0:00:03 > 0:00:07You know, we believe that Britain has the best food in the world.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10Not only can we boast fantastic ingredients...
0:00:10 > 0:00:11Look, look...
0:00:11 > 0:00:13look at them!
0:00:13 > 0:00:15..outstanding food producers...
0:00:15 > 0:00:16Oh, look at that.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19..and innovative chefs,
0:00:19 > 0:00:22but we also have an amazing food history.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25- Oh, brilliant!- Oh, wow!
0:00:25 > 0:00:27Don't eat them like that.
0:00:27 > 0:00:28You'll break your teeth.
0:00:28 > 0:00:29SHE LAUGHS
0:00:29 > 0:00:32Now, during this series,
0:00:32 > 0:00:35we're going to be taking you on a journey into our culinary past.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37Everything's ready. Let's get cracking.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39We'll explore its revealing stories...
0:00:39 > 0:00:41BOTH: Wow!
0:00:41 > 0:00:46..and meet the heroes that keep our food heritage alive.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48It's a miracle what comes out of the oven.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50And, of course,
0:00:50 > 0:00:51be cooking up a load of dishes
0:00:51 > 0:00:54that reveal our foodie evolution.
0:00:54 > 0:00:55Look at that.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58That's a proper British treat.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03We have a taste of history.
0:01:05 > 0:01:06Quite simply...
0:01:06 > 0:01:08BOTH: The best of British!
0:01:27 > 0:01:30Britain's luscious green and fertile landscape has produced
0:01:30 > 0:01:33two ancient drinks that have undoubtedly
0:01:33 > 0:01:35defined our national character...
0:01:35 > 0:01:38Beer and cider!
0:01:38 > 0:01:40I mean, there's just nothing better.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44And, you know, it's good, because our climate lends itself
0:01:44 > 0:01:46to the cultivation of hops
0:01:46 > 0:01:47and apples.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51In medieval Britain, people were very suspicious about the water,
0:01:51 > 0:01:54and brewing was as important as baking.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56It was quite common then for people to drink
0:01:56 > 0:01:57up to a gallon of beer a day.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03For centuries, beer and cider were made in small batches at home,
0:02:03 > 0:02:04or on the farm,
0:02:04 > 0:02:08providing us Brits with not only a clean drinking supply...
0:02:08 > 0:02:10..but also a valuable source of vitamins and minerals
0:02:10 > 0:02:12in centuries past.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14But it's the many varieties
0:02:14 > 0:02:17of ancient cider apples and cereals fermented to brew beer,
0:02:17 > 0:02:19that have shaped our social history,
0:02:19 > 0:02:22..and helped to create the rich heritage
0:02:22 > 0:02:26of brewing and fermenting that we're celebrating in today's show.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29From "old ale" flavoured with rosemary and thyme,
0:02:29 > 0:02:31brewed by medieval monks,
0:02:31 > 0:02:35to today's fashionable revival of traditional beers and ciders.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38- Three cheers for the old apple tree. Hip, hip -- Hooray!
0:02:38 > 0:02:42We've got a lot to be proud of.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45But first in the Best of British kitchen,
0:02:45 > 0:02:47we're going to explore
0:02:47 > 0:02:50the huge role that beer has played in our culture for centuries.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56When you look at the best of British, you have to look at beer.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58- Yes.- We're northern Europeans, and we grew grain
0:02:58 > 0:03:01and not grape, but our
0:03:01 > 0:03:06beer-brewing culture is every bit as complex as the French vin nobles.
0:03:06 > 0:03:07Yes, there it is.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10Now, look, the French keep banging on about their wine and stuff,
0:03:10 > 0:03:14and it is very lovely and complex and gorgeous and we love it,
0:03:14 > 0:03:19but the same palate and flavours and complexity applies to
0:03:19 > 0:03:23some of our brew from the wonderful British Isles.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27They are some of the most incredible tastes
0:03:27 > 0:03:29and flavours you can wish for.
0:03:33 > 0:03:38All beer is made from a combination of malt, hops, water and yeast.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40He strains off the juice, thin,
0:03:40 > 0:03:42sweetish stuff they call wort in the trade,
0:03:42 > 0:03:45boils it with hops in a copper for a couple of hours,
0:03:45 > 0:03:47and when it's cool he adds the yeast.
0:03:47 > 0:03:48Six days from now,
0:03:48 > 0:03:50he'll have beer.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52But it's how you process them
0:03:52 > 0:03:55that creates different flavours and strengths.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57From light ales...
0:03:58 > 0:03:59..to dark bitters.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03However, we've been brewing ale since
0:04:03 > 0:04:06Neolithic times, when cereals like malt and barley
0:04:06 > 0:04:07were first harvested.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09Beer was brewed at home.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13And as an Anglo-Saxon drinking culture
0:04:13 > 0:04:18developed, people would pop round to the best alemaker in the village...
0:04:18 > 0:04:21And the British pub was born!
0:04:23 > 0:04:28The Romans and Normans tried to introduce us to wine.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30Wine? No.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33We stuck to good old British ale!
0:04:33 > 0:04:35This ale is truly bright and good.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37No finer draught from any wood.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43And in the 15th century, the Dutch caused great controversy.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47They introduced us to hops, which made the beer last much longer.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49But it also altered the flavour
0:04:49 > 0:04:51and added a bitterness,
0:04:51 > 0:04:53which made people HOPPING mad!
0:04:53 > 0:04:55Henry the Eighth's a good example -
0:04:55 > 0:04:58He banned beer brewed with hops from his court!
0:04:58 > 0:05:01But 150 years later, hops were finally accepted
0:05:01 > 0:05:04as a vital part of the taste of ale.
0:05:05 > 0:05:06And in the 1750s,
0:05:06 > 0:05:09when the British Empire was at its height,
0:05:09 > 0:05:12London was the world capital of beer brewing,
0:05:12 > 0:05:15with more than 20,000 breweries.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17Beer was safe to drink, because it used
0:05:17 > 0:05:20boiled water which killed germs.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22And it quickly caught on
0:05:22 > 0:05:26that if you had a few pints, you'd avoid cholera!
0:05:26 > 0:05:29The new industrial technologies of the 19th century
0:05:29 > 0:05:30allowed for even more varieties.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32Well, there were three beers,
0:05:32 > 0:05:35all of which we liked enormously, and they shone among all the rest.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37Bitter,
0:05:37 > 0:05:38black London porter,
0:05:38 > 0:05:40and pale ale.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44When brewers flooded the streets with sweet, dark London porter,
0:05:44 > 0:05:46they were hailed as saviours. In a few years,
0:05:46 > 0:05:48their businesses swelled to enormous size.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51All these rich varieties
0:05:51 > 0:05:54and flavours of British beer make it fantastic
0:05:54 > 0:05:55to use in the kitchen!
0:05:55 > 0:05:57Cheers!
0:05:59 > 0:06:02We're going to cook for you something that epitomises
0:06:02 > 0:06:04British brewing.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09We're got lovely langoustines from Scotland,
0:06:09 > 0:06:12a delicate and luxurious taste of the sea.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14And we're going to treat them to the dark,
0:06:14 > 0:06:17deep flavours of British bitter
0:06:17 > 0:06:19to make a light and crunchy batter.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23This is a langoustine. This is it naked.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25The scampi you put in, the crunch you eat.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27And this is a new product we just found.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31It's smoked langoustines, and they taste epic.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35Our scampi in the basket won't just have the world's best beer batter,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38it's going to be a mixture of smoked and regular langoustines.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41And we're going to teach you how to make a tartare sauce from scratch,
0:06:41 > 0:06:42because it's beautiful.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44Real, home-made tartare sauce.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46Yeah. Should we crack on?
0:06:46 > 0:06:48- Let's make a splatter and have a go at batter.- Right.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55We're using 75 grams of cornflour,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58and 200 grams of plain flour.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02The mixture of the two flours will give us,
0:07:02 > 0:07:04well, batter bordering on shrapnel.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06Yeah, it does.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08The cornflour is fabulous,
0:07:08 > 0:07:10because it gives a crack
0:07:10 > 0:07:13and a lightness to the batter.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17It's wonderful. And a pinch of salt.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19And now, a bottle of beer.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25Use your beer of choice. This is a good dark bitter.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29About as British as it comes. You can smell the yeast, can't you?
0:07:29 > 0:07:31- You can.- It's lush.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36That's the consistency we're looking for. I'll just give it a good whisk.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Next, we add two tablespoons of white wine vinegar.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49This has the effect of making the batter super-crispy.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53Much like Yorkshire pudding, we're going to leave that aside
0:07:53 > 0:07:55to rest until the flour expands and absorbs the beer
0:07:55 > 0:07:57and you will get a better batter.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01But, you know, deep-frying in batter doesn't have to be unhealthy,
0:08:01 > 0:08:03cos what happens is, the thing you're frying,
0:08:03 > 0:08:06it heats up, it makes steam.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08The steam pushes the fat out
0:08:08 > 0:08:10while the outside goes crispy.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17Time to start the tartare sauce - by making a mayonnaise.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19Don't, not when I'm juggling!
0:08:19 > 0:08:23'First, crack two large egg yolks into a bowl with a pinch of salt
0:08:23 > 0:08:24'and a pinch of sugar.'
0:08:24 > 0:08:26Bit more?
0:08:28 > 0:08:30Right, now.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32What we're going to do
0:08:32 > 0:08:33is whisk them...
0:08:34 > 0:08:36..until they change colour.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40Light colour. And that means
0:08:40 > 0:08:43that the egg yolks
0:08:43 > 0:08:48have emulsified with the salt and the sugar. There we go.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51Now, emulsification doesn't mean we're making paint.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54No, it's the process of two ingredients blending to become one.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57When you're making mayonnaise, or indeed, tartare sauce,
0:08:57 > 0:09:02the type of oil that you use will affect its flavour.
0:09:02 > 0:09:07You want a light mayonnaise, just use sunflower oil or a light oil.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09If you made one with 100% olive oil,
0:09:09 > 0:09:11it'd be really quite heavy and sludgy.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13This one, we're using about two-to-one.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Two parts sunflower, one part olive.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20Now, this needs to be drizzled in with a delicacy.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Slowly.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30Just keep whisking it.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33It's hard work doing it by hand.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36If only I had an electric whisk.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40ELECTRICAL WHIRRING
0:09:46 > 0:09:48And in next to no time,
0:09:48 > 0:09:49emulsification takes place.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55- I love home-made mayonnaise. - Oh, that's mega, isn't it?
0:09:58 > 0:10:00- Oh, lovely texture.- Oh, yeah. Look.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02- Yes.- Mmmm.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08That's God's salad cream.
0:10:08 > 0:10:09Poi-fect.
0:10:11 > 0:10:12Right.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15Now we can start to make the mayonnaise into tartare sauce.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19- Yes, we can.- So I shall "ta-ta", and go and get the gherkins.- Ha ha!
0:10:20 > 0:10:22Chop six gherkins,
0:10:22 > 0:10:24along with a handful of capers.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28Just going to put these
0:10:28 > 0:10:29into the mayonnaise.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35And the chopped gherkin or cornichon.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37"Cornichon" is just French for gherkin.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41Beautiful.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45We put in some parsley and some tarragon.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48Look at that curly parsley, it's like a Martian's afro.
0:10:52 > 0:10:53Now. Fold that in.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55That's a proper tartare sauce.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57It is.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59That is gorgeous.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01So we're going to have the best ever scampi,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04with wonderful British beer batter,
0:11:04 > 0:11:05home-made tartare sauce...
0:11:05 > 0:11:08Right. At this point, we should adjust the seasoning.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15'Time to get frying.'
0:11:15 > 0:11:17'We're using a chip pan so we can see
0:11:17 > 0:11:20'what's going on. But deep fat fryers are safer and easier
0:11:20 > 0:11:23'when you're cooking at 190 degrees!'
0:11:23 > 0:11:25BOTH: Deep-fried. 190.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28- Kingy!- What, mate? - Shall we just mix up
0:11:28 > 0:11:30the smoked langoustines with the ordinary ones?
0:11:30 > 0:11:34- Then it's like a lovely pic'n'mix and surprise party.- Perfect.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37Now, put some flour in a plastic bag or a bowl,
0:11:37 > 0:11:40and season with a pinch or two of salt.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43The seasoned flour, apart from drying them off,
0:11:43 > 0:11:46it insures that the batter sticks to the scampi.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48How many times have people tried to do this at home,
0:11:48 > 0:11:49and your batter falls off?
0:11:49 > 0:11:52That's because you don't flour them first.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54Hand these over to Friar Tuck.
0:11:54 > 0:11:55I love him.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57He's a great character, Friar Tuck.
0:11:57 > 0:11:58Yeah, when I was a kid,
0:11:58 > 0:12:01he was always my favourite one of the Merry Men.
0:12:01 > 0:12:02It's cos he was fat.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04Yeah. I like fat folk.
0:12:04 > 0:12:05Now watch this, it's good.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07In there,
0:12:09 > 0:12:11and then drop it.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Just hold it for a little bit,
0:12:14 > 0:12:15and then drop it in.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21Beer has a magical effect on the batter -
0:12:21 > 0:12:23adding both body and lightness at the same time.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25They need hardly any time to cook.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27As soon as they're golden, they'll be done.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31Kingy, that batter's awesome.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33Listen to that.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35It's so incredibly crisp.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38You know what, Si, I think we should keep these coming.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41- Yeah.- Do you know, cos I think the crew are going to be round these
0:12:41 > 0:12:44- like a possum in a dustbin. - They're closing in
0:12:44 > 0:12:46as we speak. Get back and go and stand over there,
0:12:46 > 0:12:48the two of you. Cut that out.
0:12:52 > 0:12:53Beautiful.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56Man, as soon as these come out, we're ready.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Let's make this the best, most jaw-dropping
0:12:59 > 0:13:02scampi basket you've ever seen.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09"Hey! What you doing to me mates?"
0:13:09 > 0:13:12- They've been out for the night and they've got battered.- "Oh!"
0:13:12 > 0:13:14Fantastic.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16Can we eat it yet?
0:13:16 > 0:13:17And...dip.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24Oh, that beer batter is superb.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26It is.
0:13:26 > 0:13:27Comes through,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30nice, robust, beery, yeasty flavour. Fabulous.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34And remember, this batter is not just for scampi.
0:13:34 > 0:13:35The secrets - the cornflour,
0:13:35 > 0:13:37the beer and the vinegar.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Get into your beer and appreciate it for what it is,
0:13:40 > 0:13:42because it's a great British product.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47So there we have it, our mega beer battered scampi.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51Light and crunchy, golden and savoury -
0:13:51 > 0:13:53all because of our wonderful British bitter.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59Now, we're on the road to Herefordshire,
0:13:59 > 0:14:03to delve into the art of traditional cider making.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10In Britain, cider has a long and distinguished history.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13We've been growing apples here since Roman times,
0:14:13 > 0:14:15and records show that since the 12th century,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18monks were well-versed in the art of cider-making.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24Cider became the drink of the people.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31Farms in the countryside produced it by the barrel-load.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33In fact there was so much cider
0:14:33 > 0:14:35that in the 18th century,
0:14:35 > 0:14:37farm labourers' wages were part paid in cider -
0:14:37 > 0:14:39typically three to four pints per day!
0:14:39 > 0:14:42Not only that but the more you managed to drink on the job,
0:14:42 > 0:14:44the more you were allowed!
0:14:44 > 0:14:47So a two-gallon-a-day man was considered worth the extra he drank.
0:14:47 > 0:14:52But in 1887, the fun stopped.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56A new law prohibited the payment of wages in this way.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59And now drinking cider is just about having good old knees-up!
0:15:02 > 0:15:05# Now lift up your glasses to cider
0:15:05 > 0:15:09# And let the health go round
0:15:09 > 0:15:14# May the apple tree forever stand
0:15:14 > 0:15:18# Now drink your liquor down. #
0:15:21 > 0:15:22We'd better get on, you know.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25- Oh, aye.- We've got pressing business.- Certainly.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33We're meeting Mike Johnson, a man who is dedicated
0:15:33 > 0:15:36to making cider the old-fashioned way.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40- Hi.- Mike, hello. I'm Si. - Hello, Mike, nice to meet you.- Hi.
0:15:40 > 0:15:41- How are you getting on?- Fine.
0:15:41 > 0:15:42This looks like work.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45Yeah, it's going to be a little bit different for you,
0:15:45 > 0:15:47but I'm sure you'll do well.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50You can't make cider without apples. That's the first step, isn't it?
0:15:50 > 0:15:52- Yeah. We've got to pick 'em up.- Aye.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55But you pick them up, don't you? You don't pick them off a tree.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57No, with cider, to make really good cider,
0:15:57 > 0:15:59you need ripe apples with the right sugars.
0:16:01 > 0:16:02But if we can pick
0:16:02 > 0:16:04the early ones up first,
0:16:04 > 0:16:07they don't go rotten while the others are ripening.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10So we're just going to pick a few early windfalls up.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12- You lead the way! - Yeah, come this way.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18- What a fantastic orchard. - Amazing, isn't it?
0:16:18 > 0:16:22- There's a heck of a lot of apples on that tree, though.- There are.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26And unfortunately this year it's been very dry, so the trees
0:16:26 > 0:16:27are a bit stressed with drought.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30But I'm sure they'll still make a nice cider.
0:16:30 > 0:16:35It's quite satisfying picking stuff, isn't it?
0:16:35 > 0:16:37You really feel tired at the end of the day,
0:16:37 > 0:16:39but it's really nice to see
0:16:39 > 0:16:41- all those apples picked up. - Yeah, I bet it is.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44And if one person works really hard, they can pick a tonne up in a day.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46- A tonne?- A tonne?!- Yeah.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49The traditional method is to beat the trees with long poles
0:16:49 > 0:16:53called polting lugs to make the apples fall from the trees,
0:16:53 > 0:16:57but Si's got a more hands-on approach.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59Ouch! Me head.
0:16:59 > 0:17:00MIKE LAUGHS
0:17:00 > 0:17:03Aargh! It's raining apples.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Ow!
0:17:05 > 0:17:06My mate has his uses.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11Sitting here in Mike's orchard amongst his 200 varieties
0:17:11 > 0:17:14of apple trees reminds you of just how many
0:17:14 > 0:17:16different kinds of English apples there are.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18Over 2,000 -
0:17:18 > 0:17:21many of which have been forgotten for decades.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26Heritage growers like Mike are bringing them back onto the market.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28And they have such lovely names.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Cowarne Red, Knotted Kernel,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34White Beech, and Strawberry Norman.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36Over the last 50 years, many of these
0:17:36 > 0:17:38ancient English apples have lost out
0:17:38 > 0:17:41to commercial varieties which were quick to crop,
0:17:41 > 0:17:46had a reliable shelf life and consistency of shape and colour.
0:17:50 > 0:17:51To make things worse,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54during the commercial expansion of the cider industry
0:17:54 > 0:17:56in the '50s and '60s,
0:17:56 > 0:17:59small cider producers were bought out by large companies.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02And as hydraulics and industrial science
0:18:02 > 0:18:05superseded old-fashioned methods of cider production,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08traditional methods and their interesting results
0:18:08 > 0:18:11in terms of flavour and taste were largely lost to history.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15But Mike is leading a renaissance in old-fashioned cider making.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20# I am a cider drinker
0:18:20 > 0:18:22# I drinks it all the day... #
0:18:22 > 0:18:24He's holding a festival
0:18:24 > 0:18:29on his farm to introduce people to old English apples...
0:18:29 > 0:18:31and to showcase traditional methods.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34You've got a lot of people here this weekend,
0:18:34 > 0:18:37- because it's quite special. There's a cider festival on.- Yeah.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39It's a cider festival which is designed to allow people
0:18:39 > 0:18:41to meet cider makers.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44Oh, brilliant! A bit like speed dating with apples.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46- Yeah, exactly.- That sort of thing.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50I'll always encourage people who want to make cider,
0:18:50 > 0:18:53and I think everybody in every town and village
0:18:53 > 0:18:55should have a part in it,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58and there's apples all over England that just rot on the floor
0:18:58 > 0:19:01because nobody bothers with them.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03- Pick up your apples and press.- Yeah.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07First you have to mill it, so we'll switch the mill on.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10We're using a modern mill, a scratter, which shreds the apples
0:19:10 > 0:19:12to a pulp without squashing the pips in the process.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20In the past, they were ground with horse-drawn millstones.
0:19:20 > 0:19:21But these crushed the pips,
0:19:21 > 0:19:23which slowly released cyanide,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26and if that accumulated in the body over a lifetime,
0:19:26 > 0:19:27it could become poisonous.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30Oooh! Nasty.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32But shredding the fruit is the easy part,
0:19:32 > 0:19:34because Mike's fellow cider makers
0:19:34 > 0:19:36Dave and Fiona Mathews will show us
0:19:36 > 0:19:38how to juice the pulp the old-fashioned way...
0:19:38 > 0:19:40using elbow grease.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42- Would you two like to do all the work...- Yeah, yeah...
0:19:42 > 0:19:45- while we just shout advice from the sides?- Aye.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48The pulp has to be evenly spread across the fine mesh,
0:19:48 > 0:19:51because there are eight layers going on here.
0:19:51 > 0:19:52Aw. This is good, this.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55There's skill involved here. If you get it wrong,
0:19:55 > 0:19:56everybody will know.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59- You need a very even layer every time.- Right, yeah.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02If it's all to one side, it's going to tip up when we squash
0:20:02 > 0:20:05- and it's all going to pour out and be a complete mess.- Right.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08- So keeping it even's what it's all about.- Even and level.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11Even and level. All right.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13Those are not two things that we are strong at!
0:20:13 > 0:20:16So, spin it with your hands?
0:20:16 > 0:20:18Get your hands in there, into the corners.
0:20:18 > 0:20:19I mean, Dave.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23Presumably this is how you'd have done it in Victorian times?
0:20:23 > 0:20:24Nothing different?
0:20:24 > 0:20:26It is. This goes back quite a long way.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30The technology of this screw press and the original stone mill
0:20:30 > 0:20:33is from the olive oil days in the Mediterranean,
0:20:33 > 0:20:37and has come up into Britain about the 12th century with the Normans.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40And the old original presses would have had a carved wooden thread,
0:20:40 > 0:20:44and then they got into the metal in about the 17th century.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47But this has been done this way for centuries.
0:20:47 > 0:20:48Each layer is called a hair,
0:20:48 > 0:20:52because this cloth would have been originally made of horsehair.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55And the whole stack together is called a cheese,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58- I think because you press the curds to make cheese, don't you?- Yes.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01In the same you press the pommes to make cider.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05Bucketfuls of them.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08- Really well into the corners.- Yeah. - Yeah, it looks pretty good, boys.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10Pretty even, pretty straight.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14- Well done.- Thanks.- For first-timers!
0:21:14 > 0:21:17- Right, now. You're going to get one screw each, OK?- 1, 2, 3!
0:21:21 > 0:21:25And this is how Morris dancing was born!
0:21:25 > 0:21:27And the juice is starting to pour out now.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29- Look at that!- Wow.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33Oh, that's fantastic.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35Look how clear it is as well.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37It's very rarely that clear and bright.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39That's exquisite, man.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42The natural sugars in that are fantastic.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46That's not what I expected at all. I thought it was going to be sour!
0:21:46 > 0:21:48Cider apples...it's really, really sweet.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53Next, all our hard-won apple juice
0:21:53 > 0:21:55is left to ferment in barrels.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58Unlike the modern industrial method of adding
0:21:58 > 0:22:01dried yeast to apple juice, Mike lets the natural yeasts
0:22:01 > 0:22:04work their magic, turning the sugar into alcohol.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07He believes it makes a better cider!
0:22:07 > 0:22:09You know the way you make the cider now, Mike?
0:22:09 > 0:22:11Is this a technique you've mastered
0:22:11 > 0:22:14- that would have been used for hundreds of years?- Absolutely.
0:22:14 > 0:22:19There was a huge amount more knowledge 50 years ago.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22There were so many more cider makers making this style of cider,
0:22:22 > 0:22:25and unfortunately, we've almost lost a generation in passing it down,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28but there's a lot of enthusiastic people making it now.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30That's nice. I've had quite a lot of cider,
0:22:30 > 0:22:33but I don't think I've had cider where you can identify...
0:22:33 > 0:22:37you know like a nice wine, you taste it at first, it's one flavour,
0:22:37 > 0:22:40then it mellows out and there's two or three other flavours.
0:22:40 > 0:22:41The tail of the flavour's
0:22:41 > 0:22:43- there for a long time.- Yeah.
0:22:43 > 0:22:44Very easy to drink as well.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46It's very important to know your varieties
0:22:46 > 0:22:48if you want to make interesting ciders.
0:22:50 > 0:22:55The secret of a good cider is in the blend.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57We'll learn how to mix a medium dry cider
0:22:57 > 0:23:01with Mike's many traditional varieties.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05This one is Ashton Brown Jersey.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07This is a bittersweet apple.
0:23:07 > 0:23:08Smells cidery. Yeah.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11This is Foxwell. When you've got the flavour of it,
0:23:11 > 0:23:14blend it in with your other one.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18- I haven't got a sweetness yet. - It's a fantastic flavour.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21- It is a fantastic flavour. - The acidity is so strong.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26Bitter-sweet cider dries the palate, but compliments
0:23:26 > 0:23:30a sweeter flavour to make the perfect blend.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32The one should balance the other quite well.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35The best of British!
0:23:35 > 0:23:38Smells good.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41- Now, that's perfect.- It is lovely.
0:23:41 > 0:23:46Who says that cider isn't as complex as wine?
0:23:46 > 0:23:47Because it is,
0:23:47 > 0:23:51and the art of this is absolutely superb.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55- And you know, this would be beautiful with food.- Yeah.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57It's such a joy to discover
0:23:57 > 0:24:00ciders with so many complex flavours.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03And thankfully Mike and his fellow cider makers are bringing back
0:24:03 > 0:24:07wonderful old traditions which might have been lost forever.
0:24:07 > 0:24:08And there's more good news.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12Historic British beer is also enjoying a revival.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19Real ales and British bitters slowly brewed the old-fashioned way,
0:24:19 > 0:24:23with different varieties of hops and natural yeasts, are now
0:24:23 > 0:24:26to be found in our shops and pubs again.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28But it wasn't always this way.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32Back in the '70s and '80s, craft beer almost disappeared altogether.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35The breweries have been concerned for a long time,
0:24:35 > 0:24:38and rightly so, about the declining quality
0:24:38 > 0:24:40of traditional draft beer.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43Until the 1950s, most pubs still brewed their own beer.
0:24:43 > 0:24:44Good stuff, too.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46Gentle on the stomach and on the pocket,
0:24:46 > 0:24:49selling at 21 pence a pint.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56But in the '60s and '70s, giant automated breweries
0:24:56 > 0:24:59were springing up everywhere.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02The men in white coats here can change the brand of beer by
0:25:02 > 0:25:04putting a new card into the computer.
0:25:04 > 0:25:0815 brews a day, 21,000 gallons to the brew,
0:25:08 > 0:25:09and none of these men
0:25:09 > 0:25:13ever see a grain of barley or a drop of beer.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15These companies wanted to make big bucks
0:25:15 > 0:25:17by producing mass-market,
0:25:17 > 0:25:20crowd-pleasing beer with a consistent flavour.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22The subtle differences
0:25:22 > 0:25:25and depths of flavour of local pub brews disappeared.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32Forget your dull, flat, local ale. Buy the one you saw
0:25:32 > 0:25:35advertised on the telly - always bright,
0:25:35 > 0:25:37always sparkling, always the same.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40And as European lagers cashed in on the market,
0:25:40 > 0:25:42local British pubs and small brewers
0:25:42 > 0:25:44were pushed out of production.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46MUSIC: "War" by Edwin Starr
0:25:50 > 0:25:54The Campaign for Real Ale are dismayed by the brewers' decision.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57Absolutely flabbergasted and disgusted.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00It's said that Britain never had a revolution,
0:26:00 > 0:26:03but when it came to beer and cider...
0:26:03 > 0:26:06The people rose up and demanded better beer back!
0:26:06 > 0:26:08Here are 600 other people who feel
0:26:08 > 0:26:10that beer today hasn't got
0:26:10 > 0:26:11the real distinctive taste
0:26:11 > 0:26:13that it had in other years.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15And they don't feel too happy about it.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18What do you feel about the brewery closing down?
0:26:18 > 0:26:19Rubbish!
0:26:19 > 0:26:20Sheer vandalism.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25And gradually, their campaigning paid off, and the market turned.
0:26:25 > 0:26:30By the 1990s, craft brewers began springing up everywhere.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33And in the last decade, real ale's traditional porters
0:26:33 > 0:26:36and craft beers have found new fans.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42So craft beer is back.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45And our Best of British food hero Alistair Hook is passionate
0:26:45 > 0:26:47about brewing beer in the old London style.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50I love beer because I'm British.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53I'm a Londoner. London's got great brewing heritage.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57To spread his love of traditional beer,
0:26:57 > 0:26:59he set up the Meantime Brewery in London's
0:26:59 > 0:27:00historic Greenwich.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02If we're producing
0:27:02 > 0:27:04a great national beverage,
0:27:04 > 0:27:07we should be proud of it, and part of what we've done
0:27:07 > 0:27:09is to throw passion back into beer-brewing.
0:27:09 > 0:27:14Alistair believes that beer brewed the traditional way
0:27:14 > 0:27:16produces as many complex flavours as wine.
0:27:17 > 0:27:22- Delicious.- And it's more than a match when it comes to fine dining.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26There are four ingredients in beer - malted barley, water, yeast and hops.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29Craft brewers add a fifth - that is passion.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32They care about the taste and flavour of their product
0:27:32 > 0:27:34and they want people to enjoy the taste
0:27:34 > 0:27:37and flavour of their product, and they'll put it up
0:27:37 > 0:27:39against wine as a solid,
0:27:39 > 0:27:42genuine competitor for the attention of
0:27:42 > 0:27:44the drinking public on the dinner table.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56Alistair also owns a restaurant on the banks of the Thames,
0:27:56 > 0:27:58where customers are treated to dishes
0:27:58 > 0:28:02that are complimented and creatively matched to his own craft beers.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04The concept of the old brewery
0:28:04 > 0:28:06is to provide people
0:28:06 > 0:28:08with the chance to experience
0:28:08 > 0:28:12great beers with different dishes,
0:28:12 > 0:28:15to help them understand that the taste and flavour in beer
0:28:15 > 0:28:19will match beautifully with the taste and flavour of foods.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23The concept of matching beer to food has been missed, it's been forgotten.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26So to reclaim justice for beer in the eyes of the nation,
0:28:26 > 0:28:28Alistair's going for the ultimate challenge -
0:28:28 > 0:28:32A head to head beer versus wine battle!
0:28:33 > 0:28:38A fine dining tasting society is going to sample three courses
0:28:38 > 0:28:40prepared by Alistair's head chef.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44And each course is a classic match for wine -
0:28:44 > 0:28:46oysters with champagne...
0:28:46 > 0:28:49..white fish with white wine...
0:28:49 > 0:28:50..and cheese with port.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53But tonight, Alistair has chosen
0:28:53 > 0:28:55speciality beers he believes
0:28:55 > 0:28:58will match each of these dishes better than the wine.
0:29:00 > 0:29:04Meet eminent master of wine Tim Aitkin.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07He's an award winning critic who runs his own wine school.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10He believes beer belongs in the bar, not on the table!
0:29:10 > 0:29:14And tonight, he's hand picked three wines to pit against
0:29:14 > 0:29:17Alistair's traditionally brewed British beers!
0:29:17 > 0:29:20I think wine is a better match for most cuisines
0:29:20 > 0:29:21because it's a more varied drink.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23It also has a greater sense of place.
0:29:23 > 0:29:25The prejudices against beer?
0:29:25 > 0:29:27They're generally quite simple.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29There's an awful lot of snob value.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32It doesn't mean that I don't like beer. I do like beer.
0:29:32 > 0:29:34But 99% of the time, for me at least,
0:29:34 > 0:29:37I'd actually be reaching for a glass of wine.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40Most great world cuisines have grown up alongside wine.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44The great thing about beer is it's actually far more complex than wine.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47Beer is made from four or five different ingredients.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50The complexity you get is far greater
0:29:50 > 0:29:53than a drink that is just made from one grape.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55Enough WINING -
0:29:55 > 0:29:57let battle commence!
0:29:57 > 0:29:59May the best man - I mean drink - win!
0:30:04 > 0:30:05Ding, ding! Round 1.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07Oysters.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09OK. The first one I brought is a champagne.
0:30:09 > 0:30:13This is a classic match, really, to go with oysters, which is champagne.
0:30:13 > 0:30:14So here we go.
0:30:18 > 0:30:19It's so classic,
0:30:19 > 0:30:22and certainly one I've had a very good time on previously.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25You can see why it's a classic match,
0:30:25 > 0:30:27because the two things not only compliment each other,
0:30:27 > 0:30:32but they kind of embellish each other, they enhance each other.
0:30:32 > 0:30:33In my opinion.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37It's fair to say I'd do it again and again and again.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40Stepping up to challenge champagne is the black London porter.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43But what our fine diners might not know
0:30:43 > 0:30:46is that champagne is the new kid on the block
0:30:46 > 0:30:48when it comes to oysters.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52Porter and oysters is a classic combination,
0:30:52 > 0:30:54an old classic combination,
0:30:54 > 0:30:57whereas I think champagne and oysters might be
0:30:57 > 0:30:58a very modern, kind of
0:30:58 > 0:31:00social combination.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02Oysters and porter
0:31:02 > 0:31:04were a staple diet of Londoners.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06The porter beer of London was the beer that was
0:31:06 > 0:31:08everybody's nourishment.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12It was safer than the water, it was more nutritious than any other drink.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15It was freely available, as were oysters.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18Why's this combination going to be good?
0:31:18 > 0:31:22The porter beer has a very, very mineral-y, roasty,
0:31:22 > 0:31:24ashy nuttiness to it,
0:31:24 > 0:31:28It'll work very well with the brininess of the oyster,
0:31:28 > 0:31:31and the fleshiness of the oyster.
0:31:31 > 0:31:32It's nice.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35I was a bit apprehensive, actually,
0:31:35 > 0:31:38but it's a surprisingly nice combination.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41And it's two of my individually favourite things, beer and oysters.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43They mix well.
0:31:43 > 0:31:45So the porter held its own against champagne.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49Next up, a white fish dish that's a traditional partner for white wine -
0:31:49 > 0:31:53fillet of cod with a rich clam chowder, and sauteed spinach.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56- Round two! - This is a Bacchus from Kent.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59Obviously a place where lots of hops come from,
0:31:59 > 0:32:00but really good vineyards too.
0:32:00 > 0:32:04Bacchus is a crossing of two grape varieties, Sylvaner and Riesling.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07It was done in Germany, it was named after a Roman god,
0:32:07 > 0:32:09but it's an English wine. Again, top stuff.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13So you've got to very much try this with the dish, I think.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17And now it's time for the foodie group to try Alistair's
0:32:17 > 0:32:19main course beer selection.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22This is the Meantime Bavarian-style wheat beer,
0:32:22 > 0:32:26and it's the acidic finish that cuts beautifully through fish.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29Fish such as the cod, the Cornish cod that we're trying today.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34The wine and the beer are certainly flowing,
0:32:34 > 0:32:37but which one will be on top with the cod?
0:32:37 > 0:32:39It's actually really nice.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42Napoleon referred to these styles of beers
0:32:42 > 0:32:46as "the champagnes of the north", and not without reason.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48The wine was really pleasant,
0:32:48 > 0:32:50but it was a familiar kind of pleasant, like,
0:32:50 > 0:32:52"That's quite nice." Whereas this,
0:32:52 > 0:32:53I don't know, quite fun.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56And now for the final round.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58Now, with the English cheese board,
0:32:58 > 0:32:59which includes stilton,
0:32:59 > 0:33:01I've got something that's not an English wine,
0:33:01 > 0:33:04but which was invented by the Brits, and that's good old port.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08I think this will be tip-top. Watch out, Alistair.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10Pass the port!
0:33:10 > 0:33:12Well, like the Porter,
0:33:12 > 0:33:14Alistair's hoping that the Pale Ale's
0:33:14 > 0:33:16130 years of military history
0:33:16 > 0:33:18will win the wine war!
0:33:19 > 0:33:21This is India Pale Ale.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23It was brewed particularly alcoholic
0:33:23 > 0:33:26to make the journeys to India
0:33:26 > 0:33:28where it nourished the troops.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30Lovely, peppery, hoppy,
0:33:30 > 0:33:32slightly citric aromas,
0:33:32 > 0:33:36complements the rich, well-matured characteristics
0:33:36 > 0:33:37of a farmhouse cheddar.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40I definitely prefer the beer with cheese.
0:33:40 > 0:33:44Port is very nice, but the beer complements the cheese much better.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46I think the beer is a real surprise to me too,
0:33:46 > 0:33:50as a wine expert. You know, I wouldn't normally...
0:33:50 > 0:33:54in fact, I'd never think of serving an India Pale Ale with cheese.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58It all goes to the vote to see which wins.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02So that was, everyone else preferred the beer, so that's three...
0:34:02 > 0:34:04And the clear winner...
0:34:04 > 0:34:08And the winner - by one crucial vote - is beer!
0:34:08 > 0:34:09APPLAUSE
0:34:09 > 0:34:12Alistair's a happy man.
0:34:12 > 0:34:16- Beer has proved more than a match for wine.- I'm very pleased.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19I'm very pleased beer showed itself so well.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21It doesn't surprise me in the slightest,
0:34:21 > 0:34:24as I'm a great believer in beer being a better accompaniment
0:34:24 > 0:34:26to food than wine.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28But there's no turning a true wine critic...
0:34:28 > 0:34:29or is there?
0:34:29 > 0:34:32I thought the port was very good with the stilton,
0:34:32 > 0:34:35but I thought the beer was fantastic, actually,
0:34:35 > 0:34:36and I voted for it,
0:34:36 > 0:34:38so it won by vote, and it's down to me.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41So, sorry, people in the wine industry - it's my fault!
0:34:46 > 0:34:49British craft beers shouldn't be confined to the bar.
0:34:49 > 0:34:53They belong at the top table along with fine wines.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01Now, we may think of ourselves
0:35:01 > 0:35:04as a nation of beer drinkers,
0:35:04 > 0:35:06but in the past few years there's been a resurgence
0:35:06 > 0:35:08in the interest and consumption of cider.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10Cider is now a favourite tipple
0:35:10 > 0:35:13in pubs and clubs across the nation.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15And, as we discovered in Herefordshire,
0:35:15 > 0:35:17all of those complex flavours
0:35:17 > 0:35:20are just as good as wine or beer
0:35:20 > 0:35:21for matching with food.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23But we've come up with something a bit different.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25A bit unexpected.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28And ever so slightly...wobbly!
0:35:30 > 0:35:35We're going to cook you a little sweet treat of loveliness -
0:35:35 > 0:35:37a cider jelly.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40This one is definitely not for the kids.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44- It's a northern hemisphere pudding, this.- It's an X-rated pud.
0:35:47 > 0:35:51It's very sophisticated and grown up.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55But it's also fruity and full of old-fashioned flavour.
0:35:55 > 0:35:56Here's how to make
0:35:56 > 0:35:59our cider jelly with blackberries.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02We have a great cider culture in this country, don't we?
0:36:02 > 0:36:03We do. It's very important.
0:36:03 > 0:36:07And our old apple orchards that have been long forgotten,
0:36:07 > 0:36:10now people are getting interested in them.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12They're booming. It's brilliant.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15In fact, two million more cider apple trees
0:36:15 > 0:36:17have been planted since 1995.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20So the proof of the pudding's in the drinking, or in our case,
0:36:20 > 0:36:23the proof of the drinking is in our pudding.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25- Ohhh, nice! - That was slick, wasn't it?
0:36:25 > 0:36:28- Right, what's first? Water. - Oh, water.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30100ml of water.
0:36:30 > 0:36:32That goes into the pan.
0:36:32 > 0:36:34There's not much cooking in this,
0:36:34 > 0:36:36but the trick is to keep your bubbles
0:36:36 > 0:36:39in your jelly.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41And we're going to show you how.
0:36:41 > 0:36:42- Yes.- We're like Blue Peter.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45How to keep the fizz in your whizz!
0:36:45 > 0:36:46Now then. Sugar.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52Now, we're making a syrup, so bring the sugar and water to a boil,
0:36:52 > 0:36:55and leave it to simmer for 30 seconds.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58While you're waiting for the syrup to boil,
0:36:58 > 0:37:01you could do something useful and sensible.
0:37:01 > 0:37:05- Right, ready?- Yeah.- A short interlude.- A short interlude.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07Or not!
0:37:07 > 0:37:09Ooh!
0:37:13 > 0:37:15Now, before we get thrown out of our own kitchen,
0:37:15 > 0:37:17we'd better check that syrup.
0:37:17 > 0:37:19If you let it go
0:37:19 > 0:37:22for more than 30 seconds, it'll become toffee.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25And we don't want that, now. 10,
0:37:25 > 0:37:279,
0:37:27 > 0:37:288,
0:37:28 > 0:37:30BOTH: 7,
0:37:30 > 0:37:316,
0:37:31 > 0:37:325,
0:37:32 > 0:37:354, 3,
0:37:35 > 0:37:372, 1.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40Anything could happen in the next half hour!
0:37:40 > 0:37:44THEY SING THE THEME FROM "THUNDERBIRDS"
0:37:44 > 0:37:46And it often does!
0:37:46 > 0:37:50- Into this, place 20 humongous blackberries.- Look at that.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00Now, we'll leave the blackberries to macerate,
0:38:00 > 0:38:02to soak in the syrup for 15 minutes.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04There's a reason for that.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08The heat from the syrup will just release
0:38:08 > 0:38:12some of that blackberry-ness and flavour into that sugar syrup.
0:38:12 > 0:38:13It's very gentle, but it works.
0:38:13 > 0:38:15It's very good.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18But it will not cook the blackberries - that's important.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22So get this right. Meanwhile, gelatine - leaf gelatine.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25There's an interesting history to gelatine.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29- Since medieval times we have enjoyed jellies in this country.- Yeah.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33But sweet jellies used to have to be made with, you know, like,
0:38:33 > 0:38:35calf's foot. Basically, you'd cook the meat down -
0:38:35 > 0:38:37or snouts, or whatever - to release
0:38:37 > 0:38:40the natural gelatine and make fruit jellies.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44You get leaf gelatine like this or powdered gelatine.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46For this, we're using five leaves.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49Pop this in water, cold water.
0:38:49 > 0:38:53Leave it to soak. In a few minutes, it'll become flaccid.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55It'll just go...
0:38:55 > 0:38:58it'll be just like a deboned jellyfish.
0:39:00 > 0:39:01Now, these are still firm.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04Bring them out with a fork.
0:39:04 > 0:39:05Get these out.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09You've got a lovely kind of violet hue to the syrup.
0:39:10 > 0:39:14It's fantastic, isn't it, gelatine?
0:39:14 > 0:39:17Atchoo! And put that into the syrup
0:39:17 > 0:39:20until it's dissolved.
0:39:20 > 0:39:21Time for the old cider.
0:39:21 > 0:39:25There's so much folklore with cider,
0:39:25 > 0:39:27where you go round in the spring
0:39:27 > 0:39:30and you shout at the trees to wake them up, you go, "Oi!"
0:39:30 > 0:39:33And it's to wake the trees up so they blossom
0:39:33 > 0:39:37- so you get a bumper crop of apples. - You know Captain Cook? Yeah.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39He carried it on his ships
0:39:39 > 0:39:41for treating scurvy with his crew,
0:39:41 > 0:39:43- you see.- Oh!
0:39:43 > 0:39:45So if you felt shady - bit of cider,
0:39:45 > 0:39:46Bob's your uncle.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48You must have sparkling cider for this.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52No point in doing it with flat or you won't get bubbly jellies.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56That's sparkling.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01To maintain the bubbles, just pour the cider gently
0:40:01 > 0:40:05down the side of the pan.
0:40:10 > 0:40:14We want 500ml, which is the contents of this bottle.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19We're ready to make the jellies, so I'll go and get the glasses.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22- Here you go, mate, straight from the freezer.- Perfect.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25Whoo! Excellent.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29Right, now, top them up with the cider jelly mixture
0:40:29 > 0:40:32up to about there, I think.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35Gently does it. And repeat.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38Pouring the jelly into chilled glasses helps keep it bubbly
0:40:38 > 0:40:40when it sets.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43Now, you will have more jelly than you need.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46We need that jelly later,
0:40:46 > 0:40:47so don't try filling them up.
0:40:49 > 0:40:50Perfect. Yes.
0:40:52 > 0:40:56One hour in the fridge and the jelly is set.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59That softly set, and that's the key,
0:40:59 > 0:41:02and what we want to do is just fold it.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04This recreates the cider's effervescence,
0:41:04 > 0:41:08giving the jelly a lovely bubbly look.
0:41:08 > 0:41:12See that? You've got that nice kind of crystally effect.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14- So we'll just nice and gently... - Nice.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16Just hold that.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19Hold it. There we are.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21On to each glass,
0:41:21 > 0:41:23pop five of these berries.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28Do you remember the jelly mixture that we didn't put in the freezer?
0:41:28 > 0:41:33Still in the jug, still liquid. Lovely. Top it up.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35And what it means, you've got the nice ruckly bits there,
0:41:35 > 0:41:38but we're going to have a beautiful smooth top on.
0:41:38 > 0:41:39Perfect.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45Lovely.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48You know, it's nice to see cider being used
0:41:48 > 0:41:51in quite a sophisticated way, isn't it?
0:41:51 > 0:41:53Oh, it's lush. Looks fabulous.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55Doesn't it? Looks great, doesn't it?
0:41:55 > 0:41:57Big bubbles and...
0:41:57 > 0:41:59Yeah. It's great.
0:41:59 > 0:42:00- Yeah.- Loving it.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03If you're in a hurry, put them in the freezer.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06If not, put them in the fridge for three or four hours.
0:42:06 > 0:42:10These are great made the day before.
0:42:10 > 0:42:11I'll clear down a bit, mate.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13All right, me old sausage.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20Hee hee!
0:42:22 > 0:42:24The bubbles tingle on your tongue.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27It's great. The bubbles are completely encapsulated
0:42:27 > 0:42:29in the wonderful tangy jelly.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31- Cheers, amigo.- Cheers, mate!
0:42:33 > 0:42:35That's just lovely.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37- It's like sucking an orchard.- Mmm!
0:42:37 > 0:42:39So there they are -
0:42:39 > 0:42:43our beautifully bubbly cider jellies with blackberries.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45They've got the rustic charm of the British countryside.
0:42:45 > 0:42:50But they're dressed up for the daintiest of dinner parties!
0:42:53 > 0:42:54Beer and cider
0:42:54 > 0:42:57have had a challenging and colourful history.
0:42:57 > 0:43:01But today they're back on top form.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04They can add sparkle and fizz to your food.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07Whether you're dining out or cooking at home.
0:43:07 > 0:43:11Our beer and ciders are the very best of British!
0:43:11 > 0:43:16Visit bbc.co.uk/food
0:43:16 > 0:43:18to discover some amazing facts
0:43:18 > 0:43:20about the history of food.
0:43:20 > 0:43:23And to find out how to cook up the recipes in today's show.
0:43:44 > 0:43:47Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:47 > 0:43:50E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk