0:00:03 > 0:00:07You know, we believe that Britain has the best food in the world.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11Not only can we boast fantastic ingredients...
0:00:11 > 0:00:13Oh, there we go. Look at them!
0:00:13 > 0:00:15'..outstanding food producers...'
0:00:15 > 0:00:17Oh, wow!
0:00:17 > 0:00:20'..and innovative chefs...
0:00:20 > 0:00:23'..but we also have an amazing food history.'
0:00:23 > 0:00:25It's safe to say that's what the Romans brought to us -
0:00:25 > 0:00:28- the art of cooking itself. - Absolutely.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30It's called a sala catabia.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32It's like a savoury summer pudding.
0:00:32 > 0:00:37Now, during this series, we're going to be taking you on a journey
0:00:37 > 0:00:38into our culinary past.
0:00:38 > 0:00:43- Everything's ready, so let's get cracking.- We'll explore its revealing stories..
0:00:43 > 0:00:44BOTH: Wow!
0:00:44 > 0:00:48..and meet the heroes that keep our culinary past alive.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50Pontefract liquorice has been my life,
0:00:50 > 0:00:53and I've loved every minute of it.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56'And, of course, be cooking up a load of dishes
0:00:56 > 0:00:59'that reveal our foodie evolution.'
0:00:59 > 0:01:01That's a proper British treat.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05Looks good, tastes good. That's going to do you goof.
0:01:05 > 0:01:06Quite simply...
0:01:06 > 0:01:08BOTH: The best of British.
0:01:24 > 0:01:29Today, we're going to be looking at a distinctively British offering to the world of gastronomy.
0:01:29 > 0:01:30Pub grub.
0:01:30 > 0:01:35MUSIC: "We're Going Down The Pub" by Sham 69
0:01:35 > 0:01:38Yeah! Pubs have been the mainstay of British society since the Middle Ages,
0:01:38 > 0:01:42and our favourite venue for eating our traditional native cuisine.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45And indulging in some of our favourite beverages.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48'In the show, we'll be cooking up some pub-inspired classics...
0:01:48 > 0:01:50'..sampling our traditional brews..
0:01:50 > 0:01:56'..and celebrating a dining trend that has redefined pub culture.'
0:01:56 > 0:02:01Throughout history, beer was seen as a staple of the British diet.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05These days, a lot of British boozers not only serve great grub as well as ale,
0:02:05 > 0:02:09they've been instrumental in shaping our food culture.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11Cheers, mate.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13- The great British pub.- Yes.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15It is incredible how food's come on, isn't it?
0:02:15 > 0:02:21What was the first, kind of, piece of pub grub that you ever had, Kingy?
0:02:21 > 0:02:25Three separate dishes on the bar, on Sunday, and only on a Sunday.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28Cheese, raw black pudding and silver-skinned onions. That was it.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30Brilliant. What about you?
0:02:30 > 0:02:34You had a pickled egg, you put it in the cheese and onion crisps, you gave it a bang on the bar,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36and then you just kind of hoy it out like that -
0:02:36 > 0:02:39the cheese-and-onion-crispy pickled egg. I still like it.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42But what was the last thing you ate in a pub?
0:02:42 > 0:02:45A pave of turbot with a beer sabayon.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48- THEY LAUGH - What about you?
0:02:48 > 0:02:52Oh, a saddle of rabbit with a duxelles of porcini mushrooms, wrapped in pancetta!
0:02:52 > 0:02:55- Give over, man!- I know!- It's great! - It is, isn't it?
0:02:55 > 0:02:58THEY SIGH
0:02:59 > 0:03:03The British boozer can trace its family tree back 2,000 years.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07Decent pub grub, however, is a more recent phenomenon.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11The Romans introduced us to drinking establishments,
0:03:11 > 0:03:12with taverns selling wine.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16Beer, or ale made from hops, arrived in the 14th century,
0:03:16 > 0:03:22followed soon after by pub signs reflecting local trades and political loyalties.
0:03:22 > 0:03:27The Victorians built thousands of pubs as a place of relaxation for tired workers.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31The pub really is a distinctly British institution.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35And for many years, the food had a distinct flavour.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37- Well, yeah, it was sh...- Shocking.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39Or just non-existent.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43See, in the early days, the pub wasn't a place for women, children or food.
0:03:43 > 0:03:44Food? In a pub?!
0:03:44 > 0:03:46Time, gentlemen, please.
0:03:46 > 0:03:47It just wasn't right.
0:03:49 > 0:03:50There WERE bar snacks,
0:03:50 > 0:03:55and if you were lucky, you might even get a curled-up sarnie or a cold sausage roll.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59In all the pubs, there would be bread and cheese, and pickles,
0:03:59 > 0:04:03and other things on the table for any of the customers, you know, and probably cold meat.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06They would give that away, of course.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Naturally, that used to bring the people into the pubs.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Ee, well, those wouldn't. What's that? Cheddar? Ham?
0:04:12 > 0:04:14I can't really tell!
0:04:14 > 0:04:17But there was no hot food.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19What you would call a proper meal.
0:04:19 > 0:04:24Pubs survived like this for years, but by the 1960s, eating out had become fashionable,
0:04:24 > 0:04:26and cafes and restaurants were booming.
0:04:26 > 0:04:32So the pubs fought back, and used improved food and atmosphere to tempt in the fairer sex.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37The pint tankard, though not replaced, is outnumbered by the daintier stemmed glass.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41The businessman's lunch can be shared by the businessman's wife.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45Flowers are a constant reminder of the feminine presence.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48The man in a hurry will eat his sandwiches over the public bar.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51But the woman would sooner not.
0:04:51 > 0:04:57Then, some bright spark realised that if you could have the meals with minimal washing up,
0:04:57 > 0:04:59you'd be on to a right good winner.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01Chicken in a basket was born.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04Soon followed by everything in a basket.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07Sausage in a basket, scampi in a basket...
0:05:07 > 0:05:11Hmm. Or for the more sophisticated palate, hope was just around the corner...
0:05:11 > 0:05:13at the Berni Inn.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22'But what everyone likes at Berni Inns are the tender Berni Steaks.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26'There's a place for you at your Berni Inn.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28'Why not join the Berni set?'
0:05:28 > 0:05:30The first Berni Inn opened in Bristol
0:05:30 > 0:05:32in the mid-1950s,
0:05:32 > 0:05:34but they were really popular in the '70s.
0:05:34 > 0:05:39Oh, yes. By then, B-E-R-N-I spelt "class."
0:05:39 > 0:05:44- Prawn cocktail...- Steak and chips... - Black Forest gateau...
0:05:44 > 0:05:46You know how to treat a girl!
0:05:46 > 0:05:48Breweries got in on the action,
0:05:48 > 0:05:52opening up endless chains of family pubs that did grub.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55But while most stuck to the tried-and-tested,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58a revolution was beginning at The Eagle in London.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01In 1991, they brought in a real chef,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04making high-quality food in a real pub.
0:06:04 > 0:06:09A decent British boozer with some - how would you say? - gastronomy!
0:06:09 > 0:06:12A pub with gastronomy... You could call it "pubstronomy."
0:06:12 > 0:06:15- SIMON SIGHS - It was the birth of the gastro-pub.
0:06:15 > 0:06:21Gradually, the idea spread, and by the Noughties, every smart pub worth its weight in sea salt flakes...
0:06:21 > 0:06:25- ..or freshly ground black pepper... - ..started remodelling as gastro.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29Even supermarkets joined in, packaging ready meals as "gastro-pub style."
0:06:31 > 0:06:34In 1993, just over half of all pubs served food.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37But a decade later, it was nine out of 10.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40Things have come a long way since pickled eggs.
0:06:40 > 0:06:46And the pubs that have called time on bad food have helped revolutionise British cuisine.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52Indeed, in the last two decades, the gastro-pub has led the way
0:06:52 > 0:06:54in keeping traditional British dishes alive.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58Aye, and you know, first up in our Best of British kitchen,
0:06:58 > 0:07:00we're cooking a time-honoured dish
0:07:00 > 0:07:04that has become a great pub grub classic.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07It's the Barnsley chop with Cumberland sauce.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09Ee-up, landlord!
0:07:09 > 0:07:11What's on't menu toneet?
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Barnsley chop.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16Oh, where would Barnsley chop hail from, then?
0:07:16 > 0:07:23It is said to have originated from t'King's Head in Market Hill in Barnsley in 1849.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Ee, and it was an egalitarian sort of cutlet.
0:07:26 > 0:07:31Because, you know, farmers would go in there on market day, and eat a whopper.
