0:00:02 > 0:00:07Today my campervan and I are in the northern-most county in England, Northumberland.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10I risk one of Britain's most precarious roads...
0:00:10 > 0:00:15We are driving across a road to an island.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19'And just how much pain am I willing to risk to get some local ingredients?'
0:00:19 > 0:00:24They'll sting you through the back. Wherever material was touching your skin they'd sting.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27'And it's an early start as I roll up my sleeves
0:00:27 > 0:00:30'and put in some hard graft for my dinner,
0:00:30 > 0:00:35'on a quest for the ultimate in gourmet campervan cuisine.'
0:00:35 > 0:00:37I'll have a lobster, make it snappy!
0:00:53 > 0:00:56My journey has taken me up the eastern coast of England
0:00:56 > 0:00:58to the county of Northumberland.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05It's one of the least populated counties in England
0:01:05 > 0:01:08and it is famous for wide open beaches,
0:01:08 > 0:01:10and castles.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17I've travelled 1,200 miles since I left Devon
0:01:17 > 0:01:20which is quite an achievement, and only a couple of minor hiccups.
0:01:20 > 0:01:26The heating, I fixed, and my head, which I've had fixed.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30My plan is to go to Holy Island where hopefully I can camp.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32The thing about Holy Island is you can drive to it
0:01:32 > 0:01:37via a tidal causeway, and it's uncovered at low tide twice a day.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40The only thing is, you've got to get your timing right.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43And timing is not my strong point.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Before I risked the crossing I stop to get some honey,
0:01:46 > 0:01:48a campervan staple.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52With the chance to drop in at one of Northumberland's best bee farms,
0:01:52 > 0:01:55it was to be a honey-based dish for my campervan meal tonight
0:01:55 > 0:01:58and perhaps my first dessert of the trip.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01Hello, Willy.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03- Hello.- How are you?
0:02:03 > 0:02:08I am so pleased you are able to show me your bees today.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10When were you last stung?
0:02:10 > 0:02:14Oh, I get stung most days, but not very much.
0:02:14 > 0:02:15- OK.- I'm used to it.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18'That didn't sound particularly reassuring.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22- 'The sooner I got my protective suit on the better.'- There you go.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24Great stuff. Thank you. Will this...
0:02:24 > 0:02:27- That's a heavy one.- Will this give me full protection?
0:02:27 > 0:02:30- Well, it will stop them getting in your pockets and that.- OK.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33What's the worst thing that can happen with bees?
0:02:33 > 0:02:35They can get you in the nose or the ear.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37- Or somewhere worse.- Oh, right, OK.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41There's been a few buzzing round me and in my hair and what have you.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43Is it that they like me or they don't?
0:02:43 > 0:02:46No it's probably that they don't like you.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49But I wouldn't take any personal exception to that.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52It's just that they've heard us come, and the vehicles,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55and they're cross-investigating, you know.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58And you've got a particularly fine head of hair
0:02:58 > 0:03:01so they tend to get stuck up in that, you know.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04'The bees knew that I was the new boy in town
0:03:04 > 0:03:08'so before we could even approach Willy used a smoker to pacify them
0:03:08 > 0:03:09'and stop them from attacking.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14'The type and taste of honey can change dramatically
0:03:14 > 0:03:17'with the bees feeding on the seasonal flowers.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20'This was the end of the clover season which Willy assured me
0:03:20 > 0:03:24'means a wonderfully sweet honey. If only we could get to it.'
0:03:24 > 0:03:29Oh, look at that. Now, that buzzing is getting really intense there.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31Is that them knowing we are there?
0:03:31 > 0:03:34- Yes.- If we were to approach these bees in the wrong way,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37make a clattering and then come in here and pull apart the hive,
0:03:37 > 0:03:40- what would happen?- Well, we'd just have to leave.- Right.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43We'd all have to leave, everybody.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46Wherever material was touching your skin they'd sting.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49- So they'd really go for it. - They would, aye.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51With a good helping of smoke pumped into the hive,
0:03:51 > 0:03:53I took a cautious step back
0:03:53 > 0:03:57as Willy opened it up to retrieve the honey.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01This is when it's crucial for a novice like me to be in the hands of an expert bee keeper.
