As many of you may already have heard, the latest Netflix hit series is the reality baking show, Nailed It! In fact, we heard so much about it that we decided it was time for us to see it for ourselves. Plus, by being about baking, it practically counts as work for us :) So what is this show about?
Nailed It! invites amateur bakers who are VERY PASSIONATE about baking, but have, how do I say this politely, a lack of skill to support that passion. The bakers compete to recreate quite complicated and professional pastry chef designed masterpieces, in an attempt to win a $10,000 cash prize…and a Nailed It! trophy. Overall, the show is hilarious to watch, though as expected not much of a skill lesson, however, as bakers there is something to be learned and we wanted to share that with you!
1 – “Nailed It!” is actually a meme caption originating from unsuccessful Pinterest dessert attempts
Who knew? Well probably most people, considering the popularity of memes, but still must be quite a meme to become a Netflix series! But as bakers we can definitely appreciate this, as the delicious and pretty desserts, are usually anything but simple to make. There’s much more work and science that goes into it than most people realize from a Pinterest picture. That’s why we focus on bridging the gap between Pinterest and the hobby baker
2 – Wouldn’t it be nice to have all the right ingredients ready before you bake?
In the show, the bakers seem to always be measuring their ingredients inaccurately, and even worse using ingredients which are similar to but different from what they ought to be using. Seeing this, reinforces to us the need we are serving as a company. We love being in the business of making your life more convenient and simple, as we understand how important measurements are to the perfect result!
3 – Baking is NOT cooking, and here following instructions is crucial
So, baking recipes are actually meant to be followed quite closely, and creativity is probably best saved for the decorating itself. There have been participants who tried to completely freestyle the dessert and, that definitely showed up in their slightly inedible, resulting dessert. Others just did some steps out of order, and even that had an unfavorable impact! So, we recommend following recipes, and in fact we believe that so much that at Ani & Fabi, we design them so that anyone can follow the steps without much effort…just so it’s a bit easier for you :)
4 – The point is to have fun, and even failing can be fun!
We really enjoy watching the competition, even though as we quickly realized, the bar isn’t quite as high as something like MasterChef. It remains fun to watch as contestants try to create something awesome, even though they don’t quite get there, it’s the intent that matters, right? But, it seems the fun isn’t limited to those viewing, the contestants appear to be having a great time as well for the most part, and the failing doesn’t change that. It all comes down to enjoying the process, and the end goal will automatically look better. Ani & Fabi is all for the pure joy of baking, that’s why we love the idea so much!
All in all, we really love the show and can’t wait for another season! It’s not quite a MasterChef as far are intensity and skill, but it makes up for it in the fun for sure. As you can see there is also a lot to be learned from the participants, although if you’re looking for baking tips we suggest taking notes on what Chef Torres says, and his pastry tips can really go a long way!
Whatever you do, just have to take that first step and don’t be afraid of failing at first, just as long as you don’t give up and have a whole lot of fun…we know you can Nail It! And if you’re looking to bake with some help, we recommend shopping the Ani & Fabi pantry or signing up for a subscription, we really do make the process simple and more convenient, while making it a whole lot more fun :)
XOXO
Ani & Fabi