My sort of Olympics
After the rest of you have retired to bed having enjoyed the 4×100 men’s relay or -Husband’s favorite- women’s beach volleyball, I have been staying up late and watching The Great British Baking Show. You may remember my first foray into this British baking competition HERE. My opinion hasn’t changed. It is still pure delight for me.
In case you haven’t been paying attention, the show highlights passionate amateur bakers whose goal is to be named the U.K.’s best. Each week, the bakers tackle a different skill, the difficulty of which increases as the competition unfolds. Unlike our U.S. cooking competitions, these bakers are never called contestants, but always “bakers” ~ given the respect they deserve. And, the show is just that — respectful, with everyone getting along, admiring each others creations, and receiving handshakes and hugs when they succeed. I dislike the U.S. cooking competition shows, filled with dirty tricks and looks that could kill among the contestants.
Like the fan girl I am, I have done some homework and discovered that the judges have the most improbable names, you can’t make this stuff up…
Mary Berry Paul Hollywood
This third season (the U.S. is one year behind the U.K.) is on many PBS stations and also can be seen on-line HERE. I record it, so as not to miss an episode. If you’re a baker you can get all the recipes there as well.
Once again the bakers span all ages, races and backgrounds — but all are interesting and talented.
It was great fun, for example, to watch Nadiya throughout the episodes as her hijab would get smeared with flour and hand swipes of frosting. 
The creativity of these bakers is the most amazing. Each episode they are given three challenges, such as a 3-D bread sculpture, made of three types of dough, and one of them filled – all to be accomplished in 5 hours from scratch with proofing involved. Now, I am, at best, a reluctant baker, but the very few times I have made a bread, it was harrowing – would it rise? has it risen enough?
I never came close to tackling something like this 
There was also a Chocolate Souffle challenge and to make sure each baker has a chance, the timing is staggered so the souffles come straight out of the oven to the judges table. In another contest they must construct nun towers that have to stand for 2 hours, and if you’re like me you’ll groan as some topple with only minutes to go.
Mary and Paul visit each baker as they are preparing their offerings and they take great interest in their creations — sometimes with caution “bubblegum and peppermint flavorings, really quite interesting, not sure about that…” (imagine the British accent here).
I watched the final episode last night, and I won’t spoil the outcome, but I will tell you how each season does end. No disgruntled losers stalking off , no tears or temper tantrums — with this show there’s always a finale picnic on the Highclere grounds (Downton Abbey location) with all the contestants, judges, hosts and their families having a great time, getting along, and sharing hugs.
Now that’s a classy way to end a competition, don’t you agree?
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