Tonight the contestants will be on the Rachael Ray Show, which Dave notes is always a highlight of the season. Are you sure that's not just because you enjoy looking at Rachael, dear? No comment from Dave. The contestants will be doing demos during both the camera challenge and the star challenge this time.
The camera challenge is to make a cupcake as an expression of themselves. Not sure how well Whitney's dish will go over, since she does an adaptation of one of Ina's recipes when she is a judge. At least it's not taken word for work like one contestant did with a Paula Deen recipe in another season. Whitney comes out of her shell a little more in this presentation, but will it be enough? Suzie goes to her roots with a corn cupcake with duck confit slaw. Jeff takes the sandwich concept too far by putting 5 meats in his cupcake. At that point, dear, it just tastes like "meat." Bobby looks dubious, and Bob has to chew it a LOT. At least he used some sort of recipe, unlike Chris. Jeff is not the only one putting pancetta in his cupcakes, as Vic turns an Italian tartuffe into a cupcake. Jyll chooses to use only orange and chocolate, saying she likes to use simple, bold flavors. I hope you make them good and bold, hon, because it they're not, they'll fade away and so will you. Jyll is still too rehearsed during presentation. Mary Beth has what I (and the judges) think is the best idea, roasted strawberry cupcakes. Definitely looking forward to experimenting along those lines myself.
The Rachael Ray star challenge is more difficult than in previous years, starting with a 30-second intro and then requiring the contestants to field questions from the audience while they are doing their demos. This does not end well, as 2 of the contestants completely forget about fielding questions. The contestants have to reinvent classic dishes. Jeff breaks out the Monk Mojo Headband...too bad he didn't use that while he was making his cupcakes. Vic shows his Italian roots by calling the marinara sauce "gravy" as he makes his lasagna. Mary Beth changes shepherd's pie to have the mashed potatoes on the bottom and a layer of carrot puree on top. It looks amazing, and Dave and I both agree that we need to try that the next time we make shepherd's pie. At the same time, Jyll reinvents meatloaf by putting mashed potatoes on top...thus making it into a beef shepherd's pie. Oops.
When they get onstage, Whitney is nervous and forgets her story but gets a lucky break when a contestant's question gives her an opening. Mary Beth's intro is good except for the fact that she uses the Same. Gesture. Every. Two. Seconds. Vic shows he's a class act by giving tips to the people who present after him. Whitney gets stage-struck. Dave comments that the more cameras are around, the easier it is to get intimidated. He would know, after having hosted High School Bowl for a couple of years. Suzie commits the mortal sin of turning her back to the camera. Jyll gets pressed about how her POV is different from what's already there on FN, and she crashes and burns, possibly sealing her fate for the night. Jeff seems perfectly natural on stage for once, and he does the best job of anyone of playing off of Rachael. Plus, that pork chop looks amazing as he pulls the bone right off.
In the end, Jyll did seal her fate and gets to go home. Her heart just didn't seem to be in it, especially not tonight. In some ways, it almost seemed like she was the second coming of Amy Findley. Next week, we get Gilbert Gottfried. Is this his first appearance since he stopped being the AFLAC duck? We see the beginnings of a battle for who can take the heat. When I was in high school, the manliness test was who could eat a Taco Bell taco with more Fire sauce packets on it. Dave comments that the Fire sauce isn't actually hot, but it is for a bunch of high schoolers who have never seen a habanero!
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