Brenda Blethyn A Taste of My Life

Welcome to A Taste Of My Life, the show that dines out on the culinary secrets of a famous life.

Like a family tree, the foods of our past can tell us an awful lot

about who we are today.

In fact, so evocative is food that it can stir up some of our most intimate memories.

Which is exactly why I'm going to be taking today's guest

on something of a culinary trip down memory lane.

Today's guest's life story really is a rags-to-riches tale.

Now firmly established as one of the world's leading character actors,

it wasn't until she was 27 that she had a complete career change

and started to appear on our TV screens.

Over the years, she's worked repeatedly with director Mike Leigh,

but in 1996 received an Oscar nomination

starring opposite Timothy Spall in the movie Secrets And Lies.

-I'm only trying to help you.

-Leave me alone!

-I'm your mother.

Get out of my room!

-It don't matter if you have a little baby, I'll look after it.

-I ain't getting pregnant!

I'll give up me job.

And, as if that wasn't enough,

just two years later she was nominated yet again

for her performance as the alcoholic and domineering mother

to Jane Horrocks in the smash hit, Little Voice.

I'll have...a cup of tea.

-You what?

-Ah-hah!

Ahhh, you'll have a cup of tea!

Hey, don't just go off like that!

Yes, today's special guest is British actress Brenda Blethyn.

Coming up in today's show...

Brenda Blethyn finds 101 ways to eat a cream horn,

some not as friendly as I'd like.

-If I blew...

-No!

Friend and actor Bob Daws recalls Brenda's skills as an acrobat over a knickerbocker glory.

She's the only person I know

who can crawl on her stomach 20 feet across the room,

balancing a pint of lager on her head.

And close friend and actor Timothy Spall remembers the parlour games

-they played together at their local pub.

-Do you remember?

Would you like a bath, Oliver?

-Brenda Blethyn, welcome to A Taste Of My Life.

-Thanks, Nigel.

Now, you grew up in Ramsgate.

-You were the youngest actually of nine.

-Yeah!

I can't imagine what that was like!

Bedlam.

We all had to squash in and make do, really.

I had to sleep in the parlour, which was quite good.

I could sneak into the cupboard

and pinch the raisins and all the sultanas.

And so did Mum cook? I'm thinking that she had a lot on her plate, having that many children at home.

Tell me about her cooking.

She didn't have much money, so what she did have she had to make stretch when it came to mealtime.

She was very good at recycling the food.

It's something that, in a way, we've slightly forgotten today.

My father loved faggots, we had them every Friday night.

-That was our big thing.

-Yeah, we all loved faggots in our house.

-And pease pudding.

-And pease pudding?

-Yes!

-Explain to me what pease pudding is, because I feel as if I know what it is, but I don't.

It is delicious. It's yellow.

It's the texture of mashed potato,

and it's made, I suppose, with split peas, maybe lentils as well in there.

It's spicy, and it's absolutely delicious.

Nope, it's not a great looker, this dish,

but it is delicious, and incredibly comforting.

Pease pudding is essentially mashed lentils and mixed spices.

Faggots, or meatballs, are made from off-cuts of meat, especially pork,

and are then wrapped with caul, part of a pig's stomach.

Mmm!

Mum used to say, "Who's going to run down Woods the butchers

"and get some pease pudding and faggots?"

We'd all say, "Me, me, me, Mum!"

Once you've made your pease pudding base and laid your faggots on top,

it's a good idea to cover your dish with a tasty onion gravy.

We used to get this pease pudding and we couldn't wait to get home,

and we'd scoop it up with our finger on the way home and eat our portions,

and your fingers would go all crinkly.

But it was absolutely delicious.

And the faggot - the spicy meatballs that came with it, just wonderful.

They were a little bit more expensive, so we didn't always have faggots.

A sturdy dish for any working family

with not a lot of money in post-war Britain.

This is what I call working-class fare, really.

-It's not posh food, is it?

-No, absolutely not. Gosh, this brings back memories.

You talk about your childhood with very great fondness,

despite the fact that there wasn't a lot of money to go around. It can't have been easy.

You know, we'd all be sitting round.

We didn't have a proper cutlery set or anything.

We'd take it in turns.

There'd be newspaper on the table, so it's why we're avid readers now.

We'd read the tablecloth.

But what about childhood desserts?

If they were in a particularly good mood,

she would send me down the baker's to get two shillings' worth of mixed fancies.

These were these dainty little cakes - iced cakes,

or some with a bit of coconut on the top, or a jam tart,

or a Swiss roll, or a cream horn.

Oh, the cream horn!

Oh, the cream horn, Nigel.

A top tip when making your own cream horns

is to make sure you butter your moulds.

This is crucial, otherwise the pastry will stick to them.

Oh, I love the cream horn. My idea of heaven!

Having baked your cream horns for ten minutes or so,

take them out and re-glaze them with egg white and a sprinkling of sugar.

-And also, how you eat a cream horn.

-Yes.

-I mean, there is a way.

Well, there's lots -

you can either bite into that at the top bit,

the open end of it and hope that you can balance the cream inside.

There's a bit of jam in there as well.

Or you can poke your tongue in there

and get out the cream and the jam first.

Or you can start at the pointy end and work your way up.

-Now then...

-Oh, you're starting that end.

I'm not going all the way this end. I'll start that end in a minute.

-I can remember biting the end off...

-I can't get up there yet.

Keep going.

THEY GIGGLE

If I blew...

No!

I'm sorry, I've got to have another one.

They were such a treat, I mean they really were.

You've got the best bit. Oh, it looks fantastic.

-you got on very well with your siblings, didn't you?

-Yes, still do.

Yes, we're very, very close and we have fun together.

I've got a little message for you from someone.

Although the youngest of nine children,

Brenda was closest in age to her niece, Val, seen here on the left.

They consider each other to be sisters.

It's Valerie's!

Brenda writes in her book, actually,

that the smell of a bread pudding when she came in the front door

actually was a very good sign

because it meant that my grandma was having a good day.

She could be unpredictable,

so there could be days where there was no nice smell of anything.

But if you came in and there was a smell of a bread pudding, that was a bonus.

We were brought up more less as sisters, although she could be very bossy.

She would pull the aunt card quite frequently, I think.

In theory, we were brought up as sisters.

I think something like, you know, bread pudding

that cost very little, but it's a real rib sticker, you know...

Rib sticker!

Especially when it's a day old - it goes very grey and solid in the middle.

It's like real functional.

If you didn't eat it, you could use it for a house brick, really.

And it's the spice, obviously, that Brenda could smell

when she used to come into the house, you know.

The smell of spice baking is always a bit festive, really.

Half the time she was quite brutal to me,

but she must have been very charismatic

because I never remember not wanting to be with her.

However much she told me off and bossed me about,

and made me sit in corners while she did things,

I always wanted to be with her.

She's obviously always had that charisma that she has now.

I'm sorry!

Lovely Valerie.

-You're very close, aren't you?

-Yeah.

Yes, my sister's daughter. Dropped her on her head a few times.

-I've got her pudding.

-Yeah!

-This is the pudding she sent.

-Valerie!

Ohhh!

I haven't had this for years.

Mmm! Oh, that's delicious.

If you could smell something nice cooking, you knew that everyone was in a good mood.

At the relatively mature age of 27,

Brenda gave up working as a secretary for British Rail to pursue an acting career.

This quickly took her to the stage, and then to our TV screens,

most notably in the sitcom Outside Edge.

-Did you enjoy that?

-Outside Edge was a job made in heaven.

Timothy Spall, of course, Josie Lawrence and Bob Daws -

we were all such good friends, and nobody was precious.

We were all very, very professional,

but, you know, we had fun while we were doing it.

-I've got another little message for you.

-No!

Right, we're going to be seeing a knickerbocker glory,

in hopefully, all its glory.

So, the first ingredient, of course, is the fruit cocktail.

Shall I do the other one at the same time?

Why not, let's just bung that in there.

The reason I'm making this, Bren,

is because you come from Ramsgate and you know Ramsgate and Broadstairs -

that wonderful part of the coast of Kent,

and I had all my childhood holidays in Broadstairs.

and we've talked about how wonderful the place is.

My fondest memory were those wonderful ice-cream parlours along the top of the cliffs there,

and you said you love that ice cream.

This is why I'm making you a knickerbocker glory.

It won't be anywhere near as good.

She is quite remarkable, in as much as she's the only person I know

who can crawl on her stomach 20 feet across the room, balancing a pint of lager on her head.

If she ever wants to stop acting, she can always top the bill with Cirque du Soleil,

I'm sure they'd be very glad to have her!

Heaven!

There we are. Maybe just do a bit of this - a few nuts on top.

A few more nuts like so.

-Cherry.

-A cherry on top.

And last but by no means least,

if it doesn't send the whole thing toppling into oblivion...

Two knickerbocker glories for Brenda Blethyn.

Oh, my goodness me!

Oh, Bob!

You could knock me for six.

Honest-to-goodness, my voice has gone up an octave!

I'm sorry, someone's had your wafer!

Oh, my goodness.

Thank you. Oh...

-Thank you, Bob.

-Yes, thank you, Bob.

Ice-cream desserts.

-This is seaside stuff, this really is.

-Oh, yes.

This is a day out at the seaside.

Still to come on A Taste Of My Life, actor and friend Timothy Spall

challenges us both to make a steak and kidney pie.

Short crust or flaky pastry, your choice.

Brenda recalls being twice nominated for an Oscar over her taste of success.

What was weird was having people who I'd been gaping at,

saying, "Look who's over there!" and having them do it to me.

And, over her final feast, Brenda Blethyn tells me

how she's had enough of being constantly on the road.

Eating in restaurants all the time drives me nuts.

All I want to is boil an egg or something, you know, and you can't. Or make a bit of toast.

As Brenda's acting career took off,

more and more high-profile films started to come her way.

But it was when she reunited with the award-winning British director, Mike Leigh,

that she really hit the big-time.

Of course this led, I suppose, to the film I just absolutely adored,

which was Secrets And Lies, which is wonderful.

That must have been a fantastic film to do.

Yes, working with Mike Leigh is a different experience altogether.

I don't know if you know that his script is improvised,

and you're not at any point given...

any idea of what's supposed to happen

because we don't know what's going to happen.

-There isn't like an absolutely formal script?

-No, nothing.

Sweetheart, she's your sister.

Ma?

She's your sister!

Maurice?

You couldn't possibly have been prepared for the success of that film.

No, but I think all his films are good, but they haven't all had that sort of trajectory.

It was nominated for Golden Globes and Oscars,

and so it took on a whole new dimension, going to all that.

-I hadn't been to any of that before.

-Did your eating change in any way?

We'd have sort of fish that we could never have afforded as children...

when I was growing up.

Or venison.

A rich meal.

Farmed venison has a much milder flavour than wild.

We didn't know what it was, had never heard of it growing up.

I thought, "Oh gosh, you've arrived

"if you could afford a slice of venison."

It's delicious, have you ever had it?

Funnily enough, I went to a venison farm only a few weeks ago for the first time ever.

-One minute I'm looking up at Bambi, and the next minute I'm looking at a plate.

-I know, that's the thing.

-But look at a little bunny rabbit - I bet you've cooked a rabbit.

-I've cooked and enjoyed many a rabbit.

Little hippety hoppety, little thump thumper.

I'm making a blueberry sauce,

but you could just as well try using cherries.

It's important you try and get the balance of flavours in your sauce right.

Venison meat is sweeter than many others,

so you want to avoid overwhelming the meat with an over-sweet sauce.

But it's very low in cholesterol, venison,

for some reason. Why's that?

If you look at the carcass of the animal, there's virtually no fat at all.

I mean, they really are so lean.

And don't forget,

for the best venison steaks, never cook them past medium rare.

Then simply spoon on your sauce before serving.

A true taste of success.

I remember the first time I had it, the first time I saw it on the menu even,

I thought, "Good heavens, this restaurant must cost the earth!"

-Oscar-nomination food.

-Yes, that's exactly when I had it.

Because you were nominated again for Little Voice.

-A fabulous film.

-It was fun working with Michael Caine

and Jane, it really was.

You could have knocked me down with a feather when I heard I'd been nominated.

I can't start again can I, now?

Who'd want me anyway?

Who'd want me?!

'Last time I went with Secrets And Lies,'

a lot of people were saying, "You're in with a chance."

"Oh, no, I can't even think that way."

But the betting odds in Las Vegas on occasion did think that I was going to win, too.

But I didn't, to cut a long story short.

But the second time I went,

it was so much more relaxing because nobody thought I was going to win!

Michael was gone for ages in the bathroom,

and when he came back, he said, "Sorry, Bren, I got into a conversation with Shirley MacLaine

"and I couldn't get away," as if it was the most natural thing in the world, do you know what I mean?

It's ridiculous. But what was weird was having people

who I'd be gaping at and nudging, saying, "Look who's over there!" and having them do it to me.

Now tell me, I'm fascinated to know about Brenda the cook. Do you cook for friends a lot?

Not lately. I used to.

When I was at drama school, I used to cook for a whole lot of them a couple of times a week -

it would be all round to Brenda's gaff for a meal.

A friend of yours has actually got a little message for you,

and a little bit of a challenge.

Yup, down at Brenda's local, her best pal is cooking up a culinary challenge,

and remembering some of the rather more unusual parlour games they played together.

Hi, Bren.

Now, there's not many people in the world

-who'd know why I'm walking so strangely.

-I know what you're doing!

But I think you might because you introduced me to this rather delicious restaurant parlour game.

And then release.

One point. I think I probably was pretty instrumental

and guilty of introducing you to another rather wonderful and interesting,

and somewhat humiliating, game, which is usually served just before the cheese dish.

If you remember,

it's known as

napkin fun.

You are the person I have sat down and dined with the most in my life.

That's partly due to the fact that we've worked a lot together,

but more importantly, due to the fact that you are a really good mate.

I was going to give you an exotic challenge, but I think I want you to cook something

that is quintessentially English,

possibly incorporating cheese with a Bath Oliver.

Do you remember? Would you like a bath, Oliver?

But I'm going to ask you to make a traditional English

steak-and-kidney pie.

Short crust or flaky pastry, your choice.

But if you do it, save me a slice.

Love you, Bren, and you're a great mate.

Isn't he wonderful?!

You'd never guess Timothy Spall knew napkin art.

Oh, my goodness, I've got to make a steak-and-kidney pie.

-Sounds like a challenge to me.

-Oh no, Nigel, no, please!

Oh, yes, Brenda. It's off to the kitchen for us, I'm afraid.

So, Timothy Spall's challenge.

Traditional steak-and-kidney pie.

Right. Top tip,

this is what I do when I'm showing off at home -

I put the flour and the seasoning in this little bag.

Put all that in there with some salt and pepper.

I've got a hole in my bag, that's not helping.

And then in with the meat.

And then, once it's all in there, squidge it all around.

Close the top up, and then you can get it all...

Except there's a hole in this bag, which doesn't help.

Then we're going to sear it in the pan.

I'll put the pan on.

Suppose you were doing a fancy one?

Well, you might put in some mushrooms as well, or add some stout.

-What goes in next?

-We're going to put the stock in,

and a little bit of a stout,

-and the onions...

-Oh, the onion last.

-And throw in a bay leaf.

So any stout can go in.

Oh, Tim, you're going to enjoy this.

You know, you just automatically brown onions,

but you don't need to for this sort of cooking.

So this then simmers...

-For a couple of hours.

-OK, on a very low heat.

Yes. Put a lid on it.

You wouldn't just whisk that egg for us, Nigel,

to put on top of the dish?

-The glaze.

-Yes.

I hope I've got it.

Move it down a bit.

Perfect, look at that.

There we are.

This is a different kind of leaf.

This is a LEAF OFF!

I don't like seeing any left over.

-What shall we do with this that's left over?

-When I was a kid, I used to eat it.

-What, raw?

-Yes, and I'd get told off.

-Excellent.

-Nice one!

The gravy's soaked into the pastry, which is the best bit for me.

Now, Timmy Spall, is he going to enjoy that or not?

Excellent.

-Mmm!

-How good is that?

-Mm-mm!

-Who needs fancy food?

-Isn't that good?

And so we arrive at Brenda Blethyn's final feast.

First up on the menu, as she reflects on her life,

are giant prawns in garlic butter sauce.

Remember that fresh grey prawns are the tastiest to use.

They should be firm and springy with bright shells.

The trick is never to overcook a prawn.

They can all too easily become tough if left to their own devices.

Thank you.

So, what's next for Brenda Blethyn?

I might like to do so more theatre.

I'm talking to a producer at the moment, so maybe I'll do that. But I would like to stay at home.

I'm fed up of moving around all over the place.

Living in hotels and things?

Yes, you know, eating in restaurants all the time drives me nuts.

All I want to do is boil an egg or something and you can't.

Or perhaps make a bit of toast,

and you can't without ordering room service and it comes gift-wrapped or something.

Next, it's a personal favourite.

Sea bass baked in salt.

And don't worry about the amount of salt used with this fish dish.

If done properly, there will only be the most subtle of salty flavours.

The aim is to encase the fish in salt and batter.

A great dish to impress your guests with.

Especially when you have to take a hammer to it.

Is there any regret? Is there anything that you haven't done?

Well, you know, I sometimes sit and fantasise

of all the things I haven't tried

that I might be good at and might enjoy.

Um, I might be a champion downhill skier or something, you know.

And finally, Brenda's dessert - pecan pie.

Make your syrup mixture by using eggs, sugar, cornflour,

golden syrup,

melted butter,

and just a drop of vanilla extract.

Then pour this over your crushed pecans.

If you want to give this divine desert some extra kick,

try adding some bourbon whiskey to the cake filling.

Then you will feel as though you've died and gone to heaven.

You have one wish.

What would you like that to be?

In this life, this is before my meal, supposing the meal wasn't happening.

My wish... Oh, it's a silly one really,

because it's just so impossible -

to have made Mum's life a bit easier, you know.

Not without any hardship, because I don't think that's good for anybody,

but just to have given her a couple of breaks.

She was a great lady really, my mum.

Brenda Blethyn, thank you very, very much for being a guest on A Taste Of My Life.

Thanks, Nigel, I've enjoyed every minute of it.

-Thank you, cheers.

-Thank you.

Now, you're not having this feast alone. Who would you have?

One of my favourite writers is... erm...

Oh, I've forgotten his name!

LAUGHTER