More eggs doom another contestant on MasterChef

Adrien … Adrien … Adrien … Adrien … Adrien … Adrien … Adrien … Adrien … Adrien … Adrien.

Hokay. Got that right. *whew*

Onward …

The first portion of MasterChef this episode was rather blah, didn’t you think? Seems it’s been that way over the course of the last few episodes. It’s not the first competitions that are fun to watch with one group paired up against another, it’s the pressure tests that get down and dirty for the contestants. Those are the fun parts of the show for me.

I mean, yeah: There isn’t anything more stringent than a mom picking over what comes out of your kitchen … especially a mom who knows her way around that kitchen. And in the first contest, it was the the moms of Gordon, Graham and Joe who were the guest judges. And man, can the moms be picky. In the end fish and pears win the day over a polenta salad. (*eww*) That was easy for a challenge, all told. *yawn*

But it wouldn’t be so easy for the five players in the game who lost their lunch. *snort* (“Lost their lunch.” You see … because they lost that lunch challenge? You need to understand … there was a lunch challenge on MasterChef and … oh … never mind …)

Anywho, now we get into the meat and potatoes of the hour with Eggs Benedict the punishment of choice for the losing team’s contestants, an elimination pressure test that will doom one person.

And oh, does this look fun: Giussepe has never made Eggs Benedict previously. Ben believes he has the test in the bag. Derrick admits to not having made much Hollandaise. The two gals — Alejandra and Suzy —  round out the five.

None of the egg dishes were perfect, but Ben’s was best of all. (Interesting how he took a non-traditional approach at making his sauce as well as his eggs. Everybody catch that?)

Again, the challenge came down to the worst of the worst with Giuseppe inexplicably unable to keep track of boiling water, undercooking his eggs in the process, and Derrick inexplicably unable to keep track of time and missing his opportunity to plate his dish well, short changing it of Hollandaise sauce.

Here’s my beef: It’s a pressure test, right? Do these monkey boys not get the concept of keeping their eyes on the clock to know when things need to be completed? Forget that — even if you disregard how long you have, Gordon’s shouting out every 10 minutes or so how much time has elapsed. Cripes! Catch a clue! This disregard for not being aware during these tests befuddles me to no end.

I had an inkling poor Giuseppe would get the shaft for his dish. Vastly undercooked food is a no-no to the judges; stingy saucery not so much. I’m sad our resident Italian took the fall over something he was so unfamiliar with, but the main deal of these pressure tests is to see if you’re well-rounded enough in this competition in addition to being able to make a cooking impression.

Clacked by Michael Noble
on Jul 20, 2011 @ 10:06 EST5EDT