sweet potato or a pumpkiny texture where it's not super, uh, gooey. It's just good texture. And I think I could deal with that.

[00:31:11] Yeah, yeah, she did. She had a raspberry, I think frangipane and there were, I think Rowan had, had it in one of his pies. It was, um, was it chocolate, chocolate and like a frangipane? Uh, one of his pies he had, he had that as well.

[00:31:27] So it's a little bit, they, like again, they call it custard. And when I think of custard, I think of like pudding. Um, but I know that's not in, in like a European type cuisine versus like what we would maybe

[00:31:39] have here and over here, um, is more of it like a thicker, you know, not cake-like, I don't want to say cake-like, but just much sturdier. Well, if it's, if it's almond based, I would imagine it would be a little bit thicker, a

[00:31:53] little bit more, as you say, more sturdy structure, um, in, in the custard, which again, I wouldn't be averse to trying. I wouldn't either. I mean, it sounds yummy, uh, for sure. But, uh, if I've had it, I didn't know that I had it.

[00:32:09] No one said this is frangipane or there's, that's what's in here. So I might've had it and just not even know. Um, but it sounds amazing, but I do think it helps like when you're using like a, a fruity

[00:32:22] or like a fruit in your pie, because you know, they're, they're wet, they're more moist, they could leak and, you know, make your crust just like fall apart all over the place. So I think that's why it's a popular choice.

[00:32:38] Um, was the only pie that the only pie that Rowan was able to get out of his 10 was, uh, the frangipane one. It's, it was so disheartening. I just, you know, and I don't know, I saw him using that technique with, it looked like parchment paper.

[00:32:54] And I don't know if it's because of the type of, again, there's so much editing. We don't get to see every single step. So I don't know what other bakers were using, uh, for their pies because they actually had to take them out, which I was like, wow.

[00:33:07] I don't know if I've, I mean, yes, they have to take their bakes out of their, their, um, you know, cakes out of their, their pans and things like that to, to decorate and things like that.

[00:33:16] But they actually want to see the entire, like they want to see the bottom, they want to see around the sides and they want to see everything that that, that baker has, has baked. And so they had to come out of the 10.

[00:33:27] I don't know if they were using the 10s that are like a spring form type where they can just like let the side down and smooth the bottom right off or something.

[00:33:35] He was using a different type, like type of pan that I'm like, I don't know how, even if it was well-baked, how he was going to get it out of there. So I guess that was what he'd intended.

[00:33:45] If it was baked well, it should just, you know, keep it from sticking as long as it didn't leak, of course. I mean, unfortunately his leaked really bad, I think because it was so soupy and it stuck

[00:33:56] to the bottom that he should have been able to lift it up out of there. Cause I've seen him do it with cakes before, lining the, like cakes and things, parchment paper, you can just kind of lift right out.

[00:34:08] I don't know using a different pan would have helped him though. It was definitely just, and it was just so unfortunate just because he's like, I practiced this and it did not turn out that way.

[00:34:18] And so it's so sad cause they're like, man, I did this and it worked out fine. But then when you're there in that darn tent, everything just falls apart. And whether it's the pressure, yeah.

[00:34:31] So whether it's the pressure of the tent or one thing, you miss a step or you don't do a step in the exact same way. Yeah. The shortened times and you're not having, cause even Tasha was like, yeah, I did this

[00:34:43] and it turned out great, but it took me six hours. I heard it. So I was like, Ooh, that's not good. Yeah. So, I mean, I feel like, yeah, maybe if he'd had the time, maybe that would have turned out beautifully. Cause I mean, his flavors sounded great.

[00:35:01] I mean, I was definitely like into his flavor. So I don't think it was the flavors that set him back. It was just, yeah, it was just, just did not work out for him. But you know what? I was so upset though of the comments that he got.

[00:35:21] Rowan is so hard on himself. Like it was always hard to hear him talk about his lack of confidence and like he just didn't like, yep, this is not going to turn out well. He already knew that his showstopper was a mess.

[00:35:37] He knew that he was definitely not going to get star Baker. I don't know if he knew he was going to be the one, you know, one to leave or not, but he knew right. That he was already like, Oh, this is not good.

[00:35:51] But he had, he went up and he presented it anyway. And he still had like a, tried to maintain a good attitude, at least out on the outside of it. And I just thought, man, those were really harsh comments.

[00:36:05] Maybe they were true, but I was like, he was just already so down on himself that did, you know, how about you talk about what you do like or what was executed well and just say, you know what? This just does not work.

[00:36:16] It did not come together, but here's, here's what we do like, or, you know, whatever. I just, I felt it was really unnecessary, just in my opinion. I mean, I, I get what you're saying. And again, we don't see all of the comments.

[00:36:34] We don't see all of all of the compliments. But I think it really just goes to show how bad it was. Yeah. Like I've heard on other, uh, I think it was on one of the top chefs where somebody

[00:36:58] said something to the effect of you're on a competition. How do you think you could present this? And there was nothing like that. It was, it was all very technical. This is what the issue was. This is not very good.

[00:37:13] This was, I mean, they did give any of the fact that, that Paul had to say, if you want to take a positive out of it, the flavor is really good. But here's this long list of things that went wrong.

[00:37:29] So like, I think it's just a sign of how, how poorly executed it was, which sucks. I mean, yes, you're absolutely right. Like he knew and he, you know, he smiled in the face of the criticisms because he knew same thing that Nikki did.

[00:37:44] You know, she it's, it's crazy because, you know, Rowan absolutely looks like he felt like he felt blindsided by the fact that he was leaving. Um, I mean, I called Ricky at Nikki and Rowan at the end of the showstoppers.

[00:38:01] I was like, these two are the, these are the, these are the ones that I would, that I would cut based on what we've seen. Um, and when they announced it, I was just kind of like, I was like, okay, yeah. And Nikki was like, yeah. Okay.

[00:38:13] And Ro was like, oh, absolutely gutted. I'm like, really? Maybe that's again, I, I personally felt he was on a borrowed time, you know, since Abby, but, uh, uh, that's again, maybe that's a little bit less, maybe I have a little bit

[00:38:32] less empathy for him because of that. But I not that I have less empathy for him, but just that, uh, that I, I was less shocked that he was, that he was on his way out. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:38:47] Oh, I had a feeling he was because he, he definitely struggled, you know, the entire episode, uh, for sure. And so did Nikki, you know, and it was a bummer because she did so well with chocolate week,

[00:38:59] you know, had a really, really great week and all, but, um, they were the two consistently throughout each challenge, um, this week. And so it was like, there wasn't really a whole lot left there to save them, you know?

[00:39:16] But yeah, I mean, I wasn't surprised, but I was just like, oh, like, yeah, it, it wasn't good. There's definitely no getting around, you know, Rowan's, um, end result with his pies, but I was just like, you could just say, this isn't good.

[00:39:33] Rowan, like this is, it's, it's soupy, your consistency's, it's not good. And you know, but the flavors are really good. It's not as presented as nicely. I don't know. Again, this is why I could not be a judge on anything like that.

[00:39:51] Um, well, obviously on for this show, definitely not qualified. Like what the hell do I like? I had to look up Fran Japan. So I mean, clearly not qualified to be a judge on that show. But I just, I just don't think I could do it.

[00:40:05] Cause I'm like, I just don't think I could, you know, it probably could have been worse. You know? Sure. I mean, um, you know, there could probably be some chefs out there that could be way harsher with their words than what, um, Pru and Paul were.

[00:40:19] But I was just like, oh man, he, he knows it sucks. Right? Like he knows you don't have to just, I don't know. Poor Rowan. Most people are most hard on themselves and they know when their product is not as especially artists.