0:07:31 > 0:07:37But also, in 1933, the Barnsley chop was served at the opening of Barnsley Town Hall,
0:07:37 > 0:07:40and even the Prince of Wales had a whopper.
0:07:40 > 0:07:45Now, this is a Barnsley chop, and this is proper pub grub.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49- It's basically a slice off a sheep's back.- It is.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51Now, to start our Barnsley chop,
0:07:51 > 0:07:57we have thyme, we have mint, and we have rosemary.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02I'm going to make some Cumberland sauce, and ours is a lovely recipe.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04It's got orange zest, port,
0:08:04 > 0:08:10stem ginger, redcurrant jelly, orange juice, lemon juice...
0:08:10 > 0:08:11It's really aromatic and lovely.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13It's much better than the stuff you buy.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16First off, I need to peel an orange. I want the zest.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18Now, all I'm doing while Dave's doing that
0:08:18 > 0:08:21is I'm just finely chopping the three herbs that we mentioned.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23It's a herby rub, isn't it?
0:08:23 > 0:08:25It is. That's what we're going to do with it.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27Mix it with some salt and pepper in a bowl,
0:08:27 > 0:08:31- and then really push those herbs into our Barnsley chop.- Oh!
0:08:31 > 0:08:33Look at that. Orange peel.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35Do you know, I remember Barnsley chops
0:08:35 > 0:08:38were judged as much on the quantity as the quality.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41- Yeah.- And a Barnsley chop, you always do a whopper.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45It's the kind of T-bone steak equivalent, isn't it,
0:08:45 > 0:08:46- of the sheep world? - Yes, it is.
0:08:46 > 0:08:47Now, you see this zest.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50I've done it with a potato peeler, which is what I want.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54But I must cut that white pith out, because that's really sour.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57Just get a knife, and just pare it down even finer.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02See? Get rid of that. Get it going.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04We're going to boil this zest
0:09:04 > 0:09:07for about five minutes, just to make it nice and soft.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10That's where the orange oils are, all the good stuff.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14Now for the herbs.
0:09:14 > 0:09:19We're using two tablespoons of rosemary, one tablespoon of thyme, and four tablespoons of mint.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23Ee, Kingy, hasn't pub food changed over the years?
0:09:23 > 0:09:27I always remember, years ago, going to a pub in Langport in Somerset.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29It was a real old scrumpy pub.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32All the food they used to do was beans on toast.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36- SIMON CHUCKLES - But can you imagine it, being a scrumpy pub...
0:09:36 > 0:09:38- it really was quite... - HE LAUGHS
0:09:38 > 0:09:40It was quite a heady mixture in there, really.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42- I bet it was.- You know?
0:09:42 > 0:09:43I mean...
0:09:43 > 0:09:46Like a lot of these things, you can buy Cumberland sauce in a jar,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49but when you take the time to do it properly,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52with the real orange zest, you know, and the stem ginger,
0:09:52 > 0:09:54it's just beautiful.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58What do you think about the advent of the gastro-pub?
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Well...
0:10:00 > 0:10:03- I like it if it's still a pub.- Yeah.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07If it's a pub that's serving, kind of, spoonfuls of nonsense, then it's not a pub.
0:10:07 > 0:10:12I mean, there's a place for fine dining, and I'm not sure whether the pub is it.
0:10:12 > 0:10:17- gastro-pubs and pub food, it shouldn't be, kind of, small portions.- No.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21It's quite a difficult balance. Some get it right and some don't, don't they?
0:10:21 > 0:10:26Yeah, but are we kidding ourselves, Si? Is a gastro-pub a term for simply a pub that does good food?
0:10:26 > 0:10:28I want to go to a pub for a night out.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31I want to have some proper good beer, or some proper nice cider,
0:10:31 > 0:10:33and I want to have something...
0:10:33 > 0:10:37No, I don't want to eat fancy food, I just want it to be really, really good.
0:10:37 > 0:10:42- And if they've made a reputation on good, simple food, then all power to their elbow, in my view.- Yeah.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45- I don't want formality...- No! - ..in my pub food.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48You know, I don't want to have to dress up for it.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52I love fine dining, I love the conventions of fine dining,
0:10:52 > 0:10:54I love the etiquette and the history of it, but not in a pub.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58- No. It's the wrong environment, isn't it, in essence?- Yeah.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01'Chop the orange into juliennes - ooh, sorry - matchsticks,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04'this is pub grub we're cooking, after all.'
0:11:04 > 0:11:08It's taken a bit of time, but that's the pared-down zest of one orange.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11That's the substance of my Cumberland sauce.
0:11:11 > 0:11:17'Place the orange matchsticks in a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to the boil.'
0:11:17 > 0:11:20'Simmer for about eight minutes, then drain and set aside.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23'Now for the ginger.'
0:11:23 > 0:11:27Now, stem ginger is preserved ginger.
0:11:27 > 0:11:28And they do it in balls.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31It's just root ginger that's been preserved in syrup.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34It's either great with sweet or savouries.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38'Now, chop it up, and set it aside.'
0:11:38 > 0:11:41What I'm going to do is take the thyme, rosemary and the mint,
0:11:41 > 0:11:46salt and pepper, and just push that into the Barnsley chop.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49It even sounds big, doesn't it? A Barnsley chop.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52You just know it's going to be, like, a big chop.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55Now, extract the juice from the orange
0:11:55 > 0:11:58and add the juice of half a lemon.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01But don't forget, we don't want the pips.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05There you are, in the pan I've got the juice of one orange,
0:12:05 > 0:12:10the juice of half a lemon, about 15ml of port.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13There's nothing that glugs like port, is there?
0:12:13 > 0:12:17Some redcurrant jelly and all it is is jelly made from redcurrants.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21Cook for 7 minutes over a low heat.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25Oil in an already pre-warmed pan.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27Two things to remember when you are cooking meat.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30Make sure that the meat is at room temperature
0:12:30 > 0:12:33and you've got some heat in your pan
0:12:33 > 0:12:38because it makes all the difference to how that meat tastes
0:12:38 > 0:12:40and how succulent it becomes. That's a top tip!
0:12:40 > 0:12:42OK? So there we go.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44- Listen. - MEAT SIZZLES
0:12:44 > 0:12:46Heat straightaway into the meat.
0:12:46 > 0:12:51Now, what we are doing is cooking these chops in a traditional way
0:12:51 > 0:12:55in that the pan we are cooking them in is then going to be transferred
0:12:55 > 0:12:58into the oven so we've got three minutes per side.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01We finish them off for eight minutes in the oven.
0:13:01 > 0:13:02Brilliant way of doing it
0:13:02 > 0:13:06and that's how they would have done it all those years ago.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09We were talking about gastro-pubs before.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13It's important not to forget that one important role of the gastro-pub
0:13:13 > 0:13:17is that it really supports local farmers and local suppliers.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20It's one way that they can cut out the middleman
0:13:20 > 0:13:23and sell direct to the consumer, the publican.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26It's good, honest business.
0:13:26 > 0:13:31Gastro-pubs are known and should be known for their fresh,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34seasonal, local produce.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36That's what they do.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39When you're putting the meat in the pan,
0:13:39 > 0:13:42don't move it about for the first couple of minutes.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45Then, you'll get a nice, even colour around it.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49See this bit here? We want some colour on that now.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53We are going to stand the chops up, next door to each other.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56It's funny lamb fat, isn't it? It's nice when it's crispy.
0:13:56 > 0:14:03- But when it's not crispy, it's not...- It's a bit...- Aye!
0:14:03 > 0:14:07Put them together like that, hold them in.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10And then, as soon as we've got some colour on this fat,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13pop them in the oven for about six to eight minutes,
0:14:13 > 0:14:15depending on how you like your meat.
0:14:15 > 0:14:16To finish off the Cumberland sauce,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19I'm going to pop in that boiled orange zest.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21That's nice and soft now.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25And this lovely stem ginger.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27It's great, stem ginger, it's sweet, it's sticky
0:14:27 > 0:14:30but still got the fire of the ginger.
0:14:32 > 0:14:37Now, Cumberland sauce can be served warm or cold.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41Now, this can go in the oven between six and eight minutes.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43We are not going to transfer them to a baking tray
0:14:43 > 0:14:47because this frying pan has a metal handle and can go straight into the oven.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53Thanks, mate.
0:14:53 > 0:14:58Yours is ready in six, mine's ready in about seven.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00Which gives the chop time to rest!
0:15:08 > 0:15:10# Where hast thou been since I last saw thee?
0:15:10 > 0:15:14# I love you, my fat Barnsley chop
0:15:14 > 0:15:19# I'm loving my big Barnsley chop... #
0:15:19 > 0:15:21Is it just me?
