Baking for the Bach: Cuddle Prep

It was another exciting week of baking... oh, and The Bachelorette. The episode starts with a PG label slapped on by the Bach herself, where Katie explained what they dubbed the WOWO challenge to Kaitlyn and Tayshia between fits of giggles I can only liken to right after you hear middle school sleepover gossip.

Kaitlyn, too, cannot contain her cackles as she goes to tell the men about the weirdest challenge ever thought up and takes partial credit while all the guys not-so-secretly have panic attacks. All of them except Mike, who all but slams his chest and yells "I. Got. This!" Connor also takes the time to list out an entire comedy set worth of metaphors that made me wonder whether at some point he had to sub for the Sex Ed teacher at his school.

The first one-on-one date, and eventually rose, goes to Justin, who I didn't even realize was a front-runner. They have the most awkward and forced wedding date which apparently is baked into every season, but he took it like a champ and if nothing else, Katie now has wedding pictures regardless of how the season ends. We also find out another twist in the saga that is Katie's story when she reveals that she found out after her father died that he wasn't her birth father. Even more proof of how crazy strong this girl is and how much she's overcome.

We then get to see the most missed opportunity group date ever. They bring out two A list drag queens, Monét X Change and Shea Couleé, and Blake's first reaction is that he doesn't know if he should check them out. Honey, there's another reason you shouldn't be checking them out and it's the name of the show... Michael A also seemed incredibly excited to see them.

The queens announce that the guys will be roasting each other and we miss the better choice of date here which would have been watching them dress in drag, especially on the season where the words sex positive are mentioned so much my ears burn when I hear it. Apparently there was a runway scene with the guys, but that got cut out for mediocre insults that weren't even really insults and a bunch of awkward pauses. Suddenly no one wants to throw anyone under the bus like they've been doing to a new dude in each episode?

The cocktail hour afterwards is equally odd. Katie sets Greg's mind at ease by telling him she's falling for him and he responds with "K", Blake goes on about how hard the WOWO challenge has been for him (in way too much detail) and Katie gets physically ill once she hears some of the guys' concerns about Hunter.

Connor gets the 2nd 1-on-1 and his reaction is like a kid who found out he has a snow day. Katie mentions that she has to kiss Connor again to test their spark as if she hasn't kissed him in every single episode and that is when you know the date is doomed before it started. They double date with Kaitlyn and Jason, playing volleyball and some other ice breaker games like they're at freshman orientation for college and grilling some burgers and hot dogs before Kaitlyn and Jason spy on "the kids" as Katie tests their chemistry with a makeout. She later shows up to Connor's door in a sweatshirt while he talks about how great he thinks the day went and my heart breaks. It broke even more after their talk when he first asked how bad a kisser he must have been in his ITM and then when he proceeds to break up with the remaining guys, sending all the men into a fit of tears that could probably help water some of the dry desert land surrounding the hotel.

Blake's time has come and he runs to comfort Katie with an 80's movie moment which is cute and corny and followed by a long makeout session. Then we cut to the pre-rose cocktail hour which Katie cancels. While the men freak out, all I can focus on is Tre's leopard/cheetah print jacket and the moment when they walk into the ceremony, see six roses and start yelling the word 6 like the guppies from Spongebob or big bird telling you this week's episode is brought to you by the number 6.

4 guys get eliminated, including Hunter who she takes to another room to talk mid-ceremony, then makes wait through the ceremony only to get eliminated anyway.

Which brings us to another exciting week ahead. This week's preview gave another vague description, promising some nervousness from Mike and Brandon over the possibility of their first one-on-ones and something about recreating her hometown as if hometowns aren't like next week... But I chose to focus on the date that mentioned the art of cuddling. What edible things are cuddling appropriate? The first things that came to mind were something with chocolate and a glass of wine, and so the red wine brownies came to bake.

Cooking with Books did not let me down with this one. With huge quantities of butter and melted chocolate, plus the addition of red wine (I chose Cab Sav), these brownies hits on all notes. Follow the instructions to a T and you won't be let down by these thick and fudgy beauts. Add a sprinkling of sea salt for an extra flavor boost and then dig in to your heart's desire—while cuddling someone, of course. And no judgement if your cuddle-buddy of choice is your cat; Katie (and Tommy) would approve!