Is there anything better than watching twelve British people bake delicious goodies with the convenience of easy streaming on Netflix? The answer: no! As I complete the fifth episode of this chirpy competition, I can’t help but think why the Baking Fairy didn’t bestow me with this gift of baking. These people are incredibly talented and can whip up anything in three hours while maintaining the British humor that we Americans swoon over. If you’re looking for a new show, want to learn how to bake, or want to drool over your laptop (like me) for an hour, here’s why you should watch The Great British Baking Show:
1. The Baked Goods: This seems like a given, but you will be astounded when you see what these bakers can produce in so little time! Each episode has three tasks: the bakers’ signature dish, technical challenge, and the “Showstopper”, which is the most complicated task of the three. The bakers race against the clock yet manage to create beautiful desserts that will make you salivate like Pavlov’s dogs; the bakers are probably bewitched alchemists, it’s really the only way to explain their talent. If you have the baking skills of a baby wombat like myself, their creations will blow you out of the flour!
2. Mary Berry: Besides her name being the cutest thing ever, Mary is one of the two judges on the show. Despite her innocent appearance, she has the highest of standards and demands flaky pastries and “a perfect bake” for everything. Mary is an optimist and when critiquing a bake, she manages to find the positive in everything. She will say things like, “absolutely splendid”, “brilliant flavor”, “the appearance is most attractive” that will make you want to drop everything and become a baker so you can receive such high praise from this elegant, elderly British lady.
3. The Hosts: Before this show, I had no idea who Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins were. Now I know they are two hilarious comedians who have the pleasure of introducing the bakers’ weekly challenges and providing the cheery commentary when the bakers fret over their cakes and breads. My personal favorite zinger is the nickname Sue coined for quirkiest competitor, Jordan: “Captain Chaos.” Their wittiness will keep you laughing throughout the show and perhaps even inspire a career as a host on the Food Network.
4. Norman: Norman is an old Scottish man who is by far the best competitor on the Great British Baking Show. His accent is wonderfully thick and says “wee” so many times you will find yourself eating a wee bit more ice cream than you probably should. He is a simple baker and sticks to what he knows best but will sometimes go out of his comfort zone and bake with exotic ingredients, like pesto. Norman is the baker we should all aspire to be.
5. Location: Unlike American cooking and baking shows that are filmed in fancy studios, The Great British Baking Show contestants bake in a gigantic white tent in the English Countryside. Yes, you read that correctly, a tent. It is equipped with all the necessary baking tools and machinery but tastefully decorated with pastel colors and Union Jack flags alone the rim. Does it get any more British (or cuter) than that?