And Now for Something Completely Different…
All right, let’s take a brief intermission from all this book talk, all right? Time to get my head out of my arse (more on that in the next post) and see what else is new and exciting in the world:
Games and Baking Shows!
Imagine reading the entirety of Moby Dick, one phrase at a time, and making an anagram out of part of each phrase. Whaaaa?
How anyone could look at Melville’s opus and think, “Why not create a word game app out of it?” is beyond me, but the folks at Counterwave inc have done it with the app OMBY, and done it well.
I’m telling you, examining the book, one sentence at a time, brings a whole new appreciation to Moby Dick. You can’t skim. I’m only on chapter 2, but the writing feels fresh, and lively, and humorous. Who knew Ishmael was such a hoot? And because it’s literature, well, it can’t be wasting time, can it?
THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW
It’s just started its second season. You must watch. Go ahead, set your DVR.
This cooking contest is the antithesis of the high-speed, high-stake Food Network/Bravo cooking show. It’s the anti-Top Chef. Twelve amateur bakers, many of whom seemed to have just stepped out of a Wallace and Grommit short, compete by creating oh-so-classic baked goods. They bake in a huge pavilion overlooking the English countryside, and they use little rinky ovens and little rinky refrigerators. There’s no drama, no egos, no GE Signature Appliances. I don’t even think there’s even a prize beyond a bouquet of flowers and some jolly good fun. I can’t stop watching. It’s all about the food. You get to watch them BAKING (and waiting, and proofing, and waiting…), not arguing or posturing. They obviously love to cook. And I adore the judges— the stern Paul Hollywood and especially the formidable but
fair Mary Berry, she of the crinkly blue eyes and strong white teeth. I could watch her bite into savory pasties every day, and feel sustained. Just watch her talk about “how terribly important that the lairs of the cake be even, this cake has extremely even lairs and lairs…” and tell me you don’t fall in love with her more with every lair.
All right. There it is. Break’s over. Enjoy!
Topics: Great British Baking Show • OMBY
“What’s wrong with cheese, Gommit?”