All Good Things Must Come to an End

I'm feeling very sad today.  Yesterday I baked a stale cake.  Yes, honestely, it tastes stale.  I don't know how I did it.  Maybe too much flour, maybe I didn't beat the butter enough, maybe the eggs weren't as fresh as they could be (although cake never really works with very fresh eggs), or maybe the oven was at the wrong temperature.  It probably looks OK but it tastes stale.  This isn't the first baking disaster I've had recently and I am beginning to worry that my cake making skills have deserted (pun intended) me for a younger more energetic model.   This thought coincides with the fact that the Great British Bake Off is coming to an end.

The sensible part of my brain has told me not to worry, that like my baking skills the Bake Off will be back but there is a deep sense of foreboding nagging away.

We are told that this is the most popular series EVER (Sorry Michael Gove I would fail my SPAG test and I don't care - capitals are good for emphasis) and that series 5 will be on BBC1.  I've been worrying for some of this series about what it's becomming. It used to be an amateur baking competition.  I used to watch and be inspired to try making something.  I watched last week's canapes thinking, "Oh for goodness sake just open a packet of crisps!" And don't get me started on that horrible jelly brain thing.  The criticism that the contestents have to face has become something else as well and that will only get worse on BBC1.  What amateur baker would put themselves up for that kind of abuse?

This morning a top celebrity chef tweeted about the Bake Off, seemingly criticising  the winner.  I was hoping that he was just guessing (although it didn't sound like it) and then the person angrily responded also implying that she was the winner.  With so much attention on the programme it is hardly surprising that leaks like this happen.

The only way this series can survive is if they find a way of letting us taste the baking.

I'm sure that would have saved Ruby from much of the online abuse she has suffered.  People I know don't like Ruby.  I pointed her out as the annoying young one who quotes philosphy after the first episode.  She is, however, favourite to win and so she appeals to lots of people.  The online suggestion that Paul Hollywood fancies her has to be rubbish.  I've never seen any evidence of that in his body language. We see a lot of flirtatious body language from her but he seems perfectly able to resist. He feels a bit sorry for her and is a bit protective towards her, like he would a daughter and he enjoys eating her baking.  Maybe if we could taste it, then those of us who find her annoying would fancy her in the same way.  The way the series is edited doesn't help her either.  She is pretty.  She has an elfin boy look that the media loves and the camera is always showing us close ups of her biting or licking her lips, or looking coyly out from under her eyebrows.  We never see shots of Frances licking her lips and it can't be that she doesn't (it's a baking competition) but I don't suppose she looks so pretty when she does it. If I'm honest  I don't want Ruby to win.  You see, I can't identify with her.  She is too new for me.  It's like she's just been born onto the programme.  "Whoops look at me, who knew I could bake?" I think it's that attitude that people find annoying.  Maybe she is amazingly talented but no one believes that she isn't practising until 2am every night and if she isn't then there is nothing that we can learn from her.  Would I buy a book by Ruby?  Probably not and that's quite sad because her ambition is to be a food writer.

Kimberley, hasn't attracted much attention at all.  She doesn't get much camera time but I have always thought she was a dark horse.  Quietly and competently working away, producing good looking baking.  I would like to bake some things that she bakes although I am slightly put off because I don't think I have her skill.  I would like Kimberley to win.

Frances has been accused of being style over substance and for TV that suits us just fine.  We want to see pretty cakes and good ideas.  I would buy a book that Frances had written without hesitation.  It would be full of great ideas that I could try and have fun doing it.  Her matchbox cheese straws were an inspiration and she could win just for that as far as I'm concerned but what if her food tastes really horrible?  You see we need to be able to taste this programme.  It's just not fair that we can't.

Frances Quinn has a blog - I will read that until she writes a book

Maybe my love affair with this programme is over?  Maybe I will never be able to bake a good tasting cake again?  Maybe someone will always spoil the end? Maybe it won't be as good on BBC1?  Maybe my cookbook shelf will collapse with all the books I have to buy after each series?  Maybe I'm worrying too much?