0:00:02 > 0:00:06- Do you play the guitar?- I try to. - Well, I'll buy that for you.
0:00:06 > 0:00:10- No, no, it's not even a real Strat, no.- It's not even a what?
0:00:10 > 0:00:14- A Stradivarius?- A Stratocaster! - Oh, I see.
0:00:14 > 0:00:15What do I know?
0:00:15 > 0:00:17MASON LAUGHS That's a violin.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23It's taken 50 years in broadcasting, but I've finally cracked it.
0:00:23 > 0:00:24TERRY LAUGHS
0:00:24 > 0:00:27'A chance to meander around the country, see the sights,'
0:00:27 > 0:00:28'meet the people...'
0:00:28 > 0:00:29THEY LAUGH
0:00:29 > 0:00:32'..and, ah, yes, eat and drink.'
0:00:32 > 0:00:35Is melt in the mouth a suitable phrase?
0:00:35 > 0:00:38'I've hailed a cab with one of London's finest cabbies,
0:00:38 > 0:00:43'Mason McQueen, to steer me around Britain's highways and byways.'
0:00:43 > 0:00:45I'm looking forward to a decent meal, are you?
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Oh, I'm starving, I can't wait, Tel.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50Our route has been mapped out by an adventurous gourmand,
0:00:50 > 0:00:54Samuel Chamberlain, in his book, British Bouquet.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57'Almost 60 years later, we're following in his footsteps...'
0:00:57 > 0:00:59I'll do all the work, Tel!
0:00:59 > 0:01:02'..to seek out weird and wonderful regional British cuisine
0:01:02 > 0:01:06'and discover how our tastes have changed over the years.'
0:01:06 > 0:01:08Do it right, son.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10WHOOPING AND LAUGHTER
0:01:10 > 0:01:12I assume we've crossed into Wales.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14The Severn Bridge is incredible, isn't it?
0:01:14 > 0:01:17You have to pay to get in, but you don't have to pay to get out.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19MASON LAUGHS
0:01:26 > 0:01:30'Today, we're following our battered old book to another country'
0:01:30 > 0:01:34and we'll be searching for the hidden culinary high notes
0:01:34 > 0:01:36in the proud nation of Cymru.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38Wales, land of song.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44This is the second time I've been here.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46The first time wasn't successful.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49West Ham got beat by Liverpool at Cardiff in the FA Cup,
0:01:49 > 0:01:54- so I had bad memories.- Yeah. - But so far, so good, mate, this time.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56Old Chamberlain, he says,
0:01:56 > 0:01:59he expected people to be more lugubrious than they were,
0:01:59 > 0:02:01but he finds the Welsh very cheerful.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03And, oh, he does say
0:02:03 > 0:02:06that he thinks it's a bit of a gastronomic sewer, but,
0:02:06 > 0:02:10we'll find out whether it's got any better or not.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14Not venturing too far into the valleys,
0:02:14 > 0:02:15we're just popping over the border
0:02:15 > 0:02:17into the foothills of the Brecon Beacons
0:02:17 > 0:02:20to the town of Abergavenny, Monmouthshire.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25I've been assured by those in the know
0:02:25 > 0:02:28that if you want to sample fine Welsh fare,
0:02:28 > 0:02:30this is the place to come.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Abergavenny is supposed to be the gateway to Wales.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41I suppose it's up to us, get out there,
0:02:41 > 0:02:44mingle with the people of Wales, hey?
0:02:44 > 0:02:47- What do you think? - Looking forward to it.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51After a long ride in Mason's old bone rattler,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54it's a welcome opportunity to stretch our legs, hit the streets
0:02:54 > 0:02:58and take in the fresh mountain air of this historic town.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04- What do you think of Abergavenny? - Lovely, Terry.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07- The gentle folk of Abergavenny seem friendly.- Yeah. They do.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11Have you got a wasp on your head?
0:03:11 > 0:03:13MASON LAUGHS
0:03:13 > 0:03:14I don't care.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18Wildlife is attracted to me, you know. Even Welsh wildlife.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20DOG BARKS
0:03:25 > 0:03:26Life in Abergavenny
0:03:26 > 0:03:30has always revolved around three main institutions...
