So you're saying Nadiya won? Oh well, the spoiler is ok because I had a hunch she was going to be the winner. Edited to say that I went online to see exactly what episode we got to see last night. It was the chocolate challenge and it had a date of airing as August 5th? I'm confused. Where are you guys from that have already watched the finale? Are you from across the pond? ha

I do not want to pay for TV, so only get over-air. In the cooler months, I watch a lot of PBS. I alepways have a lot of opinions and have thought of starting a thread "cooking shows cross contamination and other bad habits". TheJazzy veg cook bugs me for some reason. Not sure why. Maybe too cheesecake smarmy? That's too harsh. But I surely do welcome anyone extolling healthful cooking. Forgot-her-name-female vegan cook, red hair, often wears black. She survived cancer, is likely a fine person. Something about her bugs me. Maybe too casually know it all? Cooks Illustrated, Cook Country and TestKitchen. I see a lot of them and reruns. I think Chris K is fine. I like watching most of the shows. Some of the gadget reviews, not so much, although I like Lisa McM. I used o get the magazine. If they still have the offer for free year subscription if they publish your tip, I'll jump on it. They use a LOT of fat NS salt. They need a crawler to remind people to wash hands, swap utensils, cutting boards and so on. I know they want to condense video and save time, but they need to use a crawler. I see a lot of cross contamination opportunities. I am familiar with radiation lab work (you cannot see the radioactivity (like bacteria), but must always be aware that you will contaminate if not meticulous). Handle raw chicken, reach for the salt bowl or shaker? You've just cross contaminated! Simply Ming -- I like when he cooks with his family. And, yes, those moo shoo wrappers are easy and fun to make. Jacques Pepin! He is fantastic. I'll follow him anywhere and drink his Koolaid. Hubert Keller -- a good teacher and fun, creative chef. I want to ride with him on his motorcycle, touring Europe, dining, sipping wines. Those Nordic cooking folks. Fun to watch, but I am not eating uncooked critter and can only cope with just so much dill and cabbage. Woman who cooks quick food in small places. A newer chef. Petite, articulate, genuine, petite fun. Advertises the Hess avocado. She's fun. Pati's Mexican Table-- took me a while to get used to her "feeeesh" = fish. She's fun. Her children are fun, especially ? Jojo? I want to travel /dine the Yucatan with her. Nice house too, Ms. Pati. Mexico, one plate at a time. Ah, Rick. So delicious. Meat BBQ SMOKE UNIVERSITY CHEFS --- you're gonna bring on a cardiac arrest or asthma attack. Darn! I wish I could eat the stuff you BBQ and smoke. Vivian Howard -- I have mixed feelings. So much work to try to cook natural and in-season LOCAL fare. I am tired. Someone walk me over to the Boiler Room (their oyster bar close by). I don't think I can consume too many of those, however healthful, collard greens, turnips and pig gizzards. I like a lot about her, but is that hard laugh forced? Genuine? I'm a northerner and so a lot of the accent and speech from some of the southern states seems so strained. So unneccesarily difficult. Alabamans and Georgian (for example) seem to use up extra rocket fuel to say the simplest words. Mainers may have three syllables for "there" (they a yah), but use much less energy and facial effort. The New Zealand woman with blond hair. Spunky! A good cook. But what the heck is she saying? Take Aussie accent and put it through a food mill on loud. Huh? Remind me of the USA south. Kevin Dunlin (sp) Irish chef -- I want his house! I want to live there. Too hot inland New England. Get me to the UK immediately! Kev, baby, I'll bring the lobster, you put the kettle on

"I had always heard that the British are awful cooks." A rather common misconception :-) There are just as many great British chefs/cooks as there are anywhere else. And traditional British foods are delicious when correctly prepared. My only complaint is that there is a tendency to overcook the veggies. But I think even that is less of an issue now. I think part of the reputation for British food being bad is that rationing during WWII and after was severe and lasted a long time - well into the 50's - and the Brits were forced to make do with minimal ingredients and tough cuts of meat. And overcooking was maybe a way to deal with that. But my travels there have produced some absolutely wonderful meals. Pub lunches and meals are some of the best!! My parents were British and I grew up with this style of cooking. Mom baked but not a lot and she never got as creative as the bakers on the show get. She would make steamed or sticky puddings (which I loved as a kid but seriously sweet!!), always plum pudding and Christmas cake (fruit cake but not at all like you encounter here in the US - very boozy!), trifles, mince tarts and sponges and jelly rolls. I have learned how to make all of these as well but do so seldom now that the kid is grown and gone and I am single. Still do a trifle for family Christmas dinner and mince tarts but that's about it. Now and again I make a Pavlova for a summer dessert.

It was really annoying how Candice would purse her lips, esp. with the lipstick applied as it was; but I finally figured out why she did. In later episodes she didn't always make-up like that and I see she had two upper, side teeth that she attempted to hide. : ) Do you remember the actress who played Anne Bolene(sp?) in "The Tudors"? Candice resembled her a lot esp. with the lipstick.