0:04:01 > 0:04:07With one wrong move from Willy or I, the bees could feel threatened and turn aggressive.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Wow, goodness me!
0:04:10 > 0:04:13You must have this empathy between the bees and the bee keeper.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16How many of them would there be in here?
0:04:16 > 0:04:19In there, I would think 70 to 80 thousand.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22- Wow.- Yeah. But you notice how calm they are.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25- We've gone into them exactly the right way.- Yes.
0:04:25 > 0:04:26Exactly right. Never looked at us.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30So when you put that comb back into the hive, do you have to be careful?
0:04:30 > 0:04:35Yeah. You must try not to kill any bees because they send out an alarm,
0:04:35 > 0:04:38which upsets them.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41'I braced myself for the crunch of a crushed bee.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45'If the hum of the bees got higher in pitch then we were in trouble,
0:04:45 > 0:04:48'but Willy's calm authority saved the day.'
0:04:48 > 0:04:50They soon move out of the way don't they?
0:04:50 > 0:04:53'Willy agreed to let me take some honeycomb for my campervan dish
0:04:53 > 0:04:58'but first he had to shift the bees from a comb ready to harvest.'
0:04:58 > 0:05:00I wouldn't normally do this but...
0:05:02 > 0:05:05There you go, take that away over to the motor.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Look at that.
0:05:08 > 0:05:15It's heavy, it's wonderful, it's local honey produced by these
0:05:15 > 0:05:19very clever and very sensitive and quite beautiful creatures.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23I'm really thrilled with this, it's wonderful.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27Willy has hives scattered across Northumberland.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31We drove through the pretty winding country roads heading back to the family farm
0:05:31 > 0:05:36where Willy's daughter, Francis, was going to prepare my honeycomb.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38We're going to try some honey.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Ah-ha, we've been busy bees.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43Oh, yes!
0:05:43 > 0:05:49'At the processing plant, the honeycomb is cut straight from the frame and packaged up for sale.'
0:05:49 > 0:05:51- Hello.- Hi.- You must be Francis.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54- I am, yes, I am. - You dad sent me in here.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56- Just lay this down on here.- OK. Wow.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00OK, so we'll cut this comb out. I'll give you a hat and an apron to wear.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02Oh, right. OK. This is the bit...
0:06:02 > 0:06:06- There you go, how is that? - Brilliant. You look great.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08- Thanks very much.- Do I?- Yes!
0:06:09 > 0:06:11What we're going to do
0:06:11 > 0:06:15is cut the whole comb out of the frame like this.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18Just drop it down like that.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20And then we sell this just as it is.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24So I've got my little template here, and we're going to cut it into pieces.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29- It looks pretty easy to cut.- It is.
0:06:29 > 0:06:30You just have to be...
0:06:30 > 0:06:34it's really fragile fresh wax so you do need to take good care with it.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36- Yeah.- Just lift it up,
0:06:36 > 0:06:38like that and then drop it into your tub.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40You can just eat it straight away?
0:06:40 > 0:06:42You can eat it from the comb.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44It's the best way to eat honey.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48And as fresh as this, you just got this an hour ago, you can't get any better than that.
0:06:48 > 0:06:53- And it's the most natural way. - It's one of the most natural foods as well. Would you like a taste?
0:06:53 > 0:06:56- I would love a taste.- OK.
0:06:56 > 0:06:57It looks wonderful.
0:06:57 > 0:07:03- It is.- So clear and...it's lighter than I thought but it is...
0:07:03 > 0:07:06- like a taste of summer. - Yes, that's right, you said it.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08Beautiful.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12I wasn't sure what I was going to do with the honey
0:07:12 > 0:07:16but it was when Francis was cutting up that honeycomb,
0:07:16 > 0:07:19I had an idea for a very special
0:07:19 > 0:07:24honey and lemon campervan cheesecake.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28The only problem, of course, how to chill it.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30I haven't used the fridge yet.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34I happen to know they are really difficult to light.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37So...I'm faced with a new challenge.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42'And that wasn't my only challenge.
0:07:42 > 0:07:48'I also had the small matter of driving across the sea to negotiate.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52'I had arrived at the tidal causeway that leads to Holy Island.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55'The causeway floods twice a day, meaning the road is submerged,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58'cutting off the island from the mainland,
0:07:58 > 0:08:03'so visitors like me need to take a careful look at the local tide times
0:08:03 > 0:08:05'or risk ending up losing their cars
0:08:05 > 0:08:09'and having to take refuge in one of those towers.
0:08:09 > 0:08:14'Luckily I was on time so there was no risk to my fresh paintwork today.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18'Although I am told by locals that plenty of people get caught out
0:08:18 > 0:08:20'and keep the coastguard busy.'
0:08:22 > 0:08:25Well, it looks very impressive.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28I have wanted to come up here for a long time.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31It's exciting. To be able to drive to an island?
0:08:31 > 0:08:33That's ridiculous, it's nonsense!
0:08:33 > 0:08:35But here you can.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42The monastery here was founded in the Dark Ages
0:08:42 > 0:08:47and was the base from which Christianity was spread across northern England.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50The Vikings launched a raid here in 793
0:08:50 > 0:08:54that heralded the Viking Age in Britain.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57But all this history won't get my campervan cheesecake chilled.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01To do that I was going to have to conquer an old foe of mine,
0:09:01 > 0:09:03the campervan fridge.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08One of the things about the van is the fridge
0:09:08 > 0:09:12is really difficult to light, and on this one,
0:09:12 > 0:09:15I've never had it going because I've never needed to chill anything.
0:09:15 > 0:09:20So in my haste in buying the van, I never checked it.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23What you have to do to try and get it lit is turn it on,
0:09:23 > 0:09:25look through here,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28and keep pressing until it lights.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37And the thing is, having to replace one of these fridges
0:09:37 > 0:09:40is a real pain.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44'I feared for the prospects of my campervan cheesecake.'
0:09:44 > 0:09:48HE LAUGHS VICTORIOUSLY
0:09:48 > 0:09:52And then you keep your finger on it and hope...
0:09:52 > 0:09:54that when you turn it down,
0:09:54 > 0:09:57it doesn't go out.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00'Much to my delight and relief, the burner stayed on.
0:10:00 > 0:10:01'I was in business.'
0:10:01 > 0:10:06That's the fridge lit and that can only mean one thing, it's time to crack on
0:10:06 > 0:10:11and crank up my first pudding of my trip, and that's going to be
0:10:11 > 0:10:15a no-bake cheesecake with that beautiful honeycomb as a base.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17It's going to be great.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23Surrounded by this breathtaking scenery and buoyed at the prospect of dessert
0:10:23 > 0:10:26I got the campervan ready for cooking.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28First up I mixed a tub of cream cheese
0:10:28 > 0:10:32with around a third of a cup of sugar to make my cheesecake filling.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36I'm not measuring things out exactly because you know what,
0:10:38 > 0:10:40it's going to be fine. Mix it up!
0:10:40 > 0:10:43The campervan way is just to do it simply
0:10:43 > 0:10:50and if that means it's a bit coarse and a bit rough around the edges, who cares?
0:10:50 > 0:10:52Next I added the zest of a lemon
0:10:52 > 0:10:55and then squeezed in a good amount of the juice.
0:10:55 > 0:11:00Just squeezing a lemon into that cream cheese
0:11:00 > 0:11:03to give it a lovely lemony flavour.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07Then I lovingly folded whipped double cream into the mix.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10If I was going to eat like this
0:11:10 > 0:11:15on every trip I'd have to do an awful lot of surfing.
0:11:15 > 0:11:21I might even have to take up something like running. Righty ho.
0:11:21 > 0:11:26It was time to put my fridge to the test and chill my mixture.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30Just clear these things up, that's gone in the fridge.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32And we all know you don't deserve pudding
0:11:32 > 0:11:37unless you've eaten first course. I'm just going to rustle up a quick campervan pasta and pesto
0:11:37 > 0:11:39then I can enjoy the main event.
