0:00:02 > 0:00:04He's Brian Turner.
0:00:04 > 0:00:07And she's Janet Street-Porter.
0:00:07 > 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 > 0:00:18but it's Britain that I love!
0:00:18 > 0:00:22Fabulous produce, great ingredients right here on the doorstep.
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 > 0:00:41- This is...- A Taste Of Britain.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50Today, we're in Shakespeare country,
0:00:50 > 0:00:54as our culinary and cultural voyage of discovery brings us
0:00:54 > 0:00:57to the wonderful county of Warwickshire.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59Sitting right in the heart of Britain,
0:00:59 > 0:01:03it's a region with a rich industrial and agricultural heritage
0:01:03 > 0:01:05and blessed with glorious countryside,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08quaint villages and grand castles.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12There are also miles of canals and waterways to explore,
0:01:12 > 0:01:14so I'll be steering the ship.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18- You're looking at a master mariner! - Toot, toot, toot, toot.- Toot, toot!
0:01:18 > 0:01:20While Brian does the work for a change!
0:01:20 > 0:01:23It used to be donkeys that did this, didn't it?
0:01:23 > 0:01:26We've got two carrots for you afterwards!
0:01:26 > 0:01:30I'll be getting some well-earned refreshment at a local brewery.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32- Cheers!- Well, thank you.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35While I'll be learning about some ancient weapons
0:01:35 > 0:01:37that might come in handy today.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40What you're looking at is Warwick Castle's very mighty trebuchet.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42- I might use it to attack Brian! - Yeah!
0:01:42 > 0:01:45- Throw food at his head. - I could throw food...
0:01:45 > 0:01:48- Yeah, that's what you can throw. - I'll keep that in mind.
0:01:48 > 0:01:49Mm!
0:01:49 > 0:01:51And after sampling our way round the county,
0:01:51 > 0:01:54I'll be cooking up a celebratory taste of Warwickshire
0:01:54 > 0:01:56fit for the bard himself.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Ta da!
0:02:11 > 0:02:14Here we are in the middle of Warwickshire, South Warwickshire,
0:02:14 > 0:02:18and it's bounded by seven counties, so we're completely landlocked.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21The county kind of divides in to two halves.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25In the north, it's industrial. We've got textiles, mining,
0:02:25 > 0:02:29engineering and in the south, where we are now, look, how rural it is.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33And Brian, the Chesterton Windmill, built in the 16th century
0:02:33 > 0:02:37and was actually working till 1910.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40It's an architectural tour de force.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43In this part of the world, you've got some great food producers.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45And the beauty is, cos it's central,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48they can get wherever they want to get with all their produce.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51But of course, we couldn't do A Taste Of Britain
0:02:51 > 0:02:53without doing brewing.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55Look, how you've really perked up!
0:02:55 > 0:02:57Well, why not for goodness' sake?
0:02:57 > 0:02:59And just down the road there's a brewer
0:02:59 > 0:03:02that's got a sustainable ethos, which is fantastic. I love...
0:03:02 > 0:03:04- And beer, and beer, and beer! - Oh, yes!
0:03:04 > 0:03:08And of course, beer. So, for me, what a great part of the world.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10Well, you've whetted my appetite, let's get going!
0:03:10 > 0:03:14There is no other way to go, is there? Let's have a beer, kid!
0:03:19 > 0:03:21There's plenty of great food and drink to be had
0:03:21 > 0:03:24in this part of the world and I can't think of a better way
0:03:24 > 0:03:28to begin sampling a taste of Warwickshire than at a local brewery.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34Operating in the disused barns of a working farm,
0:03:34 > 0:03:38the Purity Brewery produces a range of award-winning beers.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45You can't get more British than a traditional pint of ale.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48But showing me around today is the company's head brewer,
0:03:48 > 0:03:51who happens to be a Frenchman, Florian Vialan.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54How does a Frenchman come to be brewing beer in the middle of...
0:03:54 > 0:03:56in the heart of England?
0:03:56 > 0:03:59I came to the UK for, erm, two main things.
0:03:59 > 0:04:04Is rugby, which is my first passion, and brewing, which is my second one.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07And I think English beer is the best thing on earth.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12I certainly agree about the quality of British beer.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17Florian and his team brew around 2.5 million pints of it every year.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20And it all begins with a grain.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24So, we start with a little bit of malt.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27That will change a lot of the colour and also the taste.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30- It will give some great coffee taste.- Right.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33- A little bit of crystal will get it bready, biscuity.- OK.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37And, erm, the wheat will also impact on the flavour, the mouthfeel
0:04:37 > 0:04:39and the head retention of the beer.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42OK, So, when you've mashed all that, what happens next?
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Once it's all mixed up together, it looks like a bit of a soup...
0:04:45 > 0:04:47- Yeah.- Erm, porridge we call it.
0:04:47 > 0:04:52What we need to do is to extract the liquid to the solids of the grain.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56It's a bit like wine making in process, the balancing of...
0:04:56 > 0:04:58I would disagree with that. I have done both.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00I was making wine in Switzerland for few years
0:05:00 > 0:05:02and brewing is a bit more technical.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06In brewing, you need to play with four ingredients
0:05:06 > 0:05:07week in, week out.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10So, you need to basically brew the same beer consistently.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13Whereas wine you get one shot in September
0:05:13 > 0:05:15and that will be your wine for that year.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17Then I bow to your expertise.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21And now for the most important part of any visit to a brewery...
0:05:21 > 0:05:23This is where the magic takes place.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25..the tasting.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28When you're tasting beer to pick out the flavours,
0:05:28 > 0:05:32in wine you swill it round the glass, how do you do it with beer?
0:05:32 > 0:05:36OK. First thing, give it a swirl, check for the condition of the beer.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38- Mm-hm.- If it's flat, it's never a good sign.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41If you can see loads of little bubbles appearing,
0:05:41 > 0:05:42that's a good sign.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44Then you need to check for clarity.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47- Yeah.- Sometime you can have bits of yeast floating.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49It's never a good thing neither.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51Then the best part is the smell.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53There are so many chemicals happening
0:05:53 > 0:05:56between the beer and the foam and inside the glass.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59That's loads of flavours.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03- Then you smell. Kiwi, mango, pineapple.- Yeah, exotic fruit.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06- Exotic fruits.- Exotic fruit, that's right OK.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09The biggest difference with wine is with beer you need to swallow.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12The bitterness only happens around your tongue
0:06:12 > 0:06:14at the back of your throat.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17- It goes really well with a nice dessert...- Yeah.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19- ..a fruit tart or...- Right.
0:06:19 > 0:06:20- Cheers!- Well, thank you.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31Florian has laid on some more ales for me to sample
0:06:31 > 0:06:35in the brewery bar to see if I can get an idea for a beer-based recipe.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39Well, I can actually drink any of those
0:06:39 > 0:06:42and I'm not a great big beer drinker.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46What we're going to make is a batter, which is really...
0:06:46 > 0:06:48The other flavour has got a bit of chilli in there
0:06:48 > 0:06:51and there's a bit of lemon juice. What would be your thinking?
0:06:51 > 0:06:54- My guess would be Mad Goose. - Mad Goose?
0:06:54 > 0:06:58Mad Goose brew with this American hops and erm, it's really zesty.
0:06:58 > 0:06:59But you're the chef!
0:06:59 > 0:07:01You're the expert brewer!
0:07:01 > 0:07:03That's what we'll do.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10With Florian's recommendation, I'm all set
0:07:10 > 0:07:13to create a simple snack using his delicious ale.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17But before Janet lets me cook, I have to pass her breathalyser test.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Breathe on me.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22Ha-ha. It's not easy tasting beer er...
0:07:22 > 0:07:25- Yeah, but you forced it down. - I did. I did my best with it there.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27- And we ended up tasting three beers...- Yeah.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29..and I came up with this beer here.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31As we're going to make a beer batter with it.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33And Mad Goose is named after a goose
0:07:33 > 0:07:36that used to be the security around the old farmyard over there.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38If I drink that, do I start honking a lot?
0:07:38 > 0:07:40You might, you might.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43So, what I'm going to do, I'm going to make some strips of chicken...
0:07:43 > 0:07:44like goujon of fish.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47I've got some chilli to go in there, bit of lemon juice
0:07:47 > 0:07:50and a really crisp batter.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52So, it's kind of Brian's nuggets!
0:07:52 > 0:07:54Is it Brian's nuggets?
0:07:54 > 0:07:56THEY LAUGH
0:07:56 > 0:07:59- Right.- Oh, deary me. OK, so, plain flour.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01- A pinch of salt goes in there.- Yeah.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04And a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. That's just for a bit...
0:08:04 > 0:08:05What does that do?
0:08:05 > 0:08:09Well, it's just going to help to aerate it as is the cold beer.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11It's about half a pint there.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13I think the trick with making any batter is not to spill it!
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Yeah, that's all right, just got out of that.
0:08:16 > 0:08:17But how do you know the consistency?
0:08:17 > 0:08:19Well, it's got to be sticking consistency
0:08:19 > 0:08:23and it will look a little bit like one of your favourite items of food,
0:08:23 > 0:08:26- double cream...- Yeah.- ..by the time I've got there.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28- Or paint, thick paint. - OK, yeah, thick paint.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32- That's a good analogy, is that. - Yeah.- That's obviously too thick.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35- Yeah.- So, I've got some cold, sparkling water.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38So, you're putting these bubbles in it to make it really light?
0:08:38 > 0:08:40We're helping it aerate itself.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43Lovely, so that sits for a few minutes
0:08:43 > 0:08:46and don't worry about any lumps in there cos we'll get the...
0:08:46 > 0:08:49- God, I can smell the beer.- Well, that's the whole idea.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52It's pointless having beer there if you can't smell it, do you not think?
0:08:52 > 0:08:56- Yep.- And I'm going to make a little marinade now.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58Lemon. So I squeeze it.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01I'm going to put chilli flakes in there as well.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05- Yeah.- And a bit of chilli powder. - Yep.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08And we've got some chicken breasts here. Bone off...
0:09:08 > 0:09:11- and skin off as well, OK?- Yeah.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15And then just cut these into thin strips,
0:09:15 > 0:09:20so they'll quickly cook through and leave you wanting more.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22I'm just putting a bit of salt in there.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24Now, you don't need to marinade them too much.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27And it starts to change the colour of the flesh...
0:09:27 > 0:09:29- Oh, yeah.- ..if you're not careful.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31What you're not wanting is lemon chicken.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34You're making chilli chicken deep-fried in a beer batter.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38The first thing I need now is to finish off the batter.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40I'm going to put some eggs whites in there.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44The trick is just to take the yolk out and not to burst the yolk
0:09:44 > 0:09:46if you really want to get your whites to whip up.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50And the idea is that we just want to get lots of air in here.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57- OK. So, we've just got lots of air in there.- Yeah.- In it goes.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02And just give it a whisk round.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04- You can already see the bubbles in there.- Yeah.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08That's lovely. Now, bit of flour.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12Now the trick is to put it into flour first and then in to batter
0:10:12 > 0:10:15because the flour, hopefully, will help it stick.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18Just be careful the flour doesn't go all over you, dear,
0:10:18 > 0:10:21I don't want a laundry bill again!
0:10:21 > 0:10:23Don't get too many in at a time
0:10:23 > 0:10:25cos if you do they'll stick together.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27And won't they bring the temperature down too much?
0:10:27 > 0:10:30Well, they bring the temperature down as well, but they'll stick together.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33We don't want that we want individual strips of chicken,
0:10:33 > 0:10:35so make sure you get rid of the excess,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38then just drop it in there. Now, I've not got a basket in here
0:10:38 > 0:10:41cos I think they stick in a basket.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43See what that did? It floats straightaway.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46Look at that. That's lovely. And they are starting to colour.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50And they're not sticking on the bottom, which is what I wanted.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54And touch wood, at the moment, they're not sticking together either.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58- The ones that I put in first, look how they're looking now.- Yeah.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00They're...they're coming on nicely.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02Lovely beer coloured.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06And now you can start to hear the chicken juices,
0:11:06 > 0:11:08so we know that actually they're just about cooked now.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10So, I'm going to turn that off.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12Drain them on a bit of kitchen paper.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20You know I've got a deep-fat fryer in my house I've never used.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22- It doesn't, erm... - Now, I'm going to try it.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24- Have you got a cheese fondue machine as well?- No!
0:11:24 > 0:11:28I've got a built-in deep-fat fryer that has never been used.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33I'm just going to sprinkle with a wee bit of salt.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37And now I'm just going to do, is just pile them on to a plate here.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39So, there you've got it.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Goujons of chicken. Chilli chicken in a beer batter.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57- Mm.- Nice, huh?- Hm.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59- Hot!- A hint of chilli.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03- Yeah, I can taste the chilli. - A hint of lemon juice.- Very good.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05And that beer batter, lovely.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08Well, I must get my deep-fat fryer working! Right.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11The man who really made it work... Florian, come and see us.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14- Hi.- How are you doing?- This is the man who brewed the beer,
0:12:14 > 0:12:16- so that's wonderful. Have a taste, sir.- Wow! Thank you.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18See if you can taste the beer.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21I could certainly smell it when he was cooking with it.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24- It's not a big thing and you don't want it to overpower.- No.
0:12:24 > 0:12:25- ..but it matches. - This is really good.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27And the great thing about these, I think,
0:12:27 > 0:12:29you don't need a dipping sauce.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32There are plenty of flavours there that make it work.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35- It's brilliant. Thank you very much. - Good man.- My pleasure.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38- I can't shake your hands, I'm still eating.- That's fine. Enjoy.
0:12:38 > 0:12:39Thank you.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57From goujons to dungeons.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01I want to start exploring Warwickshire's historical heritage
0:13:01 > 0:13:04at one of Britain's best preserved castles.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08Situated on the banks of the river Avon,
0:13:08 > 0:13:13Warwick Castle was commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1068.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17A thousand years later, it's now a world famous tourist attraction.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20And guide, Aaron Manning, is showing me around.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23- Welcome to Warwick Castle. - Let's have a tour.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Now, we're in the middle of the battlements.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31Erm, is that the oldest bit over there?
0:13:31 > 0:13:33It certainly is, yes, but there has been a fortress at Warwick
0:13:33 > 0:13:35for about 1,100 years now,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38but indeed the oldest part of the castle is Norman.
0:13:38 > 0:13:39So, in the 11th century,
0:13:39 > 0:13:42William the Conqueror was going right through England
0:13:42 > 0:13:44and he arrived in Warwick and thought,
0:13:44 > 0:13:46"Terrific, I'll build a hill,
0:13:46 > 0:13:49"so I can look out over all the surrounding countryside."
0:13:49 > 0:13:52And then these battlements that we see around us
0:13:52 > 0:13:55were they added after that? Because they're all in stone
0:13:55 > 0:13:58and that building originally would have been wood, wouldn't it?
0:13:58 > 0:14:01Yeah, certainly. It was rebuilt in stone in the 14th century
0:14:01 > 0:14:03by the very powerful Earls of Warwick.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06A lot of architectural historians believe that the castle here
0:14:06 > 0:14:08doesn't really function as a castle, as a fortress.
0:14:08 > 0:14:09It's very much a show piece.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11This is about showing off the wealth and power.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14And one of our owners, Richard Beauchamp,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17was voted very recently as the 10th richest man in English history
0:14:17 > 0:14:19and they say if he was alive today
0:14:19 > 0:14:22his wealth would be equivalent to about £34 billion.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31Warwick Castle's former owners weren't just incredibly wealthy,
0:14:31 > 0:14:34they also held great power.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36Even the monarchy had to fear them.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39- They imprisoned a king here, didn't they?- Yeah, they certainly did.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41In Caesar's Tower, just behind you.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45And it takes its name, Caesar, from the fact that the King himself,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48Edward IV, was held prisoner here during The War of the Roses.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51You know, it's such a powerful sign of how wealthy and strong
0:14:51 > 0:14:53our Earls of Warwick were.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02So, the area we're kind of coming through now
0:15:02 > 0:15:05is one of the old guard stations of the castle.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07If you imagine from the 14th century
0:15:07 > 0:15:09right through until the 19th century,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12this would have been a place for the guards of the castle
0:15:12 > 0:15:15to kind of keep watch over not only the centre of the castle
0:15:15 > 0:15:18to make sure no kind of elicit activity was going on inside,
0:15:18 > 0:15:20but also over the ground as well.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22If there were poachers, if there were invaders,
0:15:22 > 0:15:25if there was anything going on outside the walls,
0:15:25 > 0:15:27it would be from this point here
0:15:27 > 0:15:30that the guards would be able to alert the Earl of Warwick.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33- You can see for miles up here, can't you?- You really can.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36I mean, we can see as far as Oxford on clear days,
0:15:36 > 0:15:38as far north as Coventry and Birmingham.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41You get such a strategic view from up on these ramparts.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47So, through here we'll have a view in the other direction.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50If an invading army was to come from the south, which is this direction,
0:15:50 > 0:15:52you'd be able to see them coming to attack you.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54But later on, by the 18th century,
0:15:54 > 0:15:57an army wasn't going to invade across the land anymore,
0:15:57 > 0:15:59so the family decided to employ a pretty famous gardener
0:15:59 > 0:16:02called Capability Brown to landscape all their gardens
0:16:02 > 0:16:04and today this really gives us the great vantage point
0:16:04 > 0:16:08to enjoy those wonderful thousands of acres that he designed.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12That's the river flowing past the castle?
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Yeah, so there, the River Avon is the strategic important reason
0:16:15 > 0:16:16why Warwick is built where it is.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19It divided the north and south of England.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22And I can see a giant catapult down there.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24What's that exactly?
0:16:24 > 0:16:27What you're looking at is Warwick Castle's very mighty trebuchet.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29They were used to attack and destroy castles.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32And here in Warwick, we're very lucky because what you see
0:16:32 > 0:16:35is the world's largest trebuchet and it's based on 14th century design.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38- Very, very powerful.- I might use it to attack Brian!- Yeah!
0:16:38 > 0:16:41- What do you put in it?- Well, you could throw many things.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43Originally, you would throw rocks,
0:16:43 > 0:16:45you would throw rotting pigs, you know...
0:16:45 > 0:16:47- I could...- A prisoner's head. - ..throw food.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50Yeah, you know what, if you want to throw food at Brian,
0:16:50 > 0:16:53- then that's what you can throw! - I'll keep that in mind!
0:17:03 > 0:17:06One of the defining features of the Warwickshire landscape
0:17:06 > 0:17:09is its many miles of canals and waterways
0:17:09 > 0:17:12that weave their way through the county.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15The Warwickshire Ring, a series of connecting canals
0:17:15 > 0:17:18forming a circuit around the West Midlands,
0:17:18 > 0:17:20played an integral part in the success
0:17:20 > 0:17:23of the region's industrial past.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25Narrow boat owners, Len and Anne Creswell,
0:17:25 > 0:17:30have invited us on board to give us a taste of canal travel.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34- Hello!- Hello.- Morning, Anne. - Hello.- Hello, Anne.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36- Len.- Yes, hello, nice to see you. - Hi.
0:17:36 > 0:17:37- Do you want to...- Oh, thank you.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39Argh! Brian?
0:17:39 > 0:17:42Thank you, sir. I'll very happily take a hand here.
0:17:42 > 0:17:43LEN LAUGHS
0:17:43 > 0:17:46Right. Are you sitting comfortably?
0:17:46 > 0:17:50Now Len, how long does it take you to go through all these locks?
0:17:50 > 0:17:51From the bottom to the top,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54we can do it in about three hours, 15 minutes.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56Who does all the hard work?
0:17:56 > 0:17:58- OK.- Anne's raised her hand already!
0:17:58 > 0:18:01I know it's to make sure I say the right thing!
0:18:01 > 0:18:03Er, Anne does mo...all the locks.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05- Anne does the locks? - Does all the locks.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07The lady does the locks. Are you listening to this?
0:18:07 > 0:18:09- That's tradition. - I agree with you, mate.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11I would dread that as well that.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13What does doing the lock involve?
0:18:13 > 0:18:16Er, a windlass, or a lock key if you want to call it,
0:18:16 > 0:18:20to open the gates and let the water through to fill the lock up.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22Or if you're coming up, to empty the lock.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24Do you need a lot of muscle power for that?
0:18:24 > 0:18:27Well, Anne's got a lot of muscle power.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29Yeah, you're looking particularly puny, Len,
0:18:29 > 0:18:32like you're forte is giving orders. Right, Brian, that's your job.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35Oh, no, just pass it round and when the music stops, whoever's got
0:18:35 > 0:18:38it has got to do it, all right. Give it to her quickly.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41- Can we just make it clear, you're the skipper, eh?- Yeah.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44- You listening?- Oh, no, look, look... - Oh, no.- ..I've got me hat.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47I'm sorry, Brian, go and have a lesson from Anne.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50Erm, I'm going to have to give you the lock keys, Brian.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52- Lock keys, all right.- Yep.
0:18:56 > 0:18:57Right, we're off!
0:19:00 > 0:19:03Hells teeth! Are you saying the women do this?
0:19:03 > 0:19:05Get out of here! I've got a hernia!
0:19:09 > 0:19:12- That goes on...?- On there. - ..on that one. OK.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15See my weight training's come in useful!
0:19:21 > 0:19:24There's not a lot to do really is there, Janet, down there?
0:19:24 > 0:19:27- Brian, don't put me off.- Janet, you're doing great job! Janet.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30Brian, I'm getting through the lock, I'm ignoring you.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34- You're looking at a master mariner! - Toot, toot, toot, toot.- Toot, toot!
0:19:36 > 0:19:41We're through the lock, but they haven't finished with me yet.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43Steer it right for goodness' sake!
0:19:43 > 0:19:44Cor blimey O'Reilly!
0:19:44 > 0:19:47Brian, forward a bit so it doesn't go back there.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49- Forward a bit?- Forward! - Give me de... Give me...
0:19:49 > 0:19:52- Cor, blimey, chef.- Come on, Brian!
0:19:52 > 0:19:55What do you want me to do next, skipper?
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Would you mind tying us up, please?
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Certainly, come here and I'll get a piece of rope.
0:20:00 > 0:20:01THEY LAUGH
0:20:01 > 0:20:04It used to be donkeys that did this, didn't it?
0:20:04 > 0:20:07We've got some carrots for you afterwards!
0:20:07 > 0:20:08Heave!
0:20:14 > 0:20:17- Right there you are.- Yeah, brilliant. - Well done, Brian.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19Avast there, me hearties!
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Brian, thank you so much.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24SHE CACKLES
0:20:31 > 0:20:34All that hard work has given me quite an appetite,
0:20:34 > 0:20:38so it seems like a good time to find out more about this region's cuisine.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44Based in the stately Mallory Court Hotel in Leamington Spa,
0:20:44 > 0:20:48Chef Paul Foster tries to showcase the very best in seasonal flavours
0:20:48 > 0:20:50at his restaurant, The Dining Room.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55- Paul, how are you?- Good.- So, what are you going to cook for us today?
0:20:55 > 0:20:57We've got some lovely local ingredients.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59I'm going to do a pheasant egg dish,
0:20:59 > 0:21:00which are bang in season at the moment
0:21:00 > 0:21:03with some local asparagus from Kineton and mushroom ketchup.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05OK, so what do you do first?
0:21:05 > 0:21:07First of all, I'm going to make a lavash bread,
0:21:07 > 0:21:09- which is like a nice, crisp bread with flaxseeds.- Yeah.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12It's like a bread dough but there's no yeast in it.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15- Flour, water, butter and a little bit of milk in there as well.- OK.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18So, it's an ordinary plain flour, not a 00 flour.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20- It's a strong flour. - It is a strong flour? OK, right.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23So, just take a small amount of the dough
0:21:23 > 0:21:26- and just treat it exactly as you would pasta.- Yeah.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29We'll put it through a few times just to work up the gluten
0:21:29 > 0:21:31- like you would with pasta.- Yeah.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33It's should be quite a sticky dough,
0:21:33 > 0:21:37a little bit more sticky than you do with erm, with pasta.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40Pheasant eggs are something that not a lot of people actually know about.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42I have to say I've never really used them.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44They're a lovely egg. They're really nice and rich
0:21:44 > 0:21:47- and they've got a lovely delicate white on them as well.- Yeah.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49- And we're just going to fry it. - Right.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51I don't like to mess about with eggs too much.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54They're so lovely, when you get a good egg.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56OK. So, you've done that as thin as you need it.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58Lovely and thin, so you can just see through it.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01Cut it and then it just needs glazing with some egg yolk
0:22:01 > 0:22:04- and then seasoning with some sea salt.- Right.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06And what you'll see when it's baked it puffs up
0:22:06 > 0:22:09- with the little air bubbles in it, so it gives a...- Oh, right.
0:22:09 > 0:22:10..lovely, lovely texture.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13- This is just a hen's egg. They're local as well.- Yeah.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16So, just brush it all over the top, so you get a lovely colour
0:22:16 > 0:22:19and it gives an extra sort of crispness and smoothness
0:22:19 > 0:22:21to the top as well.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23- So, some linseed.- OK, right, yeah.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25Just for, again, more texture.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30There's no salt in the dough cos I like to put sea salt on top,
0:22:30 > 0:22:34so you get a hit of the salt when you eat it.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36OK, so that's going to go straight in the oven.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42- OK, so for the mushroom ketchup... - Yeah.
0:22:42 > 0:22:44..what we do we use these mushrooms.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46They look a bit knackered, but we slice them
0:22:46 > 0:22:48and leave them in the fridge for two days to oxidise.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50And that intensifies the umami flavour.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52So, what we're going to do,
0:22:52 > 0:22:54I'm going to blend it with some soy sauce and make a liquid.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56And then I'm going to hang it overnight
0:22:56 > 0:22:59- and you get this lovely mushroomy, soy juice.- Oh, right.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01And then we set that juice in to a nice puree.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05So, you get this like ketchup on the plate with loads of rich flavour.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08- OK.- So, next I'm just going to prep some asparagus.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10Beautiful Kineton asparagus, which is from, I think,
0:23:10 > 0:23:13it's about four miles away from us and they pick it exactly as we need.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16And it's in season from then for about six to eight weeks.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18So, all we're going to do for the asparagus
0:23:18 > 0:23:20is just take these little tips off.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22They just get in the way a bit, really.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24Then you just get rid of some of the skin as well.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27So, you get a much more delicate piece of asparagus.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29- They're delicate.- And you have to be gentle with those, don't you,
0:23:29 > 0:23:31otherwise you snap the thing.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33You do or you'll take a big chunk out of it.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35It does look really pretty and nice, doesn't it, I have to say.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38It looks like you've made the effort, doesn't it?
0:23:38 > 0:23:40- Nice and elegant. Yeah.- It does, absolutely, yeah.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43So, the mushrooms, I've got some little Shimeji mushrooms.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46They're lovely and delicate and, again, they're nice raw.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48I've got a ready-made pickle liquor
0:23:48 > 0:23:50which is just vinegar, sugar and water.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52Yeah, as you know, mushrooms are so absorbent.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54That's going to suck all that up
0:23:54 > 0:23:56and it's just going to take that rawness off them.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00- Right. So, next job?- So, next job is bringing it together, really.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02- Here's this lovely flat bread. - Lovely.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04And you can see the little bubbles I spoke about earlier.
0:24:04 > 0:24:05It's a great colour.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08A nice sort of richness to it as well with that egg.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10So, all I'll do is I'll just snap it in to pieces.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13I'll just let it cool, which will take a few minutes,
0:24:13 > 0:24:14- but that's ready for the dish.- Yeah.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17- Right. So, now I'm going to start the eggs and the asparagus.- Right.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19Eggs, I like to do them quite slowly,
0:24:19 > 0:24:22- so a couple of minutes even for a small egg like that.- Yeah.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25- So, are you going to cook it in oil or butter?- Butter.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27- Butter, good lad. - Only way to cook an egg.
0:24:27 > 0:24:28I'm liking this!
0:24:31 > 0:24:32The shell's so delicate.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35- If you try and crack it like a normal egg...- You'll smash it.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37Yeah, you'll smash it and the yolk will break.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39So, just nice and gently.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42- This has got quite a big yolk for... - It has really, yeah.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46So, it will take about two minutes to cook.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48I'm going to take some of the ends of the asparagus
0:24:48 > 0:24:51- that are still tender...- Yeah. - ..just slice them very thin.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55It's a lovely vegetable, isn't it?
0:24:55 > 0:24:56That perfect little round there.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58It's so pretty, that lovely green colour.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Let that sit just for a couple of minutes in the salt,
0:25:01 > 0:25:02- which will help break it down.- Yeah.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04So, the egg isn't far off.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07And the asparagus straight in.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09Obviously, we want to cook it really fast.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12- Yeah.- No such thing as slow-cooking asparagus, is there?
0:25:12 > 0:25:14It's fast, it's fresh. You keep it sweet and green.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16- And it keeps that colour. Yeah. - Exactly.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18So, the mushroom ketchup I showed you earlier,
0:25:18 > 0:25:20- this is the finished product. - Right, yeah.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22If you want to have a little taste.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24It's a really intense, but silky...
0:25:27 > 0:25:30And cos it's so powerful just spread it about on the plate.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32You don't want a big mouthful of it.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34It's just that seasoning and that extra moisture.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36- Really mushroomy, isn't it? - That's lovely that is, yeah.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39Then on the plate, we've got the raw asparagus.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44OK, so some radish, again, which are grown in our garden.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46I do love these breakfast radishes.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48They look lovely, but they taste great.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Pickled mushrooms. A lot of richness to this dish.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53That pickled element will just cut through the yolk
0:25:53 > 0:25:56and through the mushroom ketchup. And then the bread.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00Snap it in to some shards.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02So, the egg's about ready.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04- You can see the white's really soft. - Yeah, yeah.
0:26:04 > 0:26:05It's not a rubbery white.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09Get some of the flowers on the plate.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12- And the beauty is it changes with the season.- Exactly.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14Just drain off the egg.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18And a little more seasoning just on the yolk.
0:26:21 > 0:26:22And now the asparagus.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26So, just, again, just a way, so we get it all on the plate.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32And then the last ingredient, cured egg yolk.
0:26:32 > 0:26:33- Cured egg yolk?- Yeah.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37So, what we do, it looks like a dried apricot and it's really hard.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40- Yeah, yeah.- We salt it for 12 hours and then dehydrate it.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42So, what you get is this really intense egg yolk.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46To get that extra creaminess in the dish just grate it over.
0:26:48 > 0:26:49Amazing.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52And, so this is our local asparagus with pheasant egg,
0:26:52 > 0:26:54crisp bread and mushroom ketchup.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58Chef, that looks fantastic.
0:26:58 > 0:26:59Thanks very much.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01I'm really impressed. However...
0:27:01 > 0:27:02- I'm not the judge here.- No, no!
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Let's see what our lady thinks, shall we?
0:27:05 > 0:27:06All right, I hope she likes it.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12Paul's dish certainly is culinary art on a plate.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14But how would it rate under the scrutiny
0:27:14 > 0:27:17of one of the country's most discerning food critics?
0:27:17 > 0:27:18- Hi, there.- Hi, Janet.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20So, this is a local dish for you.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24We've got a pheasant egg, asparagus with a mushroom ketchup
0:27:24 > 0:27:26and crisp bread. I hope you enjoy it.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28- Thank you so much.- Thank you. - Thanks, Chef.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30Right, now, tell us what you think.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34Usually, I'm one of those people that the picture on the plate
0:27:34 > 0:27:36Well, it's lovely.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38I don't know quite where to start.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40Start at the very beginning.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42- I'm going to start...- It's a very good place to start.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44- Do you know what, Brian?- Yes, dear?
0:27:44 > 0:27:47You're such a cliche.
0:27:47 > 0:27:48HE LAUGHS SILENTLY
0:27:48 > 0:27:52Mm, that egg's well cooked. It's perfectly cooked.
0:27:52 > 0:27:57How do... Do I put all this lovely, little arrangement in the egg yolk?
0:27:57 > 0:28:00I think that's what I would do, yes.
0:28:00 > 0:28:01Right.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07- And this here...- Hm.- Just try that.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12Well, it's a real... It's something that's been reduced
0:28:12 > 0:28:14and reduced and reduced.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16It's mushrooms and soy sauce.
0:28:16 > 0:28:17Oh, yeah, I can taste the soy sauce.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20- Just blitzed toge... You can, can't you. Yeah.- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23And it's good seasoning for the rest of the plate.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26So, it's kind of very healthy, light food,
0:28:26 > 0:28:28but it's got a lot of ideas in it.
0:28:28 > 0:28:29Well, it's delicious.
0:28:37 > 0:28:39Now, we've eaten,
0:28:39 > 0:28:42it's time to explore more of the region's history,
0:28:42 > 0:28:44and as we're in Shakespeare country,
0:28:44 > 0:28:48I want to take Brian for a stroll around Henley-in-Arden,
0:28:48 > 0:28:51an ancient market town Shakespeare referenced in his play,
0:28:51 > 0:28:53Love's Labour's Lost.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57So, here we are in Henley-in-Arden,
0:28:57 > 0:28:59which is in the middle of the Arden Forest
0:28:59 > 0:29:05and in the 12th century, it was an absolutely thriving market town.
0:29:05 > 0:29:10And there are 150 buildings on this one stretch of road,
0:29:10 > 0:29:12I think within a mile or so
0:29:12 > 0:29:15that are rated as being of historical interest.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18- Look, there's an old street sign over there.- Oh, right, yeah.
0:29:18 > 0:29:20- "From London, 102."- Yeah.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23And a lot of these houses that are now private homes
0:29:23 > 0:29:26were in fact pubs.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28It was lined with pubs.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30And some of the pubs date from the 15th century.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34So look that says, "The Old White Horse,"
0:29:34 > 0:29:37so it was obviously a pub once, although it looks like a house now.
0:29:37 > 0:29:39Yeah, yeah.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45After all this walking, I think we've earned ourselves a rest.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48We've hardly started, Brian!
0:29:48 > 0:29:52Let me guess, you've spotted the town's famous ice cream parlour.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55- Good morning, what can I get for you?- Hiya.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57How many flavours have you got here?
0:29:57 > 0:29:59Erm, approximately 56.
0:29:59 > 0:30:01And do you change them from week on week?
0:30:01 > 0:30:04- Erm, through the seasons. So, we'll have winter flavours...- Right.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07..like Baileys ice cream, Christmas pudding ice cream,
0:30:07 > 0:30:10and then as we come in to the spring, we'll come with the cherries
0:30:10 > 0:30:13and then we come in to tropical and then we'll go back
0:30:13 > 0:30:15into the in to the winter and autumn, yeah.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18So, how long has this been an ice-cream parlour?
0:30:18 > 0:30:21Since 1934. So, this year is our 80th birthday.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24So, when they opened the parlour, what was the effect on the town?
0:30:24 > 0:30:26Well, I wasn't here then, of course...
0:30:26 > 0:30:29- No, I'm not suggesting you were. - ..not long after, but I wasn't here!
0:30:29 > 0:30:32- I'm not suggesting you were, but... - Behave yourself, Street-Porter.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35- It used to stop the traffic, so... - Stopped the traffic?
0:30:35 > 0:30:37..one of the workers, one of the production workers
0:30:37 > 0:30:39used to go out in to the high street and control the traffic,
0:30:39 > 0:30:42so people could come in and buy their ice creams
0:30:42 > 0:30:43and the traffic kept flowing.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45We're definitely going to have an ice cream.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47I'm going to have honeycomb. I love it.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49I'm going to have vanilla, Cindy.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51Oh, look at that, you got two blobs on there.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54- Lovely, thank you.- Eat and enjoy.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58Well, erm, if you see the lady, she'll sort out the cash.
0:30:58 > 0:31:00Shall we go for a walk?
0:31:00 > 0:31:02Shall we go for a walk, dear?
0:31:02 > 0:31:05- Hm. It's delicious. Thank you. - Thank you. It's proper ice cream!
0:31:09 > 0:31:10Fabulous!
0:31:20 > 0:31:24So, look at that church. 12th century.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26And the Guildhall, it's Elizabethan
0:31:26 > 0:31:31with all the original brick work, fantastic timbers.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34How it's not shaken down by all these lorries
0:31:34 > 0:31:37- and buses going past, I don't know! - No, quite.
0:31:39 > 0:31:41So, look, here's The White Swan,
0:31:41 > 0:31:46which is a 16th century coaching inn and you can see all the stables.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49What would have been the stables and lodgings out the back.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51Well, look at this.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53It's rather sad, isn't it?
0:31:53 > 0:31:56It's a bit truncated. It's the remains of the old market cross.
0:31:56 > 0:32:00I think it dates from the 15th century.
0:32:00 > 0:32:04Oh, right. So, is that...that's not all of it, then? They've lost a bit.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06It's missing the cross, Brian.
0:32:06 > 0:32:07SHE LAUGHS
0:32:09 > 0:32:12History is not really your strong point, is it, Brian?
0:32:12 > 0:32:14Best stick to the food.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21Good idea! And talking of food,
0:32:21 > 0:32:25I'm still on the hunt for a main ingredient for our celebratory dish.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28Warwickshire has a long tradition of sheep farming,
0:32:28 > 0:32:30so we've come to meet Stephen Fletcher.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33- Hi.- Hi. We're just about to get the sheep in for milking now.
0:32:33 > 0:32:35A fifth-generation milk producer,
0:32:35 > 0:32:37who's turned his hand to cheese-making.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42So, how many sheep have you got here?
0:32:42 > 0:32:45Erm, well, altogether we're approaching 1,000 milking sheep.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50- They're on their way. Look, here they come.- Here they come.- Yeah.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53Well, look at that, they're really keen to get in, aren't they?
0:32:53 > 0:32:55They're fairly docile, are they not?
0:32:55 > 0:32:56They are and that's one of the reasons
0:32:56 > 0:32:58why they lend themselves to milking.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02I only ever hear the milking parlour on The Archers!
0:33:02 > 0:33:05And... I know you're laughing.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08- I've never been in a sheep milking parlour.- Right.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10So, can we have a look? I won't put them off, will I?
0:33:10 > 0:33:12No, you won't put them off, no.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23So, the first thing we do is we wash the teats.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32Right. Then the next step is the important bit.
0:33:33 > 0:33:35OK, that's putting the clusters on.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38So, bring that down, you can now here it sucking.
0:33:38 > 0:33:40That's the squeeze and relax motion.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42- It actually pours the milk out. - Yeah.
0:33:42 > 0:33:46So then, pull it into view.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48OK?
0:33:51 > 0:33:52- You've missed.- Have I missed?- Yeah.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54There you are you've got it now.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57- That's it. Then if you look in here...- Yeah. Milk's coming out.
0:33:57 > 0:33:58..you'll see the milk coming out.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01OK and then it goes up, then comes into the jar.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03So, Brian, do you want to have a go?
0:34:03 > 0:34:04OK let me switch it on for you.
0:34:04 > 0:34:06That's it.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08That one wants to go on that side.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10- Oh, right. I didn't realise there was a...- That's it.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13Come on, me darling, let's just do this properly, huh?
0:34:13 > 0:34:15- Which way is...- Yeah, that, well, there's a pair of them,
0:34:15 > 0:34:18so the left-hand one goes on the left-hand teat.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20Come on, Brian. You're not doing as well as I did!
0:34:20 > 0:34:23I'm doing a damn site better than you did, lass, eh!
0:34:23 > 0:34:25- No, no.- That's it, she's on.
0:34:25 > 0:34:26Come on, fill up.
0:34:28 > 0:34:33So, how much does each sheep produce in a milking like this?
0:34:33 > 0:34:36In the afternoon, we're looking at each ewe giving
0:34:36 > 0:34:37about three quarters of a litre,
0:34:37 > 0:34:40and in the mornings, we're looking at about a litre and a half.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43- There or thereabouts.- That's a lot, isn't it?- It's a fair bit.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47For their body weight, they actually do produce quite a lot of milk.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49To make his award-winning cheese,
0:34:49 > 0:34:53Stephen pumps the milk into vats to begin the souring process,
0:34:53 > 0:34:57where an enzyme is added to thicken the mixture.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00It's then broken into small pieces to release the whey
0:35:00 > 0:35:02and moulded into containers.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06Once matured, all that's left to do is to taste it.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08So, here we go. Berkswell cheese.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12- How long does it take to get to that stage?- Minimum of 90 days,
0:35:12 > 0:35:15but ideally between four, four and a half months
0:35:15 > 0:35:17is when we feel it's at its best.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21Now, the first thing I notice about it is how pale and creamy it looks.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23As it ages a bit more, it will sort of darken
0:35:23 > 0:35:26and just slightly dry out just a little bit as well.
0:35:26 > 0:35:30It would go really well with fruit.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34- What I like about it is it doesn't scream sheep's milk at you...- No.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38..but it's got a lovely maturity and bags of character about it.
0:35:38 > 0:35:40It's got big flavours, it's lovely.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43Now, I have to cook a celebration dish
0:35:43 > 0:35:46and I really think that that would work, for me.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48In the meantime...
0:35:48 > 0:35:49I'm going to have another piece!
0:35:49 > 0:35:53Don't eat it all yet, Brian, because I've invited some hungry locals
0:35:53 > 0:35:58to the beautiful grounds of Mallory Court to give us their verdict
0:35:58 > 0:36:00on our celebratory taste of Warwickshire.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03What a glorious day again, this is fantastic!
0:36:03 > 0:36:05Look all our friends are here. Paul the chef,
0:36:05 > 0:36:09Stephen the cheese creator of his Berkswell cheese,
0:36:09 > 0:36:11- the boat people...- Barge people.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14- No!- Narrow boat people, yeah, you got it wrong, huh?
0:36:14 > 0:36:16Fantastic to see you all. Thank you very much.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19What I'm going to cook is really quite a simple dish.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22It's sort of a leftover dish cos I'm good at that,
0:36:22 > 0:36:24using this wonderful Berkswell cheese.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26- And it's a mixture of Welsh rarebit...- Yeah.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29- ..cheese on toast...- Yeah. - ..croque-monsieur...- Yeah.
0:36:29 > 0:36:34..and I've called it a Berkswell cheese toastie pudding.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37Right, that's covering all bases!
0:36:37 > 0:36:40You've got it! So, first job is we've got to make the sandwich.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43Now, this is toasted bread. Only on one side. So...
0:36:43 > 0:36:45Does it have to white bread? Can I ask...
0:36:45 > 0:36:48It does not have to be white. It can be any colour bread you like.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50- All right, OK. - So, the first thing we do
0:36:50 > 0:36:53is put on one side local mustard.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56And, once again, as much or as little as you like.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59I quite like mustard and this is really good, great texture.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02So, that goes on there.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05A nice slice of local ham goes on top.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08And then this is local butter.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11- Delicious.- This is like a very blokey sandwich.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13Well, this is the kind of thing you find in a men's club...
0:37:13 > 0:37:16- Exactly!- A gentlemen's club, we've got a gentlemen's club!
0:37:16 > 0:37:18I know why white bread never passes my lips,
0:37:18 > 0:37:19so this is a bit of a first for me!
0:37:19 > 0:37:22I've toasted it so it's brown, so you're all right.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24- Oh, yeah, that's the right answer. - Thank you very much.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27Keep it going, keep it going, keep it going, right.
0:37:27 > 0:37:29OK, so you make a sandwich.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31Now, all I want is this little bit in the middle.
0:37:32 > 0:37:36So, look, I've got those ready to go there. So, that's quite simple.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38So, it's a ham sandwich with a bit of mustard on here.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41Right, over here, it's double cream...
0:37:41 > 0:37:45And I want to reduce it, so it starts to thicken up.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49- So, this is a single portion, quite lady-like.- Yeah.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52And this is possibly, without being sexist, a double portion.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54That is sexist, that's a Yorkshire portion.
0:37:54 > 0:37:55I said a do... A Yorkshire...
0:37:55 > 0:37:58You're quite right, it is a Yorkshire portion.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01And look, I helped to make this ale earlier.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04This is optional, cos you'd find it in a Welsh rarebit, a bit of ale.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07- So, I'm just going to put a little bit...- What does that do?
0:38:07 > 0:38:09- It just sor... It's flavour.- Right.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12Just gives it that little bit of... umph.
0:38:12 > 0:38:13- OK, so look.- Yep.
0:38:13 > 0:38:15The cream has now boiled. Take it off the heat,
0:38:15 > 0:38:18cos if you leave it on the heat it just doesn't help it
0:38:18 > 0:38:19and it gets too thick.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22- All you do now is quickly, a little bit of mustard...- Yeah.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25- ..some of this Worcestershire sauce...- Yeah.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29A little bit of pepper.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32- And I've got some cheese in here. - Handful.- Most of it...
0:38:32 > 0:38:34No, no, I'm going to keep some of it out just to go out on the top.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36- That's lovely.- Yeah.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40It's looking good there. And here I want two egg yolks.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43So, we'll separate the yolks and the whites.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46Whites go in there.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48Yolks go in here.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52- That's...- Kind of like eggy custard.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55It is a bit like it. But this is how the original Welsh rarebit was made
0:38:55 > 0:38:58and you just poured it over the top, which I'm going to do
0:38:58 > 0:39:00and then put it into an oven,
0:39:00 > 0:39:04about 180 degrees, for about 15, 20 minutes.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08This'd make a great brasserie dish, chef, over there, eh?
0:39:08 > 0:39:11- Oh, thanks for the tip, it'll be on staff food tonight!- Yeah.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14So, just pile it on top there. Don't go mad. And that's it.
0:39:14 > 0:39:18- So, I'm just going to go and stick that in the oven...- All right.
0:39:18 > 0:39:19- ..and I'll be back.- OK.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28There you are. 15 minutes later.
0:39:28 > 0:39:30Oh, that's the start. I haven't finished yet.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33- But thank you very much.- Yeah. - How kind. Right.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35I'm just going to pinch some of this salad down the front here.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38- Do you know what these are, Chef? - Yeah, yeah, we got some...
0:39:38 > 0:39:41- Basil over here.- Basil, purple basil.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44- You've got some coriander there. Yeah.- Coriander, yes, Chef.
0:39:44 > 0:39:48- That's nice choi leaves there as well.- Choi leaves here, yeah?- Yeah.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51They are so pretty and so tasty. Excellent.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54In lots of places, you'd just serve it exactly as it is.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56But I just think it's a really nice touch
0:39:56 > 0:40:00as we've got these little bits of herbs and salad leaves so that can...
0:40:00 > 0:40:03- Ah, Brian!- You see you didn't realise I had another side to me,
0:40:03 > 0:40:06- did you?- What, an artistic side?
0:40:06 > 0:40:08Oh, no, not that! SHE LAUGHS
0:40:08 > 0:40:13- And then we just want a little bit of oil on top.- Lovely.
0:40:13 > 0:40:18And there you have it, my dear, Berkswell cheese toastie pudding.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20Ta da!
0:40:31 > 0:40:33Now, what's the correct way to eat this?
0:40:33 > 0:40:35In a slice, in a wedge or in a great...
0:40:35 > 0:40:37It's in a wedge I think, yeah.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40Oh, it's great the way the ham's in the middle.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47Mm. Tell you what, that mustard's got a kick in it!
0:40:47 > 0:40:51Never mind about the blessed mustard what about the cheese?
0:40:51 > 0:40:54- It's delicious!- Have a taste, Steve, eh?- Thank you very much.
0:40:54 > 0:40:57- It's your cheese.- Very good. - Cheers. Thank you.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59- That is...- It's a...it's a big piece!
0:40:59 > 0:41:00That's a ladies size!
0:41:01 > 0:41:03That's excellent.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05The beer comes through as well.
0:41:05 > 0:41:06I would not have thought of that.
0:41:06 > 0:41:10- So, shall we give everybody else a taste?- Yep.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12OK, come on up!
0:41:12 > 0:41:15All right, OK.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18- Esme likes it.- She loves it. Yeah, shove it in.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21Well, you're a hit with the under fives...
0:41:21 > 0:41:23Some more.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27- Empty plates, I think I know what that means.- Of course.
0:41:27 > 0:41:29Is it something you'll be doing on the boat?
0:41:29 > 0:41:32- Sounds like a good idea. - I might do, yes!- Yes, yeah.
0:41:32 > 0:41:33It was your cheese. Well done.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35I thought that was lovely, it worked well as a dish.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37Empty plate, it was absolutely superb, thank you.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40- The nice is it's so simple...- Yeah. - ..and it's so, so tasty...
0:41:40 > 0:41:41What about adding the beer?
0:41:41 > 0:41:44For the beer, but you were right with the mustard.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46the mustard comes through as well. Yes, it's really nice.
0:41:53 > 0:41:57Well, I've loved Warwickshire. It's the geographical centre of England
0:41:57 > 0:42:00and you feel like it's the beating heart of England
0:42:00 > 0:42:03and we've seen so much in such a short time.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07I mean, Warwick Castle, I thought was extraordinary.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09It's just like a film set.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11What about the windmill? Chesterton Windmill?
0:42:11 > 0:42:14Have you ever seen another windmill like that?
0:42:14 > 0:42:18And then, of course, I don't want to rub your nose in it
0:42:18 > 0:42:21but, the locks, Hatton Locks,
0:42:21 > 0:42:25and my prowess as, I think it's called a helmswoman?
0:42:25 > 0:42:29I think you're right. It's been a wonderful place to visit.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32That Berkswell cheese was lovely, and that farm
0:42:32 > 0:42:34- and the, milking the sheep?- Ahh!
0:42:34 > 0:42:36Not something I'm going to do again!
0:42:36 > 0:42:39Hang on. Here at Mallory Court they've been so kind to us
0:42:39 > 0:42:41and cooks well that lad as well.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44But actually we mustn't forget the other thing must we...
0:42:44 > 0:42:46- The brewery!- The brewery! I can say...
0:42:46 > 0:42:48Funny how you come back to the brewery!
0:42:48 > 0:42:50I thought it was lovely.
0:42:50 > 0:42:51But it just goes to prove,
0:42:51 > 0:42:57cos I think we got it right, my Berkswell toastie, cheesy, pudding...
0:42:57 > 0:43:01- Yes.- ..is just definitely a taste of Warwickshire