0:00:02 > 0:00:03He's Brian Turner.
0:00:03 > 0:00:06And she's Janet Street-Porter.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09I'm passionate about walking.
0:00:09 > 0:00:14These feet have taken me the length and breadth of Great Britain.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17I've been privileged to cook all round the world,
0:00:17 > 0:00:20but it's Britain that I love - fabulous produce,
0:00:20 > 0:00:22great ingredients, right here on the doorstop.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27We're joining forces to explore Britain's rich heritage.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32And the landscape that's given us such wonderful produce.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35He's in charge of the food.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38And guess what, she's in charge of everything else!
0:00:38 > 0:00:40- This is...- A Taste of Britain.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52Today, we're in charming Cheshire, home to dramatic landscapes,
0:00:52 > 0:00:56a rich heritage and a wealth of great pubs and restaurants.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02Situated in the North West, it's a county with a wonderfully
0:01:02 > 0:01:05diverse range of the best in British produce.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10So, we'll be taking full advantage by trying to reel in a few local
0:01:10 > 0:01:12delicacies of our own.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15You've done it before, haven't you?
0:01:15 > 0:01:16- Many times.- I can catch a duck easier.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18Yeah, you might be going for smoked duck.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21Never mind about smoked trout.
0:01:21 > 0:01:22Along with great architecture,
0:01:22 > 0:01:25Tatton Park has some very fine furnishings.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27Well, it's certainly very red.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29It's not my choice of colour.
0:01:32 > 0:01:33Is my light on?
0:01:33 > 0:01:34Yeah, it's on.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37And I discover that some of Cheshire's most interesting
0:01:37 > 0:01:40history is hidden underground.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42Just a bit of a slope here, Janet, and then...
0:01:42 > 0:01:44Oh, no, I might have to hold on to thing.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47I don't think I'm a natural miner, Stephen.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51After tasting our way around the county, I'll be cooking a dish
0:01:51 > 0:01:55that sums up a Taste of Cheshire for a few of the locals.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59Anybody of you who likes well done meat, you can leave now.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01- OK.- It's the no-choice menu.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14Well, Brian, look at that view - the Cheshire Plain.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18And we're standing on the edge of Alderley Edge.
0:02:18 > 0:02:23But under where we're standing is a secret world that I'm going to
0:02:23 > 0:02:28investigate later because once this was, believe it or not, a desert.
0:02:28 > 0:02:29- No!- Yeah.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33Chester's over there and that's where the Romans were thinking of
0:02:33 > 0:02:37establishing the capital of Britain, long before they thought of London.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39So, there's lots to find out in this area.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41Well, there's not just fabulous scenery, as you say,
0:02:41 > 0:02:43and it really is very beautiful.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47Look at that lovely, lush pasture land. Cattle grazing,
0:02:47 > 0:02:52- lovely milk and the world famous Cheshire cheese.- Yeah.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55But not only that, we've got great meat in this part of the world,
0:02:55 > 0:02:59and Tatton Park is doing some great work in conservation of rare breeds.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Not only that, they produce their own herd of deer to produce
0:03:02 > 0:03:04venison, which I think is fantastic.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06But what I really like about this part of the world is that
0:03:06 > 0:03:09there's some wonderful small, family businesses.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11The one I like particularly, however,
0:03:11 > 0:03:16is a smokehouse where they smoke local cheese, local meat and trout.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19- Now, I just love smoked trout. - So do I.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21So, the first thing we're going to do, is catch a fish.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23You're not challenging me to a fishing match, are you?
0:03:23 > 0:03:26- It's not a challenge, I'm just following you.- Game on.
0:03:26 > 0:03:27Lead on, plum duff.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36I forgot to mention, I'm a dab-hand with a fishing rod, Brian,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39so you could be left feeling like a fish out of water.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Well, I think the local trout farm on the River Dane is a great
0:03:44 > 0:03:47place to put our skills to the test.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52The quality of the water here means the fishing lake teems with
0:03:52 > 0:03:55top quality trout, which are highly prized by local
0:03:55 > 0:03:58restaurants for their superior taste.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01It's the perfect ingredient for our first Taste of Cheshire,
0:04:01 > 0:04:03although we need to catch one first.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Farm owner and keen fisherman, Lorne Chadwick,
0:04:07 > 0:04:09is just the man to help us.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12- Lorne.- Hi, Janet. Brian.
0:04:12 > 0:04:13Hi, Lorne, nice to see you.
0:04:13 > 0:04:19Now, these are very big, active fish. How old are they?
0:04:19 > 0:04:23Um, these are about 11 to 12 months old, ready for sale.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25I can see rainbow trout and brown trout,
0:04:25 > 0:04:27are those the two main types you've got here?
0:04:27 > 0:04:29The two main types that I breed, yeah.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32Rainbow trout obviously for the table, it's the most popular,
0:04:32 > 0:04:33that's what people want.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35I do buy in quite a few brown trout.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38- I like brown trout. - It's the fisherman's choice.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40- I prefer the taste of a brown trout. - Yeah.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42But it does take a lot longer to grow, so if you're doing
0:04:42 > 0:04:45brown trout, they are a little bit of a premium price, but you can get
0:04:45 > 0:04:48two or three lots of rainbow through in the same kind of time.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52What makes your trout taste good, in your opinion?
0:04:52 > 0:04:55One, I'm not mass-producing - I'm only doing it on a very,
0:04:55 > 0:04:56very small scale.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59I take a little bit longer to get my fish up to size,
0:04:59 > 0:05:01so rather than the fish having big fat bellies
0:05:01 > 0:05:04they tend to be broader in the back, and that's where the flesh is.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08Plus, very fast flowing water, which keeps the fish fit.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Explain to me, when I'm looking at a trout in a fishmonger's,
0:05:11 > 0:05:12what I should be looking for.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16A lot of the time you'll notice that the head isn't in proportion with the fish.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19And that's mainly cos they've force-fed it to get it to grow faster.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22If you actually ask the fishmonger to fillet it, you'll notice
0:05:22 > 0:05:24when they've cut it, when it gets near the end it's basically flesh.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27And it's not that he's done a bad job, it's just there's no meat there.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30- Sure.- Whereas, if you've got them slimmer, more like a salmon shape,
0:05:30 > 0:05:33they'll have a broader back and that's where all the flesh is.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36What attracts people about fishing?
0:05:36 > 0:05:37Getting back to nature.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39It's about seeing nature while you're here and it's actually
0:05:39 > 0:05:43pitting your brains and your skill to outwit the fish.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45I find it very, very calming.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48It just takes such a long time to set up.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50That's the whole point.
0:05:50 > 0:05:51Shall I start off with you?
0:05:51 > 0:05:54- But I'm here to learn! I'm here to learn.- It's two against one!- Yeah.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59- There's nothing else to do but get back to nature.- Yes.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02- Find my primeval man.- Yeah.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06- And do it.- Let's see how good you really are.- Yes.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10It's been a while, but I'm confident I'll soon get
0:06:10 > 0:06:13back into the swing of things.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15- You've done it before, haven't you?- Many times.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19Brian, on the other hand, is going to need some help from the expert.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21Cor, blimey, O'Reilly.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27So we're bringing the rod up, nice and straight,
0:06:27 > 0:06:28fly's still in the water
0:06:28 > 0:06:32and then just as the line's coming level with you, flick forward,
0:06:32 > 0:06:34pointing your rod downwards.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36- Theoretically, the fish are attracted by that.- Yeah.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39- Go chunk, pull 'em in.- Yep.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41So, pull it just slowly up next to you,
0:06:41 > 0:06:45until the line's just coming about level with you.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47A little bit more, and forward.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50Not bad. We'll give it another try.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52I'm sure you're being sweet there.
0:06:52 > 0:06:53Always sweet.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57That was even better.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59Yeah, I feel like I'm going to dive in there.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03- Stop leaning forward, you don't need to dive in.- No.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05I'll see how Janet's going.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09Right, I've forgotten how to hold me fingers when I'm flicking it back.
0:07:09 > 0:07:10- Imagine...- Mm.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12..there's a clock above your head.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15So, you're coming back, and you're only going forward a certain amount.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17- Oh, yeah, that's what it is. - And only let the line go...
0:07:17 > 0:07:19- Ten to two till ten past. - Exactly.- Exactly.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23And then the last cast, let go of the line and it'll go straight out.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26- Right, so, I'm doing... - Bring a bit more line in first.
0:07:30 > 0:07:31That's it.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35Do the flick, you don't need to throw it
0:07:35 > 0:07:38because the rod will naturally throw it for you.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46I'm going to catch a duck, I can catch a duck easier.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48Yeah, you might be going for smoked duck.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51Never mind about smoked trout.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55It's a good thing Lorne has a couple of lovely looking specimens
0:07:55 > 0:07:57he caught earlier for us.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00Here, Janet, two to take away.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02Well, thank you, as we caught nothing. Look at those, Brian.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04They're very pretty, aren't they, eh?
0:08:04 > 0:08:06They're lovely and they've got a nice shape to 'em.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08those are perfect.
0:08:08 > 0:08:09The smokehouse is going to love those.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18Established over a century ago,
0:08:18 > 0:08:22the smokehouse in Wilmslow uses everything from hickory wood
0:08:22 > 0:08:28to maple syrup to smoke a wide variety of local produce.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31The business was founded by the great grandfather of current owner,
0:08:31 > 0:08:37Darren Ward, who still uses the same traditional smoking methods today.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40- Darren, hello.- Hi.- Wotcher. - Pleased to meet you.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43I've brought you two trout and I wish I could say that we caught them
0:08:43 > 0:08:47- but unfortunately my casting partner let me down.- Ah.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49I caught as many as you caught today.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52- Nought. Which is nought. - Exactly!- So...
0:08:52 > 0:08:53You want them smoking?
0:08:53 > 0:08:55- D'you want to smoke 'em for us? Yes, please.- Yeah.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58It's going take a bit long to do this, but I can show you how we do it.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02These trout have come down from Wincle,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05we cured them this morning, just in a brine solution,
0:09:05 > 0:09:07then we're just going to actually cold smoke them.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09And cold smoking means?
0:09:09 > 0:09:11Cold smoking means you're actually getting a flavour through
0:09:11 > 0:09:13to them, you're not cooking them.
0:09:13 > 0:09:14- Right.- So these will get up to...
0:09:14 > 0:09:17- They'll just waft in smoke. - They waft in smoke, yeah.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23- These are our brick smoke kilns.- Right.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Very simple, it's the same process my great grandfather
0:09:25 > 0:09:27used to use.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29We just smoulder oak and beech chippings,
0:09:29 > 0:09:32they'll smoulder very, very slowly. There won't be any flames involved.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34There's no real heat there, is there?
0:09:34 > 0:09:36No, you get up about 30 degrees so, you know, you're not...
0:09:36 > 0:09:39You're not going to cook the product in there.
0:09:39 > 0:09:44I'd like to know, if different wood produces different taste
0:09:44 > 0:09:48on the fish, when you buy a smoked fish it says oak chippings or
0:09:48 > 0:09:51these chippings, or whatever, is that a load of baloney?
0:09:51 > 0:09:54Um, some woods, it's very hard to tell the difference.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Yeah. What is a wood that really makes a different taste?
0:09:57 > 0:09:59Oak, oak is quite different, there's
0:09:59 > 0:10:02a lot of tannins in oak, which is why they use it for wine.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05And you get a much softer sort of vanilla sort of flavour.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07And hickory's different to oak a lot?
0:10:07 > 0:10:08Hickory's quite different, yeah, you know.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11So, do you cure everything that you smoke?
0:10:11 > 0:10:13- Almost everything.- Give or take.- Yeah, yeah.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16There's a big thinking these days in restaurants,
0:10:16 > 0:10:19people are now starting to brine everything. Which in effect is the same thing.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21- It is, yeah.- And it makes it moister.- Yeah.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24It's giving it the seasoning and gets the flavour
0:10:24 > 0:10:28and then you finish it off with this wonderful smoky smell and taste.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30A lot of restaurants are smoking food now
0:10:30 > 0:10:31and you can hot smoke very,
0:10:31 > 0:10:35very easy in a restaurant or in a frying pan with some oak chips, and it's great, yeah.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38We actually hot smoke in another machine just round the corner.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42- I've got some trout in there that I can show you now.- Fantastic.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45This is a hot smoker, this is where we're actually introducing heat and
0:10:45 > 0:10:47cooking and smoking at the same time.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50So the smoke's generated, blown over, down onto the products
0:10:50 > 0:10:52and we're cooking it at the same time.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54So those are ready. Can we take them out and have a look?