0:15:24 > 0:15:26- Oh, man!- Oh!
0:15:28 > 0:15:31We should leave it to rest for a minute, shouldn't we?
0:15:31 > 0:15:33Yeah.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36That's a minute. That's champion.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43The sauce, as it's cooling, it's just like a syrup.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46If we let this go cold, it would go back to jelly.
0:15:46 > 0:15:51That's the one you put it in a jar and you have with your ham sandwiches.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56Yes, that's it.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58When you're faced with such fine produce
0:15:58 > 0:16:01and great pub food traditions, it's hard not to be greedy, isn't it?
0:16:01 > 0:16:04It is, but the good thing about a Barnsley chop,
0:16:04 > 0:16:06it can be a chop for sharing.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08You start at an end each and meet in the middle.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11- Like spaghetti.- Yeah.
0:16:11 > 0:16:12No.
0:16:15 > 0:16:16Oh!
0:16:18 > 0:16:22Oh, heaven. That's perfect. Really nice.
0:16:22 > 0:16:27That is, isn't it? Do you know, the Barnsley chop, I can't see it not having a future.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29Great British pub food.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31- What's yours? Fancy a pint? - Oh, yeah.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34- Where we going? The local?- Pub!
0:16:36 > 0:16:40'Ee, lad. There you have it. The big, bad Barnsley chop.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43'And with double the meat of a regular cutlet,
0:16:43 > 0:16:45'it's value for money, too.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50In recent years, British food has been recognised
0:16:50 > 0:16:53as being some of the best in the world...
0:16:53 > 0:16:57with some of the most gratifying dishes coming not out of restaurants
0:16:57 > 0:17:02but from that national treasure - the humble public house.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10As a result, we Brits now eat more meals in pubs than we do in restaurants.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13Sadly, though, the Great British boozer is in decline,
0:17:13 > 0:17:17with an average of 25 closing every week.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20Some ARE stopping the rot by offering great food
0:17:20 > 0:17:23and keeping the locals happy with a real pub atmosphere.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27Like our Best Of British food hero and pub saviour...
0:17:27 > 0:17:29- I'm not overdoing this, mate, am I?! - No!
0:17:29 > 0:17:35- Give the lad a big build-up, like... - ..pub super chef Dominic Chapman,
0:17:35 > 0:17:37at the Royal Oak in Berkshire.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41One of only 13 pubs in the country to hold a coveted Michelin Star.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44And the power behind it is someone
0:17:44 > 0:17:47who remembers the Great British boozer in its heyday.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50In my generation, they were where you went -
0:17:50 > 0:17:52to gossip, to talk, to cash a cheque.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56Well, we didn't have cheques in those days! To borrow money.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59They defined village life for me, growing up in Yorkshire.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02They had a very important part to play in my life.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04Food wasn't on the agenda. You had that at home.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06They were drinking places.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09Places where you played snooker, cribbage, where you gambled.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12There's a generation that wouldn't understand what I'm talking about.
0:18:12 > 0:18:17I might be talking about igloos, for all that they would understand what I'm talking about!
0:18:17 > 0:18:22That's been the trick, my trick, is to understand the difference, the change, what's happened here.
0:18:22 > 0:18:27Nowadays, you have to give people a different reason for going to a pub than I had.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31After years as Britain's best-known TV chat show host...
0:18:31 > 0:18:36..Sir Michael Parkinson sunk his money into a pub partnership with his son, Nick.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40I can remember showing you it, and you said, "Are you mad?"
0:18:40 > 0:18:41MICHAEL GUFFAWS
0:18:41 > 0:18:44Cos it was a fairly rundown, horrible place.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46That doesn't describe it half what it was like.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50It was an absolute shambles. It was like buying a ruin, wasn't it?
0:18:50 > 0:18:54- Yeah, it was horrible. - You saw the potential before I did, that's for sure.
0:18:56 > 0:19:01They opened the pub in 2001, and whilst Sir Michael and Nick front the business...
0:19:02 > 0:19:05..behind the scenes, Dominic is busy cheffing.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11He joined the team in 2007, and raised their game,
0:19:11 > 0:19:15earning the Royal Oak a Michelin Star in 2010.
0:19:15 > 0:19:20It's amazing. It took a few years, but when we got the news, you know,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23that's the best day of your life, it really is.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25I mean, that's... You know, I was...
0:19:25 > 0:19:28Michelin stars are pretty special within our industry,
0:19:28 > 0:19:31so we now need to work hard and protect that,
0:19:31 > 0:19:36because all the effort and hours you put in to achieve a Michelin star,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39you don't want to throw it away. It's all about performing every day
0:19:39 > 0:19:43and making sure you're consistently very, very good. That's what it's all about.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46Just because you've received one doesn't mean you'll hold onto it.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49Michelin is about good food.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51You don't have to be poncy to get a Michelin Star.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55You have to produce food that is tasty, seasonal,
0:19:55 > 0:19:59looks great, and there's a little bit of love on that menu.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01I don't think it's rocket science. I love my job.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03I love what I do.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07So, I hope that's reflected in the food that we serve
0:20:07 > 0:20:10and the menu that's on offer at the Royal Oak.
0:20:10 > 0:20:15It's not what I would call typical Michelin food. Dom's food is very real, very basic
0:20:15 > 0:20:18and good and tasty. He doesn't do foam!
0:20:18 > 0:20:21We don't do things like that. We don't want to.
0:20:21 > 0:20:27And Dominic is cooking up one of his signature dishes - hare and trotter pie.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30I'm going to joint the hares,
0:20:30 > 0:20:32I'll brown a piece of bacon...
0:20:32 > 0:20:35carrot, leek, celery, onion, garlic,
0:20:35 > 0:20:37and I'll brown that off.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39Separate pan - I'll brown some button mushrooms,
0:20:39 > 0:20:42I'll caramelise some tomatoes...
0:20:42 > 0:20:47It's a dish with a traditional feel, but it's not a simple one.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50I'll do a reduction, a red-wine reduction,
0:20:50 > 0:20:52I'll do a port-madeira reduction.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56No way! This recipe's got more reductions than a closing-down sale!
0:20:56 > 0:21:00Put them all into one pan with some stock, I'll then add may aromats -
0:21:00 > 0:21:04bay leaf, thyme, pink peppercorns, juniper berries, black peppercorns -
0:21:04 > 0:21:07into the oven for 2.5 hours.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Break down the meat, get rid of the bone.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13So the next stage is building the pies.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15I've got my onion, some bacon, some hare,
0:21:15 > 0:21:18some mushrooms and some pig's trotter.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23Lay the pastry over the pie,
0:21:23 > 0:21:26and then into the oven at 200 degrees for 12 minutes.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28The pie's ready.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32- Well, the proof of the pudding... - Pie!- ..is in the eating.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35YORKSHIRE ACCENT: Bring on the pie! Aye, bring on t'pie!
0:21:38 > 0:21:40Very excited. Yeah. I love it.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44If you're a careful cook and take time to be delicate
0:21:44 > 0:21:49and make things look great, but also taste great, that's the battle, and I guess that's what's so hard.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51I've got real interest in that,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54so that's what I try really hard to get right...if I can!
0:21:56 > 0:21:58Oh, God!
0:22:02 > 0:22:04That sauce is fantastic.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07And the sauce - to die for.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09Well done, Dominic.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11THEY BOTH LAUGH
0:22:12 > 0:22:15That's beautiful. You can't get better than that.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18There's nothing posh about that at all.
0:22:18 > 0:22:19It's basic good grub.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21You couldn't eat better than that
0:22:21 > 0:22:22anywhere in the world.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25- Is it all right? > - Very good that.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29- You like that, did you(?) - I can't really contribute much more. It's very good.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31Here endeth the lesson.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34Hold on your, Parky! He's still got it in him, you know!
0:22:34 > 0:22:36The great thing is, like many gastro-pubs,
0:22:36 > 0:22:42the Royal Oak is helping to keep the spirit of the traditional local well alive!
0:22:45 > 0:22:48British pub culture has changed dramatically over the years,
0:22:48 > 0:22:49sometimes for the better.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53But they're called boozers for a reason.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57We Brits like a drink and it's been that way for a very long time.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00Britain's luscious green and fertile landscape
0:23:00 > 0:23:03has produced two ancient drinks that have undoubtedly
0:23:03 > 0:23:06defined our national character...
0:23:06 > 0:23:09Beer and cider!
0:23:09 > 0:23:12I mean, there's just nothing better.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15And, you know, it's good, because our climate lends itself
0:23:15 > 0:23:17to the cultivation of hops
0:23:17 > 0:23:18and apples.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22In medieval Britain, people were very suspicious about the water,
0:23:22 > 0:23:25and brewing was as important as baking.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27It was quite common then for people to drink
0:23:27 > 0:23:29up to a gallon of beer a day.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34For centuries, beer and cider were made in small batches at home,
0:23:34 > 0:23:35or on the farm...
0:23:35 > 0:23:39..providing us Brits with not only a clean drinking supply...
0:23:39 > 0:23:41..but also a valuable source of vitamins and minerals
0:23:41 > 0:23:43in centuries past.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45But it's the many varieties
0:23:45 > 0:23:48of ancient cider apples and cereals fermented to brew beer,
0:23:48 > 0:23:50that have shaped our social history...
0:23:50 > 0:23:53..and helped to create the rich heritage
0:23:53 > 0:23:57of brewing and fermenting that we think is well worth celebrating.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00From old ale flavoured with rosemary and thyme,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03brewed by medieval monks...
0:24:03 > 0:24:06..to today's fashionable revival of traditional beers and ciders.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09- Three cheers for the old apple tree. Hip, hip -- Hooray!
0:24:09 > 0:24:13We've got a lot to be proud of.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16And in the Best of British kitchen, we're going to be paying homage
0:24:16 > 0:24:19the huge role that beer has played in our culture
0:24:19 > 0:24:23by using it as the basis for our next recipe.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27When you look at the best of British, you have to look at beer.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29- Yes.- We're northern Europeans, and we grew grain
0:24:29 > 0:24:34and not grape, but our beer-brewing culture
0:24:34 > 0:24:37is every bit as complex as the French vin nobles.
0:24:37 > 0:24:38Yes, there it is.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42Now, look, the French keep banging on about their wine and stuff,
0:24:42 > 0:24:45and it is very lovely and complex and gorgeous and we love it,
0:24:45 > 0:24:50but the same palate and flavours and complexity applies to
0:24:50 > 0:24:55some of our brew from the wonderful British Isles.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58They are some of the most incredible tastes
0:24:58 > 0:25:01and flavours you can wish for.
0:25:04 > 0:25:09All beer is made from a combination of malt, hops, water and yeast.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11He strains off the juice -
0:25:11 > 0:25:13thin, sweetish stuff they call wort in the trade,
0:25:13 > 0:25:16boils it with hops in a copper for a couple of hours,
0:25:16 > 0:25:18and when it's cool he adds the yeast.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21Six days from now, he'll have beer.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23But it's how you process them
0:25:23 > 0:25:26that creates different flavours and strengths.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28From light ales...
0:25:29 > 0:25:31..to dark bitters.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34However, we've been brewing ale since
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Neolithic times, when cereals like malt and barley
0:25:37 > 0:25:39were first harvested.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41Beer was brewed at home.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46And as an Anglo-Saxon drinking culture developed,
0:25:46 > 0:25:49people would pop round to the best alemaker in the village...
0:25:50 > 0:25:52And the British pub was born!
0:25:54 > 0:25:59The Romans and Normans tried to introduce us to wine.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01Wine? No.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05We stuck to good old British ale!
0:26:05 > 0:26:07This ale is truly bright and good.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09No finer draught from any wood.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14And in the 15th century, the Dutch caused great controversy.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18They introduced us to hops, which made the beer last much longer.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20But it also altered the flavour
0:26:20 > 0:26:22and added a bitterness,
0:26:22 > 0:26:24which made people HOPPING mad!
0:26:24 > 0:26:26Henry the Eighth's a good example -
0:26:26 > 0:26:29he banned beer brewed with hops from his court!
0:26:29 > 0:26:32But 150 years later, hops were finally accepted
0:26:32 > 0:26:35as a vital part of the taste of ale.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38And in the 1750s,
0:26:38 > 0:26:40when the British Empire was at its height,
0:26:40 > 0:26:43London was the world capital of beer brewing,
0:26:43 > 0:26:46with more than 20,000 breweries.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49Beer was safe to drink, because it used boiled water,
0:26:49 > 0:26:51which, in turn, killed germs.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53And it quickly caught on
0:26:53 > 0:26:57that if you had a few pints, you'd avoid cholera!
0:26:57 > 0:27:00The new industrial technologies of the 19th century
0:27:00 > 0:27:02allowed for even more varieties.
0:27:02 > 0:27:03Well, there were three beers,
0:27:03 > 0:27:07all of which we liked enormously, and they shone among all the rest.
0:27:07 > 0:27:08Bitter,
0:27:08 > 0:27:09black London porter,
0:27:09 > 0:27:12and pale ale.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15When brewers flooded the streets with sweet, dark London porter,
0:27:15 > 0:27:16they were hailed as saviours.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20In a few years, their businesses swelled to enormous size.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23All these rich varieties and flavours of British beer
0:27:23 > 0:27:26make it fantastic to use in the kitchen!
0:27:26 > 0:27:28Cheers!
0:27:30 > 0:27:34We're going to cook for you something that epitomises
0:27:34 > 0:27:36British brewing.
0:27:38 > 0:27:39It's also a pub grub classic -
0:27:39 > 0:27:42scampi in a basket!
0:27:42 > 0:27:44But ours puts all others to shame.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48We're got lovely langoustines from Scotland,
0:27:48 > 0:27:50but we're going to treat them to a light batter
0:27:50 > 0:27:53infused with the deep, dark flavour of British bitter.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56This is a langoustine. This is it naked.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59The scampi you put in, the crunch you eat.
0:27:59 > 0:28:00And this is a new product we just found.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04It's smoked langoustines, and they taste epic.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08Our scampi in the basket won't just have the world's best beer batter,
0:28:08 > 0:28:11it's going to be a mixture of smoked and regular langoustines.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15And we're going to teach you how to make a tartare sauce from scratch,
0:28:15 > 0:28:16because it's beautiful.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18Real, home-made tartare sauce.
0:28:18 > 0:28:19Yeah. Should we crack on?
0:28:19 > 0:28:22- Let's make a splatter and have a go at batter.- Right.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29We're using 75 grams of cornflour.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31And 200 grams of plain flour.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35The mixture of the two flours will give us,
0:28:35 > 0:28:37well, batter bordering on shrapnel.
0:28:37 > 0:28:39Yeah, it does.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41The cornflour is fabulous,
0:28:41 > 0:28:44because it gives a crack
0:28:44 > 0:28:46and a lightness to the batter.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50- It's wonderful.- And a pinch of salt.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53And now, a bottle of beer.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58Use your beer of choice. This is a good dark bitter.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02About as British as it comes. You can smell the yeast, can't you?
0:29:02 > 0:29:04You can. It's lush.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09That's the consistency we're looking for. I'll just give it a good whisk.
0:29:14 > 0:29:18Next, we add two tablespoons of white wine vinegar.
0:29:19 > 0:29:23This has the effect of making the batter super-crispy.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26Much like Yorkshire pudding, we're going to leave that aside
0:29:26 > 0:29:29to rest until the flour expands and absorbs the beer
0:29:29 > 0:29:30and you will get a better batter.
0:29:30 > 0:29:34But, you know, deep-frying in batter doesn't have to be unhealthy,
0:29:34 > 0:29:37cos what happens is, the thing you're frying,
0:29:37 > 0:29:39it heats up, it makes steam.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42The steam pushes the fat out
0:29:42 > 0:29:43while the outside goes crispy.
0:29:46 > 0:29:50Time to start the tartare sauce - by making a mayonnaise.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52Don't, not when I'm juggling!
0:29:52 > 0:29:56'First, crack two large egg yolks into a bowl with a pinch of salt
0:29:56 > 0:29:58'and a pinch of sugar.'
0:29:58 > 0:29:59Bit more?
0:30:01 > 0:30:03Right, now.
0:30:03 > 0:30:05What we're going to do
0:30:05 > 0:30:07is whisk them...
0:30:08 > 0:30:10..until they change colour.
0:30:12 > 0:30:13Light colour. And that means
0:30:13 > 0:30:16that the egg yolks
0:30:16 > 0:30:21have emulsified with the salt and the sugar. There we go.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24Now, emulsification doesn't mean we're making paint.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28No, it's the process of two ingredients blending to become one.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31When you're making mayonnaise, or indeed, tartare sauce,
0:30:31 > 0:30:35the type of oil that you use will affect its flavour.
0:30:35 > 0:30:40You want a light mayonnaise, just use sunflower oil or a light oil.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42If you made one with 100% olive oil,
0:30:42 > 0:30:44it'd be really quite heavy and sludgy.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47This one, we're using about two-to-one.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50Two parts sunflower, one part olive.
0:30:50 > 0:30:54Now, this needs to be drizzled in with a delicacy.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59Slowly.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04Just keep whisking it.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06It's hard work doing it by hand.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09If only I had an electric whisk.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13ELECTRICAL WHIRRING
0:31:19 > 0:31:21And in next to no time,
0:31:21 > 0:31:22emulsification takes place.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29- I love home-made mayonnaise. - Oh, that's mega, isn't it?
0:31:32 > 0:31:34- Oh, lovely texture.- Oh, yeah. Look.
0:31:34 > 0:31:36- Yes.- Mmmm.
0:31:38 > 0:31:42That's God's salad cream.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44Poi-fect.
0:31:44 > 0:31:45Right.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48Now we can start to make the mayonnaise into tartare sauce.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52- Yes, we can.- So I shall "ta-ta", and go and get the gherkins.- Ha ha!
0:31:54 > 0:31:55Chop six gherkins,
0:31:55 > 0:31:58along with a handful of capers.
0:31:59 > 0:32:00Just going to put these
0:32:00 > 0:32:02into the mayonnaise.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07And the chopped gherkin or cornichon.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10"Cornichon" is just French for gherkin.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14Beautiful.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18We put in some parsley and some tarragon.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21Look at that curly parsley, it's like a Martian's afro.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27Now. Fold that in.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29That's a proper tartare sauce.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31It is.
0:32:31 > 0:32:32That is gorgeous.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35So we're going to have the best ever scampi,
0:32:35 > 0:32:37with wonderful British beer batter,
0:32:37 > 0:32:39home-made tartare sauce...
0:32:39 > 0:32:41Right. At this point, we should adjust the seasoning.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48'Time to get frying.'
0:32:48 > 0:32:50'We're using a chip pan so we can see
0:32:50 > 0:32:54'what's going on. But deep fat fryers are safer and easier
0:32:54 > 0:32:56'when you're cooking at 190 degrees!'
0:32:56 > 0:32:59BOTH: Deep-fried. 190.
0:32:59 > 0:33:01- Kingy!- What, mate? - Shall we just mix up
0:33:01 > 0:33:04the smoked langoustines with the ordinary ones?
0:33:04 > 0:33:07- Then it's like a lovely pic'n'mix and surprise party.- Perfect.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10Now, put some flour in a plastic bag or a bowl,
0:33:10 > 0:33:13and season with a pinch or two of salt.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16The seasoned flour, apart from drying them off,
0:33:16 > 0:33:19it insures that the batter sticks to the scampi.
0:33:19 > 0:33:21How many times have people tried to do this at home,
0:33:21 > 0:33:23and your batter falls off?
0:33:23 > 0:33:25That's because you don't flour them first.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27Hand these over to Friar Tuck.
0:33:27 > 0:33:31I love him. He's a great character, Friar Tuck.
0:33:31 > 0:33:32Yeah, when I was a kid,
0:33:32 > 0:33:34he was always my favourite one of the Merry Men.
0:33:34 > 0:33:35It's cos he was fat.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37Yeah. I like fat folk.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39Now watch this, it's good.
0:33:39 > 0:33:40In there.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45And then drop it.
0:33:45 > 0:33:47Just hold it for a little bit,
0:33:47 > 0:33:48and then drop it in.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54Beer has a magical effect on the batter -
0:33:54 > 0:33:57adding both body and lightness at the same time.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59They need hardly any time to cook.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01As soon as they're golden, they'll be done.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03Kingy, that batter's awesome.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05Listen to that.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08It's so incredibly crisp.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11You know what, Si, I think we should keep these coming.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15- Yeah.- Do you know, cos I think the crew are going to be round these
0:34:15 > 0:34:17- like a possum in a dustbin. - They're closing in
0:34:17 > 0:34:20as we speak. Get back and go and stand over there,
0:34:20 > 0:34:22the two of you. Cut that out.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27Beautiful.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29Man, as soon as these come out, we're ready.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32Let's make this the best, most jaw-dropping
0:34:32 > 0:34:35scampi basket you've ever seen.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42"Hey! What you doing to me mates?"
0:34:42 > 0:34:45- They've been out for the night and they've got battered.- "Oh!"
0:34:45 > 0:34:47Fantastic.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49Can we eat it yet?
0:34:49 > 0:34:50And...dip.
0:34:56 > 0:34:57Oh, that beer batter is superb.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59It is.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01Comes through,
0:35:01 > 0:35:04nice, robust, beery, yeasty flavour. Fabulous.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07And remember, this batter is not just for scampi.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09The secrets - the cornflour,
0:35:09 > 0:35:10the beer and the vinegar.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13Get into your beer and appreciate it for what it is,
0:35:13 > 0:35:15because it's a great British product.
0:35:16 > 0:35:21So there we have it, our mega beer battered scampi.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24Light and crunchy, golden and savoury.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27All because of our wonderful British bitter.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32But now, we're heading to Herefordshire,
0:35:32 > 0:35:37to pay tribute to that other stalwort of the British pub - cider.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40In Britain, cider has a long and distinguished history.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43We've been growing apples here since Roman times,
0:35:43 > 0:35:45and records show that since the 12th century,
0:35:45 > 0:35:49monks were well-versed in the art of cider-making.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54Cider became the drink of the people.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00Farms in the countryside produced it by the barrel-load.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02In fact, there was so much cider
0:36:02 > 0:36:04that in the 18th century,
0:36:04 > 0:36:07farm labourers' wages were part paid in cider -
0:36:07 > 0:36:09typically three to four pints per day!
0:36:09 > 0:36:12Not only that but the more you managed to drink on the job,
0:36:12 > 0:36:13the more you were allowed!
0:36:13 > 0:36:18So a two-gallon-a-day man was considered worth the extra he drank.
0:36:18 > 0:36:22But in 1887, the fun stopped.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25A new law prohibited the payment of wages in this way.
0:36:25 > 0:36:29And now drinking cider is just about having good old knees-up!
0:36:31 > 0:36:35# Now lift up your glasses to cider
0:36:35 > 0:36:38# And let the health go round
0:36:38 > 0:36:43# May the apple tree forever stand
0:36:43 > 0:36:47# Now drink your liquor down. #
0:36:50 > 0:36:52We'd better get on, you know.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55- Oh, aye.- We've got pressing business.- Certainly.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03We're meeting Mike Johnson, a man who is dedicated
0:37:03 > 0:37:06to making cider the old-fashioned way.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09- Hi.- Mike, hello. I'm Si. - Hello, Mike, nice to meet you.- Hi.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11- How are you getting on?- Fine.
0:37:11 > 0:37:12This looks like work.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15Yeah, it's going to be a little bit different for you,
0:37:15 > 0:37:16but I'm sure you'll do well.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19You can't make cider without apples. That's the first step, isn't it?
0:37:19 > 0:37:21- Yeah. We've got to pick 'em up.- Aye.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24But you pick them up, don't you? You don't pick them off a tree.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26No, with cider, to make really good cider,
0:37:26 > 0:37:29you need ripe apples with the right sugars.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34But if we can pick the early ones up first,
0:37:34 > 0:37:36they don't go rotten while the others are ripening.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39So we're just going to pick a few early windfalls up.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41- You lead the way! - Yeah, come this way.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47- What a fantastic orchard. - Amazing, isn't it?
0:37:47 > 0:37:51- There's a heck of a lot of apples on that tree, though.- There are.
0:37:51 > 0:37:55And unfortunately this year it's been very dry, so the trees
0:37:55 > 0:37:57are a bit stressed with drought.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00But I'm sure they'll still make a nice cider.
0:38:00 > 0:38:04It's quite satisfying picking stuff, isn't it?
0:38:04 > 0:38:06You really feel tired at the end of the day,
0:38:06 > 0:38:08but it's really nice to see
0:38:08 > 0:38:10- all those apples picked up. - Yeah, I bet it is.
0:38:10 > 0:38:14And if one person works really hard, they can pick a tonne up in a day.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16- A tonne?- A tonne?!- Yeah.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19The traditional method is to beat the trees with long poles
0:38:19 > 0:38:23called polting lugs to make the apples fall from the trees,
0:38:23 > 0:38:27but Si's got a more hands-on approach.
0:38:27 > 0:38:28Ouch! Me head.
0:38:28 > 0:38:29MIKE LAUGHS
0:38:29 > 0:38:33Aargh! It's raining apples.
0:38:33 > 0:38:34Ow!
0:38:34 > 0:38:35My mate has his uses.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40Sitting here in Mike's orchard amongst his 200 varieties
0:38:40 > 0:38:43of apple trees reminds you of just how many
0:38:43 > 0:38:46different kinds of English apples there are.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48Over 2,000 -
0:38:48 > 0:38:50many of which have been forgotten for decades.
0:38:52 > 0:38:56Heritage growers like Mike are bringing them back onto the market.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58And they have such lovely names.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00Cowarne Red, Knotted Kernel,
0:39:00 > 0:39:03White Beech, and Strawberry Norman.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06Over the last 50 years, many of these
0:39:06 > 0:39:08ancient English apples have lost out
0:39:08 > 0:39:11to commercial varieties which were quick to crop,
0:39:11 > 0:39:15had a reliable shelf life and consistency of shape and colour.
0:39:19 > 0:39:20To make things worse,
0:39:20 > 0:39:24during the commercial expansion of the cider industry
0:39:24 > 0:39:25in the '50s and '60s,
0:39:25 > 0:39:28small cider producers were bought out by large companies.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31And as hydraulics and industrial science
0:39:31 > 0:39:35superseded old-fashioned methods of cider production,
0:39:35 > 0:39:37traditional methods and their interesting results
0:39:37 > 0:39:40in terms of flavour and taste were largely lost to history.
0:39:40 > 0:39:45But Mike is leading a renaissance in old-fashioned cider making.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49# I am a cider drinker
0:39:49 > 0:39:52# I drinks it all the day... #
0:39:52 > 0:39:55He's holding a festival on his farm
0:39:55 > 0:39:58to introduce people to old English apples.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01And to showcase traditional methods.
0:40:01 > 0:40:03You've got a lot of people here this weekend,
0:40:03 > 0:40:06- because it's quite special. There's a cider festival on.- Yeah.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09It's a cider festival which is designed to allow people
0:40:09 > 0:40:10to meet cider makers.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13- Oh, brilliant!- A bit like speed dating with apples.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15- Yeah, exactly.- That sort of thing.
0:40:15 > 0:40:20I'll always encourage people who want to make cider,
0:40:20 > 0:40:22and I think everybody in every town and village
0:40:22 > 0:40:24should have a part in it,
0:40:24 > 0:40:28and there's apples all over England that just rot on the floor
0:40:28 > 0:40:30because nobody bothers with them.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32- Pick up your apples and press.- Yeah.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36First you have to mill it, so we'll switch the mill on.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39We're using a modern mill, a scratter, which shreds the apples
0:40:39 > 0:40:43to a pulp without squashing the pips in the process.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49In the past, they were ground with horse-drawn millstones.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51But these crushed the pips,
0:40:51 > 0:40:52which slowly released cyanide,
0:40:52 > 0:40:55and if that accumulated in the body over a lifetime,
0:40:55 > 0:40:57it could become poisonous.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59Oooh! Nasty.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01But shredding the fruit is the easy part,
0:41:01 > 0:41:03because Mike's fellow cider makers
0:41:03 > 0:41:05Dave and Fiona Mathews will show us
0:41:05 > 0:41:07how to juice the pulp the old-fashioned way...
0:41:07 > 0:41:09using elbow grease.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12- Would you two like to do all the work...- Yeah, yeah.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14- ..while we just shout advice from the sides?- Aye.
0:41:14 > 0:41:18The pulp has to be evenly spread across the fine mesh,
0:41:18 > 0:41:21because there are eight layers going on here.
0:41:21 > 0:41:22Aw. This is good, this.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24There's skill involved. If you get it wrong,
0:41:24 > 0:41:25everybody will know.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28- You need a very even layer every time.- Right, yeah.
0:41:28 > 0:41:32If it's all to one side, it's going to tip up when we squash
0:41:32 > 0:41:35- and it's all going to pour out and be a complete mess.- Right.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37- So keeping it even's what it's all about.- Even and level.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40- Even and level.- All right.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43Those are not two things that we are strong at!
0:41:43 > 0:41:45So, spread it with your hands?
0:41:45 > 0:41:48Get your hands in there, into the corners.
0:41:48 > 0:41:49I mean, Dave.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52Presumably this is how you'd have done it in Victorian times?
0:41:52 > 0:41:53Nothing different?
0:41:53 > 0:41:55It is. This goes back quite a long way.
0:41:55 > 0:42:00The technology of this screw press and the original stone mill
0:42:00 > 0:42:03is from the olive oil days in the Mediterranean,
0:42:03 > 0:42:06and has come up into Britain about the 12th century with the Normans.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09And the old original presses would have had a carved wooden thread,
0:42:09 > 0:42:14and then they got into the metal in about the 17th century.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16But this has been done this way for centuries.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18Each layer is called a hair,
0:42:18 > 0:42:21because this cloth would have been originally made of horsehair.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24And the whole stack together is called a cheese,
0:42:24 > 0:42:28- I think because you press the curds to make cheese, don't you?- Yes.
0:42:28 > 0:42:30In the same you press the pommes to make cider.
0:42:32 > 0:42:34Bucketfuls of them.
0:42:34 > 0:42:38- Really well into the corners.- Yeah. - Yeah, it looks pretty good, boys.
0:42:38 > 0:42:39Pretty even, pretty straight.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41- Well done.- Thanks.- For first-timers!
0:42:41 > 0:42:45Right, now. You're going to get one screw each, OK?
0:42:45 > 0:42:47One, two, three, four!
0:42:47 > 0:42:49- Yes.- One, two, three!
0:42:50 > 0:42:54And this is how Morris dancing was born!
0:42:54 > 0:42:57And the juice is starting to pour out now.
0:42:57 > 0:42:58- Look at that!- Wow.
0:43:01 > 0:43:02Oh, that's fantastic.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04Look how clear it is as well.
0:43:04 > 0:43:06It's very rarely that clear and bright.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09That's exquisite, man.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11Absolutely. The natural sugars in that are fantastic.
0:43:11 > 0:43:15That's not what I expected at all. I thought it was going to be sour!
0:43:15 > 0:43:18Cider apples... It's really, really sweet.
0:43:20 > 0:43:22Next, all our hard-won apple juice
0:43:22 > 0:43:24is left to ferment in barrels.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27Unlike the modern industrial method of adding
0:43:27 > 0:43:30dried yeast to apple juice, Mike lets the natural yeasts
0:43:30 > 0:43:33work their magic, turning the sugar into alcohol.
0:43:33 > 0:43:36He believes it makes a better cider!
0:43:36 > 0:43:38You know the way you make the cider now, Mike?
0:43:38 > 0:43:40Is this a technique you've mastered
0:43:40 > 0:43:44- that would have been used for hundreds of years?- Absolutely.
0:43:44 > 0:43:48There was a huge amount more knowledge 50 years ago.
0:43:48 > 0:43:51There were so many more cider makers making this style of cider,
0:43:51 > 0:43:55and unfortunately, we've almost lost a generation in passing it down,
0:43:55 > 0:43:58but there's a lot of enthusiastic people making it now.
0:43:58 > 0:44:00That's nice. I've had quite a lot of cider,
0:44:00 > 0:44:03but I don't think I've had cider where I can identify...
0:44:03 > 0:44:06you know like a nice wine, you taste it at first, it's one flavour,
0:44:06 > 0:44:09then it mellows out and there's two or three other flavours.
0:44:09 > 0:44:12- The tail of the flavour's there for a long time.- Yeah.
0:44:12 > 0:44:13Very easy to drink as well.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16It's very important to know your varieties
0:44:16 > 0:44:18if you want to make interesting ciders.
0:44:20 > 0:44:23The secret of a good cider is in the blend.
0:44:23 > 0:44:26And we're going to learn how to mix up a medium dry cider
0:44:26 > 0:44:30with Mike's many traditional varieties.
0:44:32 > 0:44:34This one is Ashton Brown Jersey.
0:44:34 > 0:44:36This is a bittersweet apple.
0:44:36 > 0:44:38- Smells cidery.- Yeah.
0:44:38 > 0:44:40This is Foxwell. When you've got the flavour of it,
0:44:40 > 0:44:43blend it in with your other one.
0:44:44 > 0:44:47- I haven't got a sweetness yet. - It's a fantastic flavour.
0:44:47 > 0:44:50- It is a fantastic flavour. - The acidity is so strong.
0:44:53 > 0:44:54Bitter-sweet cider dries the palate.
0:44:54 > 0:44:58But compliments a sweeter flavour to make the perfect blend.
0:44:58 > 0:45:02The one should balance the other out quite well.
0:45:02 > 0:45:03The best of British!
0:45:03 > 0:45:05Smells good.
0:45:09 > 0:45:11- Now, that's perfect.- It is lovely.
0:45:11 > 0:45:15Who says that cider isn't as complex as wine?
0:45:15 > 0:45:17Because it is,
0:45:17 > 0:45:20and the art of this is absolutely superb.
0:45:20 > 0:45:24- And you know, this would be beautiful with food.- Yeah.
0:45:24 > 0:45:30It's such a joy to discover cider with so many complex flavours.
0:45:30 > 0:45:33And thankfully Mike and his fellow cider makers are bringing back
0:45:33 > 0:45:36wonderful old traditions which might have been lost forever.
0:45:36 > 0:45:39Now, there's nothing that the taste buds going as much as a pint.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42But when you're feeling a bit peckish,
0:45:42 > 0:45:43which pub meal do you go for?
0:45:43 > 0:45:49There are some real corkers out there, but here's our top five.
0:45:51 > 0:45:52MUSIC: "Top Of The Pops" Theme Tune
0:45:52 > 0:45:55At number 5, it's the ploughman's lunch.
0:45:55 > 0:45:58Here are your ploughman's lunches. Annie.
0:45:58 > 0:46:00Introduced to pubs in the late 1960s,
0:46:00 > 0:46:03quite simply cheese, bread and pickle.
0:46:03 > 0:46:04Imagine those hungry farmhands
0:46:04 > 0:46:07wiping off sweat after a hard day's ploughing!
0:46:07 > 0:46:10Er, no. Actually, Simon, it had nothing to do with that.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12It was invented by the Milk Marketing Board
0:46:12 > 0:46:15- to promote the sales of British cheese.- Oh.
0:46:15 > 0:46:18Anyway, I love mine with a big hunk of Stilton.
0:46:18 > 0:46:20I know you do, Sizo!
0:46:20 > 0:46:23Bangers and mash is our number 4!
0:46:23 > 0:46:26And did you know the term was in use as far back as 1919?!
0:46:27 > 0:46:31Sausages, particularly those made under rationing in World War II,
0:46:31 > 0:46:34had a higher water content and a tendency to burst with a bang
0:46:34 > 0:46:36if cooked too quickly, hence the name.
0:46:36 > 0:46:39Bangers and mash, for me, is all about variety,
0:46:39 > 0:46:41especially if you use a speciality sausage
0:46:41 > 0:46:46or add an ingredient like chives or roast garlic to the mash. Mmm!
0:46:46 > 0:46:50- DEEP VOICE:- And it absolutely has to be onion gravy!
0:46:51 > 0:46:55- Coming in at 3 is fish and chips.- Wowzer!
0:46:55 > 0:46:57You can't beat our national dish.
0:46:57 > 0:47:01Just the smell of vinegar soaking into the batter is enough to drive me crazy!
0:47:01 > 0:47:04Fish and chips are truly iconic.
0:47:04 > 0:47:09A visit to the chippy has been an important part of British culinary experience
0:47:09 > 0:47:11since the late 1850s.
0:47:11 > 0:47:15'Certainly no other food has won such a special place in the British way of life.'
0:47:15 > 0:47:20And during World War II, fish was one of the few foods that wasn't subject to rationing.
0:47:20 > 0:47:22Lots about!
0:47:22 > 0:47:25Steak-and-ale pie is number 2 on our list.
0:47:25 > 0:47:27The classic pie-and-a-pint.
0:47:27 > 0:47:31- What could give you more pleasure?- Pie-tastic, Dave!
0:47:31 > 0:47:34And pub grub needn't be any more gastronomic than this.
0:47:34 > 0:47:37Simply made and using local ingredients,
0:47:37 > 0:47:40it's British food at its best.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43- And topping the chart, it's... - HE IMITATES FANFARE
0:47:43 > 0:47:45..the fish pie, a mainstay of any pub menu
0:47:45 > 0:47:47and topped with clouds of fluffy mash.
0:47:47 > 0:47:50The ULTIMATE comfort food!
0:47:50 > 0:47:53So, next up in our Best Of British kitchen,
0:47:53 > 0:47:59we're cooking just that - our pub grub tour de force - the fish pie!
0:47:59 > 0:48:03But this is no ordinary fish pie...
0:48:03 > 0:48:08No, this is OUR fish pie, a fabulous fish pie.
0:48:08 > 0:48:11A decadent mix of cod, smoked haddock and salmon
0:48:11 > 0:48:14in a dill-and-white wine sauce with a cheesy mash topping.
0:48:14 > 0:48:19Once upon a time, in a land far, far away - called Glasgow -
0:48:19 > 0:48:24we wandered into a hostelry and we came upon a gentleman called Billy.
0:48:24 > 0:48:27And he was very famous for his granny's fish pie,
0:48:27 > 0:48:32and after some gentle persuasion, Billy passed on that recipe.
0:48:32 > 0:48:35It's about what's affordable and fresh,
0:48:35 > 0:48:38so go to your fishmonger - they're brilliant people.
0:48:38 > 0:48:41But Billy's fish pies were individual,
0:48:41 > 0:48:45they were a honking big meal and it was rammed with fish.
0:48:45 > 0:48:48Now, milk goes into the pan.
0:48:48 > 0:48:51'There's 600ml of whole milk,
0:48:51 > 0:48:54'add a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper...
0:48:54 > 0:48:58'and a couple of bay leaves.
0:48:58 > 0:49:01'Then place in three different types of fish.'
0:49:03 > 0:49:06You only poach that for two minutes,
0:49:06 > 0:49:11then you leave it to stand for five minutes, and all that liquor,
0:49:11 > 0:49:15you use to make the sauce, a dill sauce, in which to suspend the pie.
0:49:15 > 0:49:18Oh, the suspended animation of dill. Ooh.
0:49:18 > 0:49:24Now, while Dave's doing that, I'm just going to get on and do our cheesy mash.
0:49:24 > 0:49:28Very, very simple. All I'm going to do is add butter to the pan.
0:49:30 > 0:49:33- That's a lot of butter. - It certainly is. But it's worth it.
0:49:33 > 0:49:37But it's interesting, it was after the Romans left
0:49:37 > 0:49:39when we got left with the legacy of eating fish,
0:49:39 > 0:49:43because the Church insisted that we had a meat-free day,
0:49:43 > 0:49:47so Friday became fish day, and we all started to eat more fish.
0:49:47 > 0:49:51Over the millennia or so, we learned to be more inventive with fish,
0:49:51 > 0:49:54so we made fish pie, we cooked the fish with fruit.
0:49:54 > 0:49:58Those medieval recipes, they're, like, mackerel with gooseberries.
0:49:58 > 0:50:01Still a classic dish. I've had that on numerous occasions.
0:50:01 > 0:50:03- It's really, really good.- Phwoar!
0:50:03 > 0:50:08'For the mash, poach the potatoes until they're just soft,
0:50:08 > 0:50:10'then squidge through a ricer.'
0:50:10 > 0:50:14Now, I've just melted the butter. I'm just going to put some cream...
0:50:14 > 0:50:18- Lovely.- This is proper mash, innit? - Yeah.
0:50:18 > 0:50:21Just give that a little squidgely-widgely.
0:50:21 > 0:50:24'Coarsely grate 150g of mature Cheddar
0:50:24 > 0:50:28'and put aside about a quarter of that for the topping.'
0:50:28 > 0:50:33It's funny. Seafood pasta - Parmesan I don't think goes, do you?
0:50:33 > 0:50:37- Oh, God, yeah.- Oh. Strike that one, then.- Yeah. What?
0:50:37 > 0:50:39- Cheese goes great with fish. - It does.
0:50:39 > 0:50:43All I've done with the mashed potato is I've put them through a ricer.
0:50:43 > 0:50:46I'm going to add the cream and butter to that,
0:50:46 > 0:50:48and then I'm going to stir through the cheese,
0:50:48 > 0:50:53- and that's the cheesy mash that's going to top our fantastic fish pie. - Yep.
0:50:53 > 0:50:57Now, we turn this off now and we wait for five minutes.
0:50:57 > 0:51:00That fish is just going to relax in that milk.
0:51:00 > 0:51:03After five minutes we can crack on and make the sauce.
0:51:03 > 0:51:06See, it's really very simple.
0:51:06 > 0:51:10Stir the cream and butter into the mashed spuds.
0:51:10 > 0:51:12You see, when I was a kid, in our house,
0:51:12 > 0:51:16we were more fishcake people than fish pie people.
0:51:16 > 0:51:20- Opinion is divided, Dave, isn't it, about fish pie?- Mm-hm.
0:51:20 > 0:51:24Do you have eggs in it, or do you not have eggs in it?
0:51:24 > 0:51:26Billy had eggs in it.
0:51:26 > 0:51:30- And what do we like?- Eggs. - Love 'em.
0:51:30 > 0:51:33I've just mixed that cheese in.
0:51:33 > 0:51:36Want to taste, mate, see if it needs a bit salt?
0:51:36 > 0:51:41Oh, loads of seasoning necessary. White pepper in mashed potato.
0:51:41 > 0:51:44- Always.- Always white pepper in mash.
0:51:44 > 0:51:49- I think, white pepper, it tastes sharper with the mash.- Yeah.
0:51:49 > 0:51:50It's nice. It's cleaner.
0:51:50 > 0:51:53Right, this fish is done, cos really,
0:51:53 > 0:51:56what I want at this moment, rather than the fish, is that juice.
0:51:56 > 0:51:57Look at that.
0:52:01 > 0:52:02Take the fish out.
0:52:02 > 0:52:05Lovely big paves of salmon.
0:52:07 > 0:52:09Smoked haddock.
0:52:09 > 0:52:13I'm going to flake this, so don't worry about this falling apart.
0:52:15 > 0:52:18In that milk, we've got all the goodness from the fish,
0:52:18 > 0:52:22the bay and the seasoning.
0:52:22 > 0:52:25It's not a namby-pamby sauce, I've got a lump of butter
0:52:25 > 0:52:26and I'm going to make a roux.
0:52:29 > 0:52:34To the melted butter, add five tablespoons of plain flour.
0:52:34 > 0:52:36And stir the flour in and make a paste.
0:52:36 > 0:52:40Some may say it's going to resemble wallpaper paste.
0:52:40 > 0:52:42However, do not panic.
0:52:43 > 0:52:45Slowly add the milky fish broth,
0:52:45 > 0:52:48stirring over a medium heat for five minutes,
0:52:48 > 0:52:51until the sauce is thickened.
0:52:51 > 0:52:54Believe me, this will be smooth.
0:52:54 > 0:52:57If it isn't smooth, we will put a whisk to it.
0:52:57 > 0:52:58- Are we there?- Yeah, yeah...
0:53:00 > 0:53:01Tell us when, mate.
0:53:04 > 0:53:09It's a bit lumpy, but we'll soon deal with that.
0:53:10 > 0:53:14While Dave's wrestling with the sauce, I'm going to cut the eggs.
0:53:14 > 0:53:17- A top hairy biker... Oh, it's lush, that.- It is, look at that.
0:53:17 > 0:53:19Have a butcher's.
0:53:27 > 0:53:30The first thing you notice when you taste it,
0:53:30 > 0:53:32is the smoky flavour from the fish.
0:53:32 > 0:53:36It's brilliant. It's also quite salty, the smoked fish.
0:53:36 > 0:53:38I have to watch my seasoning.
0:53:38 > 0:53:42We haven't been shy with the dill, either. Lovely.
0:53:43 > 0:53:46Remember, this will let down a bit more of the sauce
0:53:46 > 0:53:50because, as the pie cooks, there will be more liquid coming out of the fish.
0:53:52 > 0:53:56'If you're using eggs, you need six hard-boiled ones
0:53:56 > 0:53:57'and they need to be sliced.'
0:53:57 > 0:54:01A little tip, which really does help to get a neat finish on your eggs,
0:54:01 > 0:54:05is wet your knife as you cut through the egg.
0:54:05 > 0:54:10- My mam used to have one of those wire things for cutting eggs. - I love them.
0:54:10 > 0:54:13I used to think it was a banjo and I used to pretend I was George Formby.
0:54:15 > 0:54:19"Son, put the egg slicer down." "Mum, where's the plasters?"
0:54:19 > 0:54:22- Right, there's all the eggs you can shake a stick at.- Brilliant.
0:54:22 > 0:54:26- The mash is ready. - Sauce, fish, eggs.
0:54:28 > 0:54:32Put a dollop of sauce in the bottom of each bowl.
0:54:32 > 0:54:35Then break up the fish, checking all the time for bones.
0:54:36 > 0:54:38A bit of salmon...
0:54:38 > 0:54:41It's funny, that salmon... It started off being a poor man's fish
0:54:41 > 0:54:46and then it was a super posh man's fish and now, ironically,
0:54:46 > 0:54:49it's one of the most affordable fish on the market.
0:54:49 > 0:54:55- Continue to layer up. There we go.- Eggs.- Look at that.
0:54:55 > 0:54:58- That'll do us, that's enough egg. - I think so. Now, more sauce.
0:54:58 > 0:55:01'It may look quite thick at the moment but in the oven,
0:55:01 > 0:55:04'it'll mix with the juice from the fish and, trust us,
0:55:04 > 0:55:07'it'll come out perfect.'
0:55:11 > 0:55:16Essentially the logic is, and I agree, I hate watery fish pies.
0:55:16 > 0:55:20So many people make fish pies, and you go through the process
0:55:20 > 0:55:22and it looks great when you put it in,
0:55:22 > 0:55:25but there's like a layer of water when you get under the potatoes.
0:55:25 > 0:55:27Not this pie.
0:55:27 > 0:55:29Not this pie, viewers.
0:55:29 > 0:55:32Now pub pies, whether it's a fish pie, steak and kidney,
0:55:32 > 0:55:36chicken and mushroom, you have to have a generous, well-packed pie.
0:55:36 > 0:55:39And these pies are going to be towered up like that.
0:55:41 > 0:55:43We're going to be rustic with this.
0:55:43 > 0:55:46None of your fancy piping or Duchess kind of rondelles,
0:55:46 > 0:55:49it's just dollops of mash, as rough as you like.
0:55:49 > 0:55:53All those rough bits will translate into crispy bits.
0:55:53 > 0:55:57- Keep it rough, keep it rough. - I'm roughing.- Hee, hee.
0:55:57 > 0:55:59That's a hearty portion for one, isn't it?
0:55:59 > 0:56:04Sprinkle the remaining cheese onto the pies and place on a baking tray.
0:56:04 > 0:56:07I had a geometry wipe-out, then.
0:56:07 > 0:56:09There we are.
0:56:09 > 0:56:13Pop these into a preheated oven about 180 to 200 degrees Celsius,
0:56:13 > 0:56:15for about half an hour until golden.
0:56:15 > 0:56:18The top tip, if they're not golden enough, finish them under a grill.
0:56:27 > 0:56:29Oh, yes.
0:56:29 > 0:56:31Oh, they are...hoooot!
0:56:31 > 0:56:33DAVE LAUGHS
0:56:33 > 0:56:34That is gorgeous.
0:56:34 > 0:56:39- That is a proper pie, isn't it? - Look at that. I love the colour.
0:56:39 > 0:56:42But we know there's a lot going on below that crust, you know.
0:56:42 > 0:56:44- Shall we find out?- Yes, go on.
0:56:44 > 0:56:49It's like David Bellamy looking into a garden pond. Look at that.
0:56:49 > 0:56:52You see, that's where the sense of that thick sauce comes in.
0:56:52 > 0:56:56It's perfect. It's creamy. It's not full of water.
0:57:02 > 0:57:04That's brilliant.
0:57:04 > 0:57:09It tastes brilliant. It's simple, straightforward, no-nonsense, pub fish pie.
0:57:09 > 0:57:11And tasty.
0:57:11 > 0:57:14It's great, I love the combination of the fish, it's so simple.
0:57:14 > 0:57:17There's just enough smokiness. A third of the fish was smoked.
0:57:17 > 0:57:19But the salmon is meaty and flaky.
0:57:19 > 0:57:23I say, because of that sauce being thick, it's not at all watery.
0:57:25 > 0:57:27And the mash.
0:57:27 > 0:57:28It's quite simply decadent.
0:57:28 > 0:57:30Long live pub grub.
0:57:34 > 0:57:38In recent years, Britons have been rediscovering the joys of our traditional pub culture.
0:57:38 > 0:57:41From the sumptuous gourmet meal...
0:57:41 > 0:57:45..to the revival in historic beer and cider making.
0:57:45 > 0:57:49The British pub has always had a unique place in society.
0:57:49 > 0:57:52But adding decent food and quality booze into the equation
0:57:52 > 0:57:56has helped create a truly British culinary scene.
0:57:56 > 0:57:59And to find out how to cook the recipes in today's show?
0:57:59 > 0:58:01Visit...
0:58:04 > 0:58:08..to discover some amazing facts about the history of food.
0:58:08 > 0:58:12And to find out how to cook up the recipes in today's show.
0:58:37 > 0:58:40Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:40 > 0:58:43E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk