0:00:02 > 0:00:07'Today I take the campervan trail along the north Norfolk coast.'
0:00:07 > 0:00:11The landscapes are just flat and big and wide with these most enormous skies.
0:00:11 > 0:00:17'I show you the best way to break open a crab without all of the fancy tools.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19'I have a go at a roadside roulette...
0:00:19 > 0:00:21Here's one, let's go, let's see what they've got.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24'..cooking food only from roadside stalls.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27'A campervan gadget saves the day.'
0:00:27 > 0:00:28Pretty warm.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31'And I do battle with the finger snapping main course.'
0:00:31 > 0:00:34Look at the size of those claws, they're amazing.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37Ow, ow, ow! Have I got a pot that's big enough?
0:00:49 > 0:00:53For the next leg in my campervan adventure, I said goodbye
0:00:53 > 0:00:57to the New Forest and drove 230 miles northeast,
0:00:57 > 0:00:59heading for the tip of Norfolk,
0:00:59 > 0:01:03and as my trusted van sped merrily along at 50 mph,
0:01:03 > 0:01:07it wasn't just the landscape that was changing.
0:01:07 > 0:01:13Hey fantastic, from the New Forest ponies to the North Norfolk cobs.
0:01:15 > 0:01:20The hedgerows are absolutely bursting with flowers.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24There are really lovely crimson poppies, there's all sorts
0:01:24 > 0:01:25of purple flowers in there,
0:01:25 > 0:01:28but because I'm not travelling at massive speed,
0:01:28 > 0:01:32I'm able to take it in and enjoy it a bit more than I would be
0:01:32 > 0:01:34if I was travelling at 100 mph down the motorway.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38As it's the easternmost county in Britain,
0:01:38 > 0:01:42no-one passes through Norfolk en route to anywhere else.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46This isolation gives it a much slower pace of life.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50It's ideal for pootling along, exploring in a campervan.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54The villages are kind of picture postcard perfect almost,
0:01:54 > 0:01:58and the landscapes are just flat and big and wide
0:01:58 > 0:02:00with these most enormous skies.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04And reflecting the vast sky is the North Sea,
0:02:04 > 0:02:07home to some of the best seafood around.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11This part of Norfolk is world-famous for crab,
0:02:11 > 0:02:15and something else that I'm going to go and look for today.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19If there was one thing that you could eat that would say,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21"that is the sea", it's this plant.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24I pick it in Devon where it is known as samphire,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27here, they tell me it's called sampher.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29Samphire, sampher, who cares really?
0:02:29 > 0:02:33It's absolutely lovely and I'm going to go and get some.
0:02:33 > 0:02:38Samphire can be found in July and August growing on Norfolk's salt marshes.
0:02:38 > 0:02:43Luckily this part of the coast is full of them so I was hoping to find some for my dinner.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48The thing about samphire picking is that more than likely I'm going to
0:02:48 > 0:02:50get a little bit muddy,
0:02:50 > 0:02:54so it could be a good opportunity to try out my solar shower.
0:02:54 > 0:02:59The basic idea is fill up this great big bag with water.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Hopefully when you get back,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05you've got yourself some nice warm water to wash in.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11Here we go, all I've got to do is leave it in a sunny spot
0:03:11 > 0:03:16for a few hours and, bingo, hot water.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22So I wandered across this wide open space to find the first part
0:03:22 > 0:03:25of tonight's crab and samphire menu.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30This kind of foraging trip is filled with hazards.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34The salt marshes are only exposed at low tide so as the tide comes in,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37the muddy channels and creeks are hidden in the flat landscape.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41Checking the tide for the window of opportunity is vital,
0:03:41 > 0:03:43one wrong step could spell disaster.
0:03:43 > 0:03:50It helps to have some local knowledge so I've arranged to meet Lawrence.
0:03:50 > 0:03:51- Hello.- Hello.- Hi, how are you doing?
0:03:51 > 0:03:55Now I understand the samphire grows all round here but is there an area
0:03:55 > 0:03:57that's better than another area?
0:03:57 > 0:04:01Yes, there is some areas where there's better than others.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05Do you think there might be some places where I can get just enough for a meal for one?
0:04:05 > 0:04:08I would probably think I can put you in the right place for that.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13I was in luck. Lawrence has been a daily visitor to these marshes
0:04:13 > 0:04:15for a staggering 70 years.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18Now that's what I call local knowledge.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21So the best bits, you reckon, are in these creeks?
0:04:21 > 0:04:24- At the moment they are.- OK.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28'Now samphire picking is not as easy as it might sound.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30'Incoming tides are one danger,
0:04:30 > 0:04:33'but so too are the crabs that live in these creeks.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35'Step on one of them hidden in the mud...'
0:04:35 > 0:04:36Is that a crab? Let's have a look...
0:04:36 > 0:04:40'..and they'll give you a nip you won't forget in a hurry.'
0:04:40 > 0:04:43Not really big enough to eat, he's a little feisty common crab
0:04:43 > 0:04:48by the looks of things and he's trying to take a nip of my fingers.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52Feeling a bit more relaxed about the potential crab danger,
0:04:52 > 0:04:55we carried on looking for the samphire I was hoping to use
0:04:55 > 0:04:56for tonight's dinner.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59What do you think of that, this stuff here looks lovely, doesn't it?
0:04:59 > 0:05:02Yes, there, and over there. That's good enough to pick.
0:05:02 > 0:05:08This looks fantastic, really, really succulent.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10The important thing I'm doing here is I'm snipping it,
0:05:10 > 0:05:15not pulling it up by the roots, and I'm only taking what I need.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18And I'm also only taking from a small area.
0:05:18 > 0:05:23That's right. If everybody done that, we'd be all right.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26'I could have left it there but as the old saying goes,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29'the samphire always looks greener on the other side of the creek.'
0:05:29 > 0:05:33Oh, that looks...quite deep!
0:05:33 > 0:05:35'I'd spotted an even better looking patch.'
0:05:35 > 0:05:37That's not unpleasant,
0:05:37 > 0:05:39between the toes.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44Success, this is why I've come here.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48This is the point, this is a fantastic succulent green samphire
0:05:48 > 0:05:50that people pay a fortune for
0:05:50 > 0:05:54in restaurants, and we're out and about in the campervan,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57pick it up for free.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01Well, because this stuff is just young enough, it's the beginning
0:06:01 > 0:06:04of the season and is just about ready, you can eat it
0:06:04 > 0:06:08straight from the bank. The taste of the sea is just...
0:06:08 > 0:06:11It really is divine.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17- Well, you're not wrong, this is the best stuff.- It is.
0:06:17 > 0:06:22'This spot was perfect for samphire but down in the mud it was also home
0:06:22 > 0:06:24'to a family of rather angry crabs.'
0:06:24 > 0:06:29That's the good stuff. Hey whoa, that was...!
0:06:29 > 0:06:31There's something eating my foot, I'm pretty sure,
0:06:31 > 0:06:33so I'm going to get out of here now.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35I've got just enough for a really good feed.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38This type of foraging, it really is just about getting down and dirty
0:06:38 > 0:06:41and having fun, but it's going to taste good too.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45Now I'm going to go and look for something else to eat with this, maybe some of the famous seafood.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48The samphire was free but I'd paid a price.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50Salt marsh mud is oily and smelly
0:06:50 > 0:06:55and I wasn't sure my solar-powered shower would be up to the job.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Let's have a feel.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59Oh, well it's not exactly... Whoa!
0:06:59 > 0:07:05No, actually that is...pretty warm.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08I might have to set it up,
0:07:08 > 0:07:10leave it out for a little bit longer,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13go for the full thing
0:07:13 > 0:07:15another day.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19Getting muddy and getting messy is all part of it really.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22All a bit sanitised at home so it's good to get some mud
0:07:22 > 0:07:25between your toes and feel it squelching.
0:07:25 > 0:07:26Bitten by the odd crab.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28That's better.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31With my first ingredient on board, it was time to head
0:07:31 > 0:07:34to the local quayside for tonight's main attraction.
0:07:36 > 0:07:41Well, now I've got the samphire, the tide should be on the way in
0:07:41 > 0:07:45and that means if I'm lucky I might be able to catch some fishermen
0:07:45 > 0:07:47and pick up some fresh crabs.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49The best way to get the freshest seafood possible
0:07:49 > 0:07:53is to stand on the quayside and wait for the boats to come in,
0:07:53 > 0:07:57and see if they'll sell you your dinner straight from their haul.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02After a short wait, a boat chugged into the quay at Brancaster Staithe.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06Hello, how are you doing?
0:08:07 > 0:08:10Good day? Not bad.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13The waters around the north Norfolk coast are famous
0:08:13 > 0:08:17for producing some of the best brown crab in Europe.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20- So what type of crabs are these then?- These are brown crabs.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22Brown crabs, they're the edible crabs?
0:08:22 > 0:08:25- Yes, that's right.- Fantastic.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Peter Lewis and Andy Frery spend most of the summer catching
0:08:28 > 0:08:31the brown crab, which only emerge from hibernation
0:08:31 > 0:08:32in the warmer months.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Today they've landed about 800.
0:08:35 > 0:08:41This looks pretty deadly, one of his mates has got hold of his foot.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45Get off, get off, look there's a whole pile of them.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Look at the size of those claws, they're amazing.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51I really, really wouldn't fancy getting pinched by
0:08:51 > 0:08:53this big fellow.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55I wonder if...
0:08:55 > 0:08:57he's one for the pot.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00The male crabs, or jacks, are the prize catch
0:09:00 > 0:09:03as their bigger claws mean more white meat.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07So it's the jacks that are the tasty ones.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11They say the small ones are sweet, I don't eat them myself.
0:09:11 > 0:09:12'Hang on, what is he just say?'
0:09:12 > 0:09:15So you're a crab fishermen?
0:09:15 > 0:09:17- Yes.- And you don't eat crab?- No.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19What's your favourite food?
0:09:19 > 0:09:21- Anything really.- Except crab?
0:09:21 > 0:09:23- I don't eat a lot of fish.- Right, OK.
0:09:23 > 0:09:28- That's odd, isn't it?- No, my father he's a mussel fisherman.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32- He's 67 and he's never even eaten mussels.- Really?- Yes.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36Peter was clearly not the one to turn to for crab cooking advice.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40Luckily, Andy was a crab fisherman who actually ate crab.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43Bring it up to the boil and boil it for about 18-20 minutes,
0:09:43 > 0:09:45then that'll be cooked then.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47What's your favourite way of eating crab?
0:09:47 > 0:09:50Just basically as it is really with a piece of bread and butter,
0:09:50 > 0:09:53- the old-fashioned way. - The old-fashioned way?- Yes.
0:09:53 > 0:09:54I've got some lovely samphire,
0:09:54 > 0:09:56should be pretty good with that I would have thought.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58That'll be lovely with that, yes.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01Keep it simple, just going to boil the samphire
0:10:01 > 0:10:02maybe with a bit of butter,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05boil this up and I'm going to have a little lemon risotto with it.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07Should be lovely, I can't wait.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09- Thank you so much.- You're welcome.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15So finally I had my crab and was ready to cook my dinner.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19After all that excitement on the quayside, I hardly even noticed
0:10:19 > 0:10:21that the weather's cleared up again.
0:10:21 > 0:10:26That should make for a great evening eating my lovely fresh crab.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28But whilst crab and freshly picked samphire
0:10:28 > 0:10:30were a pretty good base for tonight's meal,
0:10:30 > 0:10:35the joy of campervan living means there's always the opportunity
0:10:35 > 0:10:37to pick up a few extras on the way home.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40There's loads of stuff growing here,
0:10:40 > 0:10:47I might have something that would go really superbly. Yes, there it is.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49Just as I thought,
0:10:52 > 0:10:57wild fennel. It's the beautiful aniseed smell, it goes fantastically
0:10:57 > 0:11:02with fish and seafood, so I'll pick some of that and save it for later.
0:11:06 > 0:11:11So I got my crab, I got my samphire, all the ingredients of a great meal.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15All I need to do now is camp up for the night.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17Unfortunately on this part of north Norfolk
0:11:17 > 0:11:20you can't just park anywhere, but I have heard about
0:11:20 > 0:11:24a really great campsite and that's where I'm headed now.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28The High Creek Sands campsite at Stiffkey is perched on top
0:11:28 > 0:11:32of a picturesque hill, but that can create problems.