0:11:42 > 0:11:47Pasta with a fresh pesto sauce is my number one campervan fallback dinner
0:11:47 > 0:11:50when I haven't picked up any fresh food during the day.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54I've always got dried pasta on board in the essentials cupboard
0:11:54 > 0:11:57and it only takes ten minutes to whip up fresh pesto.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59All you need are a few basil leaves
0:11:59 > 0:12:04and a chunk of parmesan which lasts for ages even without a fridge.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09I grind up the basil, pine nuts and parmesan
0:12:09 > 0:12:12in the pestle and mortar with a dash of olive oil.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14Then I drain the pasta al fresco-style
0:12:14 > 0:12:17and serve into a bowl for one.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22Yum.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26Takes about ten minutes, it's absolutely delicious
0:12:26 > 0:12:29and it is simple and cheap.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34I'd finished every last mouthful and even cleaned my bowl.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36My mother would be proud.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39So with my cheesecake filling having set in the fridge,
0:12:39 > 0:12:42it was time for the main event.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44This is the star of the show...
0:12:46 > 0:12:52..my Northumbrian honeycomb.
0:12:52 > 0:12:58Now, I'm not a greedy man so I'm going to attempt something that has never been attempted before,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03and there's probably good reason for that.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06OK, so maybe Willy's bees wouldn't be happy with the mess I was making
0:13:06 > 0:13:12of their beautiful honeycomb but it's all for a good campervan-cooking cause.
0:13:12 > 0:13:13Let's be generous.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17My chilled-cheesecake filling was topped off with some fresh strawberries.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19Last things, last...
0:13:19 > 0:13:23few of the final bits of zest.
0:13:23 > 0:13:24Do you know what?
0:13:24 > 0:13:28I'm quite proud of that. It may not look like a conventional cheesecake
0:13:28 > 0:13:33but that, my friends, is a campervan no-bake cheesecake
0:13:33 > 0:13:37with fresh honey from Northumberland bees.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45Oh, my word, it is really excellent.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47The honeycomb is kind of chewy.
0:13:47 > 0:13:54That's the wax, but it gives a nice kind of chewy base, and a little bit of strawberry
0:13:54 > 0:13:57and honey and lemon...
0:14:00 > 0:14:02..never hurt anyone.
0:14:02 > 0:14:08Camping is restricted on Holy Island but I had special permission to park up here for the night.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10But there was no time to enjoy the amazing view.
0:14:10 > 0:14:15It was an early night for me as I had to be up again in just a few hours.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21Coming up,
0:14:21 > 0:14:24I hit the high seas in search of dinner.
0:14:24 > 0:14:29Oh, wow, he's beautiful. He's a keeper. Fantastic.
0:14:29 > 0:14:36And, without electricity in the van, I put in some elbow work to produce my campervan mayonnaise.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39My arm is a bit tired.
0:14:47 > 0:14:52Well, it's 4am and it's...raining
0:14:52 > 0:14:57but I've come down to the quayside of Holy Island for a bit of adventure on the high seas.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04I was meeting up with Richard and Shaun, who were going to take me lobster fishing.
0:15:04 > 0:15:09Having already cooked crab in the van in Norfolk, I was going to take campervan cooking upmarket.
0:15:09 > 0:15:16Tonight I was planning to cook fresh Northumberland lobster with home-made mayonnaise.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20Five miles out in the North Sea, Richard and Shaun have ten runs of lobster pots
0:15:20 > 0:15:26with 30 pots in each run, and today we were hoping to empty every one of them.
0:15:26 > 0:15:32There's something really, really exciting about setting sail, even at four o'clock in the morning,
0:15:32 > 0:15:36and in such a place as this, it's just wonderful.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40At the end of the day I could have a fresh lobster that's out of the sea
0:15:40 > 0:15:43a matter of hours
0:15:43 > 0:15:46to cook up.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48How wonderful is that?
0:15:51 > 0:15:54As Shaun navigated us out to the first run of pots,
0:15:54 > 0:15:58Richard got the fresh bait to refill the pots as soon as they were brought on board.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02Soon enough, the first run of pots was being hauled up from the seabed.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04Here they are.
0:16:04 > 0:16:09And so began a period of frantic activity with Shaun sorting out
0:16:09 > 0:16:15the crabs from the lobster and throwing any small ones back that didn't make the grade.
