Authors: Susan Willis
‘Yes,’
Nicola agreed. ‘I do love my job. Books have been one of the greatest loves of my life and I adore being surrounded by them all day. I’ve loved the smell of books since I was a little girl and spent hours wondering who read them before me or who would be the next person to read them. And although it is a peaceful and quiet atmosphere we do have our moments serving the great British public…’
They
laughed together and when Nicola retrieved her lemons and started to zest them proficiently, Jessica asked. ‘And why are you using Sicilian lemons?’
‘I
think they’re simply the best lemons in the world. They’re plump and juicy with a heady smell and the peel is fantastic for zesting. They’re nothing like the hard waxed ones from other places.’
Jessica
agreed and smiled. ‘I can see we think the same about using good quality ingredients in our baking.’
All
too soon, as by this time Nicola was enjoying the conversation, Jessica thanked her and moved along to Simon.
While
her tart was baking in the oven she cleared the bench and watched David filming with Gemma who was making a lavender and polenta cake with violet frosting. It was, Nicola thought, an ambitious bake which could be fraught with obstacles, but if Gemma pulled it off, she could win the final.
So
far, David hadn’t spoken to any of them but was calmly walking between the three benches watching them intently. Obviously, she thought, he was leaving the talking up to Jessica today whereas previously he had done it all.
She
looked across at Simon calmly talking to Jessica and knew that if by an outside chance the judges ignored her earlier mishap and she did win this today – it would be down to him and the way he’d calmed her down.
Simon
was making white chocolate and raspberry bread and butter pudding. Wearing his glasses made him look like a business-minded accountant, she thought, smiling at his serious expression.
He
was concentrating on chopping chocolate and layering bread slices into his dish.
Jessica
asked him, ‘I suppose you too will be used to working in a quiet office and living in your tranquil country cottage – so all this noise and lighting while we’re filming must be difficult?’
Simon
removed his glasses to look at Jessica. ‘Yes, a little. The first week was the worst and I got into a bit of a state but I think I’ve grown more confident now and like the others we’ve learnt to try and block it all out and concentrate on the baking,’ he answered politely.
What a lovely response, Nicola thought, and then noticed David leaving Gemma and approaching her bench. He stood, feet planted firmly apart with his arms folded, watching her closely as she heated cream and lemon juice to make the lemon custard filling. He didn’t speak one word to her and she avoided his eyes concentrating upon the task in hand. She could, however, smell his aftershave and allowed herself the luxury of a quick daydream where she would lean across the bench and kiss him fully on the lips. Smiling to herself, she decided it might even be worth losing the competition just to feel the firmness of his lips under hers. She peered up at him as he turned to move away and was convinced she saw a flicker of a smile play around those lips – her heart skipped a beat.
‘BAKERS,
YOU HAVE ONE HOUR LEFT,’ David shouted before moving along to Simon.
Nicola
poured her filling into the tart pastry case and with a small prayer slid it carefully into the warm oven. She wanted it to be perfect to show Jessica that she could bake well without throwing flour around the room at everyone. And, she had to admit to herself, she was more in awe of Jessica than David – her good opinion would mean everything to her. She looked across at Simon, who was grinning. He gave her the thumbs up signal which she took to mean he was happy with his bake.
Jessica
was now in front of Gemma admiring her baked cake cooling on a rack. Gemma looked cool and calm. She hasn’t even broken into a sweat, Nicola thought, pouting her bottom lip – her baking looked perfect, and there wasn’t a hair out of place in her long plait and clean white apron. Resentfully, Nicola wondered what it felt like to excel at everything in life and be beautiful at the same time.
Jessica
asked Gemma, ‘You must be our young food technology teacher who David tells me is very conscientious?’
Nicola
noticed Gemma give Jessica her sweetest smile yet. ‘I do try to be,’ she answered. ‘I love the job but the children can be a little challenging at times.’
Jessica
nodded. ‘Hmm, that’s how I first started – I was a domestic science teacher back in the 1970s. You have my total respect because I know how hard it can be…’
Beginning
to make the violet frosting with syrup, butter and sugar, Gemma said, ‘That’s true, but then I get so much satisfaction when I know they’ve understood what I’m trying to teach and it makes it all worthwhile.’
Jessica
thanked her and wished her the best of luck. Walking back to the front she met David where they both took seats at the table and began to whisper and write comments on forms.
With
her timer clutched safely in her hand Nicola wandered over to Simon. ‘Thanks so much for helping me before, Simon,’ she said sincerely. ‘I don’t know what came over me. But if it hadn’t been for you…’
He
waved a dismissive hand. ‘Ah, Nicola, I didn’t do anything. You’d have made it anyway – this bake off means too much to you to throw it all away in a few blundering moments.’
‘Maybe
it was baking in front of
the
Jessica
Gallagher
,’ she sighed. ‘I’ve worshipped her for years and have all her cook books.’
He
shrugged and smiled. ‘That was probably what made you jittery. And when she came back the next time she was nice to you?’
‘Oh,
yes. She totally relaxed me and understands what it feels like to bake under stress.’
Simon’s
timer bleeped and as she turned back towards her bench she heard him mumble, ‘Which is more than can be said for his lordship!’
Just
as Nicola’s timer sounded and she painstakingly removed her tart from the oven, David shouted, ‘BAKERS, YOU HAVE FIFTEEN MINUTES.’
Because
of her late start she hoped the tart would be sufficiently cool in fifteen minutes, but reasoned that it wouldn’t matter because the lemon tart was a bake that could be eaten hot or cold.