0:11:34 > 0:11:41One of the things about having a great view, sometimes you don't get the flattest pitch,
0:11:41 > 0:11:42so I'm just going to chock up.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49What the chocks do is you drive up onto them and it
0:11:49 > 0:11:54brings the van level so that your pots and pans don't slide around all over the cooker when you're cooking.
0:11:54 > 0:12:00It's quite important actually because it's really difficult to cook on a slope.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05With a level van, I could start prepping what was going to be one of
0:12:05 > 0:12:09my more adventurous campervan dinners,
0:12:09 > 0:12:14fresh crab with a lemon risotto and samphire.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16First I had to make a tasty stock,
0:12:16 > 0:12:23then I gently softened some onions and garlic in butter as a base to go with my risotto rice.
0:12:23 > 0:12:29OK, so this is my stock I'm about to add, some of that wild fennel,
0:12:29 > 0:12:31garlic and basil,
0:12:31 > 0:12:34and a vegetable stock cube, very simple,
0:12:34 > 0:12:39much, much better than just a stock cube with hot water.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43So just adding the stock to the risotto, letting that bubble away,
0:12:43 > 0:12:45and let the rice take on those
0:12:45 > 0:12:49lovely flavours of the fennel and the garlic and the bay in that stock.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52Then I'm going to add the lemon and the lemon zest.
0:12:52 > 0:12:57However, more importantly, the water's on for the crab.
0:13:00 > 0:13:01I hope the pot's big enough.
0:13:01 > 0:13:06I've never done this in a campervan before so let's see what happens.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13Leave him there for 20 minutes,
0:13:17 > 0:13:18time...for a chill.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24I couldn't totally relax however as I still had to keep topping
0:13:24 > 0:13:27the risotto up with stock
0:13:27 > 0:13:28and keep an eye on the ever-changing weather.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32But 20 minutes later, it was time for the main event.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34My crab was ready, all I had to do next
0:13:34 > 0:13:37was get through its formidable defences.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44Pull the claws off, oh, you can see that crab meat already.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50Mmm...that really is fantastic.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54I'm just using the tea towel on this because it's still a little bit hot.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Here we go...
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Wow, look at that.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04So what we're going to do,
0:14:04 > 0:14:08get all these lovely bits
0:14:08 > 0:14:09of flesh here.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15As you can see, there's all this absolutely wonderful
0:14:15 > 0:14:20crabmeat in there, that's the brown meat.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23All the different parts of the crab
0:14:23 > 0:14:24taste different.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27They've all got their own special
0:14:27 > 0:14:33little taste. There are few more pleasurable things in life
0:14:33 > 0:14:35than doing this,
0:14:35 > 0:14:41picking apart a crab that's so fresh it's bursting
0:14:41 > 0:14:45with flavour, knowing that in just a very few minutes
0:14:45 > 0:14:47I'm going to be tucking into this.
0:14:47 > 0:14:48'But I spoke too soon,
0:14:48 > 0:14:53'these Jack crab claws were far too big to break with my bare hands.'
0:14:53 > 0:14:56That's a bit more difficult than I thought.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01'Then I remembered a tip from our fisherman, just use the back
0:15:01 > 0:15:04'of a spoon, anything heavier and you'll ruin the meat
0:15:04 > 0:15:05'with splintered shell.'
0:15:05 > 0:15:08That's the stuff we want to get out.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17Ha-ha, can you tell that I really adore fresh crab?
0:15:17 > 0:15:20Does it show because I'm feeling slightly
0:15:20 > 0:15:22in love with
0:15:22 > 0:15:26the whole campervan living thing right now?
0:15:26 > 0:15:28This is what it's all about.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30Right, I'm ready to plate up.
0:15:30 > 0:15:35No point in being fussy, great ingredients speak for themselves.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37First of all,
0:15:37 > 0:15:39that gorgeous risotto, lovely and creamy
0:15:39 > 0:15:42with the beautiful wild fennel in there.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Next some wonderful,
0:15:46 > 0:15:51fresh Norfolk crab.
0:15:51 > 0:15:57Finally, my boiled samphire foraged from the local salt marshes earlier.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01That's something really special you wouldn't get in a supermarket.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03A bit of zest.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05Last thing...
0:16:05 > 0:16:08a little bit of wild fennel from the side of the road,
0:16:08 > 0:16:12you'll never get that in any supermarket, and my friend the crab.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15That looks fantastic and I can't wait to dig in.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17I'm really hoping it tastes as good as it looks.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19Let's go.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23OK, preparing the crab had taken slightly longer than I'd anticipated
0:16:23 > 0:16:27and it was nearly midnight by the time I'd got it all ready.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30But sitting by the van, lit by the pale moonlight,
0:16:30 > 0:16:35this was a campervan meal to remember.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37This honestly, seriously, I have to say,
0:16:37 > 0:16:42this is one of the tastiest meals I think I have ever cooked.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44Never mind in a field!
0:16:44 > 0:16:48It's just these ingredients, fantastic.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52So simple and the only things I brought with me,
0:16:52 > 0:16:58an onion and some risotto rice, the rest is from out there.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01And do you know what,
0:17:01 > 0:17:03anyone can do it.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17'Still to come, I show you how to brighten up the journey
0:17:17 > 0:17:20'with a campervan game when I try to create a meal
0:17:20 > 0:17:24'with food picked up only from roadside stalls.'
0:17:24 > 0:17:26Thank you! See ya!
0:17:26 > 0:17:30'And I try my luck with a recipe from the Australian outback.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35'Next morning, it was time to pack up the van
0:17:35 > 0:17:38'before my adventure in Norfolk continued.'
0:17:38 > 0:17:40One of the things
0:17:40 > 0:17:43about living in a camper
0:17:43 > 0:17:46is organising the space.
0:17:46 > 0:17:47When you've got the bed out,
0:17:47 > 0:17:51all the stuff that normally lives in the boot has to go in the front.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55It's OK with only one of you but when there's a whole family in here,
0:17:55 > 0:17:57it can be a ballet or it can be a car crash.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07My little tip, square storage boxes, you can get more in.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14Having clocked up a few hundred miles on the trip,
0:18:14 > 0:18:16I'd already exhausted my CD collection,
0:18:16 > 0:18:21so now I was back on the open road, I decided to make my own entertainment.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27It might be a good time to play roadside roulette.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31In case you've never heard of roadside roulette, here's how it goes.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34You nominate a chef and the next time you stop
0:18:34 > 0:18:38at one of those roadside stalls that sells fresh produce,
0:18:38 > 0:18:42slam on the anchors, grab what you can and cook anything
0:18:42 > 0:18:45as long as you use just those ingredients.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48So the game was on.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52Oh, here's one, let's go, let's see what they've got!
0:18:54 > 0:18:55Let's have a look.
0:18:55 > 0:19:00'Now remember, whatever they have on sale, I had to cook.'
0:19:00 > 0:19:02It seems they sell free-range eggs,
0:19:02 > 0:19:06but they've run out and they sell something else as well.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10To be honest with you, I don't fancy eating that.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14So it was back to the van to find another roadside stall.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22Before I could play another round of roadside roulette,
0:19:22 > 0:19:26I found myself once again at the head of a long queue of traffic,
0:19:26 > 0:19:31but then the opportunity for a small personal triumph presented itself.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34Do you know what, for the first time on this trip,
0:19:34 > 0:19:39I'm about to be not the one at the front of the queue.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42This could be a momentous moment,
0:19:42 > 0:19:44my first overtaking manoeuvre.
0:19:47 > 0:19:53'Sad I know, but that makes me a very happy man. Back to the game.'
0:19:53 > 0:19:57Once you start looking for roadside stalls, you start to see them everywhere.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Now I've heard that round here at this time of year,
0:20:00 > 0:20:02the broad beans are the thing to go for.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05It's a sunny day, I've got some wine vinegar in the back,
0:20:05 > 0:20:10I've got some fresh herbs, it might be nice to make something,
0:20:10 > 0:20:12a really zingy fresh broad bean salad.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16The thing about roadside roulette, if you can't think of anything to cook,
0:20:16 > 0:20:19you're just going to go hungry.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23This looks like a likely candidate.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26'The next roadside stall looked a bit more promising.'
0:20:29 > 0:20:31Hello, how are you doing?
0:20:31 > 0:20:35Wow, I've come to see what I can find. OK, lovely fresh spuds.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39Well, here we go, this is what I was looking for, fresh broad beans.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Do you mind if I pop one of these and have a look?
0:20:42 > 0:20:44No, that's all right.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46Oh, they look fantastic,
0:20:48 > 0:20:50so sweet and fresh.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53I'm going to take a load of these. I'll take a massive handful.
0:20:53 > 0:20:58I might look greedy but actually you may not get that many out of this.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02£2.50. 'I bought the broad beans and a punnet of strawberries.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05'Now I had to work out a recipe for tonight.'
0:21:05 > 0:21:07You're very kind, excellent.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Thank you! See ya!
0:21:14 > 0:21:16That's lovely.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20'I still didn't have a recipe but I'd organised my camping spot for the night.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24'I'd be cooking and camping in an orchard, part of a cider business.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26'Cider in Norfolk?
0:21:26 > 0:21:28'Time to find out more.'
0:21:28 > 0:21:32I didn't know that Norfolk was famous for ciders.
0:21:32 > 0:21:37We planted the orchard back in 1994 so it's 16 years old now.
0:21:37 > 0:21:42We wanted to plant West Country cider apples, proper bitter cider apples,
0:21:42 > 0:21:45so the cider has body and a bit of bite to it.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47I live in Devon. Maybe a taste of home.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49Have you got any I can try?
0:21:49 > 0:21:51This is more Devon-like.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54I was going to say, it looks like a scrumpy to me.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59Oh, that's lovely. Unfortunately, I'm driving.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01So with my cider drinking on hold,
0:22:01 > 0:22:04I went off to find my pitch for the night.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08Now this is what I call a camping spot!
0:22:08 > 0:22:11These trees produce some of the best cider you'll ever drink.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14But Peter and Jim, the orchard's owners,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17were joining me for dinner in an hour and I only had broad beans
0:22:17 > 0:22:24from my earlier roadside roulette game and a random packet of halloumi cheese in my cooler.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27But of course, I had a plan.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30I was going to make a damper bread on open fire.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35It's an Australian recipe, it's one of those recipes
0:22:35 > 0:22:41that just uses your staples, flour, sugar, salt, the kind of things that
0:22:41 > 0:22:44the men of the outback would be able to carry with them.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46I'm going to make it in a Dutch oven,
0:22:46 > 0:22:50which is a really exciting piece of camping equipment
0:22:50 > 0:22:52that goes straight on the fire.
0:22:53 > 0:22:58With my apple wood burning down nicely, it was time to knead the dough.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00What I've got to do now
0:23:00 > 0:23:02is make that into a little loaf,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05like so.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07'The dough was ready,
0:23:07 > 0:23:11'the Dutch oven was greased to stop the bread from sticking.
0:23:11 > 0:23:12'It was time for some baking.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16'My coals were really hot by now and just to be sure the oven reached
0:23:16 > 0:23:21'a good temperature, I heaped more on the purpose-built lid.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23'With my bread in the oven, it was time to sit back,
0:23:23 > 0:23:27'enjoy the surroundings and finish shelling my broad beans.
0:23:27 > 0:23:33'Campervan cooking is a piece of cake, what could possibly go wrong?'
0:23:33 > 0:23:37Beautiful fresh broad beans from the side of the road,
0:23:37 > 0:23:39deliciously sweet and tender.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45'Hmm, black smoke is not supposed to bellow from my oven
0:23:45 > 0:23:48'just 10 minutes after I put the dough in!'
0:23:48 > 0:23:50HE LAUGHS
0:23:52 > 0:23:56It's a bit overcooked. Let's get it out.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58'The oven must have got much too hot,
0:23:58 > 0:24:03'burning the outside of the bread without cooking it through.'
0:24:03 > 0:24:05We'll give it another go.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12'It turned out the answer to the problem was all in the name.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15'The most important thing was the temperature.'
0:24:15 > 0:24:19Of course, there is a very good reason it's called damper bread,
0:24:21 > 0:24:25you dampen the fire before you put the bread on.
0:24:27 > 0:24:32I had just enough dough and time to make another batch before my guests arrived.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34Half an hour.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38Time to use my lovely broad beans to make a summer salad with mint vinaigrette,
0:24:38 > 0:24:42and use those hot coals to cook another campervan favourite of mine.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44A little extra special something,
0:24:46 > 0:24:48some grilled halloumi.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53Just then, Peter and Jim arrived with a selection of ciders
0:24:53 > 0:24:55from apples grown in this very orchard.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59So nice of you to come, take a seat.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03I've got some...some of this
0:25:03 > 0:25:06damper bread that I've been trying out.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08With my second attempt at damper bread still not ready,
0:25:08 > 0:25:11I stalled them by suggesting some cider tasting.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15First up, one of their more discerning single apple varieties.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17What's so special about this one?
0:25:17 > 0:25:21It's got almost no tannin, it's a nice easy drink for the summer.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Right. Wow! Look at the colour of that.
0:25:24 > 0:25:25That's wonderful, isn't it?
0:25:29 > 0:25:32It's a nice change for us to sit and taste our own cider.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34That's all right, isn't it?
0:25:34 > 0:25:36What about alcohol content? Is that up to you?
0:25:36 > 0:25:38- That depends a lot on the weather. - OK.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42A hot summer, not much rain, lots of alcohol.
0:25:42 > 0:25:47Whereas if you get a wet dull summer, it doesn't produce as much sugar in the apples, so less alcohol.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50This is the least alcoholic of our ciders.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52- The LEAST alcoholic?- Yes.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55I'm really glad I'm here and not driving now!
0:25:57 > 0:26:00'For some reason I was beginning to feel a bit lightheaded.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02'Must have been the fumes from my campfire.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05'Time to serve up while I was still capable.'
0:26:05 > 0:26:07Tomatoes and red onions?
0:26:07 > 0:26:09Eat anything.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12I hope you like broad beans.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14I certainly do, grow them myself.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Next up, our fantastic griddled halloumi.
0:26:19 > 0:26:25Cheesy salad, which then goes with our piece de resistance, the bread.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27Now the moment of truth. There wouldn't be time
0:26:27 > 0:26:30to make another loaf if this one was burned as well.
0:26:30 > 0:26:36Wow! That, I would argue, is perfect.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41It's still a bit hot but...
0:26:41 > 0:26:44how about that for a bit of bread cooked over an open fire?
0:26:44 > 0:26:47- Looks good.- I'm not going to cut this, I'm going to break it.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55So there it was, still warm damper bread with onion and tomato salad,
0:26:55 > 0:27:00griddled halloumi, and local broad beans with a mint vinaigrette.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04It looked delicious, but what would my guests think?
0:27:04 > 0:27:07- It's lovely.- Is it still warm?- Mmm.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09- No yeast in them?- No yeast.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13- That's amazing.- Self-raising flour. - It's lovely.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16You can understand why it was so popular in Australia
0:27:16 > 0:27:19because you just take a few really simple ingredients with you
0:27:19 > 0:27:25and you're in the middle of the outback, all you need is a fire and you can cook it.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27- A top-up? - I could do with one, yes, thanks.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31But who needs the Australian outback when you can sit in a Norfolk orchard
0:27:31 > 0:27:36serenaded by evening birdsong, with plenty of cider to keep you company?
0:27:36 > 0:27:39It's really special,
0:27:39 > 0:27:43and it's another one of the brilliant tastes of Norfolk...
0:27:44 > 0:27:47..that to be honest I never really expected.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49Thank you for your campsite.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53I hope the damper bread dampens your appetites.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Next time, my campervan tour around Britain
0:28:00 > 0:28:03finds me in the beautiful county of Yorkshire,
0:28:03 > 0:28:06home to a rather challenging landscape.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09Here I find some rather unusual birds
0:28:09 > 0:28:11with the biggest eggs I've ever seen.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13Look at that!
0:28:13 > 0:28:18A campervan accident leads to a hospital visit and threatens the entire trip.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20Not allowed to drive!
0:28:20 > 0:28:25And will I really be able to make an edible dish out of these huge eggs?
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