0:16:15 > 0:16:20While Richard re-baited each pot, I saw a way to make myself useful and earn my dinner -
0:16:20 > 0:16:22stacking the empties.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25I'm going to have a go at this now, see if I can help out.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27Turn it. Turn it there, Mark.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31They were a lot heavier than they looked.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35It must have been the weight of the sea water.
0:16:35 > 0:16:40Thus began one of the hardest physical days of work in my life.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44- I had already lost the power of speech. - HE MOUTHS
0:16:44 > 0:16:50As I waited for my next pot, it was beginning to dawn on me how hard this job was,
0:16:50 > 0:16:55and, despite the gadgetry on board, I don't think I'll be trading in the van for a boat any time soon.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01At least the content of the fifth pot gave me something to smile about.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04- Lobster!- He's having a go. He's having a go.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08That's our prize.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10No time for lobster because...
0:17:10 > 0:17:14Every few seconds there was another pot to stack.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17And the sea swell was building.
0:17:21 > 0:17:22Bit wobbly.
0:17:22 > 0:17:27Although they were landing a lot more crabs than lobster there seemed to be
0:17:27 > 0:17:32at least one lobster in each pot, although they weren't all destined for the dinner table just yet.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36This one is under size so he's going to live to snap another day.
0:17:36 > 0:17:3987mm between the back of the eye socket
0:17:39 > 0:17:42and the end of the carapace there
0:17:42 > 0:17:46saves him for another swim.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48But then a candidate for tonight's dinner arrived.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50I sized up the main course.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Oh, wow, what a beautiful...
0:17:53 > 0:17:55blue colour. That, of course,
0:17:55 > 0:17:57will go pink when he goes in the pot,
0:17:57 > 0:18:01but he's a keeper, fantastic.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03All the flesh in there.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09Wonderful. He goes in the bucket.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13The lobster pots had now filled the deck three high.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15I'm working up quite an appetite.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Might have to have TWO lobsters.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20The rope that hauled them off the seabed was still attached to them
0:18:20 > 0:18:25and Richard showed me the precise order to stack them in so the rope didn't get snagged on anything.
0:18:29 > 0:18:35There was nowhere to move on deck. Surely there can't be any more on this run!
0:18:35 > 0:18:36- Last one?- Yeah.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39With no room to move, Shaun and Richard were clear
0:18:39 > 0:18:45that I had to stick to the front of the boat out of harm's way. And I was about to find out why.
0:18:45 > 0:18:51With the seagulls watching on expectantly, the reasons for the careful stacking of the pots
0:18:51 > 0:18:52became all too apparent.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56Richard threw the rope back into the sea with a heavy weight attached
0:18:56 > 0:18:59and the pots started to be pulled back off the boat.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02Richard carefully unstacked them in reverse order,
0:19:02 > 0:19:07placing them on the deck quickly enough for them to be pulled in naturally.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11Despite his level of care, Richard was about to have a nasty moment.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15Whoa!
0:19:15 > 0:19:17All right?
0:19:17 > 0:19:22- All right.- I think Richard had a close call with the ropes.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24It's quite a dangerous place to work.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28The pots are so heavy that Richard was telling me earlier if you get the rope
0:19:28 > 0:19:31wrapped around your foot and go overboard you just go straight to the bottom,
0:19:31 > 0:19:33so it's not funny.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39All the pots had been dragged back in safely
0:19:39 > 0:19:44and now all Richard had to do was throw marker buoys back in and reflect on a near miss.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47There was a knot in the ropes and the pots started to go out together.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51The worst place possible for it to happen is when you're in the corner
0:19:51 > 0:19:55because there is nowhere to get out of the way so you just have to push them away from your body.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58There is no warning, absolutely no warning. You just shout "stop"
0:19:58 > 0:20:04and that's the end and it cuts dead, and then Shaun's straight out with a sharp knife and cuts if it happens.
0:20:06 > 0:20:12It was now 11am. We had emptied nine out of ten of our lobster pot runs
0:20:12 > 0:20:16and I felt like I'd done a week's work in six hours.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19Still, at least the sun was out and my thoughts turned to
0:20:19 > 0:20:23cooking my beautiful fresh lobster back at the van.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26I thought I'd ask the experts how they eat theirs.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28Do you eat lobster, Shaun?
0:20:28 > 0:20:30Yeah, now and again, not very often but...
0:20:30 > 0:20:33- I think it's all right, yeah.- Yeah?
0:20:33 > 0:20:35But not when you're working with it every day, you know?
0:20:35 > 0:20:38- What's your favourite way of eating it?- Just the way it is, I think.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41You can put sauces on but I think sauce spoils it.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45'Shaun also suggested a much shorter cooking time than I would normally use.'
0:20:45 > 0:20:48Some people say 20 minutes, but I don't think so.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51I think the more you boil it, the more you'll spoil it.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54But to ensure there will always be lobster to eat, Shaun and Richard
0:20:54 > 0:20:58do their bit to conserve the species by protecting breeding females.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01When somebody gets her aboard they'll see the bands on her claw first
0:21:01 > 0:21:07and they'll realise somebody else has caught her and then on the tail
0:21:07 > 0:21:08we'll cut two "V"s
0:21:11 > 0:21:16and this lobster can't be landed and sold in the Northumberland district.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20- So that's great news for this lobster because she'll never get taken.- She must be 15, 20 years old.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24So this lobster will live all her days now in the sea,
0:21:24 > 0:21:28breeding quite happily, never to be caught and eaten.
0:21:28 > 0:21:29Well, good luck to her.
0:21:33 > 0:21:39We were nearly done, the last run of lobster pots was reset and we headed back to Holy Island.
0:21:39 > 0:21:45It was time to get the catch out of the hold and take stock of a successful day's fishing.
0:21:45 > 0:21:4711 box of crabs, a box of lobsters.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50We are very, very happy with that.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53All I had to do now was pick one for tonight...
0:21:53 > 0:21:54How about that one?
0:21:54 > 0:21:57..say goodbye to the chaps, and head back to my van.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00It's nice to meet you both. Thanks very much for your time.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04I felt I'd been away from the van for a whole day and it was still only mid-morning.
0:22:04 > 0:22:09I put my lobster in a bucket, covered by a wet tea towel to keep it fresh.
0:22:09 > 0:22:15It was time to get back to my campervan and find the perfect spot for my lobster feast.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19Northumberland has some of the best and quietest beaches in Britain,
0:22:19 > 0:22:25with good road access, so I had an enviable choice of places to pull over and enjoy the views.
0:22:25 > 0:22:30The great thing about campervans is that you can park up and cook pretty much anywhere you like,
0:22:30 > 0:22:35and I think I've found a very fine spot to eat my lobster.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49I was tired and hungry after a gruelling morning on the lobster boat,
0:22:49 > 0:22:52so I decided not to complicate things too much.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55Well, the water is on for the lobster.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59I'm going to keep it simple and just eat it with some mayonnaise.
0:22:59 > 0:23:06So I need a couple of yolks. The more free-range they are, the better the golden colour
0:23:06 > 0:23:10and so the better colour you'll get from your mayonnaise.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13So two of them to start with
0:23:13 > 0:23:15because you need to emulsify the eggs.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18A little bit of mustard powder.
0:23:18 > 0:23:19Lemon juice.
0:23:19 > 0:23:25Well, the recipe was simple enough but the main ingredient was something I was really lacking in -
0:23:25 > 0:23:26energy.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30Two minutes in and I was already having to give myself a pep talk.
0:23:30 > 0:23:35Keep going. Persevere.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39My arm is a bit tired.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42It's all in the wrist action, obviously.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45After four minutes I'd started fantasising about white goods.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48You see, at this point you wish you'd brought an electric whisk
0:23:48 > 0:23:52but, seeing as you're right by the beach, you haven't got one.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55So you've just got to keep persevering.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58Eight minutes.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01My arms were killing me and self-doubt had gained a foothold.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04Er, I've this a few times before
0:24:04 > 0:24:08but, you know, only a few times have been successful.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12But you know what? I don't care, I just want to try something and have something fresh.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16I've got these free-range eggs, this beautiful evening, I've got all the time in the world
0:24:16 > 0:24:19and, ah,
0:24:19 > 0:24:24you know, it's all about trying and sometimes failing.
