0:00:02 > 0:00:06We believe Britain has the best food in the world.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11'Our glorious country boasts some fantastic ingredients.'
0:00:11 > 0:00:13Start eating it, will ye?
0:00:14 > 0:00:16It's home to amazing producers...
0:00:16 > 0:00:20- My goodness gracious. That is epic. - Isn't it?
0:00:20 > 0:00:22..and innovative chefs.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27But our islands also have a fascinating food history.
0:00:28 > 0:00:34The fish and chip shops of South Wales are running out of chips.
0:00:34 > 0:00:35BOTH: Yes!
0:00:35 > 0:00:40And in this series, we're uncovering revealing stories of our rich culinary past...
0:00:41 > 0:00:45Now, there is food history on a plate.
0:00:45 > 0:00:50..as well as meeting our nation's food heroes who are keeping this heritage alive.
0:00:50 > 0:00:51Let's have them enjoying themselves.
0:00:51 > 0:00:56It's a short life, let's make it a happy one like they always have had.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59And of course, we'll be cooking up a load of dishes
0:00:59 > 0:01:01that reveal our foodie evolution.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Spring, summer, autumn or winter, it's brilliant.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10BOTH: Quite simply, the best of British.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Without doubt the vegetable that has made the greatest
0:01:31 > 0:01:35- impact on the way us Brits eat is, you've guessed it...- The potato.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39Discovered in Peru by the Spanish conquistadors in 1532,
0:01:39 > 0:01:44this uber tuber didn't reach our shores until 1600.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48But it took a further 200 years for the humble spud to make
0:01:48 > 0:01:51the transition from being a curiosity for the gentry
0:01:51 > 0:01:54to being an important part of our nutrition.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57But once we got our teeth into it, there was no stopping us,
0:01:57 > 0:01:59and it took over.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03And to this day it is without doubt a national treasure.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06So today's show is a celebration of the potato -
0:02:06 > 0:02:10its history, its versatility, its sheer deliciousness,
0:02:10 > 0:02:13and, of course, how it became central to our cuisine.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21The potato's importance to the British diet isn't simply
0:02:21 > 0:02:25explained through our addiction to chips, crisps and mashed taters.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28Eating this, it's like culinary meditation.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32Because our love of spuds has seen our creative nation
0:02:32 > 0:02:36adapt potatoes into a bewildering array of dishes and products.
0:02:36 > 0:02:41Your barometer of comfort food is going to need to be reset.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44So, as well as playing a big role in supplying our nation with
0:02:44 > 0:02:47the carbs it needs to go about its day-to-day business...
0:02:47 > 0:02:51..the potato has become the vegetable staple
0:02:51 > 0:02:53on which we hang many of our meals.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55And we grow tonnes of them.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06This immense popularity sees many farmers in the UK focus on a handful
0:03:06 > 0:03:11of dependable, familiar varieties that now dominate our diets.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14But it's not always been this way.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18Well, we're in my neck of the woods
0:03:18 > 0:03:21in beautiful Northumberland to visit some old friends who have
0:03:21 > 0:03:26dedicated their lives to the history and heritage of the potato.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29And when most of us think of the humble spud,
0:03:29 > 0:03:33we think of King Edwards, Maris Piper or the odd Jersey Royal.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37But not long ago, the potato was a much more interesting
0:03:37 > 0:03:38and diverse vegetable.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43'So, we're here with one of our favourite British potato
0:03:43 > 0:03:46'producers, Anthony Carroll, to look into the history
0:03:46 > 0:03:49'of our favourite staple, the great British spud.'
0:03:49 > 0:03:51Now there's a definition of a farmer -
0:03:51 > 0:03:55a man outstanding in his field. Hello, mate. Good to see you.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58- Good to see you.- How are you? - Nice to see you again.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01Anthony, you are so passionate about British potatoes -
0:04:01 > 0:04:03where did that passion start?
0:04:03 > 0:04:07It originally started by us growing a few potatoes in the garden,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10and then as we got into them we found these wonderful old varieties
0:04:10 > 0:04:14that are no longer commercial in that they don't yield very much,
0:04:14 > 0:04:15they are difficult to grow.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19But they give you so much more. The effort is really worth
0:04:19 > 0:04:23growing these old varieties. You get texture, flavour, colour - it's just fabulous.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26You know, potatoes are so much part of the British heritage,
0:04:26 > 0:04:28and you're keeping that heritage alive.
0:04:28 > 0:04:33Britain has a wonderful heritage of growing new varieties of potatoes.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36It started way back. The great Victorian houses
0:04:36 > 0:04:39and estates of the country grew potatoes not for yield,
0:04:39 > 0:04:41but for their guests, for their friends,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44and therefore taste, flavour, texture
0:04:44 > 0:04:47was really key to what they were trying to achieve.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51And then we had world wars, and the issue with that was
0:04:51 > 0:04:54feeding the population became more important than what
0:04:54 > 0:04:56they tasted like or whatever,
0:04:56 > 0:05:00so yield and ease of harvesting became more important,
0:05:00 > 0:05:04and we lost a lot of the traits that were there in the earlier growing.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07So therefore, we are trying to bring some of that back again, saying
0:05:07 > 0:05:11the other varieties are fine, commercial varieties are very good, they are cheap, wholesome,
0:05:11 > 0:05:14but we have left these wonderful heritage varieties behind.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21'The best way to experiment with some of these lesser-known varieties
0:05:21 > 0:05:23'is to grow them in your own garden,
0:05:23 > 0:05:26'where the fun of digging them up never diminishes.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28'It's like digging for buried treasure.'
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Gem hunting, isn't it?
0:05:31 > 0:05:35- Wow!- Look at these! - There's hundreds!
0:05:35 > 0:05:38- Ho-ho!- Oh, man! - They're like rubies, aren't they?
0:05:38 > 0:05:40I love this, it's like vegetable fishing.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44They are a fantastic variety of potatoes called Red Duke Of York,
0:05:44 > 0:05:46and they are quite prolific.
0:05:47 > 0:05:52- Oh, yes!- Everywhere you look, you strike gold. Well, Duke Of Yorks.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56These...are fantastic potatoes.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00You can keep digging. There's three or four more acres for you to go at.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Well, at least spuds would be the type of food that gives us
0:06:06 > 0:06:08the energy to do just that.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11Easily grown, cheap, high in vitamins and minerals,
0:06:11 > 0:06:13and amazingly nutrient rich.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16You can see how the potato became an important food source
0:06:16 > 0:06:18as the UK industrialised.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24Back at the farmhouse, Anthony's wife Lucy has cooked up a few dishes
0:06:24 > 0:06:28to demonstrate the cooking qualities of these wondrous spuds.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30That smells good!
0:06:30 > 0:06:34'To start with, she's recreated a classic working-class dish
0:06:34 > 0:06:39'of potatoes, onions, cheese and butter Kingy will be more than familiar with.'
0:06:39 > 0:06:42- What have we got, Lucy? - Well, we've got pan haggerty.- Yes.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45A traditional north-east dish which I thought you might appreciate.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48- Oh, you two! Go on. - SIMON LAUGHS
0:06:48 > 0:06:51There is as many ways of cooking pan haggerty as there are houses
0:06:51 > 0:06:54in the north-east, isn't there? And this is your way of doing it, is it?
0:06:54 > 0:06:55- Yes, yes.- Brilliant.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58But it's fairly simple. There's no extras in it.
0:06:58 > 0:07:03I haven't added cabbage or bacon or any extras, no.
0:07:03 > 0:07:04BOTH: Ahh!
0:07:04 > 0:07:07- Lucy, what variety of potato is in the pan haggerty? - Red King Edwards.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13Pan haggerty, made with heritage varieties like these,
0:07:13 > 0:07:18would have provided a cheap and nutritious meal for coal miners and shipbuilders from these parts,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21who made Britain the industrial powerhouse of the world.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30And this is the traditional way to eat it, isn't it, Lucy?
0:07:30 > 0:07:32- Out the pan. - Out the pan, absolutely.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41The potatoes are so tasty, it's just heaven.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45- It's lovely. It works, doesn't it? - Good.- Great.- Lovely.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48- It looks so good as well with the red skin on.- Yes. Kept the skin on.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51That's where the nutrition is. And the flavour, as well.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54'But you don't just get great tasting dishes out of these heritage
0:07:54 > 0:07:57'spuds - you get colourful ones, too.'
0:07:57 > 0:08:02This is a salad dish, a tricolour of heritage potatoes.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04These are them cooked.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08Red Duke Of York, Salad Blue, and Pink Fir Apple.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13It's known variations in the potato go back to its distant origins
0:08:13 > 0:08:16in South America where they were originally cultivated.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21Such variations have been further enhanced by growers in the UK
0:08:21 > 0:08:24where, with the help of more advanced plant breeding techniques,
0:08:24 > 0:08:29they were able to breed for interest and idiosyncrasies in their potatoes.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32And a sapphire blue spud is bound to give you
0:08:32 > 0:08:35a bit of notoriety among your peers.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37'I wonder what it tastes like.'
0:08:37 > 0:08:41That blue potato, there's far more to it than just the colour.
0:08:41 > 0:08:42The flavour is great.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45And although they are called Salad Blue, in fact
0:08:45 > 0:08:49they are quite dry and floury, you can see they are not very waxy.
0:08:49 > 0:08:55- Yeah.- So they are good for baking and roasting as well as in salads.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58I've just had a Red Duke, Dave. Absolutely fabulous.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02It's just really simple ingredients, but the quality of them make the dish.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04- Yeah, they all have their own flavours.- Yeah.- Mmm.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06You know, it's funny, with mass production
0:09:06 > 0:09:10and homogenisation of potatoes, I think we began to take the
0:09:10 > 0:09:14humble potato for granted, and it's got far more to offer than that.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25Lucy's delicious pan haggerty has inspired us to revive another
0:09:25 > 0:09:29northern working-class potato recipe that we know you'll love.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33It's a Best Of British classic - it's a butter potato pie.
0:09:33 > 0:09:39Dave, exactly that. Butter potato. What goes with potatoes? Butter.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42Traditionally they were served in Lancashire and eaten on a Friday.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44If you didn't have fish,
0:09:44 > 0:09:46being a Catholic you could still have your meat-free Friday,
0:09:46 > 0:09:50and thus the butter potato pie became a treat.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53We're going to do a mushroom gravy which is brilliant with this,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56but this is all about potatoes.
0:09:58 > 0:10:03We're going to do these in five-millimetre slices.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06Meanwhile, I'm going to think ahead to the gravy.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09I'm going to soak some dried mushrooms in vegetable stock.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13'For your stock, either add a couple of teaspoons of bouillon,
0:10:13 > 0:10:16'or one vegetable stock cube to half a pint of water.'
0:10:18 > 0:10:20Pour that over a little pan of dried mushrooms.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23These are just the ordinary ones you get from the supermarket,
0:10:23 > 0:10:25nothing highfalutin.
0:10:25 > 0:10:26- You know, Kingy?- What?
0:10:26 > 0:10:30In 1995, the potato became the first vegetable
0:10:30 > 0:10:33to be grown in outer space.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35But what for?
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Yeah, but, one day when we're going to other planets,
0:10:38 > 0:10:41when we're travelling across the universe, you might want some chips.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46- Yeah.- Never mind.- Must get on.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50Take one onion, slice it finely and saute it in butter and oil
0:10:50 > 0:10:52until it's unctuous, golden and brown.
0:10:55 > 0:11:00Now, put these potatoes in boiling water and cook until tender,
0:11:00 > 0:11:02which should be about four to five minutes.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07Take some butter, put that in a pan and add some oil.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10Olive oil is good for this. And then just saute down the onion.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12A little toaty toat of salt, Mr Myres?
0:11:12 > 0:11:13Yeah. Not too much.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19'Just as your uber tubers soften,
0:11:19 > 0:11:22'drain and cool under a tap to stop cooking.'
0:11:22 > 0:11:26'Cooking completion will occur when the pie is in the oven.'
0:11:26 > 0:11:29We've got a great relationship with potatoes, us Brits, haven't we?
0:11:29 > 0:11:31I mean, we absolutely love them.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33They are a staple in our everyday diet.
0:11:33 > 0:11:34Oh, aye.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37Well, in Ireland, of course, the potato famine,
0:11:37 > 0:11:40it weren't just a staple of the diet, life depended on the potato.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44- It did. - The potato blight killed millions.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48And you know, Kingy, during the Klondike gold rush in Alaska in 1897,
0:11:48 > 0:11:51potatoes were literally worth their weight in gold
0:11:51 > 0:11:54because of their content for vitamin C.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58- Hence the potato variety... - BOTH: Yukon Gold!
0:12:00 > 0:12:05- Si?- Yes, mate? - I think these onions are just right. They are just beginning to catch.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09- Should I make the pastry? - Yeah, go on.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12You know, we're just going to do a cheesy pastry.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16'This is an appliance-assisted really quick, tasty pastry.'
0:12:17 > 0:12:20'Simply whiz up 50 grams of grated cheddar cheese
0:12:20 > 0:12:24'and 170 grams of butter with 350 grams of plain flour.'
0:12:26 > 0:12:31'And blend away until it resembles something akin to fine breadcrumbs.'
0:12:32 > 0:12:35'Now beat an egg with a tablespoon of water.'
0:12:38 > 0:12:41'Gently add until your mixture begins to form a ball.'
0:12:41 > 0:12:44Go a bit steady, because some eggs are bigger than others,
0:12:44 > 0:12:48and you may end up with your pastry being too soft.
0:12:51 > 0:12:52There you go, look!
0:12:52 > 0:12:56- I used to do impressions of kitchen appliances, you know.- Did you?
0:12:56 > 0:12:59- Yeah, what's this one, Kingy?- What?
0:13:01 > 0:13:03Steamer. Er...
0:13:05 > 0:13:06Pop-up toaster.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11'Thankfully, ladies and gents, we're done with the appliances
0:13:11 > 0:13:12'and the impressions.'
0:13:13 > 0:13:16'Using hands, we knead the pastry into a ball,
0:13:16 > 0:13:18'putting a third to one side to use as a lid.'
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Think that should be enough.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25'Roll out the rest, remembering to turn it regularly.'
0:13:25 > 0:13:27Now, I'm just going to butter this dish.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29Give it a right good going over.
0:13:29 > 0:13:35What we must do is put an oven tray in the oven now to preheat,
0:13:35 > 0:13:39and this is the secret to getting a crispy base to your pie.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43You put the pie dish onto a hot oven tray.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46That'll be hot, bottom gets hot, pastry gets cooked.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53Place your pastry over your pin, like so. Pop that back...
0:13:56 > 0:13:59..then just press it quite firmly into there
0:13:59 > 0:14:04and leave the edge over hanging, because we'll deal with that later.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07'Prick your base and press out the air bubbles.'
0:14:07 > 0:14:09Let's build pie!
0:14:09 > 0:14:12- First step, a layer of potatoes. - Indeedy!
0:14:12 > 0:14:13A third of the potatoes.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18What we do, take our now cool potatoes
0:14:18 > 0:14:20and just put them in the pie.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24- There we are.- Pepper...
0:14:27 > 0:14:30..and salt. Dot with butter.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35Pop on half the onions.
0:14:35 > 0:14:40Now, this is a well-packed pie. We want it to grow.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44- Another layer of potatoes. - Season between each layer.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48More butter, and now the rest of the onions.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52Then finish off with the rest of the potato.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01We need quite a big lid, because obviously it's got to stretch
0:15:01 > 0:15:04over that potato, like the shirt on a fat bloke's tummy.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11- Good, good eggy wash. - It's pastry glue, isn't it?- It is.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19Beautiful. Firm press.
0:15:19 > 0:15:20Tell you what, mate,
0:15:20 > 0:15:23it looks like blackbirds are going to fly out of that pie any minute.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25'We'll trim off this extra pastry.'
0:15:25 > 0:15:28- HUSKILY:- It's all yours.- Thank you.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32'And hand over to Si, and he can do his thing.'
0:15:32 > 0:15:33You're good at crimping.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35I know. I don't know where it comes from.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39- It's just one of them things. Aye. - Beautiful.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45'Stick two air holes in the lid to allow the steam to escape.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48'Finally, an eggy wash to glaze,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51'and our picture-perfect potato pie is ready for the oven.'
0:15:54 > 0:15:57- That's a pie! - It's a fairy-tale pie.- Yeah.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00Oven, 180 degrees for about 40 minutes.
0:16:00 > 0:16:05On a hot oven tray, which will mean we'll get a crispy bottom.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07See you later.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10- Right, mushroom gravy. - I'll chop the mushrooms.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Now, for the gravy, you'll need about ten mushrooms.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16Look at these beautiful chestnut mushrooms. How gorgeous.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19And what we are going to do is just slice them.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23'We'll saute these fresh mushrooms in butter and olive oil for five minutes.'
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Right, mate, they are nice and soft.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30Right-ho. So we need a tablespoon of flour.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33'Mix in thoroughly.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36'Drain and chop our rehydrated mushrooms.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40'Gradually add the liquid to the gravy.'
0:16:40 > 0:16:44We don't want it too thick, we don't want it too thin either, do we?
0:16:44 > 0:16:46No, just needs to be...of gravy consistency.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51'Drop in your rehydrated mushrooms.'
0:16:51 > 0:16:53A bit more juice.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58'If you're fancy, add some chopped chives.'
0:16:58 > 0:17:03- And I think the pie is done. - Excellent.- Ho-ho!
0:17:04 > 0:17:06Cow pie without the horns.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08It's a thing of beauty, dude.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13What a wonderful midweek family meal.
0:17:13 > 0:17:14BOTH: It's a shame to cut it.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21It's a pie that's not short on filling, and think,
0:17:21 > 0:17:23that pastry is cheesy and yummy and unctuous.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30- Oh, mate. - Just a little noggin of spinach.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35- Gravy.- Gravy.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41- Oh, man.- Main event potato.
0:17:42 > 0:17:47- Oh! Heaven.- It's hot, comforting, delicious.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49And I think it has made, genuinely,
0:17:49 > 0:17:54the potato the main event in what really is an old English classic.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58- That mushroom gravy is fab. - And that pastry is brilliant.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10Potatoes - they are more than just a part of our culinary heritage,
0:18:10 > 0:18:13they are at the very root of our very way of life.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17And when that comes under threat, it demands drastic action.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21Which is why, back in 1962, intrepid reporter Alan Wicker
0:18:21 > 0:18:25didn't think twice about jumping on a train to head into deepest Wales.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31I've come here to report upon a crisis which affects
0:18:31 > 0:18:34every home in this land.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37The very foundations of the economy are threatened,
0:18:37 > 0:18:42and you'll understand why there is this general national alarm
0:18:42 > 0:18:48when I tell you that the fish and chip shops of South Wales
0:18:48 > 0:18:50are running out of chips.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55Howay, man - it cannae be that bad!
0:18:55 > 0:18:58It's only a few chips.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00If you don't immediately realise the gravity of this disaster,
0:19:00 > 0:19:03just think of Italy without spaghetti,
0:19:03 > 0:19:05China without rice, France without wine.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07Oh... Well, if you put it like that.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11The only thing that would be worse is Newcastle without the stottie.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15Here the fish and chip shop is the pillar upon which society rests.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17Blame the winter for this catastrophe.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20Seed potatoes have been frozen and killed in the ground.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22The New Jersey crop has been set back,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25and Welsh friers must wait for the new potatoes.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27# Won't somebody tell me
0:19:27 > 0:19:32# How you say goodbye to someone that you really love
0:19:32 > 0:19:34# That you can't have? #
0:19:34 > 0:19:38Back in the '60s, there were between 13,000 and 14,000
0:19:38 > 0:19:42chippies in Britain, with a turnover of more than £1 million a week.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45But in a world of chips, Cymru was the capital.
0:19:46 > 0:19:52Nowhere are so many chips consumed by so few people as here in Wales.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55There are 760 fish and chip shops in South Wales,
0:19:55 > 0:19:58or one for every 2,000 of the population,
0:19:58 > 0:20:01and they provide the main meal of the day for countless families.
0:20:01 > 0:20:06The 69 chipperies frying tonight in Cardiff alone will each get through
0:20:06 > 0:20:09five to ten 100-weight sacks of potatoes, and the price has
0:20:09 > 0:20:13gone up from around 10 shillings a sack to more than 40 shillings.
0:20:14 > 0:20:19For a land at the time dominated by heavy industry like steel production and coal-mining,
0:20:19 > 0:20:23the workers relied on potatoes as a cheap and tasty source of fuel.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30But in the light of the shortage, it looked as though the chips
0:20:30 > 0:20:34were down for the Welsh, and they braced themselves for the worst.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37The Welsh Area Council of the National Federation Of Fish Friers
0:20:37 > 0:20:40has said that if they can't get potatoes for the next ten weeks,
0:20:40 > 0:20:44South Wales will have to revolutionise its eating habits.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49But these tough South Walians weren't going to give up
0:20:49 > 0:20:53without a fight, and novelist and playwright Gwyn Thomas
0:20:53 > 0:20:56gave his own impassioned take on the situation.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59We've taken such a number of beatings in our time.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02National identity lost, the language lost,
0:21:02 > 0:21:04a large part of the religion lost, but I think we'll put on
0:21:04 > 0:21:08a Custer's Last Stand for the potato and the chip.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11We have relied very largely upon this strange vegetable
0:21:11 > 0:21:14for our kind of climactic stiffness.
0:21:14 > 0:21:19The chip is what music is to the Italians and statues to the Greeks.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22This is the great culmination of human experience.
0:21:22 > 0:21:27The chip, this warm, savoury thing which will never betray you as adultery might,
0:21:27 > 0:21:32which will never inspire you unduly as art might, the chip is the chip.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34It is life itself.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39Oh! The only way that could have been more rousing is
0:21:39 > 0:21:42if it had been sunk by a full male voice choir.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46Thankfully, in the end the crisis was averted
0:21:46 > 0:21:49when Britain managed to import potatoes from Europe.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54- And the chip shops of Wales lived to fry another day.- Oh, phew!
0:22:00 > 0:22:02We might have had to swallow our national pride
0:22:02 > 0:22:05to import our favourite veg from abroad...
0:22:05 > 0:22:10..but thankfully these days there are plenty of potatoes to go around.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14And we are getting very inventive on how to use them.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Herefordshire - the beating heart of rural England...
0:22:25 > 0:22:29..a county deeply connected with supplying the British with food
0:22:29 > 0:22:31and drink of all varieties.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35Whether it's hops for beer, apples for cider or cattle for beef,
0:22:35 > 0:22:38Herefordshire's soils have underpinned
0:22:38 > 0:22:42the existence of some of the most famous foodstuffs.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45William Chase is a maverick farmer who realised its soil also had
0:22:45 > 0:22:47untapped potential for the humble potato.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53Where potatoes are traditionally grown in the fens, a lot of disease had built up.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56But Herefordshire was a relatively new area for potatoes,
0:22:56 > 0:22:59so we could find virgin land that had never grown potatoes before
0:22:59 > 0:23:04that could grow these beautiful, creamy, smooth cosmetically wonderful potatoes.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09Little did he know that his super spuds one day would be providing
0:23:09 > 0:23:13the key ingredient to what has recently been judged
0:23:13 > 0:23:14the world's best vodka.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18So it started with growing potatoes for supermarkets.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20Learned how to grow them, learned how to farm.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22Then started turning them into potato chips.
0:23:22 > 0:23:27Then, travelling around the world looking for equipment for the chips, I actually discovered potato vodka.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30And I always thought vodka tasted of nothing,
0:23:30 > 0:23:33paint remover or nail varnish remover, so when I discovered
0:23:33 > 0:23:36real potato vodka, I was so amazed with it I thought, "I'd love to make this."
0:23:36 > 0:23:39'And the more I researched it and tasted different
0:23:39 > 0:23:41'products around the world, I found that we could actually make
0:23:41 > 0:23:44'a better product, because it is all down in the taste of the potatoes.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52'Our preferred variety is Lady Claire or Rosetta or the varieties they
0:23:52 > 0:23:55'use mainly for the crisping market, because they are like bullets.'
0:23:55 > 0:23:59They are very hard, tough potatoes. If you cut them up and boil them, you could boil them for hours
0:23:59 > 0:24:03and they wouldn't dissolve into the water. These are really robust potatoes.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07Because they've got so much starch, they are so intense with flavour,
0:24:07 > 0:24:11with the Herefordshire soil as well, combine those two,
0:24:11 > 0:24:13those varieties make fantastic tasting vodka.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20But to get everybody else believing us Brits can make great vodka,
0:24:20 > 0:24:23William entered his product to be judged in the ultimate
0:24:23 > 0:24:26international drinks competition.
0:24:26 > 0:24:31One thing for us, which was the San Francisco World Spirits Competition
0:24:31 > 0:24:33because it's totally unbiased.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37They have about 250 entrants in white spirits, in vodka alone, a year,
0:24:37 > 0:24:40and then we won that, and we actually won the double gold,
0:24:40 > 0:24:42we won the highest level that you can possibly get.
0:24:42 > 0:24:47It's almost like crowning it, like giving it an endorsement that it is good. It is the best.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52And though us Brits have been drinking it widely since the 1920s
0:24:52 > 0:24:54and making grain-based vodka since the 1940s,
0:24:54 > 0:24:59the wonder of converting a soily spud into the best
0:24:59 > 0:25:02vodka in the world in the heart of the English countryside
0:25:02 > 0:25:04has always got people interested.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14The distillery regularly holds tours to show people how it's done,
0:25:14 > 0:25:17and Jamie Baggott is the man in charge of putting
0:25:17 > 0:25:20the essence of Hereford potatoes into a world-class vodka.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24We process around 60 tonne of potatoes a week.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27We peel the potatoes, they then come out of a hopper into
0:25:27 > 0:25:31a progressive pump which chops the potatoes in different stages,
0:25:31 > 0:25:36squashes them, and everything is eventually forced through a five-millimetre plate.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39That then goes into our mash vessel where we directly
0:25:39 > 0:25:42inject it with steam to start heating the process up.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46And what we basically try to do is make mashed potato.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48To this mash, they add yeasty enzymes,
0:25:48 > 0:25:52and after about a week of fermentation, you get this.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56- So, this is the world's worst potato wine. - THEY LAUGH
0:25:56 > 0:25:58And that's what we're trying to create.
0:25:58 > 0:26:03So the next stage really is to get the alcohol out of the potato mash, OK?
0:26:03 > 0:26:05And that's where the stripper comes in.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09Ho-ho! Nothing to get steamed up about, viewers.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12It's a technical term describing how the alcohol is
0:26:12 > 0:26:14extracted from this potato wine.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17So, that's your spirit, that's around 80% alcohol,
0:26:17 > 0:26:22if you want to have a smell. You've heard of moonshine or potcheen, basically that's what that is.
0:26:22 > 0:26:23THEY LAUGH
0:26:23 > 0:26:28At this stage, the only thing that this moonshine will be stripping is paint.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32But what makes this potato vodka outstanding is some unique machinery.
0:26:33 > 0:26:38We have got the largest fully copper rectification column in Europe,
0:26:38 > 0:26:41possibly the world. We don't know of any that are bigger.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43Bigger is better in this game,
0:26:43 > 0:26:46as what this rectifier has put right is alcohol.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Raw alcohol needs impurities removing,
0:26:48 > 0:26:52and the purer it is, the better the potato vodka.
0:26:52 > 0:26:57You think most vodka manufacturers use triple distillation,
0:26:57 > 0:27:01we actually pass through 25 distillations at the raw end of the vodka production,
0:27:01 > 0:27:08and once it gets into our rectification column, it goes through in total another 94 times.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10So altogether we've got 119 distillations going on,
0:27:10 > 0:27:15and if you can imagine, each time it distils, it leaves a little bit more impurity behind.
0:27:15 > 0:27:20Because of the height of the rectification column, we get to 96.7% purity.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23Within those 3.3% that we can't convert,
0:27:23 > 0:27:26there are some bitter tastes that you'd need a very good palate
0:27:26 > 0:27:28to distinguish, but we go to even further lengths
0:27:28 > 0:27:33then to carbon treat, and to 11 times filter our vodka
0:27:33 > 0:27:36while we're chilling it to get rid of those bitter notes,
0:27:36 > 0:27:38to leave this beautiful spirit behind with only
0:27:38 > 0:27:40the tastes that we want to be in there.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44And it defines our vodka as one of the most unique ones out there in the market.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48Many premium vodkas are actually distilled less than
0:27:48 > 0:27:53half a dozen times, so you can appreciate the extra lengths they go to here.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56But the real skill is bringing those creamy potato flavours out
0:27:56 > 0:27:59in the finished product.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03Not only can you drink it cold as everybody else does and neat,
0:28:03 > 0:28:06the flavour is good enough to actually let the vodka go a little
0:28:06 > 0:28:10bit warm, and then you really start to appreciate the nuances of taste.
0:28:10 > 0:28:15It's like a sweet, almost buttery mash taste on the side of the palate.
0:28:17 > 0:28:22It's really hard to put your finger on, but you can tell it's there.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24A lot of people think you could never drink vodka neat.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28You think of it as something that catches in your throat and it's... Urgh!
0:28:28 > 0:28:32But you can just drink it neat like you would a fine malt whisky, and enjoy it as it is.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34You could quite happily just sip it.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37We should just be proud of it, that we're making the vodka,
0:28:37 > 0:28:39and it's the best vodka in the world.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42That's the one thing that I really like is the fact that it's
0:28:42 > 0:28:47totally British, and it's actually making something very, very sexy out of a humble potato.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52And I don't think you can get more versatile than that.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59Sexy as they may be, Kingy, potatoes are probably most people's
0:28:59 > 0:29:03first port of call when it comes to a bit of comfort fodder.
0:29:05 > 0:29:09Wait till you've tasted our cobbler. Our potato cobbler.
0:29:09 > 0:29:13It is epic, and I tell you something, once you have tasted it,
0:29:13 > 0:29:17your barometer of comfort food is going to need to be reset,
0:29:17 > 0:29:19because it's that good.
0:29:19 > 0:29:24This dish, it's a chicken casserole surmounted by potato cobblers.
0:29:26 > 0:29:31In this pan, I have got some potatoes which have been diced.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34I'm going to boil them till they are soft and then we're going to mash them.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37And that mashed potato, pure and simple,
0:29:37 > 0:29:40is what we use as the basis of the cobblers.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45'With the all-important spuds under way, we can bat on with the rest of the veg.'
0:29:45 > 0:29:51'Two large onions, three good-sized carrots and three sticks of celery.'
0:29:54 > 0:29:55'Whilst Dave is on veg duties,
0:29:55 > 0:29:58'I'll quarter eight boneless chicken thighs
0:29:58 > 0:30:00'and season with salt and pepper.'
0:30:03 > 0:30:05Chicken thighs are fantastic for casseroling.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07They are juicier than the breasts.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09Now, what we want to do in a hot pan with some oil,
0:30:09 > 0:30:12we are going to fry these off in batches,
0:30:12 > 0:30:16just to put some colour on them so our casserole looks fabulous -
0:30:16 > 0:30:18it adds into the flavour.
0:30:18 > 0:30:23That's the other thing, make sure that your pan is at the temperature to sizzle.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28Now, you see, I like my dumplings submerged so that they are,
0:30:28 > 0:30:31like, kind of, mines, you know, bobbing up and down.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34But you like yours on the top and you finish them off under the grill.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36I love that cos it's soft and doughy at the bottom,
0:30:36 > 0:30:39and then on the top it's really nice and crisp and lovely and there's...
0:30:39 > 0:30:41Oh, I love it!
0:30:41 > 0:30:44As soon as that chicken has got a little bit of colour on it,
0:30:44 > 0:30:48take it out the frying pan and pop it into the casserole dish.
0:30:48 > 0:30:52Then fry the next batch of thighs.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54Do you know where the word casserole comes from, Si?
0:30:54 > 0:30:56No.
0:30:56 > 0:31:01It comes from the French "casse" which is a ladle-like saucepan.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03Well, there you go.
0:31:03 > 0:31:05But specifically a casserole is cooked in the oven,
0:31:05 > 0:31:09and a stew is cooked on the stove top.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11This is a casserole.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14I suppose a casserole, it's almost the definition of a one-pot wonder.
0:31:14 > 0:31:16Yes. Right, mate.
0:31:16 > 0:31:17Bit more oil.
0:31:18 > 0:31:23- The bacon.- The bacon.- That goes in now. Just let that oil heat a bit.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26- That's it. - It doesn't need to be crispy, this.
0:31:26 > 0:31:30It is there for flavour, and it's the fat we want out of it.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33To that we add the onion...
0:31:33 > 0:31:35and the celery.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37And we want to cook this together for about five minutes
0:31:37 > 0:31:42until it's nicely coloured, and then that goes into the casserole.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45# The mashed potato, yeah! #
0:31:46 > 0:31:49'By this time your potato will be ready for mashing.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51'A variety like the King Edward will give us
0:31:51 > 0:31:54'the floury, light texture we are after.'
0:31:54 > 0:31:57There is no butter and cream in this.
0:31:57 > 0:32:02The potato in this instance is used in its pure form.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05- Beautiful.- Right, mate.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07Button mushrooms in their entirety.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12Cook them down for about a minute,
0:32:12 > 0:32:16and then add the entirety of this pan to that casserole dish.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23Now we toss in the carrots.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29- Now some stock. Shall we deglaze the pan?- Go on.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34- Might as well get what we can. - There's always something left, isn't there?- Yep.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39- Put that in there. - The rest of the stock.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45A tin of tomatoes. One bay leaf.
0:32:46 > 0:32:51And two teaspoons of dried thyme.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54Take a spoon, give it a good stir.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57So what we do now is, we bring that to a gentle simmer.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59When it starts to bubble away, we put it into a preheated oven,
0:32:59 > 0:33:04180 degrees Celsius for a fan oven for about 30 minutes.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07During that time we can get on and make the cobblers.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14Why is a cobbler called a cobbler, though?
0:33:14 > 0:33:18- Well, I have heard a couple of things. One is to cobble something together.- Yeah.
0:33:18 > 0:33:23But I think it's because when it's laid on top of the dish it looks like cobblestones.
0:33:24 > 0:33:29'Combined with our potatoes we've got about 250 grams of self-raising flour.'
0:33:29 > 0:33:33'To which we'll add 100 grams of butter cut into cubes.'
0:33:33 > 0:33:37A pinch of salt, and with clean hands rub it in.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40Just keep working that butter through, and it's great this.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42Actually, it's good doing it with your hands,
0:33:42 > 0:33:44because you get air in the flour as well.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47Because a light cobbler is a happy cobbler.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51Just keep going until we've got these lovely, buttery crumbs.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57Now we rub in the mashed potato.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00# The mashed potato, yeah!
0:34:00 > 0:34:03# Oh, yeah! Oh, yeah! #
0:34:03 > 0:34:06It's beginning to feel really doughy. Now add some milk.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12'Then we had some milk. Keep adding until you make a soft smooth dough.'
0:34:15 > 0:34:16Now pop this onto a board.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21Now, there's enough there for 12 cobblers. That's six pairs.
0:34:21 > 0:34:25And we want to form it into, like, a roly-poly.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29About five centimetres across and cut.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35'Now divide your dough sausage into 12 cobbles.'
0:34:35 > 0:34:37Cobbler one.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40Cobbler number two.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45Look, already that self-raising flour is beginning to expand,
0:34:45 > 0:34:47even with the heat of the occasion.
0:34:49 > 0:34:54- Just form them. And they do look like cobblestones.- They do.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57It's like Coronation Street on a plate.
0:34:57 > 0:35:01Right, I think that's about time to tackle stage two with the casserole.
0:35:01 > 0:35:02Excellent.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07- Hope we're ready.- Yes.- Oh! Wowzer!
0:35:07 > 0:35:09- Marvellous. - Seasoning first, eh?- Yes.
0:35:11 > 0:35:15- Not far off.- Not far off. Little bit of salt, little bit of pepper.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21If we were to put our cobblers on that, they could sink.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24'And as much as I like a succulent sinker,
0:35:24 > 0:35:28'these cobblers are designed to stay afloat.'
0:35:28 > 0:35:31'So, to thicken up the gravy will add somewhat to
0:35:31 > 0:35:32'a tablespoon of cornflour.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36'And Dave can chop up a couple of leeks.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39'We're adding the last or else they'll be boiled to oblivion.'
0:35:39 > 0:35:41Right, so we'll just add the cornflour and water
0:35:41 > 0:35:45to the casserole dish, stir it in, and that will thicken it.
0:35:45 > 0:35:50Has that thickened up? Lovely. Lovely. Pop in the leeks.
0:35:50 > 0:35:53This really is a one-pot dish.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56You've got all the veggies you want, you've got your potatoes,
0:35:56 > 0:35:58in the kind of dumplings on the top.
0:35:58 > 0:36:02- This is it.- Just push them in.
0:36:02 > 0:36:07- And now...- Because my friend here used to lay pavements...- I did.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10..in Gateshead high Street...
0:36:10 > 0:36:11SI CHUCKLES
0:36:11 > 0:36:15..I think it's quite appropriate that he should lay the culinary paving slabs.
0:36:15 > 0:36:16- Should I?- Over to you.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20'Hopefully this floaty, light potato paving will give us
0:36:20 > 0:36:22'the crunchy crust I'm after.'
0:36:22 > 0:36:26- This is going to be brilliant. - Don't worry about them overlapping.
0:36:26 > 0:36:28- No, don't.- Overlapping is a good thing.- Certainly is.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33- It is like a potato duvet, isn't it? - It's lush, I love it.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35Beautiful thing.
0:36:37 > 0:36:41Pop that back into the oven, which is 180 degrees Celsius for a fan oven,
0:36:41 > 0:36:44for a further half hour with the lid off,
0:36:44 > 0:36:49and your cobblers will be golden and fluffy and high as a kite.
0:36:49 > 0:36:50Oh, man!
0:36:53 > 0:36:54Huzzah!
0:36:56 > 0:36:58- Let's have a potato off.- Right. - Right.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00- Yukon Gold.- Arran Victory.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03- King Edwards.- Sunbeam.- Redskins.
0:37:03 > 0:37:07- Cyprus.- Charlotte.- Maris Piper.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09Oh, you win.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11Could've had a Dunbar Rover.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20Oh!
0:37:20 > 0:37:24- Wait till you see this.- It's all right. There's a couple of sinkers.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26Other than that, we're laughing.
0:37:30 > 0:37:31Oh, man!
0:37:33 > 0:37:35- And you know what, Kingy?- Yes, mate?
0:37:35 > 0:37:38Just steamed off a little bit of cavolo nero.
0:37:38 > 0:37:42- We don't need it, just a little bit of colour.- Why-aye, why-aye.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51Now remember, it's potato.
0:37:53 > 0:37:54Look at this.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01Oh, man! Beautiful.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11- Ooh, they're light, aren't they? - Aren't they just?
0:38:11 > 0:38:17Look at that, look - a forkful of perfect potato cobbler-ness.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24They're great, aren't they? It's so comforting.
0:38:24 > 0:38:29Eating this, it's like culinary meditation, isn't it?
0:38:29 > 0:38:33I think that's what the potato does. The potato's always there for you.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35There's a potato to suit all moods.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37But when you want an afternoon in front of the telly
0:38:37 > 0:38:42and a big sleep, make yourself a chicken casserole, cobbler-topped.
0:38:42 > 0:38:43Heaven.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54Whether baked, fried, boiled or roasted,
0:38:54 > 0:38:58the potato has provided us Brits with a solid savoury base on which
0:38:58 > 0:39:00to hang many of our main meals.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04Starchy and full of carbs, it's however been sparsely deployed
0:39:04 > 0:39:08in the pudding department - and perhaps with good reason?
0:39:12 > 0:39:15Jane and Fiona are two sisters who've specialised in the dark art
0:39:15 > 0:39:19of making cakes out of root vegetables.
0:39:19 > 0:39:24And if they can conjure up yet another of their fantastical creations out of the potato,
0:39:24 > 0:39:29they'll add yet another product line to their already impressive roster.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32- We've used beetroot, parsnip, carrot.- Sweet potato.
0:39:32 > 0:39:37The one we haven't used is the humble potato.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40Yes, we've shied away from that one a little bit, haven't we,
0:39:40 > 0:39:44because I think we're concerned that it might just be a little bit bland.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49Now we all know you can get chipping, roasting,
0:39:49 > 0:39:54mashing and baking potatoes, but what makes a good caking potato?
0:39:58 > 0:40:00Brian the local greengrocer has been supplying Jane and Fiona
0:40:00 > 0:40:04with their usual root veg order for years.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08Fortunately, when it comes to spuds, he knows his onions.
0:40:09 > 0:40:15Morning, Brian. Now, we're going to try a new cake based on potatoes.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18But we are just a little bit worried about the starch, so have we got
0:40:18 > 0:40:23something that's perhaps a little bit lower in starch and the others?
0:40:23 > 0:40:25- More floury would be your Shannon Red Skin.- Right.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28That's a good all-round potato.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31But imagine your chipping potatoes which would be your Victoria,
0:40:31 > 0:40:34and your Pipers, they'll be quite starchy potatoes.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36We're actually planning on doing a new one.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39Chocolate and potato and orange cake.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43- Honestly, Brian, it will be delicious.- Well, it sounds mingin'.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45Well, it's something...
0:40:45 > 0:40:49I like potatoes and chips on my Sunday dinner, nice bit of pork bit of chicken, beautiful.
0:40:49 > 0:40:52- Not in a cake. - Well we might just prove you wrong. - Well, you never know. You might.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55The proof of the pudding is in the eating, isn't it?
0:40:55 > 0:40:58- So we'll definitely give it a go. - Do you want to try some Shannon?
0:40:58 > 0:41:02- Yes, if you don't mind. - We'll take the Shannon.- OK.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04Brian might not like the sound of it,
0:41:04 > 0:41:08but we've actually got form on doing sweet things with spuds.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11Some of the earliest recipes using potatoes treat it
0:41:11 > 0:41:13more like a fruit than a vegetable.
0:41:15 > 0:41:16Back in the 1600s,
0:41:16 > 0:41:20the potato would have been a novelty item rather than a staple foodstuff.
0:41:20 > 0:41:26Recipes show gentry often combined them with rosewater, currants, raisins,
0:41:26 > 0:41:30cinnamon and sugar in a curious combination
0:41:30 > 0:41:32of sweet, savoury and spice.
0:41:34 > 0:41:38I'll be curious to try it, but fortunately the sisters are hoping
0:41:38 > 0:41:42to use their spuds in something we're all a bit more familiar with.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46What we're hoping to do is actually make potato, orange and chocolate cake.
0:41:46 > 0:41:51In theory it should be a nice cake because a chocolate orange cake always is lovely.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53But a chocolate, orange and potato cake?
0:41:53 > 0:41:55I'm sure it'll be delicious too.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58However, looking at it at the moment it doesn't look too good, does it?
0:41:58 > 0:42:00But it will do. It will.
0:42:00 > 0:42:04- They don't sound convinced, Kingy. - I'm not sure I am, mate.
0:42:04 > 0:42:06But sugary root veg like carrots and parsnips
0:42:06 > 0:42:08impart some interesting flavours,
0:42:08 > 0:42:13and, if used correctly, they bring other qualities to baked goods.
0:42:13 > 0:42:17They give the cake a certain moistness which is really, really nice.
0:42:17 > 0:42:21I also think that the potato will make a difference
0:42:21 > 0:42:23to the texture of the finished product.
0:42:23 > 0:42:27So would be to pop in the potato to the margarine
0:42:27 > 0:42:30and the demerara sugar that's already been creamed.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36You can see the potato is actually mixing in quite well.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38Can you not make it go a bit faster?
0:42:38 > 0:42:42No. It will all splosh out if I do that.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46So that mixture is great. We're still going to add flour.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49We're probably adding less than you normally would.
0:42:49 > 0:42:53I thought with the addition of the potato the texture would be a lot closer,
0:42:53 > 0:42:56it would just look heavier, but in actual fact, to me,
0:42:56 > 0:42:58this looks like a sponge cake, really.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05Yep, there are plenty of things that look nothing like a spud
0:43:05 > 0:43:07but have got potatoes in them.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12It's reckoned that less than 50% of potatoes
0:43:12 > 0:43:14grown worldwide are actually consumed fresh.
0:43:17 > 0:43:20Processed potato food products can include potato chips,
0:43:20 > 0:43:23noodles, hotdog sausages, even ice cream.
0:43:23 > 0:43:25But how will our potato cake turn out?
0:43:29 > 0:43:34- That's great. It's turned out, anyhow.- That's good. Really good.
0:43:34 > 0:43:36- Can I have a bit? - SHE LAUGHS
0:43:36 > 0:43:40- The moment of truth. - Hot chocolate potato cake.
0:43:40 > 0:43:42Really nice!
0:43:43 > 0:43:46But the proof is in the pudding, and the best way to see if this
0:43:46 > 0:43:51new recipes going to be a hit is to try it out on the local cafe crowd.
0:43:51 > 0:43:54I think it looks like a chocolate cake, so that's a good thing.
0:43:54 > 0:43:56It doesn't look like a potato anymore.
0:43:56 > 0:43:59So I'm hoping they'll just look at it and see it as a chocolate cake
0:43:59 > 0:44:02without even thinking about the potato.
0:44:07 > 0:44:08- Hi.- Surprise, surprise!
0:44:10 > 0:44:13Potato, orange and chocolate.
0:44:13 > 0:44:15Honest opinions, please.
0:44:15 > 0:44:17Still a little bit warm, mind.
0:44:21 > 0:44:23Mm! It's lovely.
0:44:23 > 0:44:28I would never have guessed there was potato in that cake. Not in a month of Sundays.
0:44:28 > 0:44:31- What my daughter would say was flavoursome.- Yeah.
0:44:31 > 0:44:36The second but probably went down as well as the first, actually. It was great.
0:44:36 > 0:44:39In the war my mother used to make potato cakes,
0:44:39 > 0:44:43but they were scones, so I thought it was going to be
0:44:43 > 0:44:47a cake like that that you put butter on, not a proper cake.
0:44:47 > 0:44:49But it worked so well.
0:44:49 > 0:44:52But will greengrocer Brian warm to the girls'
0:44:52 > 0:44:54novel use of his top-quality tatties?
0:44:54 > 0:44:57Like I said this morning, I though veg should be on a dinner plate,
0:44:57 > 0:45:00but that was really, really nice. I enjoyed it.
0:45:00 > 0:45:03Very light, fluffy beautiful cake.
0:45:03 > 0:45:06- I'll have another one of them from me.- Would you?- I would for me.
0:45:06 > 0:45:09- First on the list, then. - And I'll give you the tatties. - We'll start the list.
0:45:11 > 0:45:15We thought it was a very bland vegetable and a little bit boring.
0:45:15 > 0:45:19- We were wrong, weren't we?- We've been proved wrong, yes. Definitely.
0:45:22 > 0:45:26Mash up a spud and it'll successfully find its way into all sorts of dishes.
0:45:27 > 0:45:30And although the rich starch of potato
0:45:30 > 0:45:34has proven a fantastically adaptable foodstuff, us Brits are probably
0:45:34 > 0:45:38more fond of it in a form that we can identify with more clearly.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42Yet to us, the potato's most successful alter ego
0:45:42 > 0:45:46is the slightly slimmer stable mate of the chip, the crisp.
0:45:48 > 0:45:51It's estimated that we munch our way through
0:45:51 > 0:45:54over ten billion packets of crisps and savoury snacks a year.
0:45:54 > 0:45:57More than any other European country.
0:45:57 > 0:46:01And it's a love affair that's been going on for quite some time.
0:46:01 > 0:46:06They look good, they taste good, and as long as you don't eat too many,
0:46:06 > 0:46:10they may even do you just a little bit of good.
0:46:10 > 0:46:13Mmm, crisps aren't exactly known for their nutritional attributes,
0:46:13 > 0:46:17but they do taste good, and we Brits have always been suckers for them.
0:46:17 > 0:46:19- Do you like the taste of crisps? - Yeah.
0:46:19 > 0:46:22- And do you eat these type of things yourself?- Yes.
0:46:22 > 0:46:27- How often would you say you ate them?- Erm, every night.
0:46:27 > 0:46:30Even Blue Peter presenters were partial to a bag or two.
0:46:30 > 0:46:31I really like eating crisps
0:46:31 > 0:46:35and the other day, I actually discovered how they were invented.
0:46:35 > 0:46:36Apparently, so the story goes,
0:46:36 > 0:46:39it all started in America about 100 years ago
0:46:39 > 0:46:43when a very temperamental chef became so furious when his very fussy
0:46:43 > 0:46:46customer complained that his potato chips were too thick
0:46:46 > 0:46:51that he grabbed a knife and chopped them very, very, very wafer thin,
0:46:51 > 0:46:55and that, so the tale goes, is how crisps were born.
0:46:55 > 0:46:57Today, crisps are more popular than ever.
0:46:57 > 0:47:00Now, the potato chip might have been an American invention,
0:47:00 > 0:47:02but no-one did crisps quite like us Brits.
0:47:07 > 0:47:11Smith's began mass-producing them in individual packets,
0:47:11 > 0:47:14complete with a sachet of salt back in the '20s.
0:47:15 > 0:47:19But the business really took off in the years following World War II
0:47:19 > 0:47:24with the birth of a couple of giants - Golden Wonder in 1947,
0:47:24 > 0:47:25and Walker's in 1948.
0:47:25 > 0:47:29Golden Wonder was the first to come up with ready salted crisps,
0:47:29 > 0:47:31but it was the Irish brand Tayto
0:47:31 > 0:47:33which introduced Britain's favourite flavour -
0:47:33 > 0:47:35cheese and onion.
0:47:35 > 0:47:39These are the same crisps given a sprinkling of flavouring powder -
0:47:39 > 0:47:43bacon flavoured, cheese and onion, half a dozen different varieties.
0:47:43 > 0:47:461.25 million bags of crisps every day.
0:47:46 > 0:47:50And over the years, the crisp market just grew and grew.
0:47:50 > 0:47:52And to stop things getting stale,
0:47:52 > 0:47:55the companies were always searching for the next big thing.
0:47:59 > 0:48:02As a result of 12 months' intensive research,
0:48:02 > 0:48:05our technical boys have developed this potato ring.
0:48:05 > 0:48:08Gentleman, we've called it Hula Hoops!
0:48:08 > 0:48:11CIRCUS MUSIC PLAYS
0:48:15 > 0:48:17APPLAUSE
0:48:17 > 0:48:21Well, thank you very much, Sarah. It just shows what Finnish girls can do.
0:48:23 > 0:48:26Well, times have certainly changed
0:48:26 > 0:48:29but our passion for crisps is as strong as ever
0:48:29 > 0:48:32and that's because this little deep-fried beauty
0:48:32 > 0:48:35has been reinvented more times than Madonna.
0:48:35 > 0:48:37Sometimes more successfully than others.
0:48:37 > 0:48:38What flavour's that?
0:48:38 > 0:48:40- Crisp?- Hedgehog, you see.
0:48:40 > 0:48:43SHE SPITS
0:48:43 > 0:48:44Goodness gracious!
0:48:44 > 0:48:45LAUGHTER
0:48:47 > 0:48:50These days, the trend is for posh crisps
0:48:50 > 0:48:52with flavours like rock sea salt,
0:48:52 > 0:48:54- Balsamic vinegar.- Jalapeno.
0:48:54 > 0:48:56but call me old-fashioned,
0:48:56 > 0:49:00but you can't beat the classic combination of cheese and onion.
0:49:03 > 0:49:06The potato might not be native to these isles,
0:49:06 > 0:49:07but it's been around for so long,
0:49:07 > 0:49:10it's become part of our foodie furniture.
0:49:10 > 0:49:15And though this means that many of our classic dishes will be about for years to come,
0:49:15 > 0:49:19this shouldn't discourage you from trying to be inventive.
0:49:19 > 0:49:23We're going to take the potato where it's never been before
0:49:23 > 0:49:26as we create what we believe is a future British classic.
0:49:26 > 0:49:30It is our potato crusted pork chop.
0:49:30 > 0:49:33And we're going to have some lovely, lovely braised cabbage,
0:49:33 > 0:49:36and then we're going to serve all that
0:49:36 > 0:49:39with a lovely, creamy mustard cider sauce.
0:49:39 > 0:49:42'Right, now, this is quite an indulgent dish,
0:49:42 > 0:49:45'so I'm trimming the fat off our pork chops.'
0:49:45 > 0:49:48I've just covered the chop with clingfilm,
0:49:48 > 0:49:51and give it a little, gentle beating, just to flatten it a bit.
0:49:53 > 0:49:56Whilst Dave's tenderising the meat, I'll get on with the cabbage.
0:49:56 > 0:49:59First up, chop up a medium red onion and saute in butter.
0:50:01 > 0:50:04Then take half a red cabbage...
0:50:04 > 0:50:06Look at that! The plant world
0:50:06 > 0:50:08and vegetables are brilliant, aren't they?
0:50:08 > 0:50:11It's like a Jimi Hendrix album cover, that!
0:50:11 > 0:50:14'Take out the core and remove the tough outer leaves
0:50:14 > 0:50:16'before slicing nice and thinly.'
0:50:18 > 0:50:21Me chops have been tidied, and flattened a little bit.
0:50:21 > 0:50:24I'm going to grate all those potatoes onto there.
0:50:24 > 0:50:27This really is like the basic rosti recipe.
0:50:31 > 0:50:33It's like potato candy floss.
0:50:34 > 0:50:38Now, I'm using Maris Piper potatoes for this
0:50:38 > 0:50:42and Maris Piper is the most popular potato in the UK today
0:50:42 > 0:50:45and it's been around since the 1960s,
0:50:45 > 0:50:47and it's been described as
0:50:47 > 0:50:50the ideal chip shop potato.
0:50:51 > 0:50:54Right, now, that's the tater.
0:50:54 > 0:50:56Now, prepare to be astonished.
0:50:56 > 0:51:00We want these potatoes to be crispy.
0:51:00 > 0:51:03If we were to kind of pack these taters on now,
0:51:03 > 0:51:08we would end up with an awful lot of sludge and mess.
0:51:08 > 0:51:10If we take the fluid out of these potatoes,
0:51:10 > 0:51:14we're going to have nice, dry, crispy rosti. Watch this.
0:51:16 > 0:51:21- By God, there's a lot of water in those spuds.- Yeah.
0:51:21 > 0:51:22Get a good wind on.
0:51:22 > 0:51:24Look at that.
0:51:26 > 0:51:28I'm just going to melt some butter
0:51:28 > 0:51:30and it's the butter that holds the rosti together.
0:51:30 > 0:51:33Unwrap your taters.
0:51:33 > 0:51:35Now dry, and they'll fluff apart.
0:51:37 > 0:51:39Season.
0:51:40 > 0:51:42And pepper.
0:51:44 > 0:51:46Swirl that melted butter
0:51:46 > 0:51:48and pop this onto your potatoes
0:51:48 > 0:51:51and give it a stir.
0:51:51 > 0:51:54The butter will help it go golden when it cooks,
0:51:54 > 0:51:57it'll also help it to hold together.
0:51:57 > 0:51:59Now, this is really rosti,
0:51:59 > 0:52:02and if you want to make rosti, just pack this into a frying pan,
0:52:02 > 0:52:06cook it till it's crusty, flip it, cook the other side and you have a big rosti cake.
0:52:06 > 0:52:11But this...is going to coat the pork.
0:52:11 > 0:52:13Right, back to the cabbage.
0:52:13 > 0:52:16Once the onions have softened, add a cinnamon stick.
0:52:19 > 0:52:23And about a quarter of a teaspoon of nutmeg.
0:52:23 > 0:52:27All I'm going to do now is add the cabbage to the pan.
0:52:28 > 0:52:29Don't forget...
0:52:29 > 0:52:31a bay leaf.
0:52:34 > 0:52:38And then we're going to start to add the liquid in a minute.
0:52:39 > 0:52:41150ml of cider.
0:52:41 > 0:52:44Two tablespoons of white wine vinegar.
0:52:46 > 0:52:50And now, we're going to temper that acidity
0:52:50 > 0:52:53with three tablespoons of muscovado sugar.
0