0:03:30 > 0:03:33the castle,
0:03:33 > 0:03:34the priory
0:03:34 > 0:03:36and the market.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41When it comes to offering some wholesome regional food
0:03:41 > 0:03:44for weary travellers, guess where we're headed first?
0:03:46 > 0:03:49- Another day, another market. - Abergavenny, the sun's shining.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52- TOY GUNSHOTS - Somebody's shooting at us. I don't blame them.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56Chamberlain would no doubt have witnessed the 150-year-old
0:03:56 > 0:04:00outdoor livestock market, which stopped trading in 2013.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04But the covered market
0:04:04 > 0:04:08still has the atmosphere of an important commercial centre.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13So, for two discerning gourmets like Mason and myself,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16it doesn't take long to find some true local produce.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20- Figs, oh...- Pineapple, which, of course, is indigenous to Wales,
0:04:20 > 0:04:22as is the papaya.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25It's no good buying that, it'll make you fat.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27- Hello.- Me? But there isn't a pick on me, madam.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29- How dare you. - THEY LAUGH
0:04:29 > 0:04:31- Everyone's a critic. - MASON LAUGHS
0:04:34 > 0:04:37Oh, you're slipping into the Welsh accent again.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39I know what you're going through, oh...
0:04:40 > 0:04:44Browsing the market, we meet local food blogger Carol Adams,
0:04:44 > 0:04:48who has a Welsh accent unlike any I've heard before.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52- This is the hub of Abergavenny here. - This is the hub of Abergavenny.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56This is the market and I absolutely love it here.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59You sound like a native-born daughter of Wales.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01Well, my husband is...
0:05:01 > 0:05:04- He's a daughter of Wales? - He's a son of Wales!- OK.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07I was born in New York and imported to Wales.
0:05:07 > 0:05:08EXAGGERATED ACCENT New York!
0:05:08 > 0:05:11- New York, yes...- You're a long way...- ..I am a long way from home.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15- You've been regretting it ever since, haven't you? - Not on a day like this.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18Glorious sunshine? It's always like this in Wales.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22Today we've got a bit of a mixed market here, food and...
0:05:22 > 0:05:25It is huge, it's teeming with people.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27According to the book we're following,
0:05:27 > 0:05:30Mr Chamberlain didn't think much of Welsh food.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34The Welsh have never been famous for anything, really,
0:05:34 > 0:05:36in the food line, apart from laverbread.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40This is, uh, foodie Mecca, if you like.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44Incredible producers, in terms of wine, cheese,
0:05:44 > 0:05:48- cider, beer, cockles, lamb... - Cockles?
0:05:48 > 0:05:52- But, I...- How can you be famous for cockles?- Leek? Leek soup?- Leeks.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54But I think today it's changing,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57with the amount of artisan food producers
0:05:57 > 0:06:00- right in this area, just outside. - It's a terrible shame,
0:06:00 > 0:06:03I always think, that the Welsh...
0:06:03 > 0:06:05can't play rugby or sing.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07CAROL LAUGHS
0:06:07 > 0:06:08- I pity the Welsh.- Easy.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12- Do you want to get out of here alive, or what?- Honestly!
0:06:16 > 0:06:19I'm very happy to be in Abergavenny, it's lovely.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21Can I pull you away from your fans and look at some...
0:06:21 > 0:06:25Don't pull me away from my fans, they're a rare and dying breed.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30'We've been in Abergavenny for at least 15 minutes,
0:06:30 > 0:06:32'not a morsel of food has passed our lips.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37'But I feel all that is about to change as we stumble
0:06:37 > 0:06:39'across a surprising regional favourite.'
0:06:41 > 0:06:43- Gurkha curry.- Yes.- Very spicy, or...?
0:06:43 > 0:06:46Very spicy, normally we have the very spicy one
0:06:46 > 0:06:48but this is the mild one.