0:24:24 > 0:24:29Maybe starting to add the oil will finally make the mixture thicken.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33Just a drip at a time with the oil, it's just a question of...
0:24:38 > 0:24:40..getting it to thicken up.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45I've got to know the van quite well over...
0:24:45 > 0:24:48the journey that I've been on and one of the things
0:24:48 > 0:24:52I've discovered is it's actually really nice just to sit here
0:24:52 > 0:24:55on the cool box, by the step,
0:24:55 > 0:24:58relaxing, enjoying the view,
0:24:58 > 0:25:01rather than getting out the table and all that malarkey.
0:25:01 > 0:25:06Then on days like this you just want to slide open the door and take in the view - it's just stunning.
0:25:06 > 0:25:12If it gets any nicer I might have to go for a swim after this.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15After 15 minutes, a glimmer of hope.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18It's starting to thicken up.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22This gave me impetus to go into full food-processor mode.
0:25:22 > 0:25:27It was time to add the final ingredient - some white wine vinegar.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30It's quite fruity this, actually, because of the mustard.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32There you go.
0:25:32 > 0:25:37My arms were about to drop off but the mayonnaise was looking fabulous.
0:25:37 > 0:25:38How about that?
0:25:38 > 0:25:41Beautiful, peaky mayonnaise.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44Oh, that's beautiful.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48The water for my lobster was boiling. Time to get cooking.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53The guys on the boat said five minutes,
0:25:53 > 0:25:57then I'll leave him to cool and that should cook him enough.
0:25:57 > 0:26:02Most people would cook a lobster from between 10 and 20 minutes so I'm going to give him 10 minutes,
0:26:02 > 0:26:06let him cool for about five and then see where we go from there.
0:26:06 > 0:26:11At most fishmongers, you can buy live lobster so, if you can get your hands on one,
0:26:11 > 0:26:13then this is what I recommend.
0:26:13 > 0:26:19Buy it from the fishmongers, drive to the beach and cook it up with your own mayonnaise.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21It's not that difficult.
0:26:22 > 0:26:27Ten minutes had gone by and my lobster had turned a beautiful shade of pink.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31Well, doesn't that look splendid? Especially the choice of colour plate.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35Do you know? I wouldn't actually buy lobster at a restaurant
0:26:35 > 0:26:38just because I'd prefer to get it straight from the quayside
0:26:38 > 0:26:44or, you know, live from the fishmonger, or even try and catch it myself. I've caught a few.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48A good sharp knife, it's not that easy.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50A lobster doesn't have the thick, hard shell of a crab
0:26:50 > 0:26:54which means, with a bit of force, you can just split it in two.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57If you want something good...
0:26:57 > 0:26:59you sometimes have to...
0:26:59 > 0:27:03be pretty brutal about it.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06Wow, look at that. It just looks wonderful.
0:27:13 > 0:27:18It was done. Succulent Northumberland lobster,
0:27:18 > 0:27:24caught just a few hours ago, and my home-made free-range mayonnaise.
0:27:24 > 0:27:29Wow, I don't know what's better - the mayonnaise or the lobster.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Either way, unbelievable.
0:27:32 > 0:27:33I love eating this way,
0:27:33 > 0:27:36absolutely love it.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39Baked beans on toast, take a hike.
0:27:41 > 0:27:42Oh! This is campervan living.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47It was now 18 hours since I'd got up to go out on the lobster boat
0:27:47 > 0:27:54and I'd never worked so hard in my life to get a meal together, but it had DEFINITELY been worth the work.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59In the next episode,
0:27:59 > 0:28:05I'll be revealing some of the best spots for campervan living on the gorgeous east Scottish coast.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08I take a deep breath and head off road...
0:28:08 > 0:28:11"The association will not be liable
0:28:11 > 0:28:15"for vehicles or their occupants damaged as a result of this roadway."
0:28:15 > 0:28:17How exciting.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20..and discover a new way of al fresco cooking from the van...
0:28:20 > 0:28:24- Look at that colour.- Brilliant.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27..and, on a mission to find the very best in local produce,
0:28:27 > 0:28:32get up close and personal with some rare-breed Scottish pigs.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:42 > 0:28:45E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk