“The Great British Bake Off” (or “Baking Show,” in the U.S.) is a competitive baking show that started its 16th season this week. This show follows a group of amateur bakers through a series of baking challenges, and one contestant is eliminated in each round, until a winner is chosen from the final three bakers. The series was inspired by competitive baking events in traditional village fêtes in England.

One aspect I enjoy about the show is the camaraderie of the contestants, and the fact that the judges, while truthful, are not mean-spirited. Since this is traditional British baking, there are often desserts that I have not heard of, and at least one weekly challenge allows the bakers to put their own spin on the recipe called for. For the first seven seasons, Mary Berry and Paul Hollyw

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