0:06:48 > 0:06:49Is it popular in Abergavenny?
0:06:49 > 0:06:51Yeah, it is. It is very popular.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56'Yubaraj settled his family in Abergavenny after retiring from
0:06:56 > 0:06:58'the large Gurkha regiment,
0:06:58 > 0:07:00'stationed just up the road in Brecon.'
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Tell me, have you learned any of the Welsh language?
0:07:03 > 0:07:07I'm trying to learn, but it's too difficult for me at the moment.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09It's too difficult for anybody, ever!
0:07:09 > 0:07:11If they're not Welsh, that is.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13It is a difficult language.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15What's your Nepalese like, Tel?
0:07:15 > 0:07:18It's bordering on the inadequate.
0:07:18 > 0:07:19THEY LAUGH
0:07:19 > 0:07:23'Today Yubaraj is showing the good people of Abergavenny
0:07:23 > 0:07:26'how to cook traditional Nepalese food.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30'We don't want to cook it, we want to eat it!'
0:07:30 > 0:07:33- This is a chutney.- Chutney.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36- OK.- Careful, it's hot. - This is hot, is it? Oh!
0:07:36 > 0:07:37This is sweet.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40What about your friend and the chutney?
0:07:40 > 0:07:43- Yeah, my friend, Terence, would like some chutney.- Honestly!
0:07:43 > 0:07:46When I think of what I've done for you with the rice.
0:07:46 > 0:07:47There you go.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49- That's very nice.- Mmm.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52- Very good.- That is good, Tel.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56Here we are in Abergavenny, eating Gurkha curry...
0:07:56 > 0:07:57As you do!
0:07:57 > 0:07:59MASON CHUCKLES
0:07:59 > 0:08:01A day like any other.
0:08:01 > 0:08:02Do you like this Gurkha curry?
0:08:02 > 0:08:06- Fantastic.- How it tastes? - Very nice, beautiful.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08- As beautiful as your lovely wife.- Thank you.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12You're punching above your weight there, she's absolutely stunning.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14- There is no need for that! - Enjoy, enjoy the food.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22'Having offended just about everyone we've met, it's time to find out
0:08:22 > 0:08:24'what the local people of Abergavenny are eating
0:08:24 > 0:08:27'when they're not shovelling down a mild Nepalese curry.'
0:08:27 > 0:08:30We're following a fellow who wrote a book who said
0:08:30 > 0:08:34the food in Wales, and particularly Abergavenny, was rubbish.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37- Is that true?- No.- No, we just had a lovely meal.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39Have you? What have you had?
0:08:39 > 0:08:41Um, steak and ale pie and chips.
0:08:41 > 0:08:46So, have you got any special way in Abergavenny of cooking potatoes?
0:08:46 > 0:08:47- LADIES:- No.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52'Well, I suppose, potatoes are potatoes.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57'In the search for enlightenment, our thoughts now turn to the church.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01'St Mary's Priory has dominated the Abergavenny skyline
0:09:01 > 0:09:03'for over 1,000 years.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09'A turbulent history has seen the priory pass through numerous hands,
0:09:09 > 0:09:13'but today the caretaker is a fellow knight of the realm,
0:09:13 > 0:09:15'Sir Trefor Morris.'
0:09:15 > 0:09:18- You're the man...- Thank you. - ..Sir Trefor Morris,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21because you know everything there is to know about Abergavenny,
0:09:21 > 0:09:23that wonderful church behind us.
0:09:23 > 0:09:24Tell me more.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26This is built by Hamelin de Balun
0:09:26 > 0:09:29who came over just after William the Conqueror.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33This is the new extension, 1325, but this goes back to 1087.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37'St Mary's Priory is so huge,
0:09:37 > 0:09:40'it's been referred to as the Westminster Abbey of Wales.'
0:09:40 > 0:09:43- It's a cathedral?- Cathedral size.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46- Why is it not a cathedral? - It should be a cathedral.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48You see, I knew you were resentful of that.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52No, they decided, when the Church in Wales was disestablished,
0:09:52 > 0:09:55this was going to be, then it wasn't and then it went down to Newport,
0:09:55 > 0:09:56but who would want to go to Newport?
