What has happened to the Great British Bake Off? Now in season 10 (or is it 9, maybe 8?) it has become a showcase of unattainable, unrelatable challenges. No longer is it a baking show to which home bakers can think about, perhaps some day, challenging themselves to bake that irresistible, classic cake/pie/tart/bread/roll/pastry. Now the contestants are asked to bake scenic ‘landscape desserts‘, pita bread on an outdoor fire pit, and what in the world is a ‘Kek Lapis Sarawak‘ cake? I completely understand that this is a long-running program and there is a need to have new “content” for each of the 10 episodes, but biscuit chandeliers? REALLY?
Has anyone else noticed that the bakers are younger, more stylish, and dare I say, more attractive? In past seasons, there was a wide range of ages. But not so much any more. Where’s the Val, Diana, Brendan, Norman and Nancy today? Is this home baker now too old for the commercial Channel 4 audience? Also, these much younger contestants, with their perfect teeth, coifed hair and slim bodies appear to be in ‘character’ now … much like MasterChef.
Season 1, which (unless you have a streaming service) we in the U.S. have never had the opportunity to see, featured 10 home bakers baking in the imposing tent which then moved around the U.K. to six different locations. It was all about the classic bakes, ranging from puddings to breads to cakes.
The judges were Paul Hollywood, a seasoned bread baker, and Mary Berry, the Julia Child of Great Britain. Together with comediennes Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins as the sympathetic, caring, yet off-beat presenters who were always there to bolster a sagging souffle, the show was an immediate hit. Let’s not forget the music. Combining cellos, violins and a xylophone, the tension-building introduction perfectly set the mood of the show.
Mary Berry, Paul Hollywood, Sue Perkins, Mel Giedroyc
The logistics of a roving tent must have been too daunting because in Season 2 the tent became permanently setup on the beautifully landscaped grounds of a 17th-century mansion house. The number of contestants increased from 10 to 12 and a “star” baker was introduced. It was official. The Great British Bake Off was a huge hit!
Season 3, which here in the U.S. is referred to as Season 1, is when the rest of us fell in love with this charming baking show. We were tired of the gimmicky, cut-throat, competitive, backstabbing drama which was so prevalent in our cooking shows. We all fell in love with this simple format and with contestants who actually cared about each other, helping each other out when a crisis was imminent.
Ian dumping his bake into the bin.
Yes, there was one incident in Season 4 when Diana is accused of leaving Ian’s ice cream out of the freezer, which caused his bake to fail, and thus being eliminated. Diana left the show because she said the program was edited to make it look as if she left the ice cream out when, in fact, she had put it back into the freezer. She departed the show because of how she was portrayed.
The BBC series ran for six seasons, but when Channel 4 purchased the show, Mary, Mel and Sue left. Paul Hollywood remained. We were then introduced to Prue Leith as judge, replacing Mary Berry. Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig took over for Sue and Mel. Yes, they get the job done, but with gimmicks and slapstickish comedy, none of the clever, witty interplay we so enjoyed from Mel and Sue.
The first six seasons of this beloved show are constantly rerun on PBS, while Netflix has kept us up-to-date on the recent three. Will I continue to watch? Absolutely! I wouldn’t miss one episode. But I do miss the eccentric, aging, snaggle-toothed, rural baker who is completely uncomfortable in front of the camera, but was such fun to watch.
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The illustrations in this book are remarkable in that they are not photographs but drawn capturing the precise details from each original baked item. The images of wedding cakes are astonishingly beautiful, each having won prizes at the London International Exhibition 100 years ago.
In addition to the advice and recipes are the original advertisements for all the baking essentials required, from flours and sugars to cake stands and ovens. One advertisement which I found interesting was for a “vegetable butter” made from “cocoanuts, as an excellent substitute for butter, margarine and lard”. Why has it taken us another 100 years to fully incorporate coconut oil into our baking?
Tomato Jam! The “world wide web” had done it again! Tomato Jam it was going to be. I narrowed it down to three of what appeared to be, from the reviews, reasonably successful recipes on three reasonably successful websites. Before trying any recipe from any website, I always check out the reviews. Most of the reviews are merely comments from people saying “how good that looks”, or “I can’t wait to try this” yet never having made it. Or, “this was delicious after I added ‘this, that or the other’ and ‘cooked it for'”. So, it can be a bit frustrating and does take a bit of sifting through each review to find those who actually have made the ‘original’ recipe.
This is beginning to sound like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. All the recipes did agree, however, that the jam would be sweet, spicy and delicious … a wonderful spread on sandwiches, with cream cheese and crackers, as a condiment or dip.
That evening I take one container out and, yes, it’s finally thick, rich, sweet, spicy Tomato Jam! Hooray! What the problem was, I will probably never know. Were my tomatoes too juicy? Should I have removed the seed pods? Did the other recipes intentionally mislead readers? As for now, Tomato Jam is on the table and we’re going to enjoy it tonight as a spread on our leftover pot roast with goat cheese, arugula and sauteed onion sandwiches.
There we all were clustered in front of ‘our’ bus (of which there were many), taking selfies, waiting patiently for the doors to open. As soon as they did, we piled in, jostling each other for the best seats. The tour leader boarded, introduced himself and we were off. We began at the stadium where tickets to Paul’s 2008 concert sold out in seconds to twice its capacity, when he played far into the night without ever taking a break. We then drove to the ‘neighborhood’ where the four young men grew up, visiting each individual location, the schools, the hangouts, the barber shop, the church where Paul was a choir boy … learning about all the inspiration for their songs. Along the way, the entire bus group would break out into song, everyone knowing the words, to the Beatles background music.
The tour leader was not only entertaining, he provided us with so many rich details on each band member, making it quite an intimate experience. Starting from 1957 when 15 year old John Lennon started a skiffle band, to Paul McCartney asking his banjo-playing mother to teach him how to play the guitar, to Richard Starkey wearing a bunch of gold rings and earning the name “Ringo”, to Lennon wanting George Harrison in the band because “that kid can sing and he’ll get us all the girls”. And learning that the reason the Beatles broke up was not because of Yoko Ono, but because of the death of Brian Epstein, the cement which kept these talented four together.
Two hours later, our tour ended back in the city center where it really all started for the Beatles, at the Cavern Club. This little below-ground club is where in 1961 the Beatles (before Ringo) played to the lunchtime crowd almost daily. Today this alleyway of a street is the hub for Beatles mania! The Cavern Club sits mid-way, but first there are Beatles gift shops selling absolutely every item you can imagine with Beatles images on them. Outside the Cavern Club is a brick wall with the name of every known country, rock or blues musician. And be sure to have your photo taken with John Lennon or Cilla Black.
Each year Liverpool hosts an International Beatles Week attracting thousands of fans, with concerts all throughout the city performed by hundreds of Beatles tribute bands from around the world. And, if you are such an ardent Beatles fan that you want an all-consuming experience, then you must stay at the Hard Day’s Night Hotel. This high-end establishment is adorned with specially-commissioned artwork and memorabilia. And, yes, it serves Afternoon Tea.
Over the years I think many other companies have tried to target the male-tea drinker, in the hopes of building that base. The only product which appears to have gained mass appeal is the ready-to-drink iced tea market. Arnold Palmer certainly has crossed the gender barrier with his now hugely popular iced tea line. Lipton has tried over the years with lesser success with Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Don Meredith, as the spokesperson.
The government-organized Ministry of Food was resurrected from WWI to create a system of rationing. Customers were required to register at selected shops where they would receive ration books with coupons for their purchases. Prices were controlled and the shopkeeper would have just enough food and goods for those registered customers. When making a purchase, the shopkeeper would take the necessary coupon. If you did not have a ration book, you could not buy (unless, of course, you had the money to pay exorbitant prices on the black market). Although some fruits and vegetables were not rationed, they were available in very limited supplies. Children growing up during this time had never heard of, and didn’t even believe ‘bananas’ existed. It was during this time that “victory gardens” were encouraged, and are still very popular today.
On May 8, 1945, the Allies formally accepted unconditional surrender of the Nazi Germany armed forces, but it wasn’t until 1956 when the ‘national loaf’ was finally laid to rest, after years of providing healthy, nutritious bread to stave off hunger during and after the war.
My newest addition is Nordic Ware’s Crown Bundt pan. If nothing else, it’s absolutely gorgeous! This heavy, 10-cup mold is going to be perfect for so many different recipes … from my traditional (yet hardly ever eaten) Thanksgiving Jell-o mold (a story for another time) to quick breads and cakes to meatloaf … why not? I think it will make anything look spectacular.
Prepare the filling by mixing together the toasted, chopped pecans with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside while you make the batter.
Spoon 1/3 of the batter in the bottom of your prepared pan. Sprinkle half the pecan filling evenly over the batter. Spoon another 1/3 of the batter on top of the filling and then the rest of the filling on top of that. Finish with the rest of the batter.
To my surprise this recipe made more than the pan could comfortably hold. There should be at least an inch of room to the top of the pan. (We’ll see what happens when I bake it.) Be sure to tap the pan onto the counter to ensure there are no air pockets. Bake for at least 50 to 60 minutes (depending upon the size and depth of the pan).
Lordy, lordy, lordy … look at that monster! I guess I was right … too much batter! As Emeril Lagasse used to say on his tv program, “this is real cooking, folks!”
When ready mix together the glaze and pour over the top. Or, just sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar. (Or both.)
For most of us, caffeine really shouldn’t be a concern. High amounts of caffeine, however, can absolutely have a negative affect on some people. If you are on medication which is affected by caffeine, or if your doctor is asking you to cut caffeine out of your diet, switch to a decaffeinated tea or a caffeine-free herbal. (Remember, caffeine is not present in herbals unless they are blended with tea leaves.) Always consult with your doctor if you have any questions about caffeine’s effects upon your health.
Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer), beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Then add the vanilla and beaten eggs.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. You can use a big wooden spoon, or, if you are like me, you just switched out the paddle on your stand mixer to the bread one.
Add the chocolate chips and the walnuts to the batter. Mixing well. If you don’t like nuts, leave them out, and add more chocolate chips. They’re your cookies.
On parchment-lined baking sheets, drop spoonfuls of dough (or with an ice cream scoop). The size is up to you. Larger ones will take another minute or two to bake, but PUHLEEZE don’t overbake these cookies. They need to be a bit soft in the middle and gooey!
After spooning the dough onto the baking trays, dip the bottom of a drinking glass into flour and press onto each ball of dough. You want to flatten them slightly. If you are making these ahead, you can chill the trays at this point, if you like, up to four hours.
Bake at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes … again, depending upon the size. If you want small, “adult-sized” so that you can eat three or four and not feel guilty, fine. And, if you want one big “two hander”, go for it! Just remember …. underdone is best!