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 > 0:00:18Oh, wow!
0:00:18 > 0:00:20And innovative chefs...
0:00:20 > 0:00:23But we also have an amazing food history.
0:00:23 > 0:00:28It's safe to say that's what the Romans brought to us. The art of cooking itself.
0:00:28 > 0:00:29Absolutely.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33It's like a savoury summer pudding!
0:00:33 > 0:00:37Now, during this series, we're going to be taking you on a journey
0:00:37 > 0:00:39into our culinary past.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41Everything's ready, so let's get cracking.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43We'll explore its revealing stories...
0:00:43 > 0:00:45BOTH: Wow!
0:00:45 > 0:00:48And meet the heroes that keep our food heritage alive.
0:00:48 > 0:00:53Pontefract liquorice has been my life and 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 > 0:01:02That's a proper British treat.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06Looks good, tastes good. That's going to do you good.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08- Quite simply... - BOTH: The best of British!
0:01:21 > 0:01:24MOTORBIKE ENGINES REVVING
0:01:26 > 0:01:30In today's programme, we're celebrating two meals that are often overlooked
0:01:30 > 0:01:32when people think of British fine dining.
0:01:32 > 0:01:39Both were introduced by the Victorians and both have suffered changes in fortune over the years.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43The first gets you going in the morning and the other keeps you going in the afternoon.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47We're talking the great British cooked breakfast...
0:01:47 > 0:01:51and that refined classic, afternoon tea.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55They are the unsung heroes of our culinary heritage
0:01:55 > 0:01:57and two of our favourite meals.
0:01:57 > 0:02:02We're going to start, as is customary, with the first meal of the day.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04One that's sadly in decline,
0:02:04 > 0:02:09but in the past, each region had their own speciality when it came to a cooked breakfast.
0:02:09 > 0:02:14You've got the full English, with rashers of bacon, eggs, sausage...
0:02:14 > 0:02:17Or the Ulster fry, with the soda bread and puddings.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21Or the Welsh speciality, laverbread, made up of cockles and seaweed.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23And in Scotland, we have porridge.
0:02:29 > 0:02:34For many of us, a good old fry-up is the pride of breakfast heritage.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38But eating well in the morning is a relatively recent phenomenon.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44Back in Georgian times,
0:02:44 > 0:02:48a large breakfast was something purely for the nobility,
0:02:48 > 0:02:52who ate artery-busting hams, cheeses, pies,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55and washed it all down with booze.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59It was the Victorians
0:02:59 > 0:03:03who made the cooked breakfast a British institution.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06As prosperity grew along with the Empire,
0:03:06 > 0:03:08cooked meats became affordable for all.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14They were the kings of cooked breakfasts,
0:03:14 > 0:03:17and it wasn't just about bacon and eggs.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19Smoked fish was highly rated,
0:03:19 > 0:03:21and even baked beans made an appearance on the menu.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23Great!
0:03:23 > 0:03:26The Empire also brought back recipes
0:03:26 > 0:03:29that changed the way we thought about breakfast.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39Our first recipe in the Best Of British kitchen
0:03:39 > 0:03:43is a tribute to that Victorian age - kedgeree.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46It's a spicy rice dish of smoked haddock and eggs,
0:03:46 > 0:03:48livened up with peas and parsley,
0:03:48 > 0:03:51guaranteed to kick-start your day.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57Two of our favourite things must be breakfast and curry.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00The two combined make kedgeree,
0:04:00 > 0:04:03and it must be one of the great British breakfasts of all time!
0:04:03 > 0:04:07And we love it cos it's spicy and it's gorgeous. That's brilliant.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09It is one of those odd Anglo-Indian dishes
0:04:09 > 0:04:12that came out of the British occupation of India.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15One of the tales is, it came in with the Scottish regiments
0:04:15 > 0:04:18going to India. The Scots love their smoked haddock.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21The Indians had a rice dish for breakfast called khichri,
0:04:21 > 0:04:24and that's where the name kedgeree comes from.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27And then the fish went into this.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31- Breakfast in the days of the Raj. - Whatever! It's really good.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34- It certainly is. - And this is smoked haddock.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36This is the undyed smoked haddock.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39I have to admit a sneaking liking for the bright-yellow stuff!
0:04:39 > 0:04:42As a kid, I used to think, "It looks so much more appetising
0:04:42 > 0:04:46"than that dull white stuff. Mam, can we have the yellow one?"
0:04:46 > 0:04:49Never mind. This is much better for you, and super-tasty.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51Yes. Painted fish is just wrong.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55We're going to poach the haddock in a large frying pan
0:04:55 > 0:04:58filled with exactly 500 millilitres of water.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03And cook it for about eight minutes,
0:05:03 > 0:05:05until it's flaky and gorgeous.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08And we use that water for cooking the rice,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11so all that fishy, lovely, smoky flavour goes into the rice.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15And just to add a little bit more, we put a couple of bay leaves in.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17Lovely!
0:05:17 > 0:05:19'You know, kedgeree reminds me of being a kid.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23'My dad was in the Navy, and he couldn't get enough of it.'
0:05:23 > 0:05:26We used to eat kedgeree quite a lot in our house,
0:05:26 > 0:05:30cos it was, like, part of a naval tradition, kedgeree,
0:05:30 > 0:05:34and my dad used to love it, so there was always kedgeree on the go.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41'After the fish has been poached for eight minutes,
0:05:41 > 0:05:44'strain it in a colander, but don't forget to keep the water.'
0:05:48 > 0:05:50That's the beautiful liquor, isn't it, that?
0:05:50 > 0:05:53That's what we want to keep.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55- Oh! - It does smell lovely, doesn't it?
0:05:55 > 0:05:58- It does. Fabulous. - Use that as a holding pin.
0:05:58 > 0:06:03And then we simply put the rice in here with this liquid,
0:06:03 > 0:06:08and if we've done our sums right, this should be the precise amount
0:06:08 > 0:06:12necessary for cooking the given quantity of rice.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18'If you cook 200 grams of Basmati rice for around eight minutes
0:06:18 > 0:06:21'with the lid on, and leave it to stand for another two,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24'you should find that all the water's been absorbed,
0:06:24 > 0:06:27'and the rice is nice and fluffy.'
0:06:27 > 0:06:30'Right. Now we can get on with the rest of the ingredients.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34'First we need to chop an onion and cook it in 40 grams of butter
0:06:34 > 0:06:37'and a tablespoon of sunflower oil, until it's nice and soft.'
0:06:37 > 0:06:39And while Dave's doing that,
0:06:39 > 0:06:43I'm going to hard-boil four medium-sized eggs.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45Nice thing about kedgeree, it does hold quite well.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48You can put some foil on it, put it in a warm oven,
0:06:48 > 0:06:52and just leave it to moulder away until everybody's down for breakfast.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54And then it's just this lovely one-pot wonder.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58I like kedgeree with tea. Coffee's not really right with it.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01No. You can't have it with coffee. It's wrong.
0:07:02 > 0:07:07Cook those onions slowly, but we do want a little bit of colour on them.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12I'd flake the fish now if I were you.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14Well, if I were you, so would I!
0:07:14 > 0:07:18Now, this should be perfect. Yes, it is. Absolutely beautiful.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21And look, it just flakes away from the skin.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24Oh! Let's have a bit.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27Look at that! That is good fish.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31- Absolutely gorgeous. - Lovely, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35'If there's one herb that works well with fish, it's parsley.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38'We're using roughly three tablespoons
0:07:38 > 0:07:41'of flat-leaf parsley, but curly-leaf works just as well.'
0:07:43 > 0:07:47- What's your favourite breakfast, Si? - Anything with poached eggs, really.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51I must say, I really do like kedgeree,
0:07:51 > 0:07:54and I eat it at every available opportunity.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57So often when we've been in hotels,
0:07:57 > 0:07:59you order kedgeree, and it's rubbish.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02I don't know how you can make a mess of it.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05Kedgeree's a dish on its own. It's not a receptacle for leftover fish
0:08:05 > 0:08:08and stale bits and bobs. A lot of hotels see it like that,
0:08:08 > 0:08:10- and it's wrong.- What's yours?