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Let's have a look at these.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58If we peel some of the skin back on this.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00Oh, God, look at the colour, it's so beautiful.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02Look at the moisture as well there, you can see it.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05- Are we are allowed to taste it? - Please do, yeah.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07- Thank you, d'you want a little bit?- Yeah.
0:11:07 > 0:11:08And we cook our trout on the bone,
0:11:08 > 0:11:11a lot of people cook the fillets separately.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14I think we get a better product doing it on the bone, stays more moist.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16Yeah. You just get a hint of smoke, don't you, huh?
0:11:17 > 0:11:20I'm going to make a little pate with a bit of cheese, horseradish,
0:11:20 > 0:11:22dill, just a bit of seasoning.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24- You can't do much to these.- No.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27- I'm just taking that with me. - Oh, for goodness' sake.- For a snack.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29- Supper again tonight. - I might have a snack.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33Our visit to the smokehouse was really inspiring, so I hope
0:11:33 > 0:11:37Brian's got a great recipe up his sleeve for that fabulous fish.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41Well, Janet, I've got just the thing to highlight the trout's
0:11:41 > 0:11:43delicious, smoky flavour.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46I think this smoked trout is beautiful.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51Consequently, what we're going to do with it is make a pate.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54We've got some local cream cheese, I've got some horseradish and dill.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56I'd just serve it with some bread.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00- Yeah.- Right, so, we take the fish here first.- Yeah.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02There's a natural bit, so just be careful.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07That's the back, that lifts off nicely.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12This is the difficult bit, in my opinion, this is with the belly,
0:12:12 > 0:12:16this is where the bones are, so just be careful with those.
0:12:16 > 0:12:17Take those to one side.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21I'm going to put them into two different bowls.
0:12:21 > 0:12:26Then, if you're very careful, you just lift off the rest of the bones.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29I think a career in surgery awaits you, Brian.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31Not me, I can't stand the sight of blood.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34What I'm going to do now is take this and
0:12:34 > 0:12:37mix it with our other ingredients.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39- This is the cream cheese.- Yep.
0:12:39 > 0:12:40You've got some horseradish.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42OK.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45- It's not over strong. - No, it's lovely.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47- All right.- So that goes in there.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52Put that in with our belly.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57- I'm also...- Hang on, what was that that just happened?
0:12:57 > 0:12:59What, no, what was that that just happened?
0:12:59 > 0:13:01Just put some butter in here, Janet.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03Butter with the cream cheese!
0:13:03 > 0:13:07- Well, exactly, cos we want to make it really smooth and rich.- Rich!
0:13:07 > 0:13:09- Rich.- Rich, yeah. - Rich.- Yeah.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12So, now I'm just going to beat this up.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14I'd hate to see you do it in a machine.
0:13:14 > 0:13:15I was going to ask you that,
0:13:15 > 0:13:18because if you do it in a machine it'll mash it to bits, won't it?
0:13:18 > 0:13:23Exactly. So I want this puree, but I don't want it really fine
0:13:23 > 0:13:25and like sludge, really.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27That's looking good, lovely colour, I do like that.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30I'm going to put a little bit of salt in there, only a wee bit.
0:13:30 > 0:13:31Some pepper in there.
0:13:32 > 0:13:38And then some lemon juice, that'll just lift it up that little bit.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42Now I've got it where I want it, I'm just going to break this in here.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45The trick now is not to stir it too much.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47It's just to fold it in.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50So it's a bit like dry stone walling.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52You've got the bricks, then you've got the bits in between, OK?
0:13:52 > 0:13:54And that's just about it.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57So the rest now is all about accompaniments and presentation.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02So I'm going to put some dill in there, not too fine.
0:14:02 > 0:14:03Chop it at the last minute,
0:14:03 > 0:14:07so you've got all those flavours just being released.
0:14:07 > 0:14:08Give it one last stir.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10That's a very, very strong herb.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13This is a very rich mixture,
0:14:13 > 0:14:15no matter what anybody says to you, don't get too greedy.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18So all we'll do is just put it in the bottom there.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20- I like the texture you've come up with.- In there.
0:14:20 > 0:14:25- I would never have thought of that. That's good that it's got the chunks in it.- Yeah.- It looks good.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27What we're going to do is we're going to serve it with some bread.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31Now, toasted bread's fine but I actually just quite like this...
0:14:31 > 0:14:33I can't believe it!
0:14:33 > 0:14:35You're going to fry it!
0:14:35 > 0:14:36Yeah, I am, yes, yeah.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40It's just how it naturally comes out, I can't do anything about it.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42Is that a skylark over there?
0:14:42 > 0:14:43I can't believe...
0:14:43 > 0:14:45Just going to put just a little bit of butter in there.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47Well, any women on a diet would just toast it.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50And that's fine and that, you can do what you wish to do,
0:14:50 > 0:14:53and this is not mandatory but we'll just put the other side,
0:14:53 > 0:14:54a bit of butter on there.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56So, well...
0:15:00 > 0:15:03So, all we need to do now is to make a little bit of salad.
0:15:03 > 0:15:08We've got a bit of lettuce here, little gem, local stuff.
0:15:08 > 0:15:09Cut it in quarters.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11I'm just going to put a bit of oil in there.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13Salt and pepper.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15A bit of cucumber in there, some chopped chives,
0:15:15 > 0:15:17give it a whirl round.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20So, I'm just going to put that on the side here.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22Put our little pate there.
0:15:23 > 0:15:28This is really nice for two lovers who are eating together.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30I think of you every time I think of this.
0:15:30 > 0:15:31Yeah, no, you think of me
0:15:31 > 0:15:33when you've got that carving knife in your hand, that's what.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38So, there you have it, smoked trout pate from Cheshire.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47Have a taste, tell us what you think.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49- Do you want some butter on the bread?- No, I do not want butter!
0:15:49 > 0:15:50OK, I'm just checking!
0:15:50 > 0:15:53- In fact, what I'm trying to eat is the crust!- You never know.
0:15:59 > 0:16:00Very good.
0:16:00 > 0:16:01Thank you very much, my darling.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06What I really like is the consistency, it's rough
0:16:06 > 0:16:08and it's smooth.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11Darren, come and taste some. I'm going to have another bit.
0:16:13 > 0:16:14Fabulous, that.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31In my quest to learn more about Cheshire's history,
0:16:31 > 0:16:34I am heading underground at the point we started -
0:16:34 > 0:16:37the sandstone escarpments at Alderley Edge.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41There's an underground network of disused mines
0:16:41 > 0:16:4640 metres below it, some dating back to Roman times.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50Stephen Mills is going to guide me through the mines and their history.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56How old is this mine, Stephen?
0:16:56 > 0:16:59Well, we've got carbon dating going back now to
0:16:59 > 0:17:051,900 BC, and that was found by accident because we were
0:17:05 > 0:17:08at the time investigating a shaft which is just over the way
0:17:08 > 0:17:11there because we'd found Roman coins.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16- Is my light on? - Yeah, it's on.- OK.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27OK, just a bit of a slope here, Janet, and then...
0:17:27 > 0:17:29- Oh, no, well, give me the gloves then!- Gloves?- Yeah.- Right.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32- I might have to hold on to things. - A pair of gloves then.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35I don't think I'm a natural miner, Stephen.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37Watch your head there.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39- THUMP - Oh!
0:17:39 > 0:17:42I think these Roman miners were very short.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46Oh, no, how much longer is this low bit?
0:17:46 > 0:17:48I feel like I'm in a Harrison Ford movie.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50You're all right, you can stand up now.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Stand up? Well, only if you're sure... Ah!
0:17:55 > 0:17:57Here we are in the main Engine Vein.
0:17:57 > 0:18:02If you look up to the left you will see there are some
0:18:02 > 0:18:05shuttering there, because this used to be open to the atmosphere,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08we used to have light streaming down into the mine.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10It runs right down to the village, in fact.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13- You can see the narrowness up there.- Yes.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17Those are the old workings and probably worked by the Romans.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21- In fact, you can see holes in the wall every so far.- Yes.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25And those holes had what they call stempling, that's pieces of
0:18:25 > 0:18:29oak wood for the miners to stand on whilst they picked the stuff down.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32And so they let gravity do the work and then
0:18:32 > 0:18:35they dragged their pails, or whatever, round the corner, into the
0:18:35 > 0:18:40passage and then they hoisted with a pulley and rope to the surface.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43So, what were they actually mining down here, the Romans?
0:18:43 > 0:18:46Mostly lead, but there was copper as well.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49- Well, shall we go down? - Yeah, yeah, let's go down.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55Well, Alderley Edge,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58there's loads of very rich people living all round here.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01- Yeah.- Do you think they know what's under their houses?
0:19:01 > 0:19:02They haven't got a clue.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07What's this huge space here? Is this a natural cavern or...?
0:19:07 > 0:19:09- No, no, it isn't.- This has been entirely man-made?
0:19:09 > 0:19:11Entirely man-made.
0:19:11 > 0:19:16This is the 1860s working off the main fault.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19And this is where you get the impression of just how big
0:19:19 > 0:19:21this place is.
0:19:21 > 0:19:22Wow!
0:19:22 > 0:19:26It's like being in the vault of a cathedral or something.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28This blue, this is copper salts
0:19:28 > 0:19:32coming out of the rich upper workings.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36This is the process how they used to get the copper in the 1860s.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40There was a fabulous chemist called Henderson who devised
0:19:40 > 0:19:44this method of leaching out the copper.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46And you'll see, there is
0:19:46 > 0:19:51a completely untouched vein of lead that the Romans missed, if you like.
0:19:51 > 0:19:56- It was mostly used in the 1800s for lead paint.- Yeah.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59- If you look left, you will see... - What's that?
0:19:59 > 0:20:02- Well, it's a little face, can you see the eyes and the nose?- Oh, yes.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05It's thought... Archaeologists came down here
0:20:05 > 0:20:09and thought that it was possibly from the Roman times
0:20:09 > 0:20:12and they would make faces in the wall to keep the evil spirits
0:20:12 > 0:20:14away, if you like.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16Urgh, don't say anything like that.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18All right, well I hope it's working today.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Now, just on the right here, very exciting.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26Of course, we've got the tunnel to the Roman shaft.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32And in the bottom of the shaft we found oak timbers
0:20:32 > 0:20:35still intact, and when they were carbon dated it showed that they
0:20:35 > 0:20:39were 50 to 75 AD, which is definitely when the Romans were here.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43Then the shaft was filled and, in the top of the shaft, somebody
0:20:43 > 0:20:48came along in the fourth century AD and buried a pot of coins.
0:20:50 > 0:20:55564 coins lying there for all that time.
0:20:55 > 0:20:56Very exciting.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01So here we are, back out to the top.
0:21:02 > 0:21:03Ow!
0:21:03 > 0:21:06Heh-heh. That's what you've got your helmet for.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10Oh, well, I'm very glad to see daylight.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14- Well, I've really enjoyed my trip down the mine, Stephen.- Yeah.
0:21:14 > 0:21:20A fantastic experience, but daylight looks even better.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26While Janet's been exploring Cheshire's underground,
0:21:26 > 0:21:30I've been searching above ground for more of a Taste of Cheshire.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34Chef Ernst Van Zyl, at The Lord Clyde restaurant in Kerridge,
0:21:34 > 0:21:37has gained a name for himself by transforming local seasonal
0:21:37 > 0:21:39produce into culinary works of art.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43So, I'm really looking forward to seeing what's on today's menu.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46- Good morning. How are you? - Good morning, Chef. I'm good, yourself?- Very good.
0:21:46 > 0:21:51- So what you going to cook for us? - We're going to do seared Jacob's Ladder with beetroot,
0:21:51 > 0:21:55some radishes and then just a nice Nantwich blue cheese puree.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57We're going to smoke the beef.
0:21:57 > 0:21:58That's lovely, is that.
0:21:58 > 0:21:59Beautiful marbling.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02So you've actually taken the piece of meat from between the ribs.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04- Between the ribs, yes. - And then batoned it out.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08Yeah, it's nice and flat. So much flavour, lots of marbling.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11I'll give a little bit of seasoning just to help the flavours go.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15Seal up the air, just to make sure that all the smoke stays in.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22So we're going to just put a little bit of smoke into the beef.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25A little bit of smoke, just look at that.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30It kind of takes me back to my childhood days of
0:22:30 > 0:22:34growing up in South Africa and barbecuing and the smokiness and
0:22:34 > 0:22:38it kind of connects people, I think, with food memories.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40And as soon as you connect the diner with a food memory it becomes
0:22:40 > 0:22:43the most amazing meal they've ever had.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46Now, that is a piece of meat.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49Yeah, it just gives you such quirky things to do.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53For a bit of texture, we're going to do a beetroot tube, which we'll
0:22:53 > 0:22:56deep fry, just for a bit of crunch to the dish.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06So wrap round the little metal tube and it goes in the fryer, just enough.
0:23:06 > 0:23:07So it's not too hot?
0:23:07 > 0:23:09No, we don't want to colour our beetroot too much,
0:23:09 > 0:23:12we just want to kind of crisp it up and expel the moisture inside.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18Next job, we're going to do some pickled beetroot.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22White wine vinegar, whisked together with a bit of salt and sugar.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24All dissolved, nice and smooth.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29We'll take a yellow beetroot.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33I'm just going to do a couple of slices.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Just nice long strips, because we're going to kind of roll them
0:23:36 > 0:23:38together to make little tubes.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40We just want to give it a quick pickle.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45OK, so with the jam we have beetroot juice.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48- So, by juicing it you put it in a machine.- Yeah, a vegetable juicer.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51Agar agar, which always comes in a powder.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55And it only needs boiling for a minute and a half.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57Obviously a fluid gel is a modern word,
0:23:57 > 0:24:01it's an intimidating word, but the process is so simplistic.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05- Mm.- A liquid with agar agar, settle it hard and blend till it's smooth.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10We seal our beef, we're going to get a pan on really, really nice
0:24:10 > 0:24:13and hot because we just want colour, that caramelisation,
0:24:13 > 0:24:17the sugars, but very rare still through the centre.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20Nice searing sound, no chance to stew.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23- And you've put it in there but you haven't touched it.- No.
0:24:23 > 0:24:24- You haven't moved the pan.- No.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27- You're letting it just sit there.- Yeah.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30As soon as you touch it you will start to agitate the beef and
0:24:30 > 0:24:32you'll just let all those juices run out.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34Let's have a...
0:24:34 > 0:24:38Oh, beautiful, yeah. Still really nice and rare.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40It's done and now we need to let it rest.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44We're going to do our Nantwich blue cheese puree.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47Very simplistic, we're going to just let it down with a tiny bit of
0:24:47 > 0:24:50double cream, and that's enough, we're not going to mess around with it.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53Sounds good to me, does that.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Just going to break it up a little bit.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59Put a little bit of double cream.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03Temptation, you can't do that, smell it without tasting it.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06The last thing to do now is we're going to make small Parisian
0:25:06 > 0:25:09balls with our radishes.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11- Er, a bit of playfulness, I think.- Yes.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13Again, it adds crunch and
0:25:13 > 0:25:16it kind of injects the same flavour but in just a different way.
0:25:16 > 0:25:17Different form.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19Yeah, a different form.
0:25:19 > 0:25:20So, I'm salivating now, OK.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22So, let's get this dish together, Chef.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25OK. So all our bits and pieces are done.
0:25:25 > 0:25:26We're going to slice our beef.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Our blue cheese will go on first.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33So beef on the plate, we'll slot in our texture.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37Our pickled yellow, it helps to lift flavour.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41Now, that just finishes it off there, the green is perfect.
0:25:41 > 0:25:42And there we go.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45A seared Jacob's Ladder and textures of beetroot.
0:25:52 > 0:25:53The intricate beef
0:25:53 > 0:25:57and beetroot dish certainly scores top marks from me, but Janet isn't
0:25:57 > 0:26:02easily impressed with presentation, so how will she rate it on taste?
0:26:02 > 0:26:03Hello.
0:26:03 > 0:26:08Here we have a seared Jacob's Ladder with textures of beetroot.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11- Thank you.- Thank you, Chef. - And I hope you enjoy.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13So, what do you think?
0:26:13 > 0:26:16It looks very interesting.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20Sad thing is, that to eat it you've kind of got to destroy
0:26:20 > 0:26:21the whole thing.
0:26:26 > 0:26:27Well, the beef tastes delicious.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30I like the green cheesy thing that's with it.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33- Yeah. It's nice that the beef is rare.- Very rare.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35From the cut that it's from,
0:26:35 > 0:26:38- cos normally you'd braise it, long slow-cooked.- Yeah.
0:26:38 > 0:26:39The Jacob's Ladder.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42- You mean Jacob's Ladder is a real dish?- Yeah.
0:26:42 > 0:26:43It's not something he just dreamt up?
0:26:43 > 0:26:45It's a cut of meat.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47Jacob's Ladder is a cut of meat?
0:26:47 > 0:26:51Oh, I thought it was like a knitting pattern or something.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54Have you tried these slightly pickled beetroot?
0:26:54 > 0:26:57Yeah, I love beetroot and I'm always interested to see other
0:26:57 > 0:27:01ways of cooking it because if you grow beetroot you always get a glut.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04And this is crispy beetroot. Have you tried that?
0:27:06 > 0:27:08Oh, I love that.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11He could have called it "wacky ways with beetroot."
0:27:13 > 0:27:14Good, very good.
0:27:21 > 0:27:26With its 50 acres of landscaped gardens, 1,000-acre deer park,
0:27:26 > 0:27:29and a neoclassical mansion house, Tatton Park
0:27:29 > 0:27:34in Knutsford is one of Cheshire's most magnificent historic estates.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40Well, Brian, here we are at Tatton Park, one of the most
0:27:40 > 0:27:44beautiful 18th century mansions in the whole of England.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48And it's a fantastic estate that's now run by the National Trust.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52This house was the inspiration for Elizabeth Gaskell,
0:27:52 > 0:27:54- the Victorian novelist who wrote Cranford.- Ah, right, yes.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56- She lived nearby, in Knutsford. - Ah-ha. Oh, yes.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59- She used to come here all the time. - It's really nice, eh?
0:27:59 > 0:28:02I'm going to go and explore it inside. What are you going to do?
0:28:02 > 0:28:05They've got a great walled garden here with some fabulous vegetables.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07I'm going to have a look at that, see you later.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16Tatton Park was bought by the Egerton Family in 1598,
0:28:16 > 0:28:19who lived here for almost 400 years.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23Books were highly valued by successive
0:28:23 > 0:28:27generations of the family, and today the library houses
0:28:27 > 0:28:31one of the biggest private collections anywhere in the country.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34Guide Karen Knowles is going to show me
0:28:34 > 0:28:36a few of its priceless items.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38- Hi, Karen.- Hi.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41Well, what an incredible library.
0:28:41 > 0:28:43How many books are there in here?
0:28:43 > 0:28:45There are over 4,500 books
0:28:45 > 0:28:48in this room but nearly 9,000 at Tatton altogether.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51So explain to me how each generation of
0:28:51 > 0:28:55the family collected books, did they all have different interests?
0:28:55 > 0:28:58They did, they had different subjects that they were interested in
0:28:58 > 0:29:00and they also purchased collections from other people.
0:29:00 > 0:29:04So, when other collectors died, they would buy parts of their collection.
0:29:04 > 0:29:09It's interesting, cos a lot of the aristocratic families in the 18th and 19th century
0:29:09 > 0:29:12built libraries but didn't read any of the books, did they?
0:29:12 > 0:29:17Correct, it was just for the effect and to impress their visitors.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19Now, you've got a very special book for me here,
0:29:19 > 0:29:21is this the oldest book in the library?
0:29:21 > 0:29:24It is the oldest book in the library, it's by
0:29:24 > 0:29:26Vitruvius and it's 1513.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29Well, it must be worth a fortune.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31- I'll let you open it.- OK.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33So, it's 1513 and what's it about?
0:29:33 > 0:29:35It's about architecture.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38- Right.- So, for example.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40So, it's classical architecture.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43- It is.- Very like the, like the house itself.- Yes.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45Cos that's inspired by the kind of buildings in this book.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49Precisely, it was the fashion.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52Elizabeth Gaskell, the Victorian novelist, lived near here,
0:29:52 > 0:29:54didn't she, at Knutsford?
0:29:54 > 0:29:57Do you think she came to Tatton Park at all?
0:29:57 > 0:29:58Well, in one of the novels,
0:29:58 > 0:30:01Wives And Daughters, she does mention
0:30:01 > 0:30:04a visit by a character to a house which is very much like Tatton Park.
0:30:04 > 0:30:08And she describes the gardens, the cedar tree outside.
0:30:08 > 0:30:12So it seems possible she could have visited the house
0:30:12 > 0:30:14or certainly the gardens.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17So, Karen, what other great books have you got in this library?
0:30:17 > 0:30:20Well, we've not only got serious subjects, we've also got novels.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23For instance, we've got some first edition Jane Austens.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25- Really?- Yeah.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28So, here we've got Persuasion and Northanger Abbey,
0:30:28 > 0:30:31it was published in four volumes in 1818.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34And, as you can see, it's actually unbound,
0:30:34 > 0:30:36so this is how the book would arrive from the book-sellers,
0:30:36 > 0:30:38and the family would then get the books bound.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41But, because this was just a novel, they didn't think it was
0:30:41 > 0:30:42important enough to get it bound.
0:30:42 > 0:30:43So, it was just left as it was.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46So, they ordered books from the book-seller and then all
0:30:46 > 0:30:49the books in this room were bound in the way that the family wanted.
0:30:49 > 0:30:50Precisely.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53But this was a bit of holiday light reading, what a treasure.
0:30:53 > 0:30:57- Would you like to come and see some of the rest of the house? - Yeah, that would be fantastic.
0:30:57 > 0:30:58OK, this way.
0:31:04 > 0:31:05So, this is the drawing room?
0:31:05 > 0:31:09It is, yeah. The walls are covered in silk.
0:31:09 > 0:31:10And the furniture, as well.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14And the furniture's actually English, it may look French,
0:31:14 > 0:31:17but it's actually English, made by Gillows of Lancaster.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20And would the family gather in here before dinner?
0:31:20 > 0:31:23It was where the ladies came after dinner to withdraw from
0:31:23 > 0:31:26the dining room whilst the gentlemen had their port and cigars.
0:31:26 > 0:31:27And they'd come here and take tea.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30Well, it's certainly very red.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34- It's not my choice of colour. - Cherry red.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37But it's interesting that they liked very, very
0:31:37 > 0:31:38bright colours, didn't they?
0:31:38 > 0:31:41Definitely, and if you imagine you've got a fire in the fireplace there,
0:31:41 > 0:31:43you've got candles around the
0:31:43 > 0:31:45room reflecting the light, it would have been quite dazzling.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51Right, Karen, quite a dining table.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54It certainly is. This dining room's actually used for entertaining,
0:31:54 > 0:31:57there was a smaller dining room that the family used for themselves
0:31:57 > 0:32:01to eat in, so they weren't here every night, eating in this room.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04And the portraits around the walls, are they all family members?
0:32:04 > 0:32:05Most of them are family members.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07We've got Sir Thomas Egerton here,
0:32:07 > 0:32:12who was the first Egerton to own the estate, he acquired it in 1598.
0:32:12 > 0:32:16Quite a lovely portrait is the one here, this is Alice,
0:32:16 > 0:32:18the Duchess of Buckingham and Chandos.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22Well, she's got a lot of ermine around her in that portrait.
0:32:22 > 0:32:26She certainly does and the gold in the dress, I think it's lovely.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29- Well, thanks, Karen, I really enjoyed that.- You're welcome.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31- I'd better go and find Brian.- OK.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39The successive owners of Tatton Park have each played
0:32:39 > 0:32:43a part in developing the estate's gardens over the past 200 years.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46And their traditional cultivation techniques are still
0:32:46 > 0:32:49used in its walled vegetable garden today.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52It's packed full of a wide variety of home grown produce,
0:32:52 > 0:32:56which I think would be great to use in my celebratory cook.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59So, I've asked head gardener, Simon Tetler, to show me around.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03- Simon.- Ah, good morning, Brian. How are you?- Morning to you, hiya.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06- This looks so pretty. - Thank you, thank you very much.
0:33:06 > 0:33:07The place looks so beautiful.
0:33:07 > 0:33:11- In some senses, that's what it's about, it's productive and it's pretty.- Yeah.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14And I think this was really what the owners wanted.
0:33:14 > 0:33:18And they wanted somewhere that was pleasing on the eye
0:33:18 > 0:33:20and pleasing to the table as well.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23So, in this present age, how many different crops do you
0:33:23 > 0:33:25actually grow here?
0:33:25 > 0:33:28What don't we grow? I suppose you've got such a sheltered environment here,
0:33:28 > 0:33:32you can really start to expand, you know, a huge amount of crops that you would
0:33:32 > 0:33:38find from the Mediterranean all the way to, kind of, northern Europe.
0:33:38 > 0:33:40And where does all this produce go?
0:33:40 > 0:33:43We sell it direct to the public, all our visitors.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46And now we have a couple of restaurants here on site,
0:33:46 > 0:33:49now get their fresh produce from the kitchen garden.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53- Well, that's fantastic cos I'm going to do a celebration dish.- OK.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55And I saw some mangetout up there.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57- Yeah, yeah.- And do you have broad beans?
0:33:57 > 0:33:58Loads of broad beans at the moment, Brian.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01Fantastic. So broad beans, mangetout and some of your carrots.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04- Fresh baby carrots for you, Brian. - That sounds fantastic.- Great.
0:34:06 > 0:34:10I've got my vegetables sorted, so all I need now is the main
0:34:10 > 0:34:13ingredient, and Simon has kindly pointed me in the right direction.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18It was Lord Egerton's wish that a flock of rare breed sheep
0:34:18 > 0:34:21should always be reared on the estate,
0:34:21 > 0:34:24and today they've become a Tatton Park speciality.
0:34:24 > 0:34:29Farm manager Jane Chapman is in charge of the breeding programme.
0:34:29 > 0:34:30Jane, hi. How you doing, all right?
0:34:30 > 0:34:34- Yes, pleased to meet you, Brian. - And you too.- Janet, hi.- Hi.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37You've got an accreditation for looking after rare breeds
0:34:37 > 0:34:39- round this part of the world. - We certainly have.
0:34:39 > 0:34:43Since 2007, with the Rare Breed Survival Trust,
0:34:43 > 0:34:48so we're actively breeding a lot of the rare breeds and going on to sell them.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52We've got Whitefaced Woodland sheep, we've got Red Poll cattle,
0:34:52 > 0:34:55Clydesdale horses, Tamworth pigs.
0:34:55 > 0:34:57Tell us what we've got here?
0:34:57 > 0:35:00- This is a Hebridean ewe.- Yeah.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03And the little brown one at the end actually is a Soay.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06We've got a flock of both of these out on the park.
0:35:06 > 0:35:10- And wasn't that Lord Egerton's wish, or something, in his will?- It was.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13He was particularly fond of the Soay, which is a very small
0:35:13 > 0:35:15breed of sheep.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17The meat is a lot tastier.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20- And they come from Soay. - Yes, they do, that's correct, Janet.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23- Which is in the Hebrides. - Yeah, yeah, in the lovely Hebrides.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26I'm anxious to cook with some of this and see what the flavour is really like.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29We've got some lovely vegetables, a bit of lovely lamb.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31I think that's what we should cook, girl.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35- Yeah, don't listen, love.- Yeah. - Don't listen, you didn't hear that.
0:35:35 > 0:35:37Sounds delicious, though.
0:35:45 > 0:35:49Now Brian's got his hands on a few home-grown vegetables and a superb
0:35:49 > 0:35:54joint of lamb, we're all set to cook a celebratory Taste of Cheshire.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58I've invited a few hungry locals along to give their verdict,
0:35:58 > 0:36:02so we'd best get started, because the great British weather
0:36:02 > 0:36:06looks like it's going to take a turn for the worse.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10So, we're here at Tatton Park, lovely place, in the Portico to try
0:36:10 > 0:36:12and stay a little bit warm and dry.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15And I'm going to cook some wonderful Hebridean lamb
0:36:15 > 0:36:17pencil fillets and kidneys,
0:36:17 > 0:36:20a delicious dish, with some wonderful vegetables.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23We've got all our friends here from Tatton Park, Jane from the farm,
0:36:23 > 0:36:24Simon from the garden.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26And we've got Darren from the smokehouse.
0:36:26 > 0:36:30The first thing we do, make sure our pan is nice and hot,
0:36:30 > 0:36:33and a bit of rapeseed oil in there, local rapeseed oil, I hasten to add.
0:36:33 > 0:36:36What I'm going to do first is cook the kidneys.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38These have had the skin taken off already,
0:36:38 > 0:36:40so they're lovely and shiny.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43Most people will tell you, you need to cut them in half
0:36:43 > 0:36:45and then take out that little bit of muscle there.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47I think it's a waste of effort, I really do.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50I always fiddle around with a pair of scissors trying to do that.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52Well, exactly, and lots of people...
0:36:52 > 0:36:54I just don't think it's worthwhile, I really don't.
0:36:54 > 0:36:59So, I'm going to put a little bit of local butter in there, as well.
0:36:59 > 0:37:00And the trick with this is, once again,
0:37:00 > 0:37:03as best you can, is to make sure you get it as hot as you can
0:37:03 > 0:37:06and cook them as quickly as you can and don't play around with it.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08- So, curved side in.- Yeah.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11We're going to let them sit for a while.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14- Every now and then sneak a peek, the colour will tell us.- Yeah.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16Look at the nice colour, the colour will tell you.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18And there's a bit of blood coming out of those.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20So, we'll just turn them over.
0:37:20 > 0:37:21Now, a bit of salt.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24We can always cook them a little bit more.
0:37:24 > 0:37:28It'll be difficult, if you overcook them, to do anything with them.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32We've got the kidney flavour in there, we've got to keep that in there.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35I'm going to put just a little drop more oil in there now.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40A pencil fillet comes from underneath the saddle of lamb.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44And it's not the top bit here, it's the bit underneath.
0:37:44 > 0:37:48It is so tender and so tasty - small beast, bags of flavour.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53I'm going to take a little bit of chicken stock into this pan here,
0:37:53 > 0:37:56and I'm going to cook these little baby carrots here.
0:37:56 > 0:37:58- Just trimmed off the excess.- Yeah.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01There, we don't want that, we can get rid of that.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04And I just want to make them all nice and uniform shaped
0:38:04 > 0:38:06and then cut them in half.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09Going to put those in there, and I'm just going to braise them
0:38:09 > 0:38:13quickly in a bit of stock rather than just boiling salted water.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16Right, let's take those out.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19- Whatever you do, you see this juice coming out here?- Yeah.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22Whatever you do, don't lose that, that is so important,
0:38:22 > 0:38:23it's got bags of flavour.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26Right, we can cook them a little bit more if we need be.
0:38:26 > 0:38:31Anybody of you who likes well done meat you can leave now, OK?
0:38:31 > 0:38:32It's the no-choice menu.
0:38:32 > 0:38:33That's it.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37The residue in the pan, that may look dirty
0:38:37 > 0:38:39but actually it's bags of flavour there.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41So, what we're going to do, take that away from the heat,
0:38:41 > 0:38:44add a little drop of white wine in there.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47It just helps to clean the pan and look, it changes in colour.
0:38:47 > 0:38:49- Yeah.- Just got all that flavour.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52I'm a great believer in using a light chicken stock
0:38:52 > 0:38:56for all of these sauces, so we put that in there.
0:38:56 > 0:38:57- Balsamic vinegar.- Yeah.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59Just a little drop, a sweetener.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04And we'll leave that to reduce.
0:39:04 > 0:39:05Let's have a quick look at these.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08When these carrots are almost ready, they're not quite, there is
0:39:08 > 0:39:11a test, with all vegetables, if you bite them and they squeak they're not ready.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13Those are going to be perfect.
0:39:13 > 0:39:14Most of it's disappeared, that liquor.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16These carrots, and all of these vegetables,
0:39:16 > 0:39:20come from Simon's garden, walled garden and it's beautiful.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23There are people who cook these and then take the outer shell,
0:39:23 > 0:39:24these are so sweet.
0:39:24 > 0:39:25Oh, you... Oh.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28I would take that skin off, a broad bean that size.
0:39:28 > 0:39:29Why? No, you wouldn't.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31Because the little ones are fine.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33- Right, can I just ask Simon? - Of course you can.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35- Right, Simon, you grew these.- Yeah.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37Do you take the shells off?
0:39:37 > 0:39:39- It depends on the age of the bean, Janet.- Oh.
0:39:39 > 0:39:43He's on my side, I've talked to him, I took advice this morning.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46So, into my stock I'm going to put some butter and then just let them
0:39:46 > 0:39:48sit there, give 'em a shine,
0:39:48 > 0:39:49give 'em a bit of flavour.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51Butter, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53They'll taste so delicious. A bit of salt.
0:39:53 > 0:39:57I bet if I stuck a knife in your vein, pure butter fat would come out.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59That got a laugh.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04This is Moroccan mint that Simon gave me, add a bit of spearmint.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06So, I'm just going to chop a little bit.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10So, that goes in there.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13We'll put a bit of that in there. Cheshire mint sauce, it is.
0:40:13 > 0:40:14In it goes.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18A bit of mustard.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21My vegetables are just about ready. I'll put the mangetout in there,
0:40:21 > 0:40:22I've already seasoned the pot.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24So, we'll give that a bit of a stir here.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26I'm really barely going to cook those mangetout.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30Lovely colour, lovely little fresh, tender ones there.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32Just what I wanted.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35Right! Big secret here,
0:40:35 > 0:40:37all the juice that's come out,
0:40:37 > 0:40:40make sure you put it back into the sauce, OK?
0:40:40 > 0:40:42Pure flavour, that's all it is.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45So, what we do is we just lay it down the middle of the dish.
0:40:45 > 0:40:46This sauce is just about ready.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49It is an art just to make sure you keep reducing it
0:40:49 > 0:40:51so it's not too thin.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53But you don't want to make it too thick, either.
0:40:53 > 0:40:55So you've just got to get that balance at the last minute.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59So now we've got these lovely vegetables here, fresh from Simon's garden.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02They look lovely, and they haven't changed colour at all.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04No, it's cos we haven't overcooked them.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07So all we're going to do now is put a bit of sauce over the top,
0:41:07 > 0:41:08we throw nothing away.
0:41:08 > 0:41:09And there you have it.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13Pencil fillets and kidneys from Tatton Park,
0:41:13 > 0:41:16a little mint sauce and the best veg you've ever tasted.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18A Taste of Cheshire!
0:41:18 > 0:41:19Perfect.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23Kidney looks good.
0:41:24 > 0:41:25Mm.
0:41:28 > 0:41:29It's got a very definite flavour.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32Right, now for the supreme moment,
0:41:32 > 0:41:35Janet eats a broad bean with the skin on.
0:41:38 > 0:41:40Good.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44Simon, you've passed the broad bean test.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46Would everybody like to come and get some?
0:41:46 > 0:41:47- Up you get.- Get some plates.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57So, Jane, what d'you think of it?
0:41:57 > 0:42:01Oh, delicious, Janet. The lamb was excellent, but I'm biased.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04- Do you like the beans?- The beans are a little bit tough, actually.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07No, I'm joking!
0:42:07 > 0:42:10- Don't blame me, I've said nothing to Simon.- We're in Cheshire, full of comedians.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13- I thought you were such a nice guy! - Darren, did you like it?
0:42:13 > 0:42:16Very good, fantastic. Definite flavour, like you said.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21- Well, no-one can say that that was plain food, huh?- No.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23- It was simple.- Yeah.
0:42:23 > 0:42:27Perfect products, I thought they went very well together, what about you?
0:42:27 > 0:42:29I loved it. I've loved our whole trip to Cheshire.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31I liked going down the secret mine.
0:42:31 > 0:42:35- Watch your head there.- Ow!
0:42:35 > 0:42:38I think these Roman miners were very short.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40I especially liked the fishing contest.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43I can catch a duck easier.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45Yeah, you might be going for smoked duck.
0:42:45 > 0:42:46Never mind about smoked trout.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49But I just loved the smokehouse.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51Oh, God, look at the colour.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53You just get a hint of smoke, don't you?
0:42:53 > 0:42:56This dish was fabulous, Brian.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58I never thought I could eat a broad bean with the skin on it.
0:42:58 > 0:43:00It's little steps like that that turn me
0:43:00 > 0:43:03into a fully grown adult and it was fabulous.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06For a Taste of Britain, here it is in Cheshire.
0:43:06 > 0:43:07Exactly.