http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_British_Bake_Off

The first time I watched it a few years ago, I have to confess I didn’t see what all the fuss was about, but when my daughter started watching it last year, I began to see its charm and how it can be so appealing and entertaining. It grew on me, much like Britain itself. That’s the second reason I love GBBO. My girl and I watch it together – she’s much better at remembering last year’s series and bakers and compares and contrasts the bakers and their bakes. She is also fascinated by the actual baking and what they bake. That for me, comes secondary to all the rest. We both love the bakers and the presenters. The judges much less so. Of the two judges, the ‘male judge’ is far too intense and very critical. Mary Berry is quite fascinating though – especially in that she can stay so slim after eating so much! I don’t think you can get any more British than Sue and Mel and to be honest, there are times when I can’t understand what they say. It’s a good job Anna Grace is there to translate for me, which she does with ease and pleasure. I would never watch it without her, it would be far less entertaining.

When I first moved here, there weren’t very many American shows readily available and Netflix didn’t exist so I watched British TV. Shows like Coronation Street, Blind Date, Mrs Merton (this one eluded me for the longest time), The Bill, I’m Alan Partridge (this one eluded me too) and I can’t remember what all else. I learned a lot about Britain and British people by watching these shows, especially British humor, the British vernacular and pop culture. It wasn’t only the shows though, the TV adverts were also highly educational for me. There’s something so subtle and stylish about British television advertising that is the complete opposite of American TV ads and I much prefer it to the American style even when they are so off-beat or contain strong Northern or Scottish accents that when the ad has finished and I have no idea what it was advertising or what they even said.

So I continue my education after a long hiatus and look forward to cuddling up with my daughter to see how many different ways of saying ‘Bake’ there can possibly be.

Linked to the My Global Life Link-Up at SmallPlanetStudio.com

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Meghan Peterson Fenn is the author of Bringing Up Brits and co-author of Inspiring Global Entrepreneurs with Heidi Mulligan Walker. Meghan is also the Director and Chief Designer at her own design company, White Ochre Design Ltd. And, she is an award winning expat blogger.

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Yes, you can buy them here in the grocery stores but they only come in small bags. The chocolate chips themselves are smaller as well and don’t really taste the same. I love the weightly feel of the bags of chocolate chips and being able to eat a handful here and there while baking with them. You can’t do that with chocolate chips here – you’d eat them all before they went in the oven! So, the best and quickest way to get them is to order them online from www.americanfooddirect.com or www.skyco.uk.com or also from www.americansoda.co.uk You can get butterscotch as well. It’s not the cheapest way of getting them but it’s the real deal and I just love the smell of them and the memories that the packaging trigger. I sometimes ask my mom to send over a box of 10 or so but I know it’s expensive to send so I don’t like to ask. And before anyone thinks it – yes I could just buy 4 of the small bags and then I’d have the same amount but the thought of doing that depresses me and it’s just not the same. And yes, I do realise chocolate chips are not a food group, but in our household they are just as important as the fruit and veg (so in a way they are sort of like a food group). Needless to say, all my children love them just as much as I do. Next time I’m in the States we’ll be stocking up!

Here is my mom’s chocolate chip cookie recipe. Please feel free to try it but be prepared for LOTS of cookies.

Cream together
3 sticks of butter (1 and 1/2 cups)
1 cup crisco (shortening)
2 cups brown sugar (dark brown, packed)
2 cups white sugar
2 Tablespoons vanilla
1 and 1/4 Tablespoons baking soda
4 eggs
3/4 Tablespoon salt

Add
7 cups flour

Mix and then add 1 to 2 (12 oz) packages chocolate chips.

Stir together –  you need a large bowl for this. You can add oatmeal/raisins/nuts/rice cripsies etc. (You can divide the basic dough in half or thirds and make two or three different types of cookies). Use a teaspoon to drop them on a greased cookie tray.

Bake at 350 for 10 to 15 mins (depends on size).

Have fun!

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