Looks like I am not the only one who finds comfort from my British shows, I have a link to a writer urging Americans to watch "The Great British Baking Show"...you may read it just here.
"The Great British Baking Show" is being shown on our public television stations just now in the USA, so check your local listings! It is AMAZING! If you miss it, you will be sorry even if you don't normally watch cooking or baking shows, you should like this one. (Soggy bottoms, makes me giggle every time.)
Oh, and by the way...it is called "The Great British Bake Off in the UK...I guess the networks just had to change the name for us just to be different!
Keep in mind, the show that we are watching just now in America will be completely changed next year...the witty hosts and the marvelous judge, Mary Berry will no longer be with the show. It won't be on the BBC but instead on their rival network, ITV. I mourn this fact! I very much have enjoyed watching "The Great British Baking Show". Not only are the bakers very good but they are just so doggone nice to each other, it is a pleasure to watch. So much better than watching...well, just about anything else on American TV right now! Hey, don't fuss at me, I am not the only one to say this...read that link that I gave you above and you will see!
During the filming of this show from England, right after the break and before they get back to the bakers, they will often show what is outside the baking tent: cheerful yellow buttercups, green grass and if you are lucky, you might see a bird that lands close by on a tree. Today, we saw an American gold finch on my Dad's sunflowers. When we got home and watched "The Great British Baking Show" that we had recorded, we saw a bird on there that Richard THOUGHT was the European goldfinch and looking it up, he was right! It somehow looked familiar to me, and I couldn't think why that was...it seemed I had seen it in a painting somewhere. I realize now that I know it was because it featured on the book by Donna Tart, "The Goldfinch". (Has to do with a painting at the Met in NYC, apparently.)
You all know that I hardly read any fiction, so it is surprising to me that I recognized the bird from the book cover!
The fact that I have mentioned the name "Donna TARTT" just goes right along with this post about a baking show, don't you think? And if you know how "punny" the hosts of the show can be, you will see what I mean!
"The Goldfinch" by Carel Fabritius , 1654 (The painting at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City.) From Wikipedia.Remember, try and see this season of "The Great British Baking Show" if you can.
It must have already been shown in England, so you all might know who won...but don't tell me! (I have seen some of the shows while I was in England, visiting there...and you must know that is one of the most popular shows on the TELLY! My relatives in England say "telly"!)
Right now, it is has gotten down to the last four bakers!
Also, if you watch the show, look at everything that they show you, even the nature bits in between! We love our gold finches, in America and in England!
I need to check this show out, Kay, although the last thing my waist needs is to be tempted by home baking. I love finches of all varieties.
ReplyDeleteI have never made a single thing that I have seen on this show, baking is not my thing! Bird-watching, that is a different story, that is my cup of tea!
DeleteI watched the first three seasons on Netflix streaming and the fourth on PBS. Though there are more seasons before what we know as the first over here. My daughter loves the show and got me to watch. I loved it!! It is called something different over here because of Pillsbury Bake Off. They 'own' the name, I guess. So Kouign Amann. This was THE recipe for me. I wanted to taste it, and it is made and sold in my little town. Some young people have started a farm and one of the aspects is a bakery. I love this stuff! I have started following several of the bakers on Instagram and Facebook. Chetna, Nancy, Richard, Martha. Chetna has an amazing Youtube channel. I want to make everything she cooks!
ReplyDeleteKouign Amann...I didn't remember the name of that one, but it sounds very, very good, I can see why you would love it!
DeleteI can see why you would want to keep up with those that you have mentioned. I remember Chetna! Glad that they are popular on social media, they deserve it!
What I meant to say is that I was going to write about this.very.thing today! Now you've got the gist in your comments! Haha.
ReplyDeleteHa! Lucky me! Great minds think alike, of course.
DeleteGood baking is an art, i will have to try to find clips from this show.
ReplyDeleteWe watched it on our public television station here. If they have not shown the show there, perhaps they will BERRY soon! HA HA!
DeleteMy daughter-in-law told me about this a few years ago and I just never have watched it. The other day a friend mentioned how much she enjoys it. I will get with the group and watch! I love to bake so I know I'll like this!
ReplyDeleteI truly think that you will like it! As I said, they cheer each other on, and are very kind and pleasant...my kind of people!
DeleteHi Kay - lovely goldfinch ... and wonderful setting on the sunflower in seed. I enjoy the Great British Menu ... but sadly the baking one leaves me cold - however it's excellent Nadiya Hussain won in 2015 - she is inspiring. Just so glad you enjoy it ... and it gives you glimpses of Britain ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteWe didn't get The Great British Menu...we might get that in a couple of years...LOL! Why don't you like the baking one, I wonder? I remember Nadiya, she was so good!
DeleteYes! You are right, I do enjoy catching glimpses of England, and it makes me happy to make connections between your country and mine! :-)
I did catch a few of those shows and I do love to see the goldfinches, not that I saw one on a show, but we do have them here too. Not to many though and when I see them they are a rare treat!
ReplyDeleteWe love our birds! That goldfinch was on there for only a few seconds, but you know I that "froze" it on the screen to admire it!
DeleteI keep meaning to watch them and then I forget. I've heard nothing but good things about it and how dismayed everyone is at the changes to come. I loved Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch.
ReplyDeleteI don't read too much fiction but I have a friend who really likes her books. I might read fiction one day! ;-)
DeleteWe have a lot of goldfinches here. Birds give me joy to watch.
ReplyDeleteWe have a goldfinch that likes to come down to drink to the ant barrier on top of our hummingbird feeder which is filled with water! To see that flash of bright yellow almost turn upside down and drink is a pleasure.
DeleteI am sorry that your favorite show is changing it's channel but hope you will start to enjoy it from the other sources too .
ReplyDeletebird watch is pleasure ,thank you for sharing these cute pics my friend!
You are welcome! Guess what! I just read today that Mary Berry will have a new show about the traditional home cooking in Britain! That sounds good to me!
DeleteThere was a surprising amount of fuss when the Great British Bake Off was moved to ITV. I think the BBC are planning on coming with a new one of their own, but I don't know all the details. If they do, I imagine it would be shown on BBC America. I hope the ITV version is still just as good and you are still able to enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteAlso I have no idea why they would change the name to The Great British Baking Show. It just sounds kinda dumb to me. Ah well.
Hey Mark! Nan told me above that they had to change it because we have the very famous Pillsbury Bake Off here and they wouldn't let them use that "bake off" title!
DeleteAlso, read today that Mary Berry will have her show and it will be about British cooking! I hope we will get it on our local public TV! BBC AMERICA has become a "Top Gear" only channel almost!
I love this show too! Only discovered it about two years ago, but have watched re-runs of all the previous series. Mary Barry is such a treat, as are the two girl hosts, so much fun. I was sorry to hear about the change, as most of the original stars declined to continue. Many shows do not survive such a change of cast members.
ReplyDeleteI need to see me one of those gold finch birds one day :)
I knew you would love this show! Such fun is right!
DeleteYou would love the gold finches as much as you do the cardinals!
I say "telly", too :-)
ReplyDeleteThis year, my sister and I were a little disappointed with what was on while we were in Yorkshire. The series we like best (Midsomer Murders, Lewis and a handful of others) were either not showing at all or repeats of episodes we know too well to watch them again.
I usually od not watch cooking/baking shows and have never watched an episode of "The Great British Bake-Off", but my Mum loves this kind of thing and often tells me of a local chef's show she and my Dad regularly watch.
Finches are lovely, aren't they? We have green finches here, and the occasional gold finch and what we call thistle finch.
You know I really should have said, I have never baked one single thing that I have seen on this show! I am amazed that what they make but as you know, everything that I bake must be gluten free! (They actually did bake gluten free once!)
DeleteI love my British TV shows. We sometimes get them years later, but I don't mind, just as long as we get them!
I adore to watch the birds and am always amazed at the similarities of the birds between England and Conyers, Georgia!
Another craze that's been rediscovered in the modern era, like knitting and quilting, sweeping the nation as if it's a new idea :o) I used to watch Mary Berry on UK TV when I was a teenager as my mum was a fan of hers. Back then though it was popular but nothing special as everyone did home baking before the age of cheap mass produced cakes and puddings. Like the USA Goldfinch. Typically bigger and brighter that the UK variety :o)Must be something they put in the water over there :o)
ReplyDeleteCheap mass produced cakes and puddings leave me cold!
DeleteI have to say, the cakes that you can buy in your stores are superior to what is sold here. You just have to take my word for it! Now, just because our goldfinch is bright yellow, that does not take away the beauty of the goldfinch in the UK. I love them both and find them both beautiful.
Also, you would never believe it, but our goldfinch with those bright yellow feathers...it turns into a very dull brownish color in the winter, and you would not believe it is the same bird, but it is!