The Great British Bake Off: Party Week
November 16, 2023 1:44 PM - Season 14, Episode 8 - Subscribe
It's Party Week. The bakers have a ball with a sausage roll and make an 'anything-but-beige' buffet. Who serves up a semi-finals-worthy spread and who's a party pooper?
I think that was the kind of showstopper that I like? Make a few things really well, make a lot of things adequately, just show us where your strengths lie and how well you can execute to that plan.
I've been waiting for Christy to get voted off the island for a while now - she had a miraculous recovery in the technical, sure, but she was always kind of sabotaging herself, it felt like. And now we're absolutely down to the point where I don't want to see anyone go, although I suspect Tasha is going to have a bad week and not manage to recover. But that could be the case for anyone left, really, I just have a bad feeling about Tasha.
posted by Kyol at 6:22 PM on November 16, 2023 [7 favorites]
I've been waiting for Christy to get voted off the island for a while now - she had a miraculous recovery in the technical, sure, but she was always kind of sabotaging herself, it felt like. And now we're absolutely down to the point where I don't want to see anyone go, although I suspect Tasha is going to have a bad week and not manage to recover. But that could be the case for anyone left, really, I just have a bad feeling about Tasha.
posted by Kyol at 6:22 PM on November 16, 2023 [7 favorites]
I think that was the kind of showstopper that I like?
No ridiculous construction, tasteless decorations, it was a good one!
posted by ellieBOA at 7:04 PM on November 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
No ridiculous construction, tasteless decorations, it was a good one!
posted by ellieBOA at 7:04 PM on November 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
I just have a bad feeling about Tasha.
The editors of this show must have fun: they know who the winner eventually was right from the get go - so the have an option of telling that person's story in a particular way. Tasha has always seemed to me to be in near constant jeopardy of getting thrown out - but also somebody who is talented enough to be the overall winner with a fair wind.
posted by rongorongo at 10:58 PM on November 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
The editors of this show must have fun: they know who the winner eventually was right from the get go - so the have an option of telling that person's story in a particular way. Tasha has always seemed to me to be in near constant jeopardy of getting thrown out - but also somebody who is talented enough to be the overall winner with a fair wind.
posted by rongorongo at 10:58 PM on November 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
I was so worried for Dan! Even after being spoilered I was worried for him the entire episode. I wanna try that dim sum sausage roll!
posted by miss-lapin at 8:49 AM on November 17, 2023
posted by miss-lapin at 8:49 AM on November 17, 2023
Random aside: whenever someone mentions sausage roll, I think of Matt Berry in the Dark Place.
posted by miss-lapin at 8:50 AM on November 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by miss-lapin at 8:50 AM on November 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
It's always a mistake when a baker gets too ambitious with the showstopper. Dan just did too many things--he's lucky that Christy had a bad week. I'm kind of rooting for Matty now, as much as I love Tasha. He's one of those bakers who quietly moves up the ranks toward first place. And he's a charmer.
posted by ceejaytee at 9:41 AM on November 17, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by ceejaytee at 9:41 AM on November 17, 2023 [6 favorites]
I'm kind of rooting for Matty now, as much as I love Tasha. He's one of those bakers who quietly moves up the ranks toward first place. And he's a charmer.
That’s what I’m hoping for.
posted by potent_cyprus at 10:44 AM on November 17, 2023 [3 favorites]
That’s what I’m hoping for.
posted by potent_cyprus at 10:44 AM on November 17, 2023 [3 favorites]
How does Paul get away with being so rude about flavours he doesn't like? The point of the show is not to make Paul's favourite bakes, he sounds like a toddler, "ew that's weird." I also would have loved to have tried the dim sum sausage roll and the green curry inspired flan from last week. Dan is too polite (and too much of an adult) to sass back at Paul. I would kind of love to see him pull that with Tasha.
posted by Rora at 6:35 PM on November 17, 2023 [10 favorites]
posted by Rora at 6:35 PM on November 17, 2023 [10 favorites]
Credit to my partner for this, but did anyone else a Cootie caterpillar vibe from the caterpillar cake?
posted by Carillon at 9:08 PM on November 17, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by Carillon at 9:08 PM on November 17, 2023 [7 favorites]
That's the thing Rora -- when it comes right down to it, the point of the show is exactly to make things Paul likes. The moment that really drove it home for me was when Matty used half a teaspoon of chili split among 12 large rolls, and Paul said "that's got quite a kick!" That's not enough chili!
Ultimately it's a show about a very specific British sensibility, and it's been kind of a bummer realizing how much lived experience that excludes.
I can say all that and still think the shu mai rolls were a bad idea, right? Also though, the dinosaur eggs were amazing looking if a bit beige. So Dan is taking big swings and batting 500. I get the feeling the judges would prefer someone who's consistently excellent over someone who's inconsistently brilliant. Is that another British sensibility?
posted by dbx at 4:44 AM on November 18, 2023 [7 favorites]
Ultimately it's a show about a very specific British sensibility, and it's been kind of a bummer realizing how much lived experience that excludes.
I can say all that and still think the shu mai rolls were a bad idea, right? Also though, the dinosaur eggs were amazing looking if a bit beige. So Dan is taking big swings and batting 500. I get the feeling the judges would prefer someone who's consistently excellent over someone who's inconsistently brilliant. Is that another British sensibility?
posted by dbx at 4:44 AM on November 18, 2023 [7 favorites]
I wonder if we’re heading for another all-dude finale. I hope not because I totally stan Tasha.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 11:48 AM on November 18, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by kitten kaboodle at 11:48 AM on November 18, 2023 [4 favorites]
The Great British Baking Show Recap: The Very Hungry Caterpillar [Vulture / Archive]
posted by ellieBOA at 1:58 PM on November 18, 2023
posted by ellieBOA at 1:58 PM on November 18, 2023
How does Paul get away with being so rude about flavours he doesn't like? The point of the show is not to make Paul's favourite bakes, he sounds like a toddler, "ew that's weird."
Yes! Also, Noel and Alison gave the brief as hey, put whatever you like in your sausage rolls. But dbx is right: Winning contestants know how to both meet the brief AND make sure that Paul won’t childishly go “ew I don’t like it” even though it met the brief and was technically good otherwise. The same way that some bakers know how fond Prue is of boozy bakes.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 1:56 AM on November 19, 2023 [2 favorites]
Yes! Also, Noel and Alison gave the brief as hey, put whatever you like in your sausage rolls. But dbx is right: Winning contestants know how to both meet the brief AND make sure that Paul won’t childishly go “ew I don’t like it” even though it met the brief and was technically good otherwise. The same way that some bakers know how fond Prue is of boozy bakes.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 1:56 AM on November 19, 2023 [2 favorites]
This is a year where I genuinely want all four of the remaining contestants to win. From a pure technical baking perspective I think I'd bet on Josh, maybe? Both Tasha and Dan tend to get themselves into trouble by doing too much and spreading themselves too thin, and I'm not sure that Matty has Josh's finesse when it comes down to it, although he seems to have a strong handle on What Paul Likes, as evidenced here.
That said ... I'm rooting for Matty. He's too damn cute.
posted by uncleozzy at 4:50 AM on November 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
That said ... I'm rooting for Matty. He's too damn cute.
posted by uncleozzy at 4:50 AM on November 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
I love Tasha, but... Josh's nan's ghost for the win!
posted by tomboko at 5:54 AM on November 20, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by tomboko at 5:54 AM on November 20, 2023 [5 favorites]
Credit to my partner for this, but did anyone else a Cootie caterpillar vibe from the caterpillar cake?
I totally said this to my spouse while we were watching. I think it was the crooky little legs on Christy's that did it for me.
posted by dlugoczaj at 8:07 AM on November 20, 2023
I totally said this to my spouse while we were watching. I think it was the crooky little legs on Christy's that did it for me.
posted by dlugoczaj at 8:07 AM on November 20, 2023
How Tasha and Darren Came Up With Signs
posted by ellieBOA at 12:28 PM on November 20, 2023 [9 favorites]
posted by ellieBOA at 12:28 PM on November 20, 2023 [9 favorites]
My dads visiting so I won’t be able to watch the new episode for a few days if someone else wants to post it.
posted by ellieBOA at 4:02 AM on November 22, 2023
posted by ellieBOA at 4:02 AM on November 22, 2023
The Not-So-Great Defector Bake Off Crawls Through Party Week: My sister is here for Thanksgiving, and I heard her yelp this morning, and she came upstairs and was like, “Sorry, I opened the fridge and the caterpillar scared me.” So that’s a good sign for sure.
Archive if anyone needs it.
I was unfamiliar with the caterpillar cake, and our hous hold agreed with the Defector staff that these cakes mostly look like weird Thomas the Tank Engine cakes. choo choo
posted by the primroses were over at 12:43 PM on November 25, 2023
Archive if anyone needs it.
I was unfamiliar with the caterpillar cake, and our hous hold agreed with the Defector staff that these cakes mostly look like weird Thomas the Tank Engine cakes. choo choo
posted by the primroses were over at 12:43 PM on November 25, 2023
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posted by ellieBOA at 2:26 PM on November 16, 2023 [4 favorites]