Baking Bad by Walter Wheat

by Catherine Van Bergen (follow)

Non fiction (105)      Parody (12)      Cook Book (2)      Baking (1)     

Whether you’re an avid viewer or an occasional watcher, there is no denying that many people’s lives are shaped by what they see on television. There are shows of every genre to suit all tastes and ages- from crime shows to comedies, dramas to cartoons and everything in between. News and current affair programs have as large an audience as reality television and lifestyle shows. Children’s educational programs are just as popular as pay-tv and televised sporting events.

Since television began, new types of entertainment have been provided to millions of people worldwide. In recent years, some of these shows have been dark and sometimes controversial, but always engrossing. One of these- multi-award winning Breaking Bad- brought the illicit world of crystal meth and drug production into our living rooms. Suddenly, the names Walter White and Jesse Pinkman were surfacing in households across the world, and, across five seasons, their popularity only grew.

For those not familiar with the plotline, Walter is a high school science teacher, who, when faced with a lung cancer diagnosis, realises that he will not be able to cover his medical bills (or provide for his family) with his meagre salary. When he accompanies his DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) brother-in-law on a bust, he sees a former student, Jesse, leaving the premises and later tracks him down. Walter has seen how much money the drug trade makes, and believes that with his scientific abilities, he can produce the ultimate product. So, forming an unlikely partnership with Jesse, the two begin their mutual criminal career, producing vast quantities of blue crystal methamphetamine and selling it on the streets…

Of course, many problems arose from their pursuits, and viewers looked forward to seeing how the duo would cope with trouble from family, friends and business associates. The show collected a legion of followers, and spawned many fan-based products, including t-shirts, artworks and videos.

Perhaps one of the most unusual fan-based productions is this book by Walter Wheat (clever, huh?) called Baking Bad. In it, the show is commemorated, season by season, with baked treats that have relevance to episodes from the show Breaking Bad. This parody recipe book is very clever and fans of the series will delight in making blue meth crunch, Fring pops and Walt’s buried barrel dessert. With easy-to-follow (and humorous) instructions, simplicity ratings and full colour photographs, this little cookbook will provide the ultimate treat for bakers and people who enjoyed the show. But be warned, some of the finished recipes look so cool, you might not want to eat them once they’re made! It’s also probably wise to buy this book after you’ve seen the entire five seasons of the show, otherwise you may inadvertently come across an episode spoiler. This fantastic little cookbook is certain to conjure up memories of your favourite episodes of Breaking Bad, and make you want to watch it all over again…



Rating: 3.5/5
Published: November 2014

#Non Fiction
#Cook Book
#Baking
#Parody

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