0:09:58 > 0:10:02'It may not be a cathedral, but the Priory does house an important
0:10:02 > 0:10:06'collection of monuments, including one of the rarest medieval statues in Britain.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11'But Trefor has something a little more up-to-date to show me.'
0:10:13 > 0:10:15Is there anything I should especially have a look at,
0:10:15 > 0:10:17inspect closely?
0:10:17 > 0:10:20The tapestry. A wonderful piece of work and the ladies who stitched it.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22I call them the Medieval Babes.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25They resented it at first, but then they got to like it.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27How long ago was that, if you call them Medieval Babes?
0:10:27 > 0:10:29Oh, about six or seven years ago.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31They weren't that medieval.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34- They weren't that medieval. - Lead me to it, then, Trefor.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39'Created to celebrate the new millennium, the tapestry
0:10:39 > 0:10:41'is eight metres wide
0:10:41 > 0:10:43'and was all stitched by hand
0:10:43 > 0:10:46'with over 400 shades of wool.'
0:10:46 > 0:10:49Here we are, the tapestry ladies.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52'The Medieval Babes remember every stitch.'
0:10:52 > 0:10:56It represents 1,000 years of Abergavenny history.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00There's something there of each century.
0:11:00 > 0:11:01It's a formidable piece of work.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04It certainly wasn't done in a year. How long has it taken?
0:11:04 > 0:11:06- Four.- Four years, is that all?
0:11:06 > 0:11:10There were 60 of us and we worked in shifts
0:11:10 > 0:11:12so that everybody had a fair whack.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15It was very difficult to get the moon.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17In fact, it was probably the most difficult part
0:11:17 > 0:11:20- of the whole tapestry. - It's only a circle.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23Yes, but it's got to have a glow,
0:11:23 > 0:11:26otherwise it would look like an old dish up in the sky.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29It works.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32'I'm glad to report that the tapestry is not the only treat
0:11:32 > 0:11:35'these ladies have in store.'
0:11:35 > 0:11:38You must not miss one of the genuine Welsh cakes.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41I don't think I will. Bless you.
0:11:43 > 0:11:44Oh!
0:11:44 > 0:11:48'Welsh cakes, the fuel for creative genius.'
0:11:56 > 0:11:59We're actually going to see a place called the White Castle,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02- which is a vineyard.- Right.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05- You wouldn't expect a vineyard in Wales, would you?- Not in Wales, no.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08It's a bit cold for vines. Are you a wine drinker?
0:12:08 > 0:12:10I love a drop of wine, Terry, yes.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14- I like a drop of red. - Red, you prefer? Yeah.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16I'll drink anything.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20My uncle used to make coconut wine.
0:12:20 > 0:12:21He broke both ankles.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27- THEY BOTH LAUGH - The trouble with you, son, is
0:12:27 > 0:12:31I never know whether you're telling the truth or not.
0:12:32 > 0:12:33MASON LAUGHS
0:12:35 > 0:12:38'When Chamberlain was here in the 1960s,
0:12:38 > 0:12:40'there was no wine production at all.
0:12:41 > 0:12:46'He'd be amazed that today, there are over 20 vineyards
0:12:46 > 0:12:49'gracing the sun-soaked valleys of Wales.'
0:12:49 > 0:12:53So, in the shadow of the Brecons, not far from Abergavenny,
0:12:53 > 0:12:58Rob and Nicola, with a vineyard. It's unexpected, isn't it?
0:12:58 > 0:13:04It is unexpected, yes. It's living a dream of Nicola's
0:13:04 > 0:13:06that she's had since about 1996.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09- So it's you, Nicola, you're the inspiration?- It is indeed.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13Why did you decide a vineyard was just the thing you wanted in Wales?
0:13:13 > 0:13:15I thought of having a vineyard
0:13:15 > 0:13:18and us being able to work at home together
0:13:18 > 0:13:20and grow something together.
0:13:20 > 0:13:21Do you regret it, or are you happy about it?
0:13:21 > 0:13:23- Very happy indeed. - So you should be.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29Following their passion, Rob and Nicola studied viticulture
0:13:29 > 0:13:33and produced their first bottle of wine almost five years ago.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37Today, they have five acres, all tended by hand.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39But I'd rather sip than snip.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45I'm always astounded by how much wine can be produced
0:13:45 > 0:13:48in a fairly small amount of space.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52We're looking at 6,000 bottles, thereabouts, a year at the moment.
0:13:52 > 0:13:546,000 bottles!
0:13:54 > 0:13:57- We'll never get through all that, will we?- We'll have a go.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03Rob has been kind enough to open a few bottles from the cellar.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05And, so we're not drinking on an empty stomach,
0:14:05 > 0:14:09we also have some regional nibbles, care of the local smokery.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14- You're the smokers.- That's right. We produce smoked salmon,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17we've got some smoked duck, some smoked chicken and cheese.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21That's just a small range of some of the things we produce down here.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24We'll start with the white wine first, if you like.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26Oh, well, OK.
0:14:26 > 0:14:27Right.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Where do we spit it out?
0:14:29 > 0:14:31I have a spittoon here if you need.
0:14:31 > 0:14:32If you feel you need to spit it out.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34- No, I don't. - LAUGHTER
0:14:34 > 0:14:36I don't, but I thought that was the thing to do.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41'Ah! to spit, or not to spit.'
0:14:41 > 0:14:45I've swallowed it. And I made no mistake.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48This is our rose.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51SLURPING
0:14:52 > 0:14:56I don't know why I did that. I've swallowed it again.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59Am I the only one eating and drinking? Come along, now.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01We'll all have a go.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03TERRY SLURPS
0:15:03 > 0:15:07Already, my senses are beginning to...blunt.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13- What's the Welsh for cheers? - Lechyd da.
0:15:13 > 0:15:14- ALL:- Lechyd da!
0:15:15 > 0:15:17Do you know, I haven't spat out a drop.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19LAUGHTER
0:15:24 > 0:15:28How are you finding driving on the little, windy roads of Wales?
0:15:28 > 0:15:29Yeah, it's tricky.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Not as tricky as reading the signs as well, some of them.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34Ah, I don't know how to pronounce it.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37I don't know what Chamberlain would have made of it.
0:15:37 > 0:15:38He did his best.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42He invested ninepence in a pamphlet called Welsh In A week.
0:15:42 > 0:15:43MASON LAUGHS
0:15:43 > 0:15:47And he couldn't even ask, "Is there any rooms?"
0:15:48 > 0:15:49Because that became...
0:15:49 > 0:15:52HE ATTEMPTS TO SPEAK IN WELSH
0:15:55 > 0:15:58Back in the narrow streets of Abergavenny,
0:15:58 > 0:16:01our quest for incredible edibles continues.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05- Mason.- Yeah?
0:16:05 > 0:16:07- The Welsh for taxi.- Oh, yeah.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10- Tacsi.- That's simple.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12- Now we can speak Welsh. - I can remember that.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19'Having mastered the local lingo, time to master a local culinary art.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23'South Wales has a strong tradition of confectionery,
0:16:23 > 0:16:25'and local sweet maker Adele Nozedar
0:16:25 > 0:16:28'has agreed to show us how it's done.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31'I don't think she knows what she's letting herself in for.'
0:16:31 > 0:16:35- What have we got here? You're Adele, aren't you?- Yes, I'm Adele.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38- I know everything.- I believe you'd be Terry and Mason?- Yeah.- Yes.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41'You'll be glad to know that the sweets we're making
0:16:41 > 0:16:43'have a traditional Welsh mining theme.'
0:16:43 > 0:16:46- Ever had a Collier's Lump before? - No, never before.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49- Today's a first.- I've had a few lumps but...- Not a Collier's Lump.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52- Is this because of the Welsh association?- It is.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54It's because these mints are very strong and minty
0:16:54 > 0:16:57and they used to be taken down the mines by the miners.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59So, a big mining link.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03I think I'll leave it to Mason to get his hands dirty with this one.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07So, if you want to take that red food colouring
0:17:07 > 0:17:10- and scatter it on top there. - Just scatter this around.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13- Just pick it up, Adele, like that? - Pick it up, chuck it on.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15Put it in your mouth and spit it out!
0:17:15 > 0:17:19- Take that.- Yeah, take that. - And copy me.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22You're never going to make any money as a plasterer, do you know that?
0:17:22 > 0:17:24- What does it feel like? - Never mind what it feels like,
0:17:24 > 0:17:27what does it look like? It looks like a duck's liver!
0:17:27 > 0:17:28LAUGHTER
0:17:29 > 0:17:33We've discovered that the Welsh for taxi is...
0:17:33 > 0:17:35- Tacsi.- Tacsi. - MASON LAUGHS
0:17:35 > 0:17:38Do you know what a jellyfish is, though?
0:17:38 > 0:17:40Jellyfish?
0:17:40 > 0:17:41Pysgodlyn wibblywobbly.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43Pysgodlyn wibblywobbly.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46That sounds like a sweet.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48Put a bit of oil on your hands.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50- Mind your with wibblywobbly.- Yes!
0:17:52 > 0:17:53Pysgodlyn wibblywobbly.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55What you're going to do is pull it.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58I wonder if this is not too exciting for the viewer.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03- What's it going to turn out as? - A satiny sheen.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06- It's going to be a Collier's Lump. - Of course it is, silly me.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08She told you there it's going to be a Collier's Lump.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11- It's hard to keep track. - You'll get another lump in a minute.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13- You're distracting me. - They're at it again.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17The first stick of rock is said to have been invented
0:18:17 > 0:18:19- by a chap called Dynamite Dick. - Really?
0:18:19 > 0:18:23Who had gone from Morecambe to join in the Klondike gold rush
0:18:23 > 0:18:27and made a lot of money, and then invented the stick of rock,
0:18:27 > 0:18:29which looked like a stick of dynamite.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31Do you expect me to believe that?
0:18:31 > 0:18:34I'll tell you something else that you might not believe.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37Do you know, they made Winston Churchill's favourite mints
0:18:37 > 0:18:38in Merthyr Tydfil?
0:18:38 > 0:18:40A very little-known fact.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42I'd prefer a seaweed and jam.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46'A few twists and cuts,
0:18:46 > 0:18:48'and our Collier's Lumps are ready for the mines.'
0:18:48 > 0:18:51- It's looking good, Adele. - It's looking very good, isn't it?
0:18:51 > 0:18:53I'm not being greedy or anything like that.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57And I'm probably depriving some children of their sweeties.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00But, er, I'm just going to put them in my pocket,
0:19:00 > 0:19:01I'll be chewing them later.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04- Lovely to meet you. - You too, Adele. Thank you.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13You know when you're driving around London,
0:19:13 > 0:19:15do you offer your customers sweets when they get into the cab?
0:19:15 > 0:19:18You're joking. Londoners would look at you like,
0:19:18 > 0:19:19"Who's this guy? He's a crazy man."
0:19:19 > 0:19:22"What does he want for these sweets?"
0:19:22 > 0:19:25But the great thing about sweets in the back of any car
0:19:25 > 0:19:28- is that it keeps the kids quiet. - Oh, definitely.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30And sometimes the wife.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33To be honest, I might get some sweets for you.
0:19:33 > 0:19:34Am I speaking too much?
0:19:34 > 0:19:37You must let me know, Mason, and then I'll ignore you completely.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44Chamberlain describes this part of Wales
0:19:44 > 0:19:47as having few gastronomic rewards.
0:19:49 > 0:19:50But, just outside Abergavenny,
0:19:50 > 0:19:53we find a restaurant with that rarefied award,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56a Michelin star.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00And so I find myself in the virtually sacred precincts
0:20:00 > 0:20:03- of the kitchen of Shaun Hill. - Nice to see you.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06The Walnut Tree, far-famed among gourmets everywhere.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09Do you run a tight kitchen here, Shaun, do you believe
0:20:09 > 0:20:12in cuffing the lower orders about the ears when they do it wrong,
0:20:12 > 0:20:14hit them with a skillet?
