From top: hosts and contestants on The Great British Bake-Off 2019; Vanessa Foran

Season 10; who knew?

And who remembered?

Channel Four kept it all very quiet, there was no word at all until they announced the cast (as you were btw) and the Season Premier a fortnight ago.

There was barely a mention until the competing bakers were announced this day last week.

Even I needed reminding that the tent was back up, and the news came from a lad who’d have an anxiety attack if he had to separate eggs.

Before we flour our worktops and roll out this year’s Bake-Sheet series, I need to make what I think is an important disclosure; towards the latter end of last year’s (Season 9) I got stumped in a swamp of lethargy and fatigue.

Out of the nine series so far, I have only missed one show, last year’s final, and between one thing and another I couldn’t even summon the curiosity to see what the bakes were or follow the recipes. I still haven’t. So, I will be somewhat lacking in background to bakes and winners.

I just lost my appetite I suppose. I couldn’t even gather the excitement for Celebrity Bake Off, and it was the best run yet; Russell Brand ffs  (on a side note Harry Hill a Star Baker himself, is signed up for Junior Bake Off 2019).

Hopefully this gap doesn’t interfere or hinder Bake-Sheet 2019; after all it always and only ever is about the bake in front of us. And the Hollywood handshake.

On that I don’t care what conspiracies are rising out there, or his threats to cease delivering the award. There is no bigger currency in baking than a Paul Hollywood handshake. It will never lose its lustre or its true value.

So now to tonight, and a few eye-openers.

Season 10 has increased the slices from 12 to a baker’s dozen (Yes OK, there were 13 bakers in Season 4 (the year Frances Quinn won) and 10 in year 1; I just thought we had settled on 12.

Then there’s the very noticeable age profile of this year’s Bakers. Again, that might just be me; you will meet only one baker tonight older than me.

Admittedly Bake Offenders like myself are always left dazed at what young smarty pants hipster bakers produce, and the flavours and ingredients they introduce, last year’s Kim-Joy being one of the most exciting and unique bakers that ever set foot inside the Tent, so I’m, for now anyway, suggesting that maybe the majority of applications are coming from the under-35s.

Then there’s the reality check; maybe I am that the oul’ wan with the durty laugh, and the old school wooden spoon baking tips?

Fair enough, but I will also have to admit that it would break my heart to see Channel Four exploit their Love Island success, because it would ruin all the previous nine series and what Bake Off grew into from that touring floppy tent in Season 1.

Even with the genius holding up the decision, it still took enormous courage to cast Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding into a mainstream household format.

They took a huge risk by replacing Mary Berry and introducing ad-breaks and sponsors. So, for that reason I trust the producers won’t leave Season 10 down.

A few more things to watch out for; two from Essex. So be prepared for a load of yu’au’ roi darlin.

And there is a Man Bun that might force you to look away.

They took my advice and returned to Cake; but with a twist. Fruit Cake is your episode 1 tonight.

For planning purposes, tonight’s show is 90 mins – maybe two will go and bring us back to normal. Or maybe they are giving us more time with each baker, which was always an issue in the early season.

That would make sense because the contestants were confirmed as far back as February, so maybe, just maybe they couldn’t separate two of them?

Anyway, I am going to leave us all completely open-minded and not cause suggestion that might influence.

So just to remind you all again that I will not be following any GBBO Social Media or Tabloid coverage, and will try to take each bake one by one as independently and as uninfluenced as I can.

In the meantime, grease your baking tins with this

And one spoiler alert. Bread Week is rumoured to be EPIC.

Vanessa will be reviewing each episode.

Pic: Channel 4

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49 thoughts on “Enable Cookies

  1. millie vanilly strikes again

    YOU’RE BACK!!!

    Will get a proper read in later, V. Have been waiting for this :D

    1. Janet, I ate my avatar

      she’s touring the world with her hot lover I’d say ;)
      you’ll have to move on

    1. B9Com From No

      When I saw that earlier I thought maybe V had jumped the shark and joined the big leagues

    2. V

      You know FC
      Someone connected to the Guardian got *snippy with my BakeSheets before
      I’d hate to think there was another Plant-Gate hovering over us

      Just saying

      * I’m being polite btw

  2. Johnny Green

    Welcome back V-thank you for all your help and encouragement in the early days of “Roll Up”.I started watching this a while back based on reading your reviews had bad FOMO:)
    Haven’t watched it for a while but now that your back will start again,all best with the column.

  3. Janet, I ate my avatar

    I enjoyed the Irish MasterChef series as an aside,
    you should see what the American series churns out as food, not even joking

    1. Johnny Green

      -one Irish restaurant has two stars in the recent Michelin awards-yeah just one Patrick Guilbaud.
      New York has 14 two star restaurants-5 with 3 Ireland has none………LA has…..

      Three Stars
      Atelier Crenn
      Benu
      The French Laundry
      Manresa
      Quince
      The Restaurant at Meadowood
      SingleThread

      Two Stars
      Acquerello
      Baumé
      Californios
      Campton Place
      Coi
      Commis
      Lazy Bear
      n/naka
      Providence
      Saison
      Somni
      Sushi Ginza Onodera
      Urasawa
      Vespertine

      1. missred

        Michelin stars don’t indicate better quality food than those without, and food from amateur cooks in US does not all come from New York and LA.

        1. Johnny Green

          -they not called the fly over states for nothing:)
          Lost me with the-“Michelin stars don’t indicate better quality food than those without”-what do they indicate to you?
          There are NO really great fine dinning experiences in Ireland,none on a par with the French Laundry or Le Le Bernardin,never mind trying get good sushi!
          I’ve eaten few times at Guilbaud’s its a solid two but lacking in romance/ambiance and the people-OMG its all expense accounts and loud fat corpulent old people….

          1. B9Com From No

            Thanks for tip Johnny and I concur I’ve been avoiding the place for fear of the same.
            There are no fine dining or even many mid range or top end places to eat here that are worth the money – there are a few cafes and places like that which stand out though they don’t seem to last very long – rent I guess. A really good spot is Organico in Bantry for example and there are some awesome diner type places on the Cork coast that serve fresh fish straight in from Castletownbere, overall it’s overpriced muck here

            Honorable mention to Pickle and Kinara as well (ethnic)

          2. Johnny Green

            Cork has 3 one star Michelin restaurants with Ichigo Ichie getting great reviews in Cork City,Chestnut in a old pub in Ballydehob, and Mews in Baltimore.Will check out Organico in Bantry B9 thanks.
            One my favorite things do is the Friday Food Trucks at Venice Beach,they curate and invite the best food trucks in LA and have them here,its a fantastic way taste lots international street food.
            https://www.abbotkinneyblvd.com/firstfridays

          3. missred

            It is well known that Michelin stars are very over-rated. I do not use them when abroad in choosing a place to eat, don’t know anyone else who does either.
            As Janet says below, Master Chef in most countries is about amateur cooks trying their hand at cooking on telly, not about professional restaurants. I am sure of the rules is entering is that you can’t be a professional. So mentioning a load of eateries already in existence is irrelevant to her pointing out the rubbish quality food they come up with on a tv programme.

          4. Johnny Green

            -fair play Irelands full of talented amateurs, pity the professionals are so weak in almost all areas, sport,food,business,arts………..but that’s why you have the US companies there, keeping the economy growing, as you have almost no indigenous home grown Irish companies, but yeah lots amateurs…….
            Strip out the US MNC’s and what you got, nothing but a bunch amateurs:)

          5. Johnny Green

            Hi B9-roll up tomorrow has be in by midnight NY time today-finishing it up.
            Doing deep dive on Spain as its going be the Cali of EU weed, with its social clubs about go legal-but this week is Weed 101 on how take medical cannabis with an intro to Spain and its very bright future in cannabis.
            Lunch-finish column need check Michelin guide for good spot:)

          6. B9 Com From No

            Sorry Johnny I thought it used to be published on Tuesdays I must have got it twisted
            Thanks for reply.

          7. Johnny Green

            Bro-its a baking column why not stick to your outdated and so boring benny hill nonsense,unless you’d like engage in a substantive discussion on Irelands greatest risk,c’mom bro why did the BPO identify irelands reliance on US MNC’s as the greatest threat facing the Irish economy, answers on back stained beer mat please,oh and take your time…
            “The volatility of Corporation Tax (CT) receipts has been the subject of considerable fiscal policy debate in recent times.1 CT is now the third largest tax category for the State in terms of annual revenues, and the most volatile of the major taxes. In addition, there has been a global emphasis2 on the tactics used by multinational corporations (MNCs) to reduce their CT liability. Actions underpinning the OECD’s BEPS (Base Erosion and Profit Shifting) Framework present both opportunities and risks for Ireland, given the growing reliance of the Exchequer on CT revenue,3 and the substantial contribution of foreign-owned MNCs to Irish CT receipts (at 77% of total CT revenue in 2017).”
            https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/parliamentaryBudgetOffice/2019/2019-07-09_an-overview-of-the-corporation-tax-base-in-ireland_en.pdf

          8. Brother Barnabas

            “unless you’d like to engage in a substantive discussion”

            with you?

            you’ve shown you can use Google search. and you’ve shown you can cut and paste links.

          9. Johny Green

            Do you think 70% of CT from MNC’s is sustainable-hahaha:)

            -thanks for you contribution Bro,the usual ad hominem rubbish.

          10. V

            Johnny
            I know we’re butties and all that
            But you’re being very unfair there
            Strip out the US MNC’s and what you got, nothing but a bunch amateurs

            I won’t spell out why
            This isn’t the place for it
            nothing but a bunch of amateurs really?
            Well
            If so

            Loud n’ Proud Baby

          11. Johnny Green

            V-strip out US MNC’s and your Greece or Portugal without the weather-its a fact US MNC’s have distorted and disguised the lack of any decent Irish companies to emerge in decades,RyanAir was when…
            This reliance on US companies is unhealthy and won’t end well, many commentators have mentioned it, academics have studied it, but its simply ignored as the place is full of talented amateurs….

            ‘Two Irish companies have made the latest Financial Times Top 1000 list of fastest-growing European businesses.”

            https://www.irishtimes.com/business/companies/two-irish-companies-make-list-of-fastest-growing-european-businesses-1.3814027

          12. V

            Now Johnny
            You’re right about the MNC stranglehold
            But you’re running away with yourself referring to us as amateurs

            The principal weakness we have is an Irish Start Up will sell in the early rounds of growth at the first decent 8 figure sum. Paddy New Multi Millionaire won’t stick it out and turn their company into a multi billion company
            You will never have an Irish Microsoft or Samsung
            Yet Irish bred tech is underneath a whole wave of new industry
            Especially in mobile Comms

            But
            Believe it or not, our most successful enterprises globally, and most recognised brands are in fact, Cooperatives
            ie Kerrygold

            But that’s only one reason why I am a soul sold on the Cooperative Movement
            Again, not for this thread. Or this forum.

            Tonight is all about the bake
            63 minutes to go

          13. Johnny Green

            They not a “real” company V-it’s all smoke and mirrors,load marketing / advertising BS.Turnover approaching 2 Billion-profit of what 40 million !

            “Group Turnover reached €2,082 million while Group EBITDA* and Operating Profit* enjoyed double-digit growth over the same period, enabling the Board to declare a €19 million payout to members; €17 million in cash and €2 million in Redeemable Loan Stock“

            https://www.ornua.com/reports/

            -enjoy the show.

      2. Janet, I ate my avatar

        the place is huge, that’s not a long list in comparison to the size of Ireland
        anyway the show is about home cooks,
        the American home cooks can barely fry chicken, trust me I watched them all

        1. Johnny Green

          -the amateur chef/baker TV thing never really took off in states, its Top Chef and even that is more a late night cable thing-haha Ireland’s attempts at BBQ-pouring rain, paper plates, plastic knifes and forks,crap ‘slaw with mayo, no lemonade, no sweet tea, no corn bread, caravans,stop I’m getting PTSD here:)

          1. millie vanilly strikes again

            I hated her. Hated the show. Not sure what it was about her but she just got under my skin

          2. V

            Ah I liked her
            She was refreshing
            Sure, you couldn’t binge watch her, it got too old and hacky very quickly
            But 20 mins here and there in-between Strictly and The Voice – weekend viewing etc, t’was grand

          3. millie vanilly strikes again

            I’d watch Ina Garten smothering food in butter and taking care of Jeffrey all day long though

          4. V

            The barefoot one?
            Ah here

            After Mary Berry and the Hollywood
            It has to be Nigella

            And Cup Cake Wars

            And I do like Bake Off the Professionals, I love watching the teams work together. But I wouldn’t be setting the player or anything for them.

          5. millie vanilly strikes again

            Sure I’d leave my husband for Nigella. And I love Mary Berry to the ends of the earth.

            And would you believe V, I’m actually doing a rewatch of GBBO. On Season 3 now, with lovely Brendan and Scottish James. The early seasons are wonderful. I’d forgotten how enjoyable they were.

          6. B9Com From No

            Knowing she’s into the coke only made her more attractive to me
            She was probably coked up a lot of the time on the Telly

          7. V

            Oh that was a great year for craic

            Irish Brendan was a bit of an oul Queen
            He used to be on SO’R cribbing the morning after

            I’ll let you wait until you get to the final
            Before I give too much away
            I have a great hack on the winner’s flat bread that I must share with ye sometime

  4. Termagant

    Last year’s final was an absolute farce. Rahul’s doughnuts were a travesty, Paul should have ripped him to shreds, but for whatever reason he got the gentle touch.

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