Full disclosure: I don't understand the fascination with all the competition cooking shows. I don't watch them regularly and when I do, I'm baffled by the interest.
I guess I'm just not a "foodie," but plenty of viewers are.
But that's OK. I also don't understand the attraction of hunting shows, with some guy up in a tree for hours waiting to kill Bambi. Or the fishing shows, where a couple of good ol' boys work all day to land that prize bass, only to toss it back.
But like them or not, cooking shows don't seem to be going away. In fact, they're being imported from across the pond.
The Great British Baking Show (titled The Great British Bake Off in Britain) debuts at 7 p.m. today on AETN and PBS and runs at the same hour through March 1. The contestants promise to be just as passionate as those we already have on this side of the Atlantic.
Over here we have Top Chef (and spinoffs), Iron Chef (and spinoffs), Extreme Chef and MasterChef (and the junior version). We have Gordon Ramsey screaming in Hell's Kitchen. We have Chopped, Cup Cake Wars and The Taste. We have Bobby Flay in several iterations, Food Fighters and The Great Food Truck Race. The list goes on.
The Great British Bake Off has actually been on the telly for a while overseas. Tonight's serving is Episode 1 of Season 5 and features judges Mary Berry, a leading cookbook writer, and Paul Hollywood, a top artisan baker, as judges.
Co-hosts and "comic foils" are Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc. Only in Britain does one have a "comic foil."
These folks will bring us along as they search for the country's best amateur baker by testing the competitors' skills on cakes, breads, pastries and desserts. A winner will be crowned after 10 weeks of competition.
The first episode introduces 12 diverse bakers competing in their first challenge -- cake. Each week, the bakers tackle a different skill, the difficulty of which increases as the competition unfolds.
According to PBS: "In each episode, the challenges come in three categories: the Signature Bake that tests the bakers' personality, creative flair and baking ability; the Technical Bake, when bakers are given one basic recipe, with the same ingredients and instructions, but no other guidance; and the Showstopper Bake, in which the competitors showcase their depth of skill and talent. In this category, judges seek the most impressive and elaborate creations."
The show is a huge cult favorite in Britain. A recent season finale attracted half the viewing audience and even topped the World Cup finale.
If the show seems familiar, well, all these baking shows have similar formulas. CBS adapted Bake Off last summer and ran it as The American Baking Competition with Jeff Foxworthy as host.
If you found the CBS version a little flat, sample the British original. I'm told it's far superior. One advantage is there will be no neck- vein-popping Ramsay screaming vulgarities.
In the announcement news release, PBS spokesman Beth Hoppe said, "This series encourages contestants to succeed, emphasizing warmth and humor over humiliation and intimidation. We're proud to share this delicious and hilarious series with our audience."
Begetting: Naturally, The Great British Bake Off has hatched spawn. The UK now has Celebrity Bake Off, Junior Bake Off and many Bake Off master classes.
Using the same formula is the similar Great British Sewing Bee and Britain's Best Potter. Maybe these shows will find their way to America as well.
• Agri Arkansas. Speaking of AETN, the next monthly installment of the locally produced Agri Arkansas debuts at 1 p.m. today. This one looks at the state's declining dairy industry and features segments exploring dairy farming; recent legislation that legalizes the sale of raw milk and facts consumers should know before drinking it; and the operations of Little Rock cheese maker Kent Walker.
The special notes that dairy farming has been on the decline in recent decades and shows how the state's dairy industry has adapted.
The episode will also feature a panel discussion with guests Butch Calhoun, secretary of the Arkansas Agriculture Department, and Fredric Simon, part owner of Simon Brothers Dairy. Former news anchor and veteran reporter Tony Brooks hosts.
• Go Hogs. And finally, don't forget the Razorbacks take on the Texas Longhorns in the Texas Bowl at 8 p.m. Monday on ESPN. I imagine there will be a sea of red in Houston's NRG Stadium.
There's more pregame information than you'll ever need over in today's Sports section.
ESPN will warm you up Monday with the Liberty Bowl (Texas A&M vs. West Virginia) at 1 p.m., and the Russell Athletic Bowl (Clemson vs. Oklahoma) at 4:30.
The TV Column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Email:
mstorey@arkansasonline.com
Style on 12/28/2014