Cookarama!

It's started! The battle of the cooking programmes this week with the start of the new BBC cooking series 'The Big Family Showdown' and also Celebrity Masterchef. I quite like the concept of the 'Showdown' and how it involves a family rather than one individual as sometimes cooking does involve the whole family. We do it don't we? We pass precious recipes down generations and the way granny used to cook was always the best with her special culinary secrets. I need to watch some more though of the series to make my mind up. I feel it's trying to work off the back of the loss of 'Bake off' and I'm still not sure. I love Zoe and Nadia presenting but not sure about Rosemary Shrager. Maybe it just needs time to settle in, we'll see.

I did love the start of Celebrity Masterchef, please do not read any further until you've caught up as I am going to mention results. I like the selection of celebrities taking part and enjoyed the first round which saw Stephen Henry, Julia Somerville, Angelica Bell, Henri Leconte and Jim Moir compete against each other for a place in the semi finals. I completely forgot comedian Jim Moir was Jim and not Vic Reeves who I always refer to him. I Just cannot get used to calling him Jim.

Tennis ace Henri annoyed me at first as he tended to faff a lot but then I would probably do the same if I took part, he has really made great progress getting straight through to the semi's which to be honest at the start I never thought he would. Julia Somerville also lacked a bit of confidence and seemed a bit weak, she cooked as if to say 'yeah that will do', very chilled but I think she needed a bit more 'oomph' to get through and unfortunately she didn't. So a good couple of contestants through and well deserved to Henri and tv presenter Angelica, I wanted Jim (Vic) to go through because I just liked him but not to be.

They amaze me by just looking at random ingredients and making something up in their heads to cook. I suppose that's the point of earning Masterchef status but I'd have to make an excuse to go out for some reason and google up a recipe. I am a nightmare cook though and not at all  very enthusiastic. I like quick stuff to shove in the oven so this programme does make me think that maybe I should experiment more and not to be afraid of the food. I'm looking forward to the next round of this, should be good. It will be interesting how it compares to the new look 'Bake off' when it starts soon. They are already planning to move the schedule of this one to Thursdays in the near future as it was due to clash with Bake off which is set to start on a Tuesday. Move over Showdown eh? 

I look forward to 'The Great British Bake Off' coming back as that was my favourite cooking show so I will be very interested to see what changes there are and whether it works. They start to bake on Tuesday 29th August on Channel 4 at 8pm. Channel 4, the first change, also new presenters Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding and Prue Leith joins Paul Hollywood as a judge. I never thought Paul would part ways with Mary Berry but I suppose things change and we should just welcome it. Good luck to all involved.

All these cooking shows just make me hungry and quite inferior in the kitchen. They do give you inspiration. Well I start off well and then want instant food back again. Ahhhh one day I may be a cook, dream, dream, dream. I don't think I could cope with a top chef standing there, watching and waiting for my soufflé to collapse, they would laugh and I'd be like 'I'm outta here'. I would make great tv with my cooking. I have no concept of timing or organisation and would cry if if a chef shouted at me in the big professional kitchens. That is a lot of pressure right there. Phewwwwww. 

I'm off to make a brew, I can make a cuppa and that's as far as I go. Well for now anyway. Thanks for reading today, do come back tomorrow for Music Monday.

Take care for now........