0:20:14 > 0:20:16It's paradise here. They all love it.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19- You see there's hardly a scar on anybody.- No.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22You probably don't hit them where anybody can see!
0:20:25 > 0:20:28The Walnut Tree has been serving fine food since the early '60s,
0:20:28 > 0:20:30just as Shaun was about to start
0:20:30 > 0:20:35working with one of the most important chefs of a generation.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38I started my career with Robert Carrier,
0:20:38 > 0:20:41who was the Galloping Gourmet of his time.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43Oh, I remember Robert Carrier, of course.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47He and Elizabeth David were the big figures in food,
0:20:47 > 0:20:50and they disliked each other intensely.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54Elizabeth David thought that Carrier was a performer,
0:20:54 > 0:20:57a pantomime act, because he was a bit larger than life.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59It could have been something to do with the fact
0:20:59 > 0:21:03they had cookware shops in Pimlico just two doors apart.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11Carrier first opened a London restaurant in 1959.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14About the same time as our friend Chamberlain started exploring
0:21:14 > 0:21:16the culinary delights of the UK.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22At that time, eating out was all about hotel restaurants,
0:21:22 > 0:21:28where showmanship and service were more important than the food itself.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30You could also pay for the cab fare with loose change.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36Carrier became one of the first celebrity chefs in Britain.
0:21:36 > 0:21:41He used exotic ingredients, inspired people to make great food at home.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43I have a confession to make.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46These beautiful dishes aren't my own work. I had help.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49I remember him coming into the kitchen once or twice.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53It was normally pretty catastrophic, you know.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56I mean, he was a good cook and had great taste,
0:21:56 > 0:21:58but he was not a restaurant chef.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00- This is one of his recipes?- It was.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02I used to have to make this and I've brought it back.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04It's a pate a l'oseille
0:22:04 > 0:22:07but he used to call it Mr Carrier's pate a l'oseille.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10- Oseille being? - It's the green stuff in it.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14A pate with green stuff, my favourite.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17This should be a real taste of the '60s.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20- Is this a secret recipe?- No.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22- Are you sure?- No, and it changes every time you make it.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26- You don't have to shoot anybody who sees this?- No.- OK.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30I like a chicken liver.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33You're sparing nothing with this, aren't you?
0:22:35 > 0:22:39The cream's got a little bit of gelatine in it.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41- Now, there's a tip. - There it is.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44You see, the present Lady Wogan will be interested in that.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46SHAUN LAUGHS
0:22:46 > 0:22:48For those of you that don't remember the '60s,
0:22:48 > 0:22:50this is what the food looked like.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55Do you want to taste one of these things, from one I made earlier?
0:22:58 > 0:22:59Mm.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02Shaun.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04I feel I've marched back into the '60s.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06- But it's been a worthwhile trip. - SHAUN LAUGHS
0:23:08 > 0:23:10Robert Carrier would be very proud of you.
0:23:12 > 0:23:13I'll dig him up and tell him.
0:23:20 > 0:23:25They say here there's a musical lilt to the Welsh tongue.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29It shows itself the joyous love of song among the people. That's true.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32They're natural, irrepressible singers.
0:23:32 > 0:23:33There's a school of thought that says
0:23:33 > 0:23:37you can't stop the Welsh from singing.
0:23:37 > 0:23:38Look at Tom Jones, for goodness' sakes.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41You have to stop yourself, as soon as you come to Wales, going,
0:23:41 > 0:23:45"There's lovely." And then, "Hello, Tom."
0:23:45 > 0:23:48Or going, possibly, "Yeah!"
0:23:50 > 0:23:53Having digested much of what Abergavenny has to offer,
0:23:53 > 0:23:56the climax to this town's food story can be found
0:23:56 > 0:23:59within the walls of the old castle.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Built as a fortress to keep people out,
0:24:02 > 0:24:07these days, it plays host to the town's annual food festival,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10and welcomes 30,000 food lovers from around the world.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Mason and I have been promised
0:24:14 > 0:24:17a little taste of this great culinary event.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21The food festival's been going since 1999.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25It was started by two local farmers who wanted to do something
0:24:25 > 0:24:29in response to the BSE and the foot and mouth crisis in farming.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32And they wanted to help local people understand
0:24:32 > 0:24:34what fantastic produce there was being made on farms
0:24:34 > 0:24:36in the hillsides and the valleys locally,
0:24:36 > 0:24:38and they created a small market
0:24:38 > 0:24:40where farmers and others could bring their produce.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43And 17 years on, we're still going.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50'Two festival regulars are Samantha and Shauna.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53'They come every year to help feed all those festival food-goers.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57'And I think they may expect us to eat something!'
0:24:57 > 0:25:00There you are, dressed like a traditional Welsh maiden.
0:25:03 > 0:25:04So, what's the Welsh for barbecue?
0:25:04 > 0:25:06- Barbeciw. - LAUGHTER
0:25:06 > 0:25:08- You asked for that. - That doesn't come as a surprise.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10- You knew that was coming. - And taxi would be...
0:25:10 > 0:25:12- Tacsi. - We know that!
0:25:13 > 0:25:18These two have really mastered the art of American barbecue.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22Basically, we quit our jobs and travelled around New Orleans,
0:25:22 > 0:25:25Georgia, all the American barbecue states,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28learning how to do this style of food.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30Let's have a look at the old spare ribs, will you?
0:25:30 > 0:25:33- Basically, these are St Louis-style trimmed ribs.- Oh, look at that.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35- Oh,- Terry. For heaven's sake.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38So, the eating experience should be, we give you the meat,
0:25:38 > 0:25:40it has its own handle, you pick it up.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43You eat it, you put the bone back down again. St Louis ribs.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46- I'm not sure I can do that. - I think I can, ladies.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49- Pick it up. Eat it.- Pick it up.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52- You've got the big one, as they say. - Oh, sorry.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54- Oh, it's a hard life! - SHE LAUGHS
0:25:54 > 0:25:56Oh.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59That's beautiful. Just falling off the bone.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02It's not all American.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05They also have some slow-cooked Welsh lamb.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08We smoke this over hickory wood for about nine hours.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10Oh, dear.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13You see, this food is definitely easier to eat with your hands.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16Dispense with any pleasantries. Just pick it up.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18- Oh, yeah, get involved.- Get involved.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20It's great, ladies, I've got to tell you.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22If I turn around...
0:26:22 > 0:26:24there appear to be a lot of gentlemen
0:26:24 > 0:26:26all wearing the same blazer.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29If I didn't know better, I'd say we're going to hear a Welsh choir.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31I think you might be right, Terry.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37CHOIR SINGS
0:26:49 > 0:26:51- This is great, isn't it? - Yes, it's fantastic.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57A fine body of men.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00Especially the one with the stripy tie, I like him.
0:27:05 > 0:27:06APPLAUSE
0:27:06 > 0:27:08'So, the boys have sung.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12'I suppose it's only fair we give them their supper.'
0:27:12 > 0:27:13There we go.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17This is the high spot of this entire programme. Feeding Wales.
0:27:17 > 0:27:22- I love a spare rib. - You look as if you're enjoying it.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24If you don't enjoy this, I'll take it back!
0:27:26 > 0:27:27Enjoy.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31Keep their vocal cords in tip-top condition.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33- Enjoy the food. - We haven't started singing.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35Well done, boys.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37THEY BID FAREWELL
0:27:38 > 0:27:40- Nice bunch of fellas, Terry. - Lovely. Yeah, great.
0:27:45 > 0:27:46Where to next?
0:27:46 > 0:27:49No idea, but I should imagine, if we follow this book,
0:27:49 > 0:27:51old Chamberlain will guide us right.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54- I hope he knows where he's going. - Well, I do, too.