[00:40:39] Um, like even something that is well-acclaimed someone may be like, oh, well I could have done this or I could have done that. Um, except for narcissists. Those, those people really, uh, don't get me wrong.

[00:40:51] They come up with some amazing art, but you know, then sometimes they, they take a criticism very poorly. Um, but one thing I did want to add was that I think that Saku hers were her pie chart where they were like pointing to each other.

[00:41:08] Like I thought that was really, really well done and I think she saved herself. I think so too. Because she, she would have been down. I think, I think she was, I think I mentioned that she was like in the, in trouble.

[00:41:21] Uh, and I think it was just to add people besides Rowan and, and, and Nikki. Um, they had Saku and Josh and then Josh just kicked it out of the park. Maybe that's not the hit it out of the park.

[00:41:34] Um, and, uh, and Saku really made hers pretty. She had one that was, uh, you know, the, the, the fruit was raw, but then the, the presentation and the other two pies were really, really good. Yeah. Hers was really interesting too. Um, she is very creative.

[00:41:55] I love seeing what she puts together. Um, in her showstoppers, she, she's definitely, um, you know, pulls it together at times when she needs to, and she did need that.

[00:42:05] She needed a good, you know, even if it wasn't the best of the best, she needed a good positive to, to save her. It was, and I, oh, that not ready, uh, for like Saku to, to go home. I'm really, really pulling for her. She's definitely a favorite.

[00:42:23] Yeah. She, uh, it's funny because she talks about her, her stuff being a little bit rough, a little bit simple, but those were beautifully decorated. I mean, absolutely beautiful. Um, they, and they also were really like neat as a pin, right?

[00:42:41] It was like very detailed and very precise. And, uh, I, I was, I thought it was actually more, I'll say more like, uh, individually pretty than, than Josh's like Josh's were as a whole absolutely beautiful.

[00:43:02] But I think that Saku's was just more precise, uh, on the, on the specific details. I would agree with that. I thought hers were really, really pretty. Just to see how they can take these little pieces of dough, roll them up and just make

[00:43:19] these beautifully little decorative, you know, things on, on top of these pies. I'm just like, oh my gosh, you know, like we were talking about, uh, Tasha's little hands, you know, she, and I'm just like, oh, and then, you know, dying the pastry to get

[00:43:34] certain colors and things. And I'm just like, oh, I would have just never thought to do something like that. I've never seen anything like that. So it was a treat to get to see some of the, um, some of these bakes with these really

[00:43:45] beautiful, intricate little details and what you can do with some frigging pastry, you know? I mean, when I, when I saw Josh's initially, I was like, oh, he like colored it once it was baked, but no, that was the lattice work.

[00:43:59] That was the, that was in the dough initially, which makes it even all the more impressive in my opinion. Yeah. Yeah. Some beautiful, beautiful work. And I bet so many of them just tasted amazing. And I'm glad I had eaten before, before watching it because I love pastry.

[00:44:18] I will normally with just a, you know, getting a piece of pie, I'm always eating all the pastry before I will eat the filling. At least depending on what pie it is like apple pie. I'm not a huge apple pie person, but I will eat the hell out.

[00:44:30] Like I'll just eat the crust. That's, I love that pastry. Thinking about Amelie's apple pie from last weekend. Oh yeah. Like those apple pies. Oh my gosh, that she made. I missed out. I missed out on the blueberry, uh, blueberry cobbler or whatever it was in the morning.

[00:44:45] I went and took them out. I did too. It was gone. Yeah. I was like scraping the bottom trying to eat some. I was like, man, everybody just tackled that. It was gone. Yeah. Some amazing, amazing bakes from our dear friends over the weekend. They did great.

[00:45:01] Um, anything else that you have to say about either the signature technical or showstopper this week? I think I've covered all my nuts. I think I'm good. Okay. Um, any funny lines or anything in between outside of the bakes that you want to talk about? Any interactions?

[00:45:21] Um, I think I kind of hit most of them. Uh, the, I will say that, that Nikki, Nikki and all of her dearie me's, um, that she will be sorely, sorely missed. Um, yeah, I mean, she was a ray of sunshine.

[00:45:42] Not that everybody else isn't great, but, uh, as the, the, the, the lone Scott accent, uh, it's, it's, it's, it's nice to, nice to hear that. I loved her accent so much. And so, so yeah. If, if we didn't already say it and everyone's watched the episode.

[00:46:00] So Nikki and Rowan had to go home, um, unfortunately and Christie one-star Baker. As you said, like tears of joy for me as well. I was like so happy for her when she, when she got that. Yeah, it was, it was well-deserved.

[00:46:16] She was the consistent one throughout the episode for sure, but really hard to see, see some of our bakers go home. This is when it starts to get, because again, we get to see them every week.

[00:46:26] So you, you feel like you get to know them a little bit more and more. You feel like, you know, them, you feel like they're your friends and then just get heartbroken to see them go home.

[00:46:34] So it was, it was sad even though they, they'd had their struggles, but Rowan, you know, I loved his sarcasm, you know, and his funny little lines and how he was, you know, just, I was like, oh, that that's, that's funny.

[00:46:48] And then, yeah, with Nikki's just constant, um, optimism, like she was always just had such a great attitude. Like she, uh, was it the signature that she didn't, you know, do so well on, didn't

[00:47:02] get a great response of, but then she's like, well, you know, you just pick yourself up and, you know, what am I going to do? You know? And she was just going to carry on and just always cheerful. So I'll definitely miss, miss that from both of them.

[00:47:15] Um, I thought there was a really funny interaction, which, you know, we've talked about Alison a couple of times and how feel like she's a really great addition to the show. I really, really love the banter between her and Noel.

[00:47:28] There is a part, um, or I think it was while the signature was going on when they were talking about how they text each other. Um, now whether, whether or not it's true, I don't know.

[00:47:38] I mean, it could just be fun that they're having for the show, but saying that they, they were like texting each other, like 11 o'clock at night or something. And she starts to walk away and she's like, stop sending me those pictures. I don't like that.

[00:47:51] And he, he laughed and he's like, snap what you said last night. You say that, uh, it reminds me of the, the WhatsApp, uh, discussion with Paul and prove, Oh, we have a WhatsApp without you, Alison, you haven't earned your way in yet. That was pretty good.

[00:48:09] It's really good. I think they've got great banter. I just, yeah, it feels natural and you know, I like it. So that, but that one did make me cackle. I was like, that, that was funny. That was really funny. Um, all right.

[00:48:25] Well, I think that's a good place to wrap it up if you don't have any other notes or anything else to call out for this episode. I will, uh, I will say that I think in maybe, maybe it's just because she had a little bit

[00:48:39] of a leg up. Uh, I think Dana is kind of emerging as a, you got some predictions. I think stand out one to watch out for it. I just realized that we only have five weeks left. Yeah. We're even looking at in the halfway. Yeah.

[00:48:54] I mean, we're, we're at five, we're down to seven bakers and, uh, we only have four weeks left before we're down to three and then the finale. So, uh, like it's, it's, we're getting into, to, to hardcore, um, and where you really

[00:49:14] kind of go out on a limb to impress Dan, rain it in man, rain it in. Just rain it in. Yeah. Dana is one to watch for. She, she has, I love her confidence. I think she's just, I think she's delightful.

[00:49:30] I think she's witty and funny and I'd love her confidence and I think she's really grown. She just, she almost makes it look so easy and she's just so laid back. Like she doesn't, she might be stressed, but I don't think she shows it very well.

[00:49:44] Like she's just like, Oh yep. I'm just baking here. You know, she just seems to have this quiet, cool confidence about her and she doesn't get too worked up. Now she could be, maybe I'm just only seeing what, what they're presenting us and maybe

[00:49:57] on the inside she is like super stressed, but she definitely plays it off very like laid back and chill about her bakes. So she's, she's one to watch for. I will go ahead and just, just absolutely bunkers that, uh, Dan had to completely remake

[00:50:16] cause he graded his, his knuckle into the batter and he had to completely remake his, his, uh, his pastry for the technical and still got first bonkers. Yeah. Nuts. Um, yeah, that would stress me out if I've got to go and redo my pastry.

[00:50:38] Everybody's already like a step ahead of you and now you're having to go backwards. Um, yeah, that was yummy. Now I really want to try and make one of those. At least caramelize some onions and mix some potatoes. Yeah. It just looks so good. All right.

[00:50:57] Well, we did get some feedback this week, which I'm super excited for. I love hearing from everyone and everyone getting all excited about, um, the, the, you know, these challenges as much as what we do.

[00:51:11] Um, one of the first ones that we have is from our friend Karen. She, and she says, I love all kinds pastries in the pativier looked mouthwatering. Who doesn't love flaky crust? I was worried for Christie last week and I was cheering when she got star Baker.

[00:51:25] She made me tear up with what she said about being a mom and putting her dreams on hold. Oh, I know that was true. Yeah. She goes on. I thought Paul was going to give Josh another handshake for his showstopper.

[00:51:38] Glad he pulled it off to honor his Nan. Sad to see Rona and Nikki leave, but they just didn't do well. I will miss all her Nikki isms like bag of pants. You have to go after a bag of pants. I've never heard that.

[00:51:57] I just, she's just delightful. Um, we also got a voicemail this week from our friend Steve. Let's see what he thought about pastry week. Hello, strange indeed. This is Steve and I was just watching a pastry week for great British baking, baking off show.

[00:52:16] And, uh, we got a, uh, a soggy bottom. Now we get soggy bottom and a handshake in the same scene. Oh, this technical has caramelization in it. Didn't they have a problem with caramelization like a week or two ago? No, all analysis singing halfway through this nightmare. Hilarious.

[00:52:36] Okay. So the signature and the technical were both savory. So the showstopper is a sweet, um, I like savory pies better. I think these are some very intricate showstoppers we've got going on here. I can't wait to see how they all turn out and who wins.

[00:52:50] Ooh, I think Rowan might be in trouble with this. Is that, is that paper under his pie now? Oh, Chrissy did really well on this showstopper. Oh, Paul's reaction to Dana's sour pie with the hands in the air.

[00:53:03] And you can just see that was not a good reaction from Paul. Oh, Josh got a great reaction. Oh, here's Rowan's. What are they going to say? Yeah, Rowan might be in trouble. Oh, yay for Chrissy finally getting Starbaker. Bag of pants. I've never heard that expression.

[00:53:17] That must be something very British. All right. Hopefully I get this in time. I forgot to mention that reaction to Dana's sour. I think I'd like it though. I love sour stuff. Yeah. It hits you right here. Right there. Oh, that was great. Thank you, Steve. All right.

[00:53:38] So next week we're going to be covering episode six, Botanical Week. I wonder who would have done really, really well at Botanical Week. Maybe someone who forages. I don't know. I had the exact same thought. I was like, oh my gosh. Abby immediately came to mind. Immediately.

[00:54:02] I will hold a candle for Abby forever. Yeah. Pour one out for Abby. I was like, oh, gone too soon. I think she would have excelled. And I don't even know. I mean, it could be something completely different, but I was just like, I don't know.

[00:54:19] It feels, yeah, something that she would probably excel at. But we'll see that whenever we get to next week's episode. Yeah, they start getting into, like they do a lot of the traditional bakes, you know, bread week, pastry week, chocolate.

[00:54:35] And then they start, okay, now let's throw something a little different because, like you mentioned, we're getting to the second half. We're getting fewer bakers that are left. It's going to start getting a lot harder.

[00:54:48] I mean, if they thought it was tough now, it starts to get a lot more difficult. And they really start to expect a lot more perfection from the bakers. They're not going to get by with a whole lot.

[00:54:59] Yeah, I think like you mentioned, I think we talked about it a few weeks ago, but I think that pastry week is the final set week. And now, you know, I think Wendy mentioned caramel week and then patisserie week. And so I'm looking forward.

[00:55:19] I don't know what the next few are. I imagine they are posted somewhere, but I'm pleasantly being surprised by botanical week makes me. I mean, although baking, I guess you wouldn't make a bunch of salads for baking. I don't know. Anyway, I don't know.

[00:55:38] They always kind of surprise me when they throw out something a little different like that. I'm like, I'm not sure what to expect. Like, you know, how are they going to incorporate something botanical with baking? Yeah, but they always do. And it turns out fascinating.

[00:55:56] So until next week, you know, where we will return for botanical week, can't wait to see what kind of bakes we get for that and who will come out a star baker. It's so interesting because we haven't really had any consistency with like some of these

[00:56:12] bakers have just been kind of all over the place. Some of the folks that one star baker have been pretty low other weeks and then others that have been kind of middle range and kind of low have risen up and come a long way.

[00:56:25] So it's interesting to see where we're going to be next week as we see with our final bakers. Cannot wait. So if you would like to contact us and leave some feedback for any of the weeks, like if

[00:56:42] you just started watching Great British Baking Show, if you're just catching up and you want to leave feedback for any of the episodes, feel free. We will always read it no matter what if you want to let us know what you think.

[00:56:55] You can find all of our information, contact information at podcastica.com. I do try when I remember to do it, put up a feedback post in the podcastica group, but you can find all of our contact information at podcastica.com.

[00:57:10] Currently, Peik and I are also covering the fall of the House of Usher that's on Netflix right now. I just am in love with that show so much. I'm just dazzled by Mike Flanagan.

[00:57:23] He has definitely got me under his spell, so would love to have everyone check that out. And there's a lot of great things going on in Podcastica right now, right? Right, Greg? Oh, yeah. So I'm just going to just rattle them off, right? Buffyverse, Lokiverse.

[00:57:44] Well, that's kind of funny they're both versions. Then we're doing the rewatch of The Walking Dead. And then revisiting Ted Lasso, which is definitely made me, this episode made me think of Ted Lasso, which was kind of funny.

[00:58:06] But yeah, there's a bunch of stuff going on and I'm really digging it. There's just always so much activity going on. You mentioned some great ones. Also, Jason, Jenny and Randy are covering season two of White Lotus right now.

[00:58:27] Also, so if you enjoyed White Lotus, I know we're just catching up on that because, you know, everyone gets so busy. We didn't get a chance, no one got a chance to cover it the first time around, but they'll

[00:58:38] be ready to go once season three, once we finally get season three. We're going to be waiting on a lot of shows. So yeah, check out White Lotus. I know Daryl Dixon just wrapped up.

[00:58:50] And then Peck and Daphne are covering their look back special right now for their latest season. So be sure to check them out as well. Yeah, I'm not saying I fell off of, I just haven't been able to finish season two of White Lotus yet.

[00:59:06] So I was with them up until episode two or three of season two, but I just haven't been able to keep up. Yeah, well, you know, got a lot going on. I'm behind on so many things we won't even get into it. So I totally get it.

[00:59:26] But yeah, you should keep watching. It's definitely worthwhile. I thought season two was just amazing. I think I liked it a little more than what I liked season one. So definitely worth continuing on if you get a chance to get caught up.

[00:59:39] All right, well, thanks, Greg, for this week for being here with me and hopefully with Wendy feeling better, the trio will be back for the next week. Absolutely my pleasure. On your marks. Get set. Beak! Born That Old Gay! So G-Fort! Born That Old Gay! So G-Fort!