She
watched Gemma covering her cake with the violet frosting and had to admit the colour did look stunning. She remembered how her mother had taught her to spread frosting evenly and smoothly and would have loved to give Gemma a few tips.
After
leaving the lemon tart to cool for as long as possible she lifted it onto a round, glass serving plate.
Seconds later David called, ‘YOUR TIME IS UP – STEP AWAY FROM YOUR BAKES.
’
Nicola
smiled – this would be the last time she’d hear those words and knew that whatever happened later she’d miss the competition. Carrying her serving plate she joined Simon and Gemma as they walked down and placed their bakes on the table.
Nicola
wondered why the stools hadn’t been placed in the usual places to listen to the comments but then David told them they were now free to wait in the hospitality room or go into town for a while before the award ceremony began.
‘So
we mustn’t find out what they think until this afternoon.’ Simon said as they filed through the kitchen door.
Nicola
nodded. ‘Hmm. I knew they wouldn’t announce the winner until then but I did think we’d be allowed to hear what they thought about the bakes…’
***
With the camera filming, Jessica and David were ready to taste the bakes.
David
said, ‘Just before we start, Jessica. I can tell you that so far in round one, Nicola was better than Gemma, but last week they were practically neck and neck. And up until today Simon has never quite had the edge the other two have got.’
Jessica
drew her eyebrows together and nodded her head while David cut a triangular section from the Sicilian summer lemon tart and put it onto a small plate offering it to her first.
They
both tasted the tart and Jessica relaxed her shoulders moaning softly. ‘That is absolutely delicious – the flavour is sublime.’ She looked into the camera. ‘And to make up some words for the viewers, I think it is tinglingly citrusy. It is also perfect in appearance, the texture of the pastry is impeccable, as is the lemon custard – I simply cannot find fault with it.’
David
nodded. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘But Nicola did make a chocolate torte, using pastry and filling last week, and I would have liked her to show us a recipe using a different set of skills for the final. Although I have to agree it is simply perfection.’
David
picked up a knife to cut Gemma’s lavender polenta cake but Jessica placed her hand on his arm. ‘Let’s look at the appearance before you cut into it,’ she said. ‘I think the outer covering of violet frosting could have been applied a little neater. Unless she was running out of time I would have liked her to take a little more care with the appearance.’
He
laughed loudly into the camera. ‘Nah, it looks fine to me.’ He cut a large slice from the cake and handed a fork to Jessica.
They
both tasted the cake and Jessica closed her eyes while she rolled the cake around her mouth then swallowed. ‘In my opinion the flavour profile wouldn’t meet everyone’s palate and for me the lavender is a tiny bit overpowering.’
‘Never!’
David argued. ‘The level of flavour is perfect. The texture is light and the concept is creative and bang on trend. And I think it’s very special.’
He
gazed into the camera lens and gently teased Jessica. ‘You’re just an old-fashioned fuddy-duddy.’
Jessica
drew her eyebrows together in consternation as David placed Simon’s white chocolate and raspberry bread and butter pudding in front of them both.
Swallowing
a mouthful of pudding David said, ‘My one criticism with this bake is that Simon has used shop-bought bread which is not what the bake off is all about – he should have at least baked his own bread at home to make it look more rustic.’
Jessica folded her arms under her large bust and challenged him. ‘And was that explained to the contestants before the competition?
David
blushed and cleared his throat. ‘I-I’m sure it was, Jessica,’ he said then lifted his shoulders. ‘And in my opinion although the bread and butter pudding does have a good chocolate flavour it’s not special enough for the final.’
‘Hmm,’
Jessica muttered. ‘I think the bread and butter pudding looks delightful and is a traditional bake with a modern twist by using the white chocolate and raspberries. There may be a few too many raspberries but they blend exceptionally well with the white chocolate.’
She
stared resolutely at David. ‘My order of results for these three would be the Sicilian lemon tart is the best all-round bake on the table. And a tie for second place between the lavender cake and the bread and butter pudding. If I was absolutely pushed to split them I would give second place to the bread and butter pudding and third for the lavender.’
‘
NO
,
’
David shouted in alarm. ‘That’s not right at all…’
Jessica
leaned towards him and pursed her thin lips. ‘If you’re not going to take any notice of my opinion why on earth did you ask me to come along and judge?’
‘
CUT
,
’
yelled the director. ‘We can’t have this arguing in front of the viewers. We’ll have to scrap that last little bit.’
David
shook his head slowly, and anxiously stroked his chin. He apologised to Jessica, whose face was flushed and pinched. ‘Look, let’s go back to the beginning and taste them all again and try to find a compromise,’ he offered, to which she nodded her head in agreement.
***
While Simon and Gemma collapsed spent onto the settee in the hospitality room Nicola escaped into the toilet. She gasped in horror as she looked in the mirror and saw that under her eyes were black with smudged mascara, the foundation on her nose had collected into a moist blob, and her hair looked completely bedraggled. She groaned and opened her handbag to do some quick repairs with her make-up kit. The thought that David had seen her looking such a mess, especially when he looked his best, made her cringe.
***
Shortly before two o’clock Gemma, Simon and herself were ushered by a crewman into the large ceremony hall attached to the university. The walls in the old building were panelled in dark oak wood and rows of red velour chairs were placed in front of the small stage. The director led them up onto the stage where they were joined by the other original ten contestants who greeted them warmly.