0:08:10 > 0:08:14I do love good scrambled eggs, but I've given up with that with hotels.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17I hate the breakfast ethos of the buffet.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21It should be shot. How can you keep scrambled eggs under a heat lamp?
0:08:21 > 0:08:23- You can't.- It's a brick.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Scrambled eggs should be soft and unctuous,
0:08:25 > 0:08:28and it's so wrong.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31And the bacon sits there, poaching in its own misery.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33- That's not breakfast.- No, it's not.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36But there's such a good culture for breakfast in our country.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39You know, Kingy, the English breakfast
0:08:39 > 0:08:42is one of the great treasures. Even Somerset Maugham said,
0:08:42 > 0:08:46"To eat well in England, you need to eat breakfast three times a day,"
0:08:46 > 0:08:49and by God, he's right! We've got it right.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52Rant over, better get on with some cooking.
0:08:52 > 0:08:57Cut that rice off, and just leave that to steam in its own heat.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00We need to give the kedgeree that spicy kick.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03This is ordinary curry powder,
0:09:03 > 0:09:05just simple, plain, medium-strength curry powder.
0:09:05 > 0:09:10And we've got about... oh, a tablespoon of this, heaped.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19Those Indian and British flavours combined
0:09:19 > 0:09:22give kedgeree a truly comforting taste.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25That's the great thing about where we live, in the UK.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28You can eat your way around the world.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37'Peel the hardboiled eggs and slice them into quarters.'
0:09:37 > 0:09:41Today we don't eat dishes like this for brekkie very often,
0:09:41 > 0:09:43but in the Victorian age,
0:09:43 > 0:09:47people really went to town on their morning meal.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51As the Victorians used to say, "You breakfast like a king,
0:09:51 > 0:09:53you lunch like a queen. Tea like a prince,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56- and supper like a pauper."- Perfect.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00Try telling ourselves that next time it's half past ten and we want a kebab.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04- THEY LAUGH - Right! Let's build the kedgeree!
0:10:04 > 0:10:07The rice goes in. It's lovely and fluffy,
0:10:07 > 0:10:10and this rice is going to colour up beautifully
0:10:10 > 0:10:13when we stir through the curry powder.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17I'm trying to break the rice up as little as possible,
0:10:17 > 0:10:21because I don't want it to turn to porridge or become a risotto.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25So I'm kind of folding it in.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29Now, next is this beautiful, beautiful smoked haddock.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33- It's like mother-of-pearl, isn't it? - It is absolutely beautiful.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36Beautiful fish. Now, try and maintain the flakes,
0:10:36 > 0:10:40and just fold them into that beautiful rice.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43- Oh, look at that, man. - We can put the peas in now.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46Yeah, absolutely. Look at that, man. The colours!
0:10:46 > 0:10:48That'll wake you up, whatever!
0:10:48 > 0:10:51But whatever the breakfast, you've got to have eggs, haven't you?
0:10:51 > 0:10:55- It'd be wrong not to. - So just fold in the eggs.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59If the yolks separate from the bits of white, don't worry.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02In my opinion, there's a fundamental flaw with eggs.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04There's too much white -
0:11:04 > 0:11:08for eating purposes. Maybe not for producing chickens.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12- There we are.- Oh, lovely!
0:11:13 > 0:11:17Add the juice of half a lemon, lots of black pepper...
0:11:17 > 0:11:20When you've got eggs, you've got to have pepper.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23And then add the parsley.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26Fold that over again.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30- Shall we try for seasoning?- Yes.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34There's loads of salt in the smoked haddock,
0:11:34 > 0:11:36so take care with the salt.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43Wow! I don't think that needs anything. Do you?
0:11:43 > 0:11:46- No.- It's perfect. - I think that's really good.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51I remember what my dad used to do. He'd dot the top with butter,
0:11:51 > 0:11:54and it was just epic!
0:11:54 > 0:11:57Right.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59A few little nubbins of butter.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02This is where it's like a biryani in a pan.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04Yeah. Love it.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07In the Navy, that'd sit in the officers' mess
0:12:07 > 0:12:11under a covered... under a covered platter,
0:12:11 > 0:12:15and the butter would melt. It'd go down into your kedgeree,
0:12:15 > 0:12:20and heaven on a plate would be served.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24For the final flourish of the dish,
0:12:24 > 0:12:27we'll add about three tablespoons of double cream.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31It'll just release all those lovely curry flavours off the rice.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35- Nice and gently.- Nice and easy.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37You're beginning to look beautiful.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40Now, that, to me, is brekkers.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43That is, isn't it? Yeah.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47Curry, nourishment, best of British. Have you got a spoon?
0:12:47 > 0:12:50I've got... Yes! I think that, from henceforth,
0:12:50 > 0:12:53should be known as The Kedgeree Spoon.
0:12:56 > 0:12:57Oh...
0:12:57 > 0:12:59Oh, man!
0:12:59 > 0:13:01Just try and get a little eggy on the top.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03- Look at that!- Oh!
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Oh, yes.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08Oh, lovely.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15That is brill! Dead spicy.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18- Oh...- It ain't half hot, Mum.
0:13:18 > 0:13:23# Why do you whisper, green grass?
0:13:24 > 0:13:27# Why tell the trees what they say? #
0:13:27 > 0:13:30I love those winter mornings on a weekend,
0:13:30 > 0:13:34and when you get up, it's freezing but it's crisp,
0:13:34 > 0:13:36and the sky's light.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40And then this. Sat down - oh! - at your breakfast table.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42Oh, I love it!
0:13:45 > 0:13:48Good old-fashioned breakfasts were quite perky,
0:13:48 > 0:13:52quite spicy, and this again, it wakes your palate up.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55And it's got that effect of... You can't stop eating it, can you?
0:13:55 > 0:13:58- Help me! - HE LAUGHS
0:14:01 > 0:14:03Great...British...breakfast.
0:14:03 > 0:14:04Aye!
0:14:23 > 0:14:25Since the early 1900s,
0:14:25 > 0:14:30the cooked breakfast had been the standard morning meal in Britain.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34But, in the post-war era, this was challenged by an innovation
0:14:34 > 0:14:38from across the Atlantic - breakfast cereal.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47Cornflakes were an invention of our American cousins
0:14:47 > 0:14:50that had come from the dietary reformist movement
0:14:50 > 0:14:54in the late 1800s, led by people like John Kellogg.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00The idea of healthy and unhealthy food,
0:15:00 > 0:15:04rather than taste, was right at the heart of this new type of breakfast.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09And it was aimed squarely at eliminating the fry-up
0:15:09 > 0:15:11from our tables.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15Because it didn't need cooking, cereal was a lot more convenient,
0:15:15 > 0:15:18and as more women joined the workplace,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21the American invader started to take over.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29But there was one part of the British breakfast
0:15:29 > 0:15:32that wasn't going to give up without a fight.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35Eggs had been heavily rationed during the Second World War,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38but in the 1950s, they started to make a comeback.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41- What sort of things do you cook? - Well, eggs and bacon.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44- Do you ever cook meals? - Yes. Bacon and eggs.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47Oh! Eggs and bacon and bacon and eggs.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49I've got just the thing for you.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52I'm going to show you how to make a super American breakfast dish
0:15:52 > 0:15:55- called eggs with top hats. - Top hats?- Yes, top hats.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58And they're jolly good for camping too, boys.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00It sounds terrific. Can I help you?
0:16:00 > 0:16:03In 1955, just a year after rationing ended,
0:16:03 > 0:16:07this cookery show enticed youngsters into the cool American way
0:16:07 > 0:16:09to have an egg for breakfast.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11This does look funny. Is it all right?
0:16:11 > 0:16:14But even creative ways to cut up your toast
0:16:14 > 0:16:19weren't enough to hold back the tidal wave of breakfast cereal.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21- It's going to be lovely, isn't it? - I hope so!
0:16:25 > 0:16:28In the 1960s, a war began between egg producers
0:16:28 > 0:16:30and the cereal industry
0:16:30 > 0:16:33for the rumbling breakfast tummies of Britain.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37- So I shall just have to... - BOTH: Go to work on an egg!- Yes.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39HE LAUGHS
0:16:46 > 0:16:49While the egg men threw big names into the fight,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52cereal companies struck back with free toys...
0:16:53 > 0:16:56..giveaway guitars,
0:16:56 > 0:17:00and huge competitions that just got bigger and bigger,
0:17:00 > 0:17:04and slicker marketing won the day.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07Slowly but surely the cooked breakfast,
0:17:07 > 0:17:09which had defined the morning meal for so long,
0:17:09 > 0:17:13was replaced by cereal. As a much quicker choice for busy families,
0:17:13 > 0:17:16there was just no stopping it.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18What a goal!
0:17:21 > 0:17:23But despite the convenience of cereal,
0:17:23 > 0:17:26breakfast itself was becoming less popular.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29With less and less time on their hands,
0:17:29 > 0:17:32three-quarters of all adults regularly missed breakfast
0:17:32 > 0:17:38by the millennium. And you know what? You're missing out.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41So, in order to encourage you to have a cooked breakfast,
0:17:41 > 0:17:44and leave the cereal packet in the cupboard where it belongs,
0:17:44 > 0:17:50we're going to show you how to make a cracking egg dish.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Because if you're only going to have a cooked breakfast every now and again,
0:17:53 > 0:17:55it might as well be a good 'un.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01Now, there have been many American imports onto these fair shores -
0:18:01 > 0:18:04some good, some bad. But this is a belter, isn't it?
0:18:04 > 0:18:08Aye. Eggs Benedict! The core of the idea came from America,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11but I believe in my heart of hearts
0:18:11 > 0:18:13that we English make the best eggs Benedict.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17We have the best ham. We also have English muffins.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22Our eggs Benedict is an extravagant combination
0:18:22 > 0:18:26of muffins with a thick slice of ham, topped by a poached egg
0:18:26 > 0:18:28and smothered in hollandaise sauce.
0:18:28 > 0:18:33We're also going to knock up the posh version, eggs royale,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36which replaces the ham with smoked salmon.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39- It's Marilyn Monroe on a plate! - Oh, it is.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42It is. It's fantastic. I'm going to do the poached eggs.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45I'm going to show you how to make poached eggs
0:18:45 > 0:18:48the way that works, and Kingy will show you how to make hollandaise
0:18:48 > 0:18:51without the aid of a parachute, without lumps
0:18:51 > 0:18:53- or any kind of stress whatsoever. - Yes, I will.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57'And I'm going to poach the eggs in a high-sided frying pan
0:18:57 > 0:19:01'to make sure they're going to be ready at the same time
0:19:01 > 0:19:03'as everything else.'
0:19:04 > 0:19:07You kind of pre-cook them, so you can do a dozen poached eggs
0:19:07 > 0:19:09and just bring them to heat at the table,
0:19:09 > 0:19:12so if you have six people coming round for breakfast,
0:19:12 > 0:19:16there's no reason they can't all have poached eggs at the same time.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19Now, while Dave's waiting for his water to boil,
0:19:19 > 0:19:23a key element in hollandaise sauce is the vinegar.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25We're going to take some white wine vinegar
0:19:25 > 0:19:28and half a shallot.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30Chop it nice and fine,
0:19:30 > 0:19:32and we're going to put that in a pan
0:19:32 > 0:19:35with four tablespoons of white wine vinegar,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38ten peppercorns and a bay leaf.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42'The story goes that eggs Benedict originated in New York,
0:19:42 > 0:19:45'but there are two different versions of the tale.'
0:19:45 > 0:19:48The first one is that eggs Benedict were created
0:19:48 > 0:19:50by a Mr Lemuel "Lemmy" Benedict,
0:19:50 > 0:19:54in 1894 at the Waldorf Astoria.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57One day, suffering from a hangover, he wandered in.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00He asked for toast, two poached eggs, some bacon
0:20:00 > 0:20:03and a jug of hollandaise sauce to pour on the top.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07Now, the other story is, at a deli called Delmonico's,
0:20:07 > 0:20:10there was Mr and Mrs LeGrand Benedict,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13and they went in there and invented the dish.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16One thing that is true - in America,
0:20:16 > 0:20:20every April the 16th is National Eggs Benedict day!
0:20:20 > 0:20:24And that's great about the Americans, because, any available opportunity,
0:20:24 > 0:20:26they'll celebrate and get flags out.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29Ladies and gentlemen, the top tip of all tips
0:20:29 > 0:20:32when making poached eggs - to ensure that your poached eggs
0:20:32 > 0:20:35never go to ectoplasm or look like a Doctor Who monster,
0:20:35 > 0:20:39you put the egg in its shell in the water
0:20:39 > 0:20:42for precisely 20 seconds.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46This kind of just sets them a teeny, teeny bit.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49- And it's true. It works.- The other trick with poached eggs is,
0:20:49 > 0:20:52whenever you can, use really fresh eggs.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54While we're waiting for those 20 seconds,
0:20:54 > 0:20:58what happens is, the shallots, the bay leaf and the ten peppercorns
0:20:58 > 0:21:00goes into that four tablespoons of vinegar.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03We reduce it by half. Now, just keep an eye on this,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06because it'll reduce quicker than you think.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11Now, see that water? There's a gentle bubble.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14Add to this a little drop of white wine vinegar.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17White wine vinegar helps the eggs stay together,
0:21:17 > 0:21:20but sometimes the chef in your hotel or your B&B,
0:21:20 > 0:21:22he'll slap in loads of malt vinegar.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26You don't know whether you're having a poached egg or fish and chips!
0:21:30 > 0:21:32'To help pour the eggs into the water,
0:21:32 > 0:21:34'break them into a bowl first.'
0:21:34 > 0:21:39Create a whirlpool, gently, and float the egg in.
0:21:39 > 0:21:44Keep the whirlpool going, and those strands all wrap around the egg.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50They need about two minutes to cook. And when they're done,
0:21:50 > 0:21:54plunge them straight into some ice-cold water.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58This stops the cooking process.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01We'll drain these on kitchen roll so they dry,
0:22:01 > 0:22:03and they'll hold for two or three hours.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06All we have to do when we're ready to serve them,
0:22:06 > 0:22:08be it with bacon or an eggs Benedict then,
0:22:08 > 0:22:11is to plunge them into boiling water for one minute,
0:22:11 > 0:22:14and you have the most perfectly cooked, reliable poached eggs.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16You can have a dozen at once in the pan,
0:22:16 > 0:22:19so six people have two eggs each, bang-bang-bang, done.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21That's how a restaurant should do it.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27Ours are going to wait until the hollandaise sauce is done.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30For the hollandaise sauce, we're going to gently melt
0:22:30 > 0:22:32225 grams of butter in a pan.
0:22:32 > 0:22:37'By now the vinegar should have reduced, so strain it into a bowl.'
0:22:37 > 0:22:39All of that shallot flavour, the onion flavour,
0:22:39 > 0:22:43the peppercorns and the bay leaf will have gone into that.
0:22:43 > 0:22:44To start making the sauce,
0:22:44 > 0:22:48we're going to whisk three egg yolks in a bain-marie.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52Place a bowl over a saucepan of hot water so it's heated by the steam.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55OK, so there's a little bit of heat but not too much,
0:22:55 > 0:22:58and the water's hot, but it's not simmering or boiling.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01You've got to watch out you don't scramble the eggs
0:23:01 > 0:23:03before the magic's happened.
0:23:03 > 0:23:08Be careful not to let the water touch the bowl directly.
0:23:08 > 0:23:13And just a little bit of salt, and then we start to whisk.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17You'll see the eggs change colour, to a really light...
0:23:17 > 0:23:20- It's going already, mate. - It is, isn't it?
0:23:20 > 0:23:25And they'll thicken slightly as you whisk, these egg yolks. Look.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28There we go. I mean, it's a little bit labour-intensive,
0:23:28 > 0:23:30but it's worth it.
0:23:30 > 0:23:36Little pinch of sugar, and then our spiced vinegar.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Now, keep whisking...
0:23:41 > 0:23:43..as you drop it in.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46Now, again give it a good whisk.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50'Now slowly add the melted butter to the egg yolks,
0:23:50 > 0:23:52'whisking all the time, so that they emulsify,
0:23:52 > 0:23:54'and the sauce doesn't separate.'
0:24:02 > 0:24:04It is going nice and mayonnaisey, isn't it?
0:24:05 > 0:24:09Yeah. Lovely and creamy and buttery.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14That's beautiful. I think the time has come
0:24:14 > 0:24:17- for me to get my muffins on, Mr K. - I think you're right, dude.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26I love that consistency. That's going to cling
0:24:26 > 0:24:29like Chris Bonington to the Matterhorn.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32There we go. One lovely hollandaise sauce.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35- Ohhh! May I?- You may.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39- Lush, isn't it?- It's like...
0:24:39 > 0:24:45if food was a velvet blanket that caressed your naked form,
0:24:45 > 0:24:48it would be hollandaise sauce. Do you know what I mean?
0:24:48 > 0:24:51It's like... Ahhhh!
0:24:51 > 0:24:53Right. Muffins.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55It's nearly ready!
0:24:55 > 0:24:59We just need to slap a generous amount of butter onto the muffins,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02and reheat the eggs in hot water for a minute.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06Pop that back... Now, look at that poached egg.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08A perfect poacher.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13Next up, you have to make the hard choice between toppings.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17Is it going to be traditional ham, or royale, the smoked salmon?
0:25:17 > 0:25:21Take your pick, really, but that's good British boiled ham,
0:25:21 > 0:25:24fresh eggs, smoked salmon -
0:25:24 > 0:25:28who does it better than the Scots? - and the English muffin.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38So, whether it was Lemuel Benedict
0:25:38 > 0:25:40or Mr and Mrs LeGrand Benedict,
0:25:40 > 0:25:45we've taken eggs Benedict and made them British over the years.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49It's ours, and I think it's one of the best.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52That hollandaise is immaculate, Kingy.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56Just a few chives, and don't worry about them scattering on the plate.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59Just a little sprinkling of black pepper,
0:25:59 > 0:26:02and just an odd, teensy sea salt.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04It's got to be one of the most perfect breakfasts.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07You know the Americans. I mean, they're overpaid,
0:26:07 > 0:26:12they're over here, but as long as they bring their eggs Benedict with them, they can stop.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14- Oh, aye.- Are you salmon or ham?
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Well, I'll go ham, cos I know you're quite partial to salmon.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21I'm quite democratic when it comes to these. I'll eat the lot.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24HE LAUGHS Go on, man. You can have first dibs.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26Whoa!
0:26:26 > 0:26:28Look at that.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31You see? Look at that egg. It's perfect.
0:26:31 > 0:26:32Mmm!
0:26:32 > 0:26:34Oh, now...
0:26:34 > 0:26:37Oh, yes. Look at that!
0:26:39 > 0:26:43And do you know what, Si? The chives give a lot to this, don't they?
0:26:43 > 0:26:45The chives go so well with the hollandaise.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48They just give it a little bit of savoury undertone.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50Mmm!
0:26:50 > 0:26:53That's the perfect eggs Benedict,
0:26:53 > 0:26:55perfect muffins,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58perfect kind of ham,
0:26:58 > 0:27:00perfect salmon.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03- Hollandaise is just right. - Very, very good.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05Thank you, America!
0:27:05 > 0:27:09Well, thanks for the idea, but we do it better.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21While the once-ubiquitous cooked breakfast has fallen out of fashion and become a treat...
0:27:21 > 0:27:23Outrageous!
0:27:23 > 0:27:29..our other unsung hero and unashamed indulgence is making a welcome comeback.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Aye, with the likes of Victoria Beckham, Madonna
0:27:34 > 0:27:35and Lady Gaga endorsing it,
0:27:35 > 0:27:38afternoon tea has never been so hip.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41Darling, it's the new lunch!
0:27:41 > 0:27:46And in our bustling capital city, everyone's at it!
0:27:46 > 0:27:49Top London chef Paul Bates is in charge of afternoon teas
0:27:49 > 0:27:52at this upmarket hotel on Park Lane.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54It's almost like a celebration.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57A nice, delicate meal midway through the afternoon.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00It's nice, petite things. Lovely flavours, different textures
0:28:00 > 0:28:02and different sensations, you know.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05It's a sort of diluted dinner, for want of a better description.
0:28:05 > 0:28:10It should be all contrasting ingredients.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13Paul's elegant menu will be sampled by two of Britain's
0:28:13 > 0:28:16most dedicated afternoon tea enthusiasts.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20Keith Newton is a connoisseur who runs a website devoted to
0:28:20 > 0:28:25reviving the popularity of this unique national pastime.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28Afternoon tea offers a little bit of decadence and indulgence.
0:28:28 > 0:28:32A little bit of luxury. It's an affordable luxury, I think.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36It's something that anybody can do.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38For a couple of hours, a five-star hotel can be yours
0:28:38 > 0:28:41for the price of a cup of tea, though a bit more expensive.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45His dining companion is poet Elizabeth Darcy Jones,
0:28:45 > 0:28:49who dedicates her writing to the charms of British tea.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52It's an event where people can come together and be inspired,
0:28:52 > 0:28:53sustained and,
0:28:53 > 0:28:57I think, there's an intimacy.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00It's said that wherever she is in the world,
0:29:00 > 0:29:02the Queen always stops for tea.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05- REPORTER:- Inside, to soothe any strains,
0:29:05 > 0:29:09there was a leisurely tea-sampling with musical backing.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12Tea in Britain is so much more than a mere drink.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15It's a way of life, Dave. The lifeblood of our nation,
0:29:15 > 0:29:18almost a religion.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21Tea arrived in Britain in 1659.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24So tea in the early days is a luxury item.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27It's come from an exotic place.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30It's come from China. The Chinese have a monopoly on tea.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33Britain puts a complete blockade on Chinese tea
0:29:33 > 0:29:35and starts to grow tea in India.
0:29:35 > 0:29:39And because India is ruled by the British, it becomes a British thing
0:29:39 > 0:29:41and people think of tea as a British commodity,
0:29:41 > 0:29:43grown by the British, for the British.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46It's not until the end of the 18th century
0:29:46 > 0:29:49that the masses start to be able to afford it.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53So the poor people, as well as the rich people, can start to enjoy tea.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56Despite tea being a fashionable drink in the 18th century,
0:29:56 > 0:30:00afternoon tea didn't exist
0:30:00 > 0:30:01until around 1840.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05It was invented by Queen Victoria's lady-in-waiting,
0:30:05 > 0:30:09the 7th Duchess of Bedford, who complained of a sinking feeling
0:30:09 > 0:30:11in the afternoon, otherwise known as hunger.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14In those days, there was a long gap
0:30:14 > 0:30:18between what was a light luncheon and dinner at eight,
0:30:18 > 0:30:20- so people would get a bit peckish. - I know how they feel!
0:30:20 > 0:30:23Hence the Duchess took an afternoon cup of tea,
0:30:23 > 0:30:25served with a light snack, in her boudoir.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28The Duchess of Bedford starts to take afternoon tea
0:30:28 > 0:30:31and invites friends along. She's a friend of Queen Victoria
0:30:31 > 0:30:35and once afternoon tea gets the endorsement of Queen Victoria,
0:30:35 > 0:30:39it takes off. All of society wants to take afternoon tea
0:30:39 > 0:30:42and people start to have not just intimate tea parties,
0:30:42 > 0:30:45they start to have big tea parties, like 200 people.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47But at the end of the 19th century and early 20th century,
0:30:47 > 0:30:51tea shops take off in a big, big way.
0:30:51 > 0:30:55And for the first time, women can go out without a male escort.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57They can go out and they can meet lady friends.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00There's something about taking afternoon tea,
0:31:00 > 0:31:03when it's us girls all together, that there's a sort of freedom.
0:31:03 > 0:31:07I'm sure there's just a hint of that coming through history, you feel.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10"Yes, we can go and have tea together. We can go out
0:31:10 > 0:31:15"and talk about things that actually we wouldn't talk about elsewhere."
0:31:15 > 0:31:18Tea may have an illustrious history,
0:31:18 > 0:31:22but Paul hopes to bring a bit of 21st century flair to the table.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26Freshly creamed horseradish,
0:31:26 > 0:31:30and then we have our rarely cooked roast beef, English beef,
0:31:30 > 0:31:33and that's finished off with a little bit of celery cress.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35You can twist it so far,
0:31:35 > 0:31:38but at the end of the day there's an expectation about afternoon tea.
0:31:38 > 0:31:42People don't want to have curry-flavoured chicken, for example.
0:31:42 > 0:31:43You have to stick with the classics.
0:31:43 > 0:31:47There's nothing more British or classic than afternoon tea.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50Smoked salmon. Same supplier as the cream.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53Here, what's that he's got there?
0:31:53 > 0:31:56That's cucumber linguine, Si. Ooh! Proper posh, innit?
0:31:56 > 0:32:00They expect luxury ingredients, so we have the ultimate here, caviar.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03Caviar on top.
0:32:03 > 0:32:05We have cocktail prawns, then we have lobster.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07Scottish lobster, nice tail.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10This goes on top of the prawns, like so.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13You can see it's not two bits of bread slapped together, you know.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15It does take some time to do.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18It will please the traditionalists and also please the people
0:32:18 > 0:32:21that are looking for something a little bit more adventurous.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25I'm not suggesting their faces light up and it changes their world,
0:32:25 > 0:32:27but I think it just lifts people a little bit.
0:32:27 > 0:32:31D'ya think it'll be too modern for our afternoon tea connoisseurs?
0:32:31 > 0:32:34Yeah, Elizabeth does strike me as a traditionalist.
0:32:34 > 0:32:39I really hope we're going to keep one or two of the classic things.
0:32:39 > 0:32:44Looking at the menu, it looks as if we are, which is a great delight.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47It can be modern. There's a venue in London that has a DJ
0:32:47 > 0:32:48during afternoon tea.
0:32:48 > 0:32:49SHE GROANS
0:32:49 > 0:32:52- I've been there myself. - Does it work?
0:32:52 > 0:32:54It does, because the music is...
0:32:54 > 0:32:57It's slightly louder than background music,
0:32:57 > 0:33:00but not so loud that you can't talk.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02It's a young crowd who are going for afternoon tea
0:33:02 > 0:33:04before perhaps going out in the evening.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08So there's definitely a place for a modern afternoon tea.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10While Keith and Elizabeth ponder the menu,
0:33:10 > 0:33:13let's take a look at some etiquette do's and don'ts.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17Firstly, milk goes in after the tea.
0:33:17 > 0:33:19That's how the Queen takes her cuppa.
0:33:19 > 0:33:24Ooh, it's a bit of a controversial one, Dave. Much debate over it.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27Well, raising a pinkie is definitely a big no-no.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29It's considered a pretence to good manners,
0:33:29 > 0:33:33- indicating the owner doesn't have any.- Call the tea police!
0:33:33 > 0:33:36The correct order when eating afternoon tea
0:33:36 > 0:33:40is to eat savouries first, sco-o-ones next and sweets last.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42It's scones, man!
0:33:42 > 0:33:45You say scones, I say sco-o-ones!.
0:33:45 > 0:33:47Yeah, yeah, whatever!
0:33:47 > 0:33:50As it's traditional for the gent to do the pouring,
0:33:50 > 0:33:51Keith, you can be mother.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53Oh, goodness.
0:33:54 > 0:33:59In a way, I know the food is taking centre stage,
0:33:59 > 0:34:03but the tea is also taking its place.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05It looks the part and the first hurdle is to make sure
0:34:05 > 0:34:08that it looks the part. It certainly looks the part.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12It certainly lives up to expectations from reading the menu.
0:34:12 > 0:34:13I'm impressed.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15I love the detail on the top,
0:34:15 > 0:34:18the little flourish of white chocolate and raspberry,
0:34:18 > 0:34:22so I think there's something for everybody in there.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25Definitely a feast for the eye
0:34:25 > 0:34:27and I know what I want to taste already.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33There's something underneath here. I think it's horseradish.
0:34:33 > 0:34:34All my favourites.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37Mm, delicious.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40There's a nod here to tradition, egg and cress.
0:34:40 > 0:34:45- It's a cut above your average afternoon tea.- That goes together really, really well.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48- I'm extremely pleased with it. - Quintessentially English.
0:34:48 > 0:34:50Let's be proud of it.
0:34:50 > 0:34:56- Good afternoon. How did we do? - Paul's escaped the kitchen to hear the verdict.
0:34:56 > 0:35:02- I did enjoy it very, very much indeed.- Absolutely exquisite, it has exceeded my expectations.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04- So you'll come back then? - I think so, I think so!
0:35:04 > 0:35:09After nearly two centuries, the afternoon tea is evolving and winning new fans.
0:35:09 > 0:35:13And it still, as always, epitomises elegance.
0:35:14 > 0:35:19But no afternoon tea would be complete without, well, tea!
0:35:19 > 0:35:22It's the nation's favourite hot beverage.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25During the first World War, it was considered
0:35:25 > 0:35:28so essential that the government took over tea importation,
0:35:28 > 0:35:31conscious that it was vital to the nation's morale.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35Today, the UK is the largest market for exported tea in the world.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44We're on our way to Andover in Hampshire, and we're gasping for a cuppa!
0:35:44 > 0:35:50Luckily for us, we've been invited to a tea tasting by the master blenders at Twinings.
0:35:50 > 0:35:51I hope they've got the kettle on!
0:35:53 > 0:35:56Fewer things have a richer history than tea.
0:35:56 > 0:36:01In fact, tea is the history of Britain in a cup.
0:36:01 > 0:36:06Us Brits drink 60.2 billion cups of tea every year.
0:36:06 > 0:36:11And here, tea tasters get through 600 cups of tea a day!
0:36:11 > 0:36:15It may not look it, but tea tasting is a very exact science.
0:36:15 > 0:36:16SLURPING
0:36:26 > 0:36:29- What's your favourite tea? - Well, tea.
0:36:33 > 0:36:38- What do I do now?- Wait six minutes precisely for it to infuse.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41- Does anybody talk? - No, it's serious.
0:36:41 > 0:36:42ALARM RINGS
0:36:44 > 0:36:48Twinings Chief Development Taster, Mike Wright, has kindly
0:36:48 > 0:36:51stepped in to guide us through the highly skilled art of tea tasting.
0:36:53 > 0:36:58OK, what we've got here is a whole load of different teas
0:36:58 > 0:37:00that we're going to get you to taste.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03They're all of different origins, different flavours,
0:37:03 > 0:37:05different styles of tea.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09This is just a brief summary of the different tastes you can get.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12There's some I recognise, but others I don't.
0:37:12 > 0:37:17I think the whole convention and traditions of this is fantastic, I haven't seen that before.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21They have to get the tea exactly right, it has to be made in exactly the right way.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24The water has to be fresh, it has to be oxygenated,
0:37:24 > 0:37:28it has to be brewed exactly at the right time,
0:37:28 > 0:37:31so just as it boils you have to pour it.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33If you boil for too long, the tea becomes dull and flat.
0:37:33 > 0:37:39So you guys, really, as a team, are like the sommeliers of tea.
0:37:39 > 0:37:43We are trained for five years at least, and to be honest,
0:37:43 > 0:37:48I've been working at Twinings for 24 years and you never stop learning.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50Every tea, when it's made, will taste different
0:37:50 > 0:37:55according to the weather conditions, according to when the monsoon arrives,
0:37:55 > 0:37:58how much sun they've had and whether it's been dry.
0:37:58 > 0:38:00So you can never rely on one tea to be exactly the same,
0:38:00 > 0:38:03day in, day out. It will change constantly,
0:38:03 > 0:38:07so we have to ensure that the customer gets exactly the same every time,
0:38:07 > 0:38:10and that's what the blending skills are about.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12That's like an artist's palette!
0:38:12 > 0:38:16It's only when you see tea like that you realise how different the colours are.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22Every time we make a blend of tea we have to make a hand blend first of all,
0:38:22 > 0:38:26so we use the actual teas that go into the manufactured blend.
0:38:26 > 0:38:31- And every single one of these tins...- Good grief!- Holds a blend.
0:38:31 > 0:38:35- So everything is traceable. - Can I open one?- Yes, please do.
0:38:35 > 0:38:40And that's the secret recipe, so it will have all the estates that went into it.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44- Everything is traceable.- D'you know what? I'm dying for a cup of tea.
0:38:44 > 0:38:48- Yeah.- Do you have your very own tasting spoon? - We have our own tasting spoon.
0:38:48 > 0:38:53- Nobody would ever breathe on it! - What a privilege!- You are now an official slurper.- Excellent.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55This first one is a white tea.
0:38:55 > 0:39:00So this is probably the least most manufactured tea.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04- Huge leaves.- Huge leaves, because it's made of the bud, and the top two leaves are
0:39:04 > 0:39:06the most tender part of the plant.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10They make this tea by, normally, sun drying.
0:39:10 > 0:39:14So it has a very gentle oxidation, so it has a very light,
0:39:14 > 0:39:15delicate flavour.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19Presumably it's very expensive if it's that labour intensive.
0:39:19 > 0:39:24It's incredibly expensive, the best teas are made in Zhejiang in China, or maybe Fujian.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29It's got this gorgeous, delicate tea.
0:39:29 > 0:39:30SLURPING
0:39:32 > 0:39:36- Some people say it has a sort of a peachy flavour.- Right.
0:39:36 > 0:39:40So then we've got gunpowder.
0:39:40 > 0:39:45They thought the tea looked rather like gunpowder, so it's very shotty, quite well rolled.
0:39:45 > 0:39:52- Yeah. Gunpowder. Same spoon, do you have to...?- Yeah, just carry on.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54SLURPING
0:39:55 > 0:39:58Both black and green tea come from the same plant,
0:39:58 > 0:40:02and it's about the processing of the tea that changes the flavour.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06So fresh on your mouth, though. I don't drink enough China tea.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09People seem to be a little apprehensive, and maybe
0:40:09 > 0:40:13the name puts them off or they think, "Oh, that's that posh tea."
0:40:13 > 0:40:15But actually, it's just another type of tea,
0:40:15 > 0:40:19and people should just try different types of tea, you know, be brave.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23- Britain loves tea, and thank God for that.- Absolutely!
0:40:23 > 0:40:25Let's try the jasmine.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27Now it's time for us to have a go ourselves.
0:40:27 > 0:40:32Can we Hairy Bikers turn our culinary hand to tea blending?
0:40:32 > 0:40:34SLURPING
0:40:34 > 0:40:40- Two parts.- Hmm. - Samosa Oolong, times two.- Oooh!
0:40:40 > 0:40:44The sapphire is going to bring it to life,
0:40:44 > 0:40:47give it a distinctive character never before seen in the tea world.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50But then a touch of Yunan for class.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53At the moment, it looks like something Alan Titchmarsh would grow!
0:40:53 > 0:40:57- What a wonderful, wonderful thing to do.- Make your own tea.
0:40:57 > 0:41:01Just maybe, this is the missing link in the tea world.
0:41:01 > 0:41:05- Exactly, you never know. - This is the new Earl Grey.
0:41:05 > 0:41:09- I tell you what, if it is, you'll have to buy it from us. - You want the rights.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13I know it's your tea, and we're here as a guest, but, yeah!
0:41:13 > 0:41:17- OK, OK, we can do that. - Are you excited?- Yeah!
0:41:18 > 0:41:23- What's your favourite tea? - Darjeeling.- Darjeeling.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26I've got Darjeeling first flush as my base tea.
0:41:26 > 0:41:31The only slight, off the wall kind of thing that I had in MY head
0:41:31 > 0:41:35was the Lady Grey, because I quite like a blossomy flavour.
0:41:35 > 0:41:40- I think you're showing your feminine side here.- Really?- Mm-hmm.
0:41:41 > 0:41:45- Well...- He was having pink macaroons down in the shop!- They were nice!
0:41:47 > 0:41:48What's your speciality?
0:41:48 > 0:41:52At the moment, I'm working on product development.
0:41:52 > 0:41:57So, any new blends around the world... Including these,
0:41:57 > 0:42:00- you know, this could be it. - Paradise in a cup!
0:42:00 > 0:42:03Did you see what he did there? He giggled under his breath!
0:42:03 > 0:42:07That's just happiness at being with you. Shall we get our spoons?
0:42:07 > 0:42:11Shall I get our spoons? 'And it's Dave's tea up first.'
0:42:11 > 0:42:13SLURPING
0:42:16 > 0:42:20- You can certainly get the smokiness of the Lapsang in.- Yeah.
0:42:20 > 0:42:25The colour is very pleasant, it's sort of an amber colour, very clear.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27Yeah! There's nothing wrong with that, is there?
0:42:27 > 0:42:32- That's all right, that, Dave. - It shouldn't work, but it has.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35- The Lapsang gives it that sort of robustness.- It's nicely balanced.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38That's what I thought, just a hint of Lapsang,
0:42:38 > 0:42:42- because Lapsang on its own can be quite a kick in the cojones. - It's a strong tea.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48You get lots of citrus on that, don't you?
0:42:49 > 0:42:54Actually, the Assam gives it a little bit of body. I mean, that works well.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56- That's lovely. - Take some milk?- Yes please.
0:43:00 > 0:43:04- As we're British.- That's green, dude!- It is an interesting colour!
0:43:15 > 0:43:20- It's not fabulous, that.- No, it's not!- It's not the best, that, no.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24How come I get covered in it, what is that?
0:43:28 > 0:43:29Nice cuppa, that one!
0:43:29 > 0:43:31LAUGHTER
0:43:31 > 0:43:35I think both of them are best drunk without milk.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38Do you think any of them have commercial possibilities?
0:43:38 > 0:43:43I think we'd have to put some serious consideration into that.
0:43:43 > 0:43:46I'm going to go out and buy myself some of the white teas,
0:43:46 > 0:43:50the Formosa Oolong, the big leafed kind of China teas.
0:43:50 > 0:43:54- Keep it simple.- Yeah, it's lovely, - It'd be nice, I love that.
0:43:54 > 0:43:58That white tea is fantastic. The great British tradition that is tea.
0:43:58 > 0:44:00- And very proud of it we are, too. - Absolutely.
0:44:00 > 0:44:02That is a peculiar colour!
0:44:05 > 0:44:07With our thirst well and truly quenched,
0:44:07 > 0:44:13it's time to pay tribute to a key ingredient of the afternoon tea - the good old-fashioned sarnie!
0:44:20 > 0:44:23In Britain, we consume over 11 billion sandwiches every year.
0:44:23 > 0:44:27Whether it's a gourmet delight or a curled up crust
0:44:27 > 0:44:31from the chiller cabinet, it's the ultimate in convenience food.
0:44:31 > 0:44:34You don't even have to stop what you're doing to eat one.
0:44:34 > 0:44:39Britain's most popular food, let me show you how to make the most popular snack food.
0:44:39 > 0:44:43Piece of bread, a piece of cheese, another piece of bread, voila. Sandwich.
0:44:43 > 0:44:46BOTH: Philistine!
0:44:46 > 0:44:49Legend has it that lazy aristocrat John Montagu,
0:44:49 > 0:44:54the 4th Earl of Sandwich, invented the sarnie in 1762.
0:44:54 > 0:44:56Now, Montagu was a hardened gambler,
0:44:56 > 0:45:01who wagered for hours at a time, refusing even to stop for meals.
0:45:01 > 0:45:07It is said that he asked his valet to bring him "meat betwixt two slices of bread,"
0:45:07 > 0:45:10allowing him to continue playing cards.
0:45:10 > 0:45:11The sarnie had arrived.
0:45:11 > 0:45:17Whether Montagu was responsible or not, the sandwich was bound to have
0:45:17 > 0:45:21been dreamt up by a hungry bloke too preoccupied to feed himself properly.
0:45:21 > 0:45:24Since then, it has been central to any roadside picnic.
0:45:24 > 0:45:30- A buffet table mainstay.- And the backbone of any packed lunch.
0:45:30 > 0:45:32Today, I'm going to give him cottage cheese,
0:45:32 > 0:45:35which I shall mix with a little hard cheese,
0:45:35 > 0:45:38just to give it a little bit more of a cheesy flavour.
0:45:38 > 0:45:40That's really, basically, all he has, sandwiches.
0:45:40 > 0:45:43Because children like to have something to chew.
0:45:43 > 0:45:49"Something to chew"? What a sorry state of affairs, when that is all that is required of a sandwich.
0:45:49 > 0:45:53But everyone, and I mean everyone, loves a sarnie.
0:45:53 > 0:45:56The humble sandwich is a truly egalitarian snack.
0:45:56 > 0:46:00My favourite is brizola with Parmesan cheese
0:46:00 > 0:46:01and a drizzle of olive oil.
0:46:01 > 0:46:07Mine's prawns with Marie Rose sauce. Not as pretentious as yours, Dave, granted, but just as tasty.
0:46:07 > 0:46:12A key component of the sandwich is, of course, bread, and until the early 20th century,
0:46:12 > 0:46:17it was made by hand, using a technique handed down for thousands of years.
0:46:17 > 0:46:20Women have made bread since primitive times,
0:46:20 > 0:46:23but nowadays, this sight is a rarity.
0:46:23 > 0:46:25For baking today is a man's job.
0:46:25 > 0:46:29And these huge mechanised bakeries changed the way bread was
0:46:29 > 0:46:30consumed for ever.
0:46:33 > 0:46:35A shaft of light! The moment is here!
0:46:37 > 0:46:40It's already sliced, you daft druid!
0:46:40 > 0:46:44The pre-sliced loaf introduced in the 1930s made sandwich-making,
0:46:44 > 0:46:49hardly a demanding task in the first place, even easier.
0:46:49 > 0:46:51Make me a ham sandwich.
0:46:51 > 0:46:52Right.
0:46:56 > 0:46:59But then something came along to threaten the sandwich's place
0:46:59 > 0:47:02as our number-one convenience food.
0:47:02 > 0:47:05In 1954, the first Wimpy bar opened in London,
0:47:05 > 0:47:09pedalling a new sandwich fad all the way from America.
0:47:09 > 0:47:11By the '80s, Britain's High Streets
0:47:11 > 0:47:13were filling up with fast-food outlets.
0:47:13 > 0:47:15Chicken in a bun.
0:47:17 > 0:47:21Delicious, succulent chicken wrapped in a light golden batter.
0:47:21 > 0:47:25A Mother Earth-shattering idea.
0:47:25 > 0:47:27From Wimpy.
0:47:27 > 0:47:31The sandwich needed to adapt, and the first mass-packaged,
0:47:31 > 0:47:35hermetically-sealed sarnie was introduced in 1980.
0:47:35 > 0:47:37There was something to suit all tastes.
0:47:37 > 0:47:41Whatever the filling, the sandwich is quite possibly the best thing
0:47:41 > 0:47:45since sliced bread and a British invention we can be proud of.
0:47:47 > 0:47:53But you can't have afternoon tea without something sweet to nibble on,
0:47:53 > 0:47:58so we're going to prepare a classic recipe in the Best of British kitchen.
0:47:58 > 0:48:01Yes, the Viennese have given us Viennese coffee,
0:48:01 > 0:48:03the Viennese waltz
0:48:03 > 0:48:08and given their name to that melt-in-the-mouth biscuit, the Viennese whirl.
0:48:08 > 0:48:12It's something that we're both familiar with from childhood.
0:48:12 > 0:48:15- It was kind of naff, wasn't it? - It was, it was.
0:48:15 > 0:48:18It was a bit naff and I have actually, I must confess,
0:48:18 > 0:48:20a bit of a hang-up about Viennese whirls.
0:48:20 > 0:48:24When I was little, I went to get one
0:48:24 > 0:48:27- and a wasp was on it and it stung us.- Ah!
0:48:27 > 0:48:31I've never eaten a Viennese whirl since, other than the ones we make.
0:48:31 > 0:48:35Start with 250g of plain flour.
0:48:35 > 0:48:37Match the weight of flour
0:48:37 > 0:48:40- with the weight of butter. - Thank you.
0:48:40 > 0:48:43- Just whack it all in. - It's amazing, you know.
0:48:43 > 0:48:45In the mid-19th century, the women would end up
0:48:45 > 0:48:49- with like a 19-inch waist due to the corsetry.- 19 inches?!
0:48:49 > 0:48:54- Completely distorted, yeah.- Oh man, that's wrong. How uncomfortable!
0:48:54 > 0:48:58- Especially when you're trying to eat a Viennese whirl.- Yeah, exactly.
0:48:58 > 0:49:00Cornflour.
0:49:00 > 0:49:03Now, this is the secret that makes a whirl crumble.
0:49:06 > 0:49:10Yes, because cornflour takes up any moisture. It's dry.
0:49:10 > 0:49:14- Next, icing sugar.- Look at this.
0:49:14 > 0:49:17The only smoking sugar. Prr!
0:49:17 > 0:49:20'So that's 50g of cornflour and 50g of icing sugar.
0:49:20 > 0:49:22'Using icing sugar instead
0:49:22 > 0:49:27'of caster sugar gives you that very fine melt-in-the-mouth texture.'
0:49:27 > 0:49:32And then half a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
0:49:35 > 0:49:39Tsh! Obviously, if you like vanilla, you can use more.
0:49:42 > 0:49:44This is our homage to Madagascar.
0:49:44 > 0:49:47And then you put it on your mixer.
0:49:51 > 0:49:54What's your favourite biscuit, Kingy?
0:49:54 > 0:49:56Ginger snap.
0:49:56 > 0:49:59I love a ginger snap. You cannae whack it. What's yours?
0:49:59 > 0:50:02- The humble digestive.- Do you?- Yeah.
0:50:02 > 0:50:05You know, I like a chocolate digestive,
0:50:05 > 0:50:07but really just a plain digestive.
0:50:07 > 0:50:10Are you a dunker or a biter or a slurper?
0:50:10 > 0:50:13Well, I'm a dunker and then a slurper.
0:50:13 > 0:50:17I like that. You get the firm bit in the middle that it hasn't reached.
0:50:17 > 0:50:19I'm a bit of both.
0:50:19 > 0:50:22I don't actually buy biscuits because I can't be trusted.
0:50:22 > 0:50:24It's a shame, isn't it?
0:50:24 > 0:50:27Hm, that's a lovely little batter, isn't it?
0:50:27 > 0:50:30Look at that. Beautiful.
0:50:30 > 0:50:32Now, the thing is that the Viennese whirl
0:50:32 > 0:50:34is a cake/biscuit of two halves.
0:50:35 > 0:50:38We must have symmetry and the size must be the same,
0:50:38 > 0:50:42or it'll look all wonky when you put them together.
0:50:42 > 0:50:45So what I've done is made this little template like this, you see.
0:50:45 > 0:50:50Obviously the ink's on that side. So I draw around, like so.
0:50:50 > 0:50:54Then what we do is, that batter that Mr Kind has so thoughtfully made,
0:50:54 > 0:50:58you pipe within the perimeters of your template.
0:50:58 > 0:51:02I'm going to put this lovely batter mix
0:51:02 > 0:51:04into a piping bag,
0:51:04 > 0:51:07because that's where batter mix lives.
0:51:07 > 0:51:11Obviously we don't want to pipe onto ink,
0:51:11 > 0:51:13so turn that over and there we have it.
0:51:13 > 0:51:15- Oh, thank you.- You don't have to put it all in at once.
0:51:15 > 0:51:18It's like trying to manhandle a gibbon!
0:51:18 > 0:51:21I've had to do that, you know. Manhandle a gibbon.
0:51:24 > 0:51:26This'll stop it slipping.
0:51:27 > 0:51:30- I didn't want you to run out. - Run out?
0:51:30 > 0:51:33Let's start here, shall we?
0:51:33 > 0:51:37'Start your piping by working from the outside
0:51:37 > 0:51:40'in a circular motion to the centre.'
0:51:40 > 0:51:43# Ah, Vienna. #
0:51:45 > 0:51:50- You little Viennese whirler! - I'm like a machine.
0:51:50 > 0:51:52Like a whirling dervisher.
0:51:52 > 0:51:55- Wooh!- Oh, that's gone...
0:51:55 > 0:51:58That'll be all right, you see, as it'll flatten down as it bakes.
0:52:00 > 0:52:02Now don't worry if you struggle with the piping,
0:52:02 > 0:52:05they'll still look brilliant once they're baked!
0:52:05 > 0:52:09While Dave's doing that, I'm going to get on with the buttercream.
0:52:09 > 0:52:12The buttercream consists of butter, funnily enough,
0:52:12 > 0:52:16icing sugar and a little bit of vanilla extract.
0:52:18 > 0:52:21Put this into a bowl.
0:52:21 > 0:52:23'You need 200g of icing sugar...'
0:52:25 > 0:52:27Then you put butter in, like that.
0:52:27 > 0:52:30'..and 100g of soft butter.'
0:52:31 > 0:52:34A little bit of vanilla extract.
0:52:37 > 0:52:41And then you beat the two together like a good 'un.
0:52:46 > 0:52:48Right... Where's he gone?
0:52:48 > 0:52:51- Oh, yeah.- Bzzz!
0:52:51 > 0:52:55You see, that's me. You see, I have the psyche of a cart horse.
0:52:55 > 0:52:58You know, if it's manual, I'll do it.
0:52:58 > 0:53:01I'll go over there and do it.
0:53:01 > 0:53:0328.
0:53:03 > 0:53:07That will give us 14 completed whirls. Whoo!
0:53:07 > 0:53:12What about that? At the minute, it's like breadcrumbs.
0:53:12 > 0:53:14But believe you me, it'll go.
0:53:15 > 0:53:17There we are. You see?
0:53:19 > 0:53:23So we put those into a preheated oven at 170C
0:53:23 > 0:53:26for 12 to 15 minutes until they're lovely and golden.
0:53:28 > 0:53:30Whoo!
0:53:32 > 0:53:36We Brits love a biscuit. A hot drink and a biccy
0:53:36 > 0:53:38is still an unrivalled partnership.
0:53:38 > 0:53:42Last year alone, over £2 billion worth of biscuits,
0:53:42 > 0:53:45cookies and crackers were sold in the UK.
0:53:45 > 0:53:49Wow! The name biscuit comes from the Latin panis biscoctus,
0:53:49 > 0:53:51meaning bread twice cooked,
0:53:51 > 0:53:54and we were making them in this country by the Middle Ages.
0:53:54 > 0:53:57In the 19th century,
0:53:57 > 0:54:01several new businesses including McVitie, Huntley & Palmer,
0:54:01 > 0:54:05and Peek Frean, laid the foundations of the modern biscuit industry.
0:54:05 > 0:54:09And chocolate-covered biscuits became big business after World War II.
0:54:09 > 0:54:11But biscuits aren't the comfy treat we think they are.
0:54:11 > 0:54:15Oh, no, there's definitely a dark side to the humble biscuit.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18EVIL LAUGH
0:54:18 > 0:54:22- Did you know that biscuits can be dangerous?- You're joking!
0:54:22 > 0:54:23There's a survey been done.
0:54:23 > 0:54:26A third of all adults claim to have been scalded
0:54:26 > 0:54:30fishing out the remnants of a dunked, fallen biscuit.
0:54:30 > 0:54:31- Really?- Yes.
0:54:31 > 0:54:35Did you know that 28% of them
0:54:35 > 0:54:38choked on crumbs?
0:54:38 > 0:54:41Did YOU know that one in ten
0:54:41 > 0:54:44have broken a tooth or a filling
0:54:44 > 0:54:47whilst biting into a biscuit?
0:54:47 > 0:54:48No.
0:54:49 > 0:54:52Well, did YOU know
0:54:52 > 0:54:57another 3% have poked themselves in the eye?
0:54:57 > 0:54:58How very clumsy.
0:54:59 > 0:55:01Did YOU know...
0:55:01 > 0:55:02SI STARTS LAUGHING
0:55:02 > 0:55:05..that 7% claimed to have been injured or bitten
0:55:05 > 0:55:09by a pet or a wild animal whilst holding a biscuit in their hand?
0:55:09 > 0:55:11It's a funny old world, the biscuit.
0:55:15 > 0:55:18- I think it's time.- Oh, yes. - Oh, you beauties!
0:55:20 > 0:55:23Ooh, look at them.
0:55:23 > 0:55:25Oh, they're gorgeous, man.
0:55:25 > 0:55:29Now, they need to cool on the trays for five minutes.
0:55:29 > 0:55:31Then we move them to a cooling rack.
0:55:35 > 0:55:37They're Viennese whirls like no other.
0:55:37 > 0:55:40- There you are, my dear fellow. - Thank you, dear heart.
0:55:40 > 0:55:44As Viennese whirls go, Strauss would have loved them.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46- A little knife?- Thank you.
0:55:46 > 0:55:50'After five minutes, place the whirls onto the cooling rack,
0:55:50 > 0:55:51'bottom side up.'
0:55:51 > 0:55:54Don't mess with them too much, because they're so crumbly.
0:55:54 > 0:55:57You don't want to lose that lovely definition you have
0:55:57 > 0:55:58on the other side.
0:55:58 > 0:56:01'Next, spoon the buttercream mixture into a piping bag
0:56:01 > 0:56:04'fitted with a large star nozzle.'
0:56:04 > 0:56:06It looks like Nora Batty's tights, doesn't it?
0:56:06 > 0:56:09- Ready for action, sir. - Thank you.
0:56:09 > 0:56:13Now, how does Bob Marley like his Viennese whirls?
0:56:13 > 0:56:14Jam in!
0:56:14 > 0:56:16MUSIC: "Jammin" by Bob Marley
0:56:18 > 0:56:19# I want to jam it with you
0:56:21 > 0:56:22# We're jammin
0:56:22 > 0:56:24# Jammin And I...
0:56:24 > 0:56:27# ..hope you like jam in, too. #
0:56:29 > 0:56:34Look at that. That is a Viennese whirl.
0:56:34 > 0:56:36If you're a whirl, you might as well be a whirl
0:56:36 > 0:56:39that's well dressed up for the party.
0:56:41 > 0:56:44Check out those whirls, man!
0:56:44 > 0:56:46- Do you want to try one?- Oh, aye.
0:56:46 > 0:56:50Whether it's from Ventnor or Vienna, they're smashing.
0:56:53 > 0:56:55Mm.
0:56:55 > 0:56:58See if you can do it without licking your lips.
0:56:58 > 0:56:59No.
0:57:00 > 0:57:01Oh, lovely.
0:57:03 > 0:57:07Oh, very good. They just disappear, don't they?
0:57:07 > 0:57:08- Yeah.- Mm.
0:57:08 > 0:57:12And for a bit of variation, instead of buttercream and jam,
0:57:12 > 0:57:16try dipping one half of each biscuit in dark chocolate.
0:57:16 > 0:57:19Ooh, delish-ioso!
0:57:19 > 0:57:25A cooked breakfast and afternoon tea are two classic British dishes to be applauded.
0:57:25 > 0:57:27From our Eastern-inspired classics...
0:57:27 > 0:57:29to a perfect-tasting cuppa...
0:57:31 > 0:57:33..and sweet sensations,
0:57:33 > 0:57:37they are national institutions that we should make sure we take time to enjoy.
0:57:38 > 0:57:43And to find out how to cook the recipes in today's show, visit:
0:57:46 > 0:57:50..to discover some amazing facts about the history of food.
0:58:06 > 0:58:08Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd