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 > 0:00:13Whoa, whoa! There we go. Look at them!
0:00:13 > 0:00:15Outstanding food producers...
0:00:15 > 0:00:17Oh, look at that!
0:00:17 > 0:00:19And 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. You'll break your teeth.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29SHE LAUGHS
0:00:29 > 0:00:33Now, during this series, we're going to be taking you on a journey
0:00:33 > 0:00:34into our culinary past.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37Everything's ready, so 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 > 0:00:44And meet the heroes that keep our food heritage alive.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48It's a miracle what comes out of the oven!
0:00:48 > 0:00:51'And, of course, be cooking up a load of dishes
0:00:51 > 0:00:54'that reveal our foodie evolution.'
0:00:54 > 0:00:56Look at that! That's a proper British treat.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03We have...a taste...of history.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08- Quite simply... - BOTH: The best of British!
0:01:21 > 0:01:24MOTORBIKE ENGINES REVVING
0:01:27 > 0:01:31Today's show is all about the mighty British breakfast.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41It's almost our national dish,
0:01:41 > 0:01:45and each corner of Britain has its own twists and variations
0:01:45 > 0:01:47when it comes to the meal that starts your day.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51You've got the full English, with rashers of bacon, eggs, sausage...
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Or the Ulster fry, with the soda bread and puddings.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58Or the Welsh speciality, laverbread, made up of cockles and seaweed.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00And in Scotland, we have porridge.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07We're going to be celebrating the meal that gets the nation out to work in the morning.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13'We'll be tucking into the best breakfasts you can get,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16'including a southern Indian favourite
0:02:16 > 0:02:18'being served up in Leicester.'
0:02:18 > 0:02:21We'll learn from a great British producer
0:02:21 > 0:02:24about what makes traditional bacon taste so good.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28And we'll be finding out how the egg cracked
0:02:28 > 0:02:32in the battle against cereal for our breakfast tables.
0:02:33 > 0:02:38Plus we'll be cooking up some classic weekend breakfast treats.
0:02:45 > 0:02:50For many of us, a good old fry-up is the pride of breakfast heritage.
0:02:50 > 0:02:55But eating well in the morning is a relatively recent phenomenon.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00Back in Georgian times,
0:03:00 > 0:03:05a large breakfast was something purely for the nobility,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08who ate artery-busting hams, cheeses, pies,
0:03:08 > 0:03:11and washed it all down with booze.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16It was the Victorians
0:03:16 > 0:03:19who made the cooked breakfast a British institution.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22As prosperity grew along with the Empire,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25cooked meats became affordable for all.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31They were the kings of cooked breakfasts,
0:03:31 > 0:03:33and it wasn't just about bacon and eggs.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36Smoked fish was highly rated,
0:03:36 > 0:03:38and even baked beans made an appearance on the menu.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Great!
0:03:40 > 0:03:43The Empire also brought back recipes
0:03:43 > 0:03:46that changed the way we thought about breakfast.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56Our first recipe in the Best Of British kitchen
0:03:56 > 0:04:00is a tribute to that Victorian age - kedgeree.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03It's a spicy rice dish of smoked haddock and eggs,
0:04:03 > 0:04:05livened up with peas and parsley,
0:04:05 > 0:04:08guaranteed to kick-start your day.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15Two of our favourite things must be breakfast and curry.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17The two combined make kedgeree,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20and it must be one of the great British breakfasts of all time!
0:04:20 > 0:04:24And we love it cos it's spicy and it's gorgeous. That's brilliant.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26It is one of those odd Anglo-Indian dishes
0:04:26 > 0:04:29that came out of the British occupation of India.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32One of the tales is, it came in with the Scottish regiments
0:04:32 > 0:04:35going to India. The Scots love their smoked haddock.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38The Indians had a rice dish for breakfast called khichri,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41and that's where the name kedgeree comes from.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44And then the fish went into this.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48- Breakfast in the days of the Raj. - Whatever! It's really good.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51- It certainly is. - And this is smoked haddock.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53This is the undyed smoked haddock.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56I have to admit a sneaking liking for the bright-yellow stuff!
0:04:56 > 0:04:59As a kid, I used to think, "It looks so much more appetising
0:04:59 > 0:05:03than that dull white stuff. Mam, can we have the yellow one?"
0:05:03 > 0:05:06Never mind. This is much better for you, and super-tasty.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08Yes. Painted fish is just wrong.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12We're going to poach the haddock in a large frying pan
0:05:12 > 0:05:15filled with exactly 500 millilitres of water.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20And cook it for about eight minutes,
0:05:20 > 0:05:22until it's flaky and gorgeous.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25And we use that water for cooking the rice,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28so all that fishy, lovely, smoky flavour goes into the rice.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32And just to add a little bit more, we put a couple of bayleaves in.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34Lovely!
0:05:34 > 0:05:36'You know, kedgeree reminds me of being a kid.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40'My dad was in the Navy, and he couldn't get enough of it.'
0:05:40 > 0:05:43We used to eat kedgeree quite a lot in our house,
0:05:43 > 0:05:47cos it was, like, part of a naval tradition, kedgeree,
0:05:47 > 0:05:51and my dad used to love it, so there was always kedgeree on the go.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58'After the fish has been poached for eight minutes,
0:05:58 > 0:06:02'strain it in a colander, but don't forget to keep the water.'
0:06:05 > 0:06:07That's the beautiful liquor, isn't it, that?
0:06:07 > 0:06:10That's what we want to keep.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12- Oh! - It does smell lovely, doesn't it?
0:06:12 > 0:06:15- It does. Fabulous. - Use that as a holding pin.
0:06:15 > 0:06:20And then we simply put the rice in here with this liquid,
0:06:20 > 0:06:25and if we've done our sums right, this should be the precise amount
0:06:25 > 0:06:29necessary for cooking the given quantity of rice.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35'If you cook 200 grams of Basmati rice for around eight minutes
0:06:35 > 0:06:38'with the lid on, and leave it to stand for another two,
0:06:38 > 0:06:41'you should find that all the water's been absorbed,
0:06:41 > 0:06:44'and the rice is nice and fluffy.'
0:06:44 > 0:06:47'Right. Now we can get on with the rest of the ingredients.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51'First we need to chop an onion and cook it in 40 grams of butter
0:06:51 > 0:06:54'and a tablespoon of sunflower oil, until it's nice and soft.'
0:06:54 > 0:06:56And while Dave's doing that,
0:06:56 > 0:07:00I'm going to hard-boil four medium-sized eggs.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02Nice thing about kedgeree, it does hold quite well.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05You can put some foil on it, put it in a warm oven,
0:07:05 > 0:07:09and just leave it to moulder away until everybody's down for breakfast.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12And then it's just this lovely one-pot wonder.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15I like kedgeree with tea. Coffee's not really right with it.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18No. You can't have it with coffee. It's wrong.
0:07:19 > 0:07:24Cook those onions slowly, but we do want a little bit of colour on them.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29I'd flake the fish now if I were you.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31Well, if I were you, so would I!
0:07:31 > 0:07:35Now, this should be perfect. Yes, it is. Absolutely beautiful.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38And look, it just flakes away from the skin.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41Oh! Let's have a bit.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Look at that! That is good fish.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48- Absolutely gorgeous. - Lovely, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52'If there's one herb that works well with fish, it's parsley.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55'We're using roughly three tablespoons
0:07:55 > 0:07:59'of flat-leaf parsley, but curly-leaf works just as well.'
0:08:00 > 0:08:04- What's your favourite breakfast, Si? - Anything with poached eggs, really.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08I must say, I really do like kedgeree,
0:08:08 > 0:08:11and I eat it at every available opportunity.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14So often when we've been in hotels,
0:08:14 > 0:08:16you order kedgeree, and it's rubbish.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19I don't know how you can make a mess of it.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Kedgeree's a dish on its own. It's not a receptacle for leftover fish
0:08:22 > 0:08:25and stale bits and bobs. A lot of hotels see it like that,
0:08:25 > 0:08:27- and it's wrong.- What's yours?
0:08:27 > 0:08:31I do love good scrambled eggs, but I've given up with that with hotels.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34I hate the breakfast ethos of the buffet.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38It should be shot. How can you keep scrambled eggs under a heat lamp?
0:08:38 > 0:08:40- You can't.- It's a brick.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42Scrambled eggs should be soft and unctuous,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45and it's so wrong.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48And the bacon sits there, poaching in its own misery.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50- That's not breakfast.- No, it's not.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53But there's such a good culture for breakfast in our country.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56You know, Kingy, the English breakfast
0:08:56 > 0:08:59is one of the great treasures. Even Somerset Maugham said,
0:08:59 > 0:09:03"To eat well in England, you need to eat breakfast three times a day,"
0:09:03 > 0:09:06and by God, he's right! We've got it right.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09Rant over, better get on with some cooking.
0:09:09 > 0:09:14Cut that rice off, and just leave that to steam in its own heat.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17We need to give the kedgeree that spicy kick.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20This is ordinary curry powder,
0:09:20 > 0:09:22just simple, plain, medium-strength curry powder.
0:09:22 > 0:09:27And we've got about... oh, a tablespoon of this, heaped.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36Those Indian and British flavours combined
0:09:36 > 0:09:39give kedgeree a truly comforting taste.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42That's the great thing about where we live, in the UK.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45You can eat your way around the world.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54'Peel the hardboiled eggs and slice them into quarters.'
0:09:54 > 0:09:58Today we don't eat dishes like this for brekkie very often,
0:09:58 > 0:10:00but in the Victorian age,
0:10:00 > 0:10:04people really went to town on their morning meal.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08As the Victorians used to say, "You breakfast like a king,
0:10:08 > 0:10:11you lunch like a queen. Tea like a prince,
0:10:11 > 0:10:13- and supper like a pauper."- Perfect.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17Try telling ourselves that next time it's half past ten and we want a kebab.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21- THEY LAUGH - Right! Let's build the kedgeree!
0:10:21 > 0:10:24The rice goes in. It's lovely and fluffy,
0:10:24 > 0:10:27and this rice is going to colour up beautifully
0:10:27 > 0:10:30when we stir through the curry powder.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34I'm trying to break the rice up as little as possible,
0:10:34 > 0:10:38because I don't want it to turn to porridge or become a risotto.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42So I'm kind of folding it in.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46Now, next is this beautiful, beautiful smoked haddock.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50- It's like mother-of-pearl, isn't it? - It is absolutely beautiful.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53Beautiful fish. Now, try and maintain the flakes,
0:10:53 > 0:10:57and just fold them into that beautiful rice.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00- Oh, look at that, man. - We can put the peas in now.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03Yeah, absolutely. Look at that, man. The colours!
0:11:03 > 0:11:05That'll wake you up, whatever!
0:11:05 > 0:11:09But whatever the breakfast, you've got to have eggs, haven't you?
0:11:09 > 0:11:12- It'd be wrong not to. - So just fold in the eggs.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16If the yolks separate from the bits of white, don't worry.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19In my opinion, there's a fundamental flaw with eggs.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21There's too much white -
0:11:21 > 0:11:25for eating purposes. Maybe not for producing chickens.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29- There we are.- Oh, lovely!
0:11:30 > 0:11:34Add the juice of half a lemon, lots of black pepper...
0:11:34 > 0:11:37When you've got eggs, you've got to have pepper.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40And then add the parsley.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43Fold that over again.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48- Shall we try for seasoning?- Yes.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51There's loads of salt in the smoked haddock,
0:11:51 > 0:11:54so take care with the salt.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59Wow! I don't think that needs anything. Do you?
0:12:00 > 0:12:03- No.- It's perfect. - I think that's really good.
0:12:03 > 0:12:08I remember what my dad used to do. He'd dot the top with butter,
0:12:08 > 0:12:11and it was just epic!
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Right.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16A few little nubbins of butter.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19This is where it's like a biryani in a pan.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21Yeah. Love it.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24In the Navy, that'd sit in the officers' mess
0:12:24 > 0:12:28under a covered... under a covered platter,
0:12:28 > 0:12:32and the butter would melt. It'd go down into your kedgeree,
0:12:32 > 0:12:37and heaven on a plate would be served.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41For the final flourish of the dish,
0:12:41 > 0:12:44we'll add about three tablespoons of double cream.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48It'll just release all those lovely curry flavours off the rice.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52- Nice and gently.- Nice and easy.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54You're beginning to look beautiful.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57Now, that, to me, is brekkers.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00That is, isn't it? Yeah.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04Curry, nourishment, best of British. Have you got a spoon?
0:13:04 > 0:13:07I've got... Yes! I think that, from henceforth,
0:13:07 > 0:13:10should be known as The Kedgeree Spoon.
0:13:13 > 0:13:14Oh...
0:13:14 > 0:13:16Oh, man!
0:13:16 > 0:13:18Just try and get a little eggy on the top.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20- Look at that!- Oh!
0:13:20 > 0:13:22Oh, yes.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Oh, lovely.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32That is brill! Dead spicy.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35- Oh...- It ain't half hot, Mum.
0:13:35 > 0:13:40# Why do you whisper, green grass?
0:13:41 > 0:13:44# Why tell the trees what they say? #
0:13:44 > 0:13:47I love those winter mornings on a weekend,
0:13:47 > 0:13:51and when you get up, it's freezing but it's crisp,
0:13:51 > 0:13:53and the sky's light.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57And then this. Sat down - oh! - at your breakfast table.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59Oh, I love it!
0:14:02 > 0:14:06Good old-fashioned breakfasts were quite perky,
0:14:06 > 0:14:09quite spicy, and this again, it wakes your palate up.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12And it's got that effect of... You can't stop eating it, can you?
0:14:12 > 0:14:15- Help me! - HE LAUGHS
0:14:18 > 0:14:20Great...British...breakfast.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22Aye!
0:14:40 > 0:14:42Since the early 1900s,
0:14:42 > 0:14:47the cooked breakfast had been the standard morning meal in Britain.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51But, in the post-war era, this was challenged by an innovation
0:14:51 > 0:14:55from across the Atlantic - breakfast cereal.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04Cornflakes were an invention of our American cousins
0:15:04 > 0:15:07that had come from the dietary reformist movement
0:15:07 > 0:15:11in the late 1800s, led by people like John Kellogg.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17The idea of healthy and unhealthy food,
0:15:17 > 0:15:21rather than taste, was right at the heart of this new type of breakfast.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26And it was aimed squarely at eliminating the fry-up
0:15:26 > 0:15:28from our tables.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32Because it didn't need cooking, cereal was a lot more convenient,
0:15:32 > 0:15:35and as more women joined the workplace,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38the American invader started to take over.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46But there was one part of the British breakfast
0:15:46 > 0:15:49that wasn't going to give up without a fight.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52Eggs had been heavily rationed during the Second World War,
0:15:52 > 0:15:55but in the 1950s, they started to make a comeback.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58- What sort of things do you cook? - Well, eggs and bacon.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01- Do you ever cook meals? - Yes. Bacon and eggs.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04Oh! Eggs and bacon and bacon and eggs.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06I've got just the thing for you.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09I'm going to show you how to make a super American breakfast dish
0:16:09 > 0:16:12- called eggs with top hats. - Top hats?- Yes, top hats.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15And they're jolly good for camping too, boys.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17It sounds terrific. Can I help you?
0:16:17 > 0:16:20In 1955, just a year after rationing ended,
0:16:20 > 0:16:24this cookery show enticed youngsters into the cool American way
0:16:24 > 0:16:26to have an egg for breakfast.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28This does look funny. Is it all right?
0:16:28 > 0:16:31But even creative ways to cut up your toast
0:16:31 > 0:16:36weren't enough to hold back the tidal wave of breakfast cereal.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38- It's going to be lovely, isn't it? - I hope so!
0:16:42 > 0:16:45In the 1960s, a war began between egg producers
0:16:45 > 0:16:47and the cereal industry
0:16:47 > 0:16:50for the rumbling breakfast tummies of Britain.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54- So I shall just have to... - BOTH: Go to work on an egg!- Yes.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56HE LAUGHS
0:17:03 > 0:17:06While the egg men threw big names into the fight,
0:17:06 > 0:17:09cereal companies struck back with free toys...
0:17:10 > 0:17:13..giveaway guitars,
0:17:13 > 0:17:17and huge competitions that just got bigger and bigger,
0:17:17 > 0:17:21and slicker marketing won the day.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24Slowly but surely the cooked breakfast,
0:17:24 > 0:17:26which had defined the morning meal for so long,
0:17:26 > 0:17:30was replaced by cereal. As a much quicker choice for busy families,
0:17:30 > 0:17:33there was just no stopping it.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35What a goal!
0:17:38 > 0:17:40But despite the convenience of cereal,
0:17:40 > 0:17:43breakfast itself was becoming less popular.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47With less and less time on their hands,
0:17:47 > 0:17:50three quarters of all adults regularly missed breakfast
0:17:50 > 0:17:53by the millennium. And you know what? You're missing out.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01Ironically, you know, if you like cooked breakfasts,
0:18:01 > 0:18:04Britain has a lot to choose from.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06As well as our traditional favourites,
0:18:06 > 0:18:09there are now a whole range of delicious breakfasts
0:18:09 > 0:18:12that have arrived in Britain from overseas.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14We're off to Leicester to find a breakfast
0:18:14 > 0:18:17which has made it all the way from South India,
0:18:17 > 0:18:20and, quite frankly, we can't wait to get stuck in.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23Curry for breakfast! Oh, I love it!
0:18:23 > 0:18:25HE LAUGHS
0:18:28 > 0:18:32The city is home to just over 300,000 people.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37And a large proportion of them are of Indian descent.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43Jaimon Thomas runs the Kayal restaurant.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46He was raised in Kerala, and is going to show us
0:18:46 > 0:18:49a typical southern Indian breakfast.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51But he isn't just crazy about curry.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53He's a biker, too!
0:18:53 > 0:18:56- Hello!- Hi, there!
0:18:56 > 0:18:58- Very nice to meet you!- Hi.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01I thought I was coming to a restaurant, not a garage.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05That's our Royal Enfield, which we keep in the restaurant.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08- It's a 1953 Meteor.- Oh, wow!
0:19:08 > 0:19:11- That's a 700cc version, isn't it? - It is. It's a dual one.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14- Really, really rare. Beautiful! - Do you love it?
0:19:14 > 0:19:18Quite unique, because Enfield started its life in the Midlands.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20Yes. It's a bit of history, isn't it?
0:19:20 > 0:19:23Britain has gifted India the Royal Enfield in the 1960s,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26and now we are here to serve you the curry.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28But it's not just the bikes we're here for.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31- It's your special breakfast. - Of course.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34- We can go to the kitchen. The chefs are waiting for you.- Fantastic!
0:19:34 > 0:19:36- Come in.- Let's go.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41Leicester attracted skilled workers and entrepreneurs from India
0:19:41 > 0:19:43during the '50s and '60s,
0:19:43 > 0:19:47finding work with the local textile and hosiery industries.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52In the 1970s, the city also became home
0:19:52 > 0:19:56to Indian refugees that had been forced out of Uganda by Idi Amin.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02On the breakfast menu for many families
0:20:02 > 0:20:06with southern-Indian background are dosas, a kind of crepe,
0:20:06 > 0:20:09and idlis, which is basically a steamed rice cake.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11These are a couple of classic brekkie dishes
0:20:11 > 0:20:15- made from lentils and rice. - We've been to Kerala ourselves,
0:20:15 > 0:20:19and southern-Indian food is something we absolutely adore.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22First we're going to find out how to make idlis.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26We had this every morning for breakfast for six weeks.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29We've both come back with these and dosas, tried to make them,
0:20:29 > 0:20:32tried over the years, and we've failed miserably.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35- So this is a treat for us! - It's quite simple.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38- As far as we know, it's very simple. - You say it's simple,
0:20:38 > 0:20:41but it's driven us mad for years.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45- We will make it simple for you today.- Excellent!
0:20:46 > 0:20:50'What makes it simple is one of these - a commercial grinder.'
0:20:50 > 0:20:54This is a fantastic bit of kit. It's where we've been going wrong.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57We haven't got one of these. Every home needs one.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59Well, it does now. Look at this. It's brilliant!
0:21:00 > 0:21:04'To make the dough, the lentils and rice are ground together
0:21:04 > 0:21:06'with water and salt.'
0:21:11 > 0:21:14And how do you know when it's done?
0:21:14 > 0:21:16You can see the dough, nice and smooth.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20'It's got to be ground for about 25 minutes.'
0:21:20 > 0:21:23So before the age of electricity,
0:21:23 > 0:21:26how would this be done?
0:21:26 > 0:21:29It's the same thing. It's got a bigger stone than this,
0:21:29 > 0:21:31but people used it with a string.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34Still there are some tea shops in Kerala -
0:21:34 > 0:21:36you can see them - they still use that.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39'It's absolutely fascinating.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42'Once the dough's been ground up,
0:21:42 > 0:21:45'it needs to ferment for about 12 hours
0:21:45 > 0:21:47'to become light and airy.'
0:21:47 > 0:21:52It really is. There's lots of air bubbles in that, isn't there?
0:21:52 > 0:21:54It's really creamy, as well.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56The fermented dough goes into a special tray
0:21:56 > 0:21:58that can be dropped now into a steamer.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01My idlis, when I made them, it was just liquid!
0:22:01 > 0:22:04It wasn't like that. That's like beaten egg white.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07'I know what you're thinking. What if you don't have an idli tray?
0:22:07 > 0:22:12'Well, in the old days, they were made by pouring the dough
0:22:12 > 0:22:15'into a cloth stretched over a pan of hot water.'
0:22:15 > 0:22:20Oh, I've made a mess here. I've got the sack before I've got my job!
0:22:20 > 0:22:22THEY LAUGH
0:22:22 > 0:22:25Do you know, what I'm looking forward to
0:22:25 > 0:22:27is eating these straight out the steamer.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31It's going to be like when you get bread out the oven and eat it fresh.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35'Once the trays are all stacked, they go into the steamer
0:22:35 > 0:22:37'for ten minutes.'
0:22:37 > 0:22:41You're using a pressure cooker, but just using it as a steamer.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43Yes. We are not pressure-cooking it.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49With the idlis steaming, next up are the dosas.
0:22:49 > 0:22:54Dosa is something which is the very best,
0:22:54 > 0:22:56and essential for South Indians.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59There is no breakfast without dosa, basically.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02- Now we're going to make Masala dosa. - Yes!
0:23:02 > 0:23:05But before we do that, we have to make a filling.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08Masala dosas have a spicy vegetable filling.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12'To make the filling, the chef needs to start
0:23:12 > 0:23:14'by frying mustard seed and lentils.'
0:23:14 > 0:23:17Smelling beautiful, isn't it? It's toasty.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24'Then he adds ginger, green chillies and the veg.'
0:23:24 > 0:23:28- This is a smashing way to get a few of your five a day!- Isn't it?
0:23:28 > 0:23:30I can't think of a better one, mate, I tell you!
0:23:30 > 0:23:33One of the main spices in the filling is turmeric,
0:23:33 > 0:23:35which they grind from the root.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38Turmeric, or haldi.
0:23:38 > 0:23:39- Haldi! - THEY LAUGH
0:23:39 > 0:23:44The look of that and the smell, the look and smell of the kitchen,
0:23:44 > 0:23:47it takes me back to my Keralan breakfasts.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50'The final ingredient is some roughly mashed potato.'
0:23:50 > 0:23:53It's like a posh bubble and squeak, isn't it?
0:23:53 > 0:23:56That's the stuffing. That's the easy bit.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58What about the dosas?
0:24:00 > 0:24:03'Dosas have got the same ingredients as idlis,
0:24:03 > 0:24:07'but with added fenugreek, and they're made on a hot plate
0:24:07 > 0:24:09'rather like crepes.'
0:24:12 > 0:24:15When I try to do this, I get to this point
0:24:15 > 0:24:19and then that's it. It comes off like jelly,
0:24:19 > 0:24:21and it's bits and pieces.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27'Chef Hajik makes it look easy, but now it's our turn.'
0:24:29 > 0:24:32Right! This is it. This is the moment of truth.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34- That was brilliant. You first. - Oh, man!
0:24:34 > 0:24:37- Go on. Take to the hot plate, Kingy. - Right!
0:24:41 > 0:24:43He's doing good.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47I've made my first dosa!
0:24:50 > 0:24:53- Wow! That's really good! - THEY APPLAUD
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Yes! Thank you, Hajik. Thank you.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01That was... It's fabulous. What a lovely thing to do!
0:25:01 > 0:25:04'Kingy's a bit of a natural! No pressure, then.'
0:25:04 > 0:25:08- I've got a lot to live up to now! - Come on.- Right.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15It's not looking good, is it? Very brown.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19Yes!
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Oops! Oh, no!
0:25:25 > 0:25:29- Nice one!- Just hide it underneath.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32It's not a cracker. My filling's bursting.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35- I got a few holes. But it's all right.- Mega!
0:25:35 > 0:25:39So, Jaimon, tell us the truth. Do you have this every morning?
0:25:39 > 0:25:42Every day, but I don't make it. My wife does it for me.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44That's the secret.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46You've got a restaurant and a team of chefs.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49And also we do a little dosa,
0:25:49 > 0:25:52which normally we have it for breakfast.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55'By now the idlis are ready.'
0:25:55 > 0:25:57Oh, look at those!
0:25:59 > 0:26:02- So light, aren't they? - They are great.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06'Both the idlis and the dosas are served
0:26:06 > 0:26:09'with a series of traditional southern-Indian dips.'
0:26:09 > 0:26:11'What a feast!'
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Now we've got the most authentic South Indian breakfast ready,
0:26:14 > 0:26:17we've got some customers waiting for you,
0:26:17 > 0:26:20- so shall we just go to the restaurant?- Yeah!- Yes.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26'One of our absolute favourite breakfasts.'
0:26:26 > 0:26:29These are lovely. Texture's great, isn't it?
0:26:29 > 0:26:31It's brilliant.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34'If you want a really good breakfast in Britain,
0:26:34 > 0:26:36'you've got to search for it.'
0:26:36 > 0:26:38And if you're lucky enough to find something like this,
0:26:38 > 0:26:41there's no better start to your day.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50'Like any good breakfast, whether dosas or a full English,
0:26:50 > 0:26:53'the absolute key is quality ingredients.'
0:26:54 > 0:26:57And if you're going to opt for a fry-up,
0:26:57 > 0:27:00there's one thing you just can't do without.
0:27:01 > 0:27:06Aye, I know what you mean, mate! Some good old-fashioned bacon.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10And we want a proper taste - Wiltshire slow-cured,
0:27:10 > 0:27:13not the watery stuff you get from the supermarket!
0:27:13 > 0:27:18At one time the good stuff almost disappeared off the menu altogether,
0:27:18 > 0:27:22and much of what you see today isn't actually the real deal.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26You can wander round your supermarkets now
0:27:26 > 0:27:29and see allegedly Wiltshire bacon,
0:27:29 > 0:27:33but I think it should be Wiltshire bacon in inverted commas,
0:27:33 > 0:27:35because it's the name
0:27:35 > 0:27:40rather than the actual essence that they use.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49Best Of British food hero Roger Keen
0:27:49 > 0:27:52has lived and worked on his pig farm in Wiltshire for 70 years.
0:27:53 > 0:27:5720 years ago he started to produce his own bacon,
0:27:57 > 0:27:59cured in the traditional Wiltshire way.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05Roger makes his bacon using a slow-cure process,
0:28:05 > 0:28:09and is the only man still producing it this way in Wiltshire.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13It's a method that was first introduced just up the road from his farm,
0:28:13 > 0:28:16and it revolutionised how bacon was made in Britain.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21And it's all thanks to one particular local family.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30During the 1700s, the canny Harris family set up a small butchers'
0:28:30 > 0:28:32in the Calne area,
0:28:32 > 0:28:36taking advantage of its position on the pig-droving route of the day.
0:28:38 > 0:28:42A lot of pigs were brought over from Ireland in those days,
0:28:42 > 0:28:44and walked all the way from the Bristol Docks
0:28:44 > 0:28:47up to London to the Smithfield markets,
0:28:47 > 0:28:51and this enterprising butcher, this Mr Harris,
0:28:51 > 0:28:53seemed to light on the idea
0:28:53 > 0:28:56that not always are animals as fit as they might be.
0:28:56 > 0:28:58There'd be an odd one or two stragglers,
0:28:58 > 0:29:02and he would go along and bag a few cheap pigs, I suppose,
0:29:02 > 0:29:05from the drovers that were moving the pigs,
0:29:05 > 0:29:10and he started curing them to produce bacon.
0:29:10 > 0:29:14In 1847, George Harris went to America
0:29:14 > 0:29:18to set up a business. He was unsuccessful,
0:29:18 > 0:29:21but while he was there, he picked up a rather special idea.
0:29:21 > 0:29:25What he brought back with him was, in fact, a cure,
0:29:25 > 0:29:28an American cure, as it turned out,
0:29:28 > 0:29:31that had used brine, as opposed to the older cures
0:29:31 > 0:29:34that were predominant in this country at that time,
0:29:34 > 0:29:37which would be what we would now call the dry cures,
0:29:37 > 0:29:41where you rubbed vast quantities of salt into the pig meat
0:29:41 > 0:29:44in order to preserve it,
0:29:44 > 0:29:47so that it could be put, without refrigeration,
0:29:47 > 0:29:51into store, and sail round the world.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54So two years it might be on a ship. It didn't go off.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57It was barely edible,
0:29:57 > 0:29:59it was so salty, so hard and so dry,
0:29:59 > 0:30:04so this milder cure, the Wiltshire cure, the brine cure,
0:30:04 > 0:30:08became, I suppose you could say, a tremendous success story
0:30:08 > 0:30:12for the Harris family, who were at that time based in Calne,
0:30:12 > 0:30:15and that became the home of Wiltshire cure.
0:30:15 > 0:30:19There was a bacon factory in virtually every town,
0:30:19 > 0:30:23but in the '60s and the '70s, they closed down one by one,
0:30:23 > 0:30:26unable to compete with Danish suppliers.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31Traditional slow-cured bacon was almost lost forever.
0:30:31 > 0:30:35Not the bacon! I think I need a tissue.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38Aye, I know. It was bad news for Roger too,
0:30:38 > 0:30:41as his pigs supplied the factories.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46As well as losing proper bacon in their breakfast,
0:30:46 > 0:30:50the Keen family were losing their livelihood.
0:30:50 > 0:30:51Here!
0:30:51 > 0:30:54So rather than let his farm go down the plughole as well,
0:30:54 > 0:30:57Roger started a curing business of his own -
0:30:57 > 0:30:59well, to save the bacon!
0:30:59 > 0:31:02When the last local factory closed,
0:31:02 > 0:31:04Roger went to see what equipment he could buy.
0:31:04 > 0:31:08Instead, he ended up hiring the manager
0:31:08 > 0:31:10and buying a very special ingredient.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13We actually bought a gallon of brine
0:31:13 > 0:31:16from the old Royal Wilts factory at Chippenham.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19It's what you call a living brine.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22There are living bacteria, a bit like cheesemakers
0:31:22 > 0:31:27or the winemakers, all the artisan crafts.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30It imparts something to the bacon.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34One of the essential parts is keeping the temperature
0:31:34 > 0:31:36at an ideal five degrees.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40And you want it slightly... almost like a wine colour.
0:31:40 > 0:31:45And maybe it's a hundred years old. I don't know, really, you know.
0:31:45 > 0:31:51But there's a little bit of a mystique and magic in it, you know.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55After being cured for three or four days,
0:31:55 > 0:31:57it's drained and stacked,
0:31:57 > 0:32:01and a week later, it's turned from pork into Wiltshire-cured bacon.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05But if you like it smoked, you've got to wait a little bit longer.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08After hanging above smouldering beechwood chippings
0:32:08 > 0:32:11for a couple of days, the bacon takes on a deep golden colour,
0:32:11 > 0:32:14ready for slicing.
0:32:14 > 0:32:18And I would suggest probably there's nobody else in the country
0:32:18 > 0:32:23that actually does still produce Wiltshire-cured bacon
0:32:23 > 0:32:27to the traditional Wiltshire recipe.
0:32:27 > 0:32:31There's no denying Roger's bacon is pretty blooming special.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35One bloke said he reckons his children were conceived
0:32:35 > 0:32:38because of my bacon. I never really quite worked that one out.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41We've also had a lady come back and say,
0:32:41 > 0:32:43"I've just bought a pack of bacon from you,"
0:32:43 > 0:32:46and I think, "Oh, good gosh, what's wrong now?"
0:32:46 > 0:32:49She says, "I've been a vegetarian for 20 years."
0:32:49 > 0:32:52"My family's going to kill me when I get home!"
0:32:53 > 0:32:55So thanks to Roger, the only man in Wiltshire
0:32:55 > 0:32:58still using the traditional method of curing bacon,
0:32:58 > 0:33:03the area's historic contribution to the full English breakfast lives on.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06I'd never eat anything else.
0:33:06 > 0:33:07HE LAUGHS
0:33:15 > 0:33:18Who'd have thought something as traditional as Wiltshire bacon
0:33:18 > 0:33:20had an American influence?
0:33:20 > 0:33:25Now, there have been many American imports onto these fair shores -
0:33:25 > 0:33:28some good, some bad. But this is a belter, isn't it?
0:33:28 > 0:33:33Aye. Eggs Benedict! The core of the idea came from America,
0:33:33 > 0:33:35but I believe in my heart of hearts
0:33:35 > 0:33:38that we English make the best eggs Benedict.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41We have the best ham. We also have English muffins.
0:33:42 > 0:33:46Our eggs Benedict is an extravagant combination
0:33:46 > 0:33:50of muffins with a thick slice of ham, topped by a poached egg
0:33:50 > 0:33:53and smothered in hollandaise sauce.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57We're also going to knock up the posh version, eggs royale,
0:33:57 > 0:34:00which replaces the ham with smoked salmon.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03- It's Marilyn Monroe on a plate! - Oh, it is.
0:34:03 > 0:34:07It is. It's fantastic. I'm going to do the poached eggs.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09I'm going to show you how to make poached eggs
0:34:09 > 0:34:12the way that works, and Kingy will show you how to make hollandaise
0:34:12 > 0:34:15without the aid of a parachute, without lumps
0:34:15 > 0:34:17- or any kind of stress whatsoever. - Yes, I will.
0:34:17 > 0:34:22'And I'm going to poach the eggs in a high-sided frying pan
0:34:22 > 0:34:25'to make sure they're going to be ready at the same time
0:34:25 > 0:34:27'as everything else.'
0:34:28 > 0:34:31You kind of pre-cook them, so you can do a dozen poached eggs
0:34:31 > 0:34:33and just bring them to heat at the table,
0:34:33 > 0:34:36so if you have six people coming round for breakfast,
0:34:36 > 0:34:41there's no reason they can't all have poached eggs at the same time.
0:34:41 > 0:34:43Now, while Dave's waiting for his water to boil,
0:34:43 > 0:34:47a key element in hollandaise sauce is the vinegar.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50We're going to take some white-wine vinegar
0:34:50 > 0:34:52and half a shallot.
0:34:52 > 0:34:54Chop it nice and fine,
0:34:54 > 0:34:56and we're going to put that in a pan
0:34:56 > 0:35:00with four tablespoons of white-wine vinegar,
0:35:00 > 0:35:02ten peppercorns and a bayleaf.
0:35:02 > 0:35:07'The story goes that eggs Benedict originated in New York,
0:35:07 > 0:35:09'but there are two different versions of the tale.'
0:35:09 > 0:35:12The first one is that eggs Benedict were created
0:35:12 > 0:35:15by a Mr Lemuel "Lemmy" Benedict,
0:35:15 > 0:35:18in 1894 at the Waldorf Astoria.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21One day, suffering from a hangover, he wandered in.
0:35:21 > 0:35:25He asked for toast, two poached eggs, some bacon
0:35:25 > 0:35:28and a jug of hollandaise sauce to pour on the top.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31Now, the other story is, at a deli called Delmonico's,
0:35:31 > 0:35:34there was Mr and Mrs LeGrand Benedict,
0:35:34 > 0:35:37and they went in there and invented the dish.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40One thing that is true - in America,
0:35:40 > 0:35:44every April the 16th is National Eggs Benedict day!
0:35:44 > 0:35:48And that's great about the Americans, because, any available opportunity,
0:35:48 > 0:35:50they'll celebrate and get flags out.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54Ladies and gentlemen, the top tip of all tips
0:35:54 > 0:35:57when making poached eggs - to ensure that your poached eggs
0:35:57 > 0:36:00never go to ectoplasm or look like a Doctor Who monster,
0:36:00 > 0:36:04you put the egg in its shell in the water
0:36:04 > 0:36:07for precisely 20 seconds.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10This kind of just sets them a teeny, teeny bit.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13- And it's true. It works.- The other trick with poached eggs is,
0:36:13 > 0:36:16whenever you can, use really fresh eggs.
0:36:16 > 0:36:18While we're waiting for those 20 seconds,
0:36:18 > 0:36:22what happens is, the shallots, the bayleaf and the ten peppercorns
0:36:22 > 0:36:24goes into that four tablespoons of vinegar.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27We reduce it by half. Now, just keep an eye on this,
0:36:27 > 0:36:30because it'll reduce quicker than you think.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35Now, see that water? There's a gentle bubble.
0:36:35 > 0:36:39Add to this a little drop of white-wine vinegar.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41White-wine vinegar helps the eggs stay together,
0:36:41 > 0:36:44but sometimes the chef in your hotel or your B&B,
0:36:44 > 0:36:46he'll slap in loads of malt vinegar.
0:36:46 > 0:36:50You don't know whether you're having a poached egg or fish and chips!
0:36:54 > 0:36:56'To help pour the eggs into the water,
0:36:56 > 0:36:58'break them into a bowl first.'
0:36:58 > 0:37:03Create a whirlpool, gently, and float the egg in.
0:37:03 > 0:37:08Keep the whirlpool going, and those strands all wrap around the egg.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15They need about two minutes to cook. And when they're done,
0:37:15 > 0:37:18plunge them straight into some ice-cold water.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22This stops the cooking process.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25We'll drain these on kitchen roll so they dry,
0:37:25 > 0:37:27and they'll hold for two or three hours.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30All we have to do when we're ready to serve them,
0:37:30 > 0:37:32be it with bacon or an eggs Benedict then,
0:37:32 > 0:37:35is to plunge them into boiling water for one minute,
0:37:35 > 0:37:38and you have the most perfectly cooked, reliable poached eggs.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40You can have a dozen at once in the pan,
0:37:40 > 0:37:44so six people have two eggs each, bang-bang-bang, done.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46That's how a restaurant should do it.
0:37:47 > 0:37:51Ours are going to wait until the hollandaise sauce is done.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54For the hollandaise sauce, we're going to gently melt
0:37:54 > 0:37:57225 grams of butter in a pan.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01'By now the vinegar should have reduced, so strain it into a bowl.'
0:38:01 > 0:38:04All of that shallot flavour, the onion flavour,
0:38:04 > 0:38:07the peppercorns and the bayleaf will have gone into that.
0:38:07 > 0:38:09To start making the sauce,
0:38:09 > 0:38:12we're going to whisk three egg yolks in a bain-marie.
0:38:12 > 0:38:16Place a bowl over a saucepan of hot water so it's heated by the steam.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19OK, so there's a little bit of heat but not too much,
0:38:19 > 0:38:22and the water's hot, but it's not simmering or boiling.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26You've got to watch out you don't scramble the eggs
0:38:26 > 0:38:28before the magic's happened.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32Be careful not to let the water touch the bowl directly.
0:38:32 > 0:38:37And just a little bit of salt, and then we start to whisk.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41You'll see the eggs change colour, to a really light...
0:38:41 > 0:38:44- It's going already, mate. - It is, isn't it?
0:38:44 > 0:38:49And they'll thicken slightly as you whisk, these egg yolks. Look.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52There we go. I mean, it's a little bit labour-intensive,
0:38:52 > 0:38:54but it's worth it.
0:38:54 > 0:39:00Little pinch of sugar, and then our spiced vinegar.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03Now, keep whisking...
0:39:05 > 0:39:08..as you drop it in.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10Now, again give it a good whisk.
0:39:10 > 0:39:14'Now slowly add the melted butter to the egg yolks,
0:39:14 > 0:39:17'whisking all the time, so that they emulsify,
0:39:17 > 0:39:19'and the sauce doesn't separate.'
0:39:26 > 0:39:29It is going nice and mayonnaisey, isn't it?
0:39:30 > 0:39:34Yeah. Lovely and creamy and buttery.
0:39:36 > 0:39:38That's beautiful. I think the time has come
0:39:38 > 0:39:42- for me to get my muffins on, Mr K. - I think you're right, dude.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51I love that consistency. That's going to cling
0:39:51 > 0:39:54like Chris Bonington to the Matterhorn.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57There we go. One lovely hollandaise sauce.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00- Ohhh! May I?- You may.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04- Lush, isn't it?- It's like...
0:40:04 > 0:40:09if food was a velvet blanket that caressed your naked form,
0:40:09 > 0:40:13it would be hollandaise sauce. Do you know what I mean?
0:40:13 > 0:40:15It's like... Ahhhh!
0:40:15 > 0:40:18Right. Muffins.
0:40:18 > 0:40:19It's nearly ready!
0:40:19 > 0:40:23We just need to slap a generous amount of butter onto the muffins,
0:40:23 > 0:40:27and reheat the eggs in hot water for a minute.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30Pop that back... Now, look at that poached egg.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32A perfect poacher.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37Next up, you have to make the hard choice between toppings.
0:40:37 > 0:40:41Is it going to be traditional ham, or royale, the smoked salmon?
0:40:41 > 0:40:45Take your pick, really, but that's good British boiled ham,
0:40:45 > 0:40:48fresh eggs, smoked salmon -
0:40:48 > 0:40:53who does it better than the Scots? - and the English muffin.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02So, whether it was Lemuel Benedict
0:41:02 > 0:41:05or Mr and Mrs LeGrand Benedict,
0:41:05 > 0:41:09we've taken eggs Benedict and made them British over the years.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13It's ours, and I think it's one of the best.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16That hollandaise is immaculate, Kingy.
0:41:16 > 0:41:20Just a few chives, and don't worry about them scattering on the plate.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23Just a little sprinkling of black pepper,
0:41:23 > 0:41:26and just an odd, teensy sea salt.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28It's got to be one of the most perfect breakfasts.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31You know the Americans. I mean, they're overpaid,
0:41:31 > 0:41:36they're over here, but as long as they bring their eggs Benedict with them, they can stop.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39- Oh, aye.- Are you salmon or ham?
0:41:39 > 0:41:42Well, I'll go ham, cos I know you're quite partial to salmon.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45I'm quite democratic when it comes to these. I'll eat the lot.
0:41:45 > 0:41:49HE LAUGHS Go on, man. You can have first dibs.
0:41:49 > 0:41:50Whoa!
0:41:50 > 0:41:53Look at that.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55You see? Look at that egg. It's perfect.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57Mmm!
0:41:57 > 0:41:59Oh, now...
0:41:59 > 0:42:01Oh, yes. Look at that!
0:42:03 > 0:42:07And do you know what, Si? The chives give a lot to this, don't they?
0:42:07 > 0:42:10The chives go so well with the hollandaise.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13They just give it a little bit of savoury undertone.
0:42:13 > 0:42:14Mmm!
0:42:14 > 0:42:17That's the perfect eggs Benedict,
0:42:17 > 0:42:19perfect muffins,
0:42:19 > 0:42:22perfect kind of ham,
0:42:22 > 0:42:25perfect salmon.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27- Hollandaise is just right. - Very, very good.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30Thank you, America!
0:42:30 > 0:42:33Well, thanks for the idea, but we do it better.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47It may have been relegated to a hasty snack on the way to work,
0:42:47 > 0:42:52but Britain has a fine breakfast heritage.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54Whether it's home-grown delights,
0:42:54 > 0:42:58spicy Victorian favourites or borrowed from abroad...
0:42:58 > 0:43:03..British breakfasts are among the very best in the world.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05Visit...
0:43:09 > 0:43:13..to discover some amazing facts about the history of food.
0:43:13 > 0:43:17And to find out how to cook up tonight's recipes.
0:43:17 > 0:43:22Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:22 > 0:43:26E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk