Maya Rudolph Totally Judges Andy Samberg For His Annual Holiday Food Tradition
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If you're mourning the end of this year's Great British Bakeoff season, here's some great news: Andy Samberg and Maya Rudolph are hosting a new holiday baking competition on Peacock called Baking It. It offers a lot of the same heart of the series filmed across the pond, only with a very funny twist that only two SNL all-stars could provide. You can read more about the show, which premieres this week, here.
In the lead-up to the show, Delish got the chance to chat with the pair about what viewers can expect, plus their own friendship, holiday traditions, and the pleasures of a "beefy red." You'll just have to keep reading to understand.
Baking It gives major holiday vibes, with the set literally feeling like a gingerbread house. Are you both people who love the holidays and will turn on Christmas music early? Or do you wait until after Thanksgiving?
Maya: I like it! So sue me.
Andy: I put on Christmas music, I think, the week after Halloween.
Maya: I'm not gonna lie—I might have put on Christmas music like day two of quarantine. It can definitely make you feel warm and fuzzy and cozy when you need it the most. But yeah, definitely post-All Hallows Eve. Because why not? It's holiday time. Don't be a Scrooge McDuck.
On the show, it's all sets of dynamic duos—siblings, parents-kids, spouses, etc.—including the two of you. Did you do anything, like baking together, to get into that mindset?
Andy: Yeah.
Maya: No.
Andy: We did text.
Maya: I mean, listen, we've been preparing for years for this. We started eating food together, what? Twenty years ago? It's quite easy knowing it's going to be your good buddy doing this. So you just kind of pick up where you left off. We've been yukking it up together for years. So this wasn't very different than the other times. It's just we actually look cleaner than when we do it in private.
Andy: We did the prep years in advance of the show.
Do either of you have any food traditions you go back to this time of year?
Andy: For me, it's just McRib. Every McRib season, I have to make sure I get one, and I just snarf it.
Maya: I won't knock it until I try it. Do they still make it? Because I'm always seeing a sign that's like "The McRib is back!" When did it leave?
Andy: It's seasonal, like a Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Maya: It's like an artisanal sandwich at McDonald's.
The show is judged by four real grandmas who are also great bakers. They judge the contestants in a very direct yet sweet and heartwarming way, like only grandmas can do. Do either of you have someone in your life who brings in that energy?
Maya: That "tell it like it is," but with love?
Andy: I feel like I'm that for Maya.
Maya: Same. "You're not wearing that, are you? I just want you to look pretty, dear."
Andy [laughing]: You say that to me all the time.
Maya: My nonny, she was definitely that person, for sure. When I was into vintage clothing in junior high, she was like, "Why would you want to dress like you're poor?"
This time of year, a lot of people see family. Something that helps me get through that is a cocktail or two.
Maya: Sure, who doesn't?
Andy: Same.
Do you have a go-to holiday cocktail?
Maya [pointing to Andy]: Talk to this guy.
Andy: I like to drink the alcohols around the holiday.
Maya: Wow. Have you started already?
Andy: Often, I will just pour bourbon neat into a cup and drink that.
Maya: You've made me a whiskey sour that was quite delicious. But what's more of a holiday cocktail?
Andy: I always think of an old fashioned. It's kind of a cozy wintery cocktail, even though it's cold. There's no season that isn't right for a martini. What do you like Maya? Wine?
Maya: Yeah.
Andy: When you have wine, do you have like a beefy red?
Maya: I do like a beefy red, especially in the wintertime. However, as I age in this life, and probably because of having children and changing my hormones, I can't really hold on so well with the beefy red. I don't mind a crisp white. It's California.
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