I’m watching tonight All of Holland bakes in a special setting, namely in the company of no fewer than four nude kittens, including two brand new babies, and again friend A. (the previous episode left me wanting more). Halfway through, even brother C. comes sailing in, who after a successful date with an old flame still has enough fire in him to provide André with some spicy commentary. As soon as naked cat N. has settled on my lap and my right hand is fist-deep in a bag of spice nuts (that’s right, it’s April), the party can begin.
The tastemakers of All of Holland bakes
The theme of episode three is ‘spring’. It’s not original, but it’s nice. The bakers are first given the task of making a ‘focaccia garden’. Zeinab surprises friend and foe when she reveals that she is not a fan of Italian flavors. Is this the first and only woman in the world who dares to speak so contemptuously about oregano, basil and thyme? The wandering ghosts of all Bertolli grandfathers and grandmothers who have ever lived apparently do not give up, because during the assessment Zeinab gets the lid on her nose. She has used too much of the Middle Eastern seasoning sumac, according to Janny. Lynn takes it professionally during this first round. She has drawn up a complete floor plan for her focaccia – shame about the green and black olives, but that’s just my humble opinion. Inge’s pestofocaccia stimulates the release of my hunger hormone; it wouldn’t look out of place on the coffee table in front of us, which is now packed with the most toxic stuff that aisle three of Albert Heijn has to offer. “How much more shall I throw in?” she wonders aloud, holding the flower in her hand. “In my case, I am also curious about that every Saturday evening”, says A. shaking. The tone is set.
Crises and Tragedies
A Greek sauce is poured over round two. On the menu are a kind of sausage rolls without sausage. On top lie pistachios on a bed of so-called angel hair, made from wafer-thin strings of dough, and honey. The pastry is called kataifi and most resembles baklava. The Greek Yannis estimates his chances of winning high. Spoiler: things will be a little different, because less than an hour and a half later he apologizes to his country of origin. But not before asking Tom for tips. He is not afraid to lend him a hand: “It’s just like the financial crisis; Europe is here to help.” Both laugh, one with a little more toothache than the other. Unfortunately, the jury ultimately calls Yannis’ baking a Greek tragedy. Several candidates struggle with the angel hair. The nozzles of the spray bottles with batter (plus their contents) literally fly around André’s ears. Even Zeinab – in my opinion one of the best bakers of the season – is bumbling in this technical round. She is not really happy about her “ugly mummies”. Janny and Robèrt also know how to hide their enthusiasm.
polish craftsmanship
It’s time for the last part of the triptych of baking: a floral spring spectacle. The cake should contain homemade flowers. For example, from modeling chocolate, marzipan, fondant, sugar or buttercream. That sounds good, but turns out to be more difficult than it seems. Janny wants to get a spring feeling with every bite. Not everyone manages to give her such an experience. Although Tom was still declared the winner during the previous round, his ‘meringue passion daisy’ is not very successful. “The passion has left the building,” says C., referring to the somewhat sadly hanging fondant leaves of Tom’s cake. Zeinab is back: her floral-decorated masterpiece has so many layers that she’s lost count herself. “It looks like it was done by a Polish plasterer,” André praises her cake. C. mumbles something about similarities between Zeinab’s baking and the former comedian’s eyebrows. I was fully convinced that it was a done race, yet it is Enzo who knows how to captivate the jury with his ‘vase à tulipes’. For Lynn it is also a matter of packing, but at the same time one of leaving: she is the third person to leave the bakery.
Source: XXX