… as I sit here on the miserable East Coast train back to the loving embrace of the Lincolnshire wolds I have time to reflect upon the fact that I didn’t get through to the next round of The Great British Bake-Off…
… yes dear friends… it was a big fat NO…
… foolishly i was quietly confident, my pastry was crisp, my beetroot chocolate cake was moist… but it was not to be.
Mary and the mystery guest judge Nigel (no, not Slater… some other bloke) were very friendly and complimentary… they even lifted my tart and commented on a well cooked base… ok, it was mentioned that perhaps my tuppaware had softened by crust slightly… and perhaps I could have had more seasoning in the filling… Mary seemed to enjoy my vanilla sponge Lamingtons but commented that the beetroot and chocolate ones were a bit dense… other than that they were positively cheery… just not cheery enough to put me through!
… I guess them’s the breaks eh…? I’m happy i did it and they kept saying that we were all really lucky to get this far as the standards were really high blah blah blah… and as it happened, out of the 6 of us that were there at the midday slot, none got through… and some of the other entrants were very very good, so that’s something to hang on… oh well, onwards and upwards and back to the kitchen…
… oh and a final thanks to all of you for the very kind words of support… it’s lovely to be loved.
I'll have that tart – it looks very good!
Sorry about the Bake-Off result though. š
World domination's not what it's cracked up to be – for this week anyway! You can always try again! After all, Simon Cowell told Jennifer Hudson she wasn't a very good singer . . . look who has an Oscar!!! Don't give up, you're a great cook! I'll take the tart!
Have a great weekend!
You can lead a competition judge to water but you're not allowed to hold it under until it drinks. Sadly.
Head up high, next time, next time…
Tough luck, but don't give up, if this is what you want – there are plenty of other competitions!
Perhaps you should start small and conquer the village fete first!;-)
Guess world domination takes a bit more time to achieve. Very sorry you didn't get through. Initially pleased you did take the beetroot after all, but having taken in the “a bit dense” comment – now feeling guilty!
Thanks thanks thanks. I think perhaps I bit off more than I could chew.. and judging by twitter they turned down a lot if people I thought would breeze through.
@ choclette. The cake was supposed to be dense. Tis no ones fault but mine own
Big glass of wine needed.
You gave this your best shot. There will be other times. We appreciate all that you do. Have a great evening. Blessings…Mary
I guess at this point, you evaluate what the judges' points were, what the trends in foodie competitions are, what you learned from this latest foray toward world domination and swirl it with the wine. Get back on your horse and keep the knowledge in mind next time you head out there, Dom!
xo Happy cooking this weekend ! Oh, and enjoy that tart! It looked fabulous … that judge was bonkers.
What a shame. I thought your tart looked fantastic. You are obviously destined for bigger things. Masterchef?
Next time, there is always next time…
Frankly speaking …. stuff 'em! Personally I didn't want to share you with the rest of the world just yet anyhoo ;0)
So maybe I'm biased but the extra tart you made for our dinner yesterday was yummy and I am happily eating my way through the leftover lamingtons.
Just enjoy cooking & be happy
xx Mummy
What would they know ….. we think you are fantastic!!
You can always try again Dom. I think you are great! And the tart looks delicious. Head up high and don't give up. In the meantime enjoy your big glass of wine.
Have a great weekend.
None of us from our lot got through??? I have a theory. Quite a few of us did tarts/pies from our slot. I thought your tart looked splendid. I knew I was a no winner when I developed hives on my forehead upon arrival.
By the way, aren't chocolate & beetroot cakes supposed to be dense? Not in a bad way but they ain't sponges, are they?
Well all this love is enough to make a boy blush!
Okay, I'm feeling comfortable to admit I'm not exactly sure what a beetroot is.
Don't beat yourself Dom, everyone knows those things are rigged more than a circus tent! We all think you're fab – what more world domination do you need?
so sorry your dishes sounded amazing though
@ Tess… think they call it simply a Beet in the US… dark red round root vegetable, usually comes pickled but is actually very lovely baked or used in soups or even cake.
Does this mean you'll be eating insects in a jungle with Gillian McKeith in the not so distant future? Something to look forward to!
hmmmmmm there are many other ways to take over the world!!! commiserations though….i expect you will be making something truly decadent this weekend!! xoxoxo
I would love to have that tart on my plate this morning. It is lovely. Better luck with your next attempt at world domination.
I'm up there with the “Jennifer Hudson” analogy! You have certainly been a winner in my culinary mind.
Best,
Bonnie
Gawd Bless yer all! xx
Awww, Dom . . . well you know that whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger (and frankly I want to kill anyone who says that to me!) But seriously, you do know that sometimes it is just the luck of the draw. I mean what does Mary Berry know? (Just kidding!)
Awwwwwwww. Boo.
It's a pity it is just a one-off snapshot and you don't get another chance. Will you try again next year? I think you should. We'll just have to wait another year to be able to point at the TV and say, “yeah, I read his blog and he taught me all I know about sourdough starters” š
Noooo – they're missing out. And that tart looks delicious.
Oh kindred spirit. I also got to the audition one stage and no further. It is so hard to know whether when you are asked of your experience whether whatever you reply stands you in good staid or not. Your baking sounds fantastic. I have written about my audition here http://www.laundryetc.co.uk/2011/02/06/ageist-bagels-underdone-and-over-the-hill/
Egads – your tart looks amazing and Lamingtons have got to score high on the originality stakes. I am off to the gallows (or auditions) on Tuesday and feeling rather less than confident having seen some of the amazing bakers who've had knock backs. You are in fine company it seems.
Did they let you plate up your stuff there or did they just whisk it away as soon as you arrived?