Weymouth Terry and Mason's Great Food Trip

Can you see any whales?

Sharks?

MASON LAUGHS QUIETLY Sharks...

Have you got 20 pence? Cos it ain't working.

MASON LAUGHS

It's taken 50 years in broadcasting,

but I've finally cracked it.

TERRY LAUGHS

'A chance to meander around the country, see the sights

'meet the people...'

-TERRY LAUGHS

-'..and, yes, eat and drink.'

Is "melt in the mouth" a suitable phrase?

I've hail a cab with one of London's finest cabbies, Mason McQueen,

to steer me around Britain's highways and byways.

I'm looking forward to a decent meal, are you?

Oh, I'm starving, I can't wait, Tel.

Our route has been mapped out by an adventurous gourmand,

Samuel Chamberlain,

in his book, British Bouquet.

'Almost 60 years later, we're following in his footsteps...'

I'll do all the work, Tel.

'..to seek out weird and wonderful regional British cuisine

'and discover how our tastes have changed over the years.'

Do it right, son.

WHOOPING AND LAUGHTER

LAMB BLEATS

I'm never going to look at a lamb chop the same, mate. Take her away.

You've ruined me, I'm going to be veggie from now on.

Oh, no, please don't.

Today, our 50-year-old food guide

has brought us to the stunning Dorset coast

in the seaside town of Weymouth.

The perfect place

for Mason and I to discover the coastal delicacies of Dorset.

Weymouth caught the eye, of course, of Chamberlain, as it was bound to.

"Weymouth has particular appeal,

"thousands of well-tanned bathers,

"who relax on its golden sands in summertime."

He must have got good weather like us.

This 12th-century fishing village

was described by Chamberlain in the early '60s as

"the metropolis of Dorset-shire".

Today, it seems as popular as ever.

Whoo.

Look at this, Tel.

Like the South of France.

Hope you've got your Speedos.

Well, I thought it would be a bit of skinny-dipping,

bit of an anti-climax if I get into my Speedos.

I was hoping to frighten the horses, as usual.

MASON LAUGHS

I can't believe there's people in the sea.

That sea is freezing. He'll get chilblains.

Get a chill on your kidneys going in there.

But the beach is irresistible, isn't it?

Dorset, it's the county that just keeps giving.

Three miles of golden sands

attracts almost two million visitors every year the Weymouth,

but we're not here to frolic in the foam

and play with the fishes, no.

We're here to eat them.

So, it's on with the sea legs and down to the quay

to discover what tasty treats are lurking in Weymouth waters.

Ahoy!

-Peter, right?

-Yes.

All hands on deck, yeah?

MASON LAUGHS

'Peter Shaw has been an inshore fishermen in Weymouth

'since he was a lad,

'so, who better to tell us about the local seafood delicacies?'

-So, Pete, how have you done this morning?

-Not a bad day.

A lot of crabs in the sea around here.

-Certain times of the year there is.

-And a lot of lobster.

So, how do you catch them?

Just normal pots like this.

We call it an ante pot.

You get exceptional big crab.

That is a big boy.

-Yes, that's a nice crab, that is.

-Look at the size of him, Tel!

-But most of them...

-Good eating.

-..most of them are this size.

-Yes.

Have they got rid of that yet

where you're supposed to throw fish back if they're over the quota?

What we've got to do,

if there's any lobsters with eggs, we've got to throw them back.

Do you know what's really good about those lobsters that you catch?

They come with their claws already bound.

-Yeah...

-Straight out of the sea.

-Ideal.

Would they have your finger off?

Oh, yeah, definitely.

'Despite these finger-snapping shipmates,

'it seems Mason is tempted by a life on the sea.'

You've got a lovely lifestyle here, Peter.

I've got to say, the sun's always shining in Weymouth, right?

-Especially when me and Terry are in town.

-Exactly.

We bring the sunshine with us, you know, Pete.

You didn't bring it early this morning, cos it was foggy.

-Don't start criticising.

-MASON LAUGHS

Most of Peter's lobsters

will make their way to the old fish market on the harbour side.

The building dates from the mid-19th century

and continues to fill Weymouth with the aromas of the seaside.

Ah, great smell.

THEY INHALE DEEPLY

-Ah. Fresh fish.

-Ah...

Let's have a look.

-There's jellied eels, you'd love that.

-I love the jellied eels.

-As long as there's a bit of liquor with the jellied eels...

-Come on.

Nobody can eat that kind of stuff.

-Morning.

-Hello there, good morning.

-Is this is where you nut 'em and gut 'em?

-We certainly do, sir.

Most of the fish on display here

have been caught within six miles of Weymouth harbour.

And despite this vast array of fresh fish,

our friend Chamberlain

found fairly little to get excited about

when it came to Dorset seafood.

The fella whose book we're following around

in a rather desultory fashion is a man called Chamberlain

and when he was here, he thought the fish was a bit disappointing.

-OK.

-So, it's obviously improved.

Would you say eating habits have changed?

I would say they have, to be honest.

We do find, we struggle, the younger generation,

don't really know what they're doing with the fish.

The younger generation don't know what they're doing anyway, don't know they're born...

We are seeing more and more people trying it and coming back.

So, look, jellied eels. You love this, don't you?

-Have you got a problem with...

-Absolutely.

-..my ancestry and jellied eels?

-I have no...

-Let's have it out now...

-I have no problem with your ancestry, I have a problem with jellied eels.

-Who can eat a jellied eel?

-There was a fight in here the other day and two fish got battered. Ooh!

MASON LAUGHS

-I'm going to take him out now...

-No bother.

-..and give him a kicking.

Yeah, I might come and help!

HE LAUGHS

ALARM RINGS

Stand clear of the barriers immediately. Stand clear.

It seems that Mason's jokes

are not the only thing to bring Weymouth to a standstill.

The mighty bridge of Weymouth lifts to my manly hand.

Every two hours, they raise the town bridge

and let out the harbour's tallest boats.

Where are they off to?

Don't know.

The bridge has helped cars cross the harbour since the early 1930s.

But the ancient wade across the water in Weymouth

is far more civilised.

Is this what they laughingly call a ferry?

Yeah.

THEY LAUGH

-This ferry's been going for hundreds of years.

-Has it?

Since before they had a bridge across the harbour,

and the first bridge was built in the 1590s.

So, it's been going a few years.

-You wouldn't live anywhere else but by the sea?

-No, I love it. Yeah.

Even with the squawking old seagulls?

-GULLS SQUAWK

-I don't mind that.

-Don't you?

-Souls of ancient mariners.

Is that what it is?

Now you tell me. I'll have a bit more respect for seagulls now.

HE LAUGHS

Fresh air, sunshine.

Very bad for you.

Yeah!

Would you ever buy a little boat and...

toddle out into the sea and catch a few mackerel?

Ah, that sounds so idyllic, Terry, it really does.

Fresh fish on demand.

On the other hand, you couldn't expect anybody to sell stale fish on demand.

Oh...

Leaving the smell of fish guts behind us,

we take a refreshing journey up along the Weymouth coast

to discover the latest asset to this area's culinary heritage.

But as the sea mist draws in,

I'm hoping that Mason's not getting us lost again.

Why you bringing me up this path?

Terry, we are about to sample

the legendary naga chilli.

Wait for it, the hottest chilli

in the whole world.

TERRY GASPS

That's right, the world's hottest chilli

is not grown on the bushes in Mexico,

no, they're grown just outside Weymouth.

To find out if they really are as hot as all that,

we're meeting the man behind this fiery beast,

American, Michael Mishoe.

Yeah, it's pretty hot. It's actually, it's very hot.

It is one of the hottest chillies in the world.

They have a scale, haven't they, for chillies?

-It's called the Scoville heat unit.

-Scoville...

-Yeah.

-Zero is sweet pepper.

-No heat at all.

-OK.

Jalapenos, maybe 5,000 or 6,000.

The Dorset naga that we grow gets up to about a million.

CREEPY MUSIC

'I'm beginning to get the feeling that Mike

'might want us to eat one of these burning beauties.

'So I'm going to try and keep him talking.'

Why did you bring this thing over to persecute the British?

I actually didn't. I found it in an Asian shop in Bournemouth.

THEY LAUGH

Yeah, basically it's a Bangladeshi chilli. I went in there,

bought some fruit, brought it home, took the seeds, grew the plants out

and we noticed there was a bit of a variable population,

every plant looked different from another.

So we started to make selections.

We chose the best plants,

and then, after four or five years, we had a nice, uniform population.

So, even though it started off as the Bangladeshi naga,

it ended up as the Dorset naga,

-so it's been selected here...

-Mm-hm.

So we thought, well, let's...

cater to our vanity and call it Dorset naga.

It was a valiant effort, but as Mike brings us to a bubbling pot,

I sense my taste buds may never recover from what's about to happen.

-Ooh.

-Helen Choudhury.

-Hi, Helen.

-This is my good friend, Helen...

-Helen...

-..from Taj Mahal in Bridport.

-Nice to meet you...

-Helen, nice to meet you.

-Yeah. Now, what have you got here?

I have got a Dorset Blast, I call my curry.

The top of your head comes off?

-Yes, it makes your tongue tingle...

-Mm-hm.

..and it touches the brain, they say. Shakes the brain.

-I'll be all right, then.

-Yeah.

-No brain here.

-Yeah.

-It will be searching.

-MASON LAUGHS

Who orders it most? Men or women?

It's mostly men.

-You said that.

-Mm, I know.

-It's a kind of macho of thing, then.

-Yes.

Do people sort of leave, foaming at the mouth, or breathing fire?

-No!

-THEY LAUGH

It's not that bad, we soon give them some yoghurt,

if they say they're feeling a bit, you know...

-Is that the best cure for a hot curry, yeah?

-Yes, yoghurt.

-Yeah?

'The hottest chilli in the world

'and here we are, about to put the thing into our mouths!

'This could all end quite badly.'

If you can do it, I can do it.

-Oh.

-Wow.

-Ah...

-Very tasty, Helen.

-Tasty.

-But...

-Hot.

-Oh, that's alight.

-Mm.

-Are you guys OK?

-If you'll hold this,

-I'm just going to lie down in a darkened room.

-All right, aye, sir.

-HELEN LAUGHS

-Are you all right, Terry?

-Just had a hiccup.

-Oh, there you go.

-LAUGHTER

-You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din.

-Yeah.

-Gunga Din!

That's all right, Tel.

Oh, that's a killer.

I can't speak.

TERRY PANTS

-I'll just lean on you for a moment...

-Yeah.

LAUGHTER

-I think me and Terry have done well.

-Very well.

-You have.

-Do you know,

I've got used to it. Yes.

LAUGHTER

'I can truly say

'that the best part of eating the world's hottest chilli

'is never having to do it again.'

With our tongues a-tingle,

we're drawn back to the tranquillity of Weymouth's seafront.

It says here,

"very little of Dorset is ultramodern,

"including its hotels,

"where the Romans once bathed on the yellow sands."

I don't believe that for a minute.

They would've found it too cold, the Romans.

They're not going to bathe on the yellow sands.

"The remainder of the coastline's very beautiful, lofty chalk cliffs

"slowly, but constantly succumbing to the pounding of the sea."

He's gone, oh, I'll just think again, Chamberlain.

Yeah, he does wander with that book, Tel, doesn't he?

He needs to watch his step.

Chamberlain was not the first man to be inspired by this landscape.

It has been inspiring artists for generations,

including Weymouth lad and third-generation sand sculptor,

Mark Anderson.

How long has sand sculpting been going on?

My grandfather started back in about 1920-something

and he carved for about 70 years, up until 1995.

There was a man before him called Swift Vincent,

who used to do fantastic scenes, back in about 1902, I think.

-So, yes, 100-odd years now.

-Wow.

I'm cynical enough to think that maybe a bit of ready mix in there.

Unfortunately not.

We've got the best beach sand in the world, probably,

Weymouth beach sand, it's tiny grains

and somehow it bonds together, and when it's compacted,

it keeps its form and retains it for many, many months.

I'm pretty good with the bucket. I can do a mean castle.

TERRY LAUGHS Honestly, honestly.

And these chaps don't seem to mind a little sand in their food,

but, as for Mason and I,

we have an appetite for something a little more regal.

Where better to discover more about Weymouth's past

than on the town's most ancient feature?

Its beach.

This is the old cat's pyjamas, isn't it?

Sitting here on the beach,

reminds me of the days of my youth in Sandymount.

-Sandymount beach in Dublin Bay.

-Wow.

Did you take a lot of these kind of holidays?

I loved the British seaside and especially Dorset Riviera,

-it don't get no better than this, Tel.

-It doesn't.

Alan, how come you can share a deckchair with the likes of us?

I have the misfortune to have a terrible job

working for Historic England, I spend my time studying the seaside.

God, that's rough. Are there any openings at all?

Well, I'm sure we can find a little vacancy for you somewhere.

Deckchair testers.

But not only that, we could have a boarding house, free use of cruet.

MASON LAUGHS

Weymouth is now one town, but it used to be two towns.

We're actually not in Weymouth, historically.

This is what you call Melcombe Regis.

And it was famous in the 14th century,

cos this is supposed to be where the Black Death

first arrived in England, killing a third of the population.

So a cheerful claim to fame for Melcombe Regis.

Yeah, was it the rats of Melcombe Regis?

Well, the fleas on the backs of the rats in the ships...

-Ah.

-..of Melcombe Regis.

So, it was the ships coming into Weymouth.

Yeah, cos it was a big port.

I think it's a bit unfair on Weymouth to blame the Black Death...

That's why they changed the name, I think.

I actually know a Malcolm Regis.

'After the Black Death,

'it took a while for Weymouth's reputation to recover.

'In fact, it was 400 years later.

'When George III came to stay, the town became a tourist hotspot.'

And so, when the people came down here,

what did they find in Weymouth? I mean, was it health giving?

Was it good for the soul?

Glorious sea air, beautiful sunshine,

but the key thing was the water, to bathe in the sea.

But also, some people used to drink the seawater,

just with a little bit of red wine, just to take the edge off it.

Loosened them up nicely, it did.

I'll bet it did!

On the trail of George III,

we venture to his old holiday home.

Chamberlain references this building as the Gloucester Hotel,

and extols its virtues as a luxurious venue.

Today, the grandeur has faded a little.

Just to think, George III was in here, running about...

Running about?

LAUGHTER As you do, with his quill.

He was the king! He didn't run about.

He walked gently.

Go on, show me.

That's...is that walking?

LAUGHTER

Don't be walking along the beach like that, will you, with me?

The basement of the Gloucester Hotel is still welcoming guests,

but, I'm glad to say, they no longer insist

on their visitors gargling seawater.

Now, I've got something here that will tickle your palate.

A cup of tea, yeah?

No, it's a lobster bisque.

So, I'm drinking lobster soup from a teacup?

No crusty bread?

You don't have crusty bread.

You're not talking about a mulligatawny here,

or a Brown Windsor.

You're talking about a lobster bisque.

Ever taken a cruise, Mason?

Woolwich Ferry.

You're steeped in the lore of the sea, aren't you?

Aye-aye, skipper.

There's only one colour flag for the likes of me and you,

and it's as black as our heart!

-Ar-harr!

-Ar-harr!

Thems that die will be the lucky ones!

To get a real taste for what George III would have been eating

while relaxing on Weymouth's beach,

today you have to head inland.

Here, in the hills behind Weymouth,

where you'll find some of the sheep of what was a famous breed -

the sturdy Portland.

-Plump, that's what they're supposed to be.

-Plump Portland sheep.

According to Chamberlain, plump.

Chamberlain describes Portland mutton

as a favourite in British shops.

But today, there are very few breeding animals left.

Come on. Come on, then.

-HE CHUCKLES

-What is this strange power you have

-over sheep, Steve?

-I don't...

'Steve Gould is one of the few farmers

'to still keep this rare breed...'

Come on.

Oh, there they go.

'..and believes they're part of the reason why George III

'enjoyed his visits to Weymouth so much.'

He didn't come apparently for the bathing. You have another theory?

Absolutely. He actually came to Portland for the mutton.

The Portland mutton,

and also the Portland mutton ham,

which is absolutely famous.

You don't hear a lot about mutton ham.

You don't, Terry, you're right.

The reason why it is absolutely fabulous

is that the Portland sheep themselves

carry very little fat.

They are completely different to any commercial sheep.

They're just like a lawnmower, really, the commercial sheep.

They need to have so much food, they just get into the field

and just absolutely motor on and eat everything.

-A bit like us?

-Yeah.

Well, we've become like that, doing this series, yeah.

But the Portlands are browsers.

-They're selective eaters, are they?

-Very much.

They're a gourmet sheep?

-Absolutely right.

-SHEEP BAAS

While Steve doesn't have any mutton ham for us to try,

local chef Tess Evans has whipped up a little meaty snack,

to quieten our rumbling stomachs.

-Now, what have we got here?

-Just what we need in barbecue weather.

-Irish stew...

-Irish stew.

-..and soda bread.

-Ah, soda bread.

-And soda bread.

Yeah, that's a great Irish thing as well, soda bread.

I have to try a bit of that.

It's quite simple, really, simple food.

Hand it over, then.

LAUGHTER

'A hearty meal indeed for weary sheep farmers.'

Proper Dorset food.

That is delicious.

George III made a few mistakes in his life,

but as far as mutton was concerned,

-he knew what he was talking about.

-He certainly did.

Do you know much about Chesil Beach?

Nothing at all, but it looks beautiful.

But it has ancient cadences, hasn't it?

It's where people find

old bones...

-..and relics.

-They find old relics down there?

Well, just keep moving, right?

"Don't settle down in Chesil Beach, Terry."

Don't you be sitting on a deck chair, right?

A palaeontologist will take you away to the British Museum.

I won't let 'em take you away, Tel, don't worry.

'Chesil Beach is the gateway to Dorset's Jurassic Coast.

'But the unique geology doesn't just attract palaeontologists.

'For centuries, this was a hub for Dorset smugglers.'

Who's this character?

I don't like the look of him.

What's your game? Eh?

-Hello, sir.

-I'm thinking of taking you into custody.

Well, perhaps we could talk about that, sir? I have a deal for you.

Ah, you're talking our language.

This is genuine block tea, all the way from China.

-Look at that, Mase.

-We do have Indian, if you'd prefer?

So, tell me this now, because, of course,

you're not really a smuggler, but it all came like that?

-It came in big blocks?

-Great big tea chests full of that stuff.

And what was great about smuggling tea?

Um, the profit.

If it's 130% tax, we buy it in at cost,

we then sell it at maybe 50% mark-up.

We're undercutting the Government by 80%.

We're still making a pretty penny,

and it's a lot easier to bring ashore than a nine-gallon

or four-and-a-half-gallon barrel of brandy.

-So, there was a great old smuggling business around here?

-Yes.

Smuggling is best done on a very dark night.

Difficult to find out where you are.

On Chesil, if you are local,

you simply reach down and the size of the pebble that you find

will tell you exactly where you are on the beach,

because they're all very small at that end

and very big at this end.

So this is the ideal place for smugglers?

It used to be, until the invention of the helicopter.

The old helio-co-peter.

It's a curse.

-I'll take this with me, if I may?

-That will cost you, sir.

No, at the moment, you'll find me financially embarrassed.

I'd take an IOU from a knight of the realm, sir.

You're a good man. You may never see me again.

I'll give you mine back.

200 years ago, the Fleet Lagoon would have been filled with contraband.

But today it's filled with something a little more appetising.

David Scott farms oysters in the lagoon

and supplies a number of local restaurants.

Look at these.

I love oysters.

How long are they in the water for before you can harvest them?

These oysters you're looking at are about three,

three-and-a-half years old.

'His main customer is The Crab House Cafe,

'and head chef Nigel Bloxham.'

So, Nigel, what oysters are these?

These are the Pacific gigas,

or rock oyster, as you know them.

But they were brought in in the late '50s, early '60s,

to replace our loss of our native oyster in certain area.

Of course, the native oyster was the fodder of the poor,

200 or 300 years ago.

-Poor people, the working class, used to eat the oysters?

-Yes.

They grow like that, they shoot,

and then the flat shell comes up to meet it.

And then it fills with meat. Then it'll shoot again.

They can get this big, but that would be sort of 10 or 12 years.

We don't want them that big to eat,

so we put them in these baskets, so when the rough weather comes along,

it turns them over and it knocks that frill off.

It says, "I can't get any bigger, I'm going to have to get fatter."

A nice fat oyster, nice plump meat, is exactly what we want

-when we open it to feed you.

-That is fascinating.

Are they an aphrodisiac?

-The oyster? Yeah?

-Oh, yeah.

-Yeah.

-Oh, yeah.

-Oh, yeah!

Every day.

And then. If you have a dozen a day, how many of those will work?

At least three.

Three's enough for me.

Is that a week or a day?

About a year.

LAUGHTER

'With that said, it's time to stop talking oysters

'and start eating them.

'Nigel shows us how to expertly open an oyster

'and then gives the knife to Mason.

'Watch out, Weymouth, he's armed!'

Now, let's hope you end up with all your fingers.

Round to the side, twist.

Hold it open.

Pull that off, yeah?

No, slide down the flat shell.

That's good for a first timer.

Yeah, but he's an adept...

He can do lots of things.

He can shuck an oyster.

-It's ready to go...?

-This one's naked. Nothing on it.

-Naked?

Nothing on it, no lemon...

For heaven's sake, Mason, eat the bloody thing.

Mm.

Seaside.

Lovely, plump oysters.

Fantastic.

'While Nigel is busy in the kitchen preparing our final Weymouth meal,

'I have an appointment with an old Weymouth friend.'

-Crabs.

-Love 'em.

Caroline Drever

comes from Weymouth,

and is Queen,

Queen of the dressed crab.

OK, the way we do it,

snapping the legs off...

..and the claws.

These were caught about six to eight miles

off Portland Bill yesterday.

So when you're in a restaurant...

..it's very hard to crack them open with any kind of dignity,

without getting bits of shell flying all over the place,

and you looking like an eejit.

-So, that's why...

-A bit of a messy process.

-..I like me crab and me lobster dressed.

-Yes.

This lovely Portland crab meat.

-Just checking.

-Go on.

Quality control.

-Yeah?

-Hm!

-OK.

So, here, opening up the crab...

Ooh, lovely.

This is what they call the dead man's fingers.

These are the gills.

-So we don't eat those.

-No.

I'll get rid of that, in there.

-That's the crab's brains?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

They were stupid enough to get in our crab pot, though.

That's what we say.

-Well, they've never been known for their intellectual strength.

-No.

If I may, I'm going to do the highly skilled bit...

SHE CHUCKLES

..and squeeze a little lemon on it.

-Looks fantastic.

-Lovely.

-Thank you, Caroline.

-You're very welcome.

'With the food prepped and the sun shining,

'it's time to tuck in.'

-Cheers.

-Thank you for everything.

-Cheers, everybody.

-Here's to us.

-Cheers.

I can't wait to dive in here.

We've got the Dover sole.

That was a fiver at Chamberlain's, Tel, wasn't it?

-He loved the Dover sole.

-Why wouldn't he?

We've got some seaweed.

-Excellent.

-Gut weed that grows on the bottom of boats.

Don't call it gut weed, you'll put me off.

We've deep-fried it. It is the original crispy seaweed.

'This seafood spread is a delicious testament

'to Weymouth's local produce

'and the skills of the people that put it together.'

That crab...

..full of flavour.

This is delicious.

-Can I come back again tomorrow?

-Please do.

The old sun going down over Chesil Beach.

It's fantastic.

-I love it down here, do you?

-Absolutely.

With the sun shining on the water.

And we've had a lovely day.

It's been brilliant.

Where are we going to next?

I don't know, but I'm getting hungry again.

Wherever we go,

it's not going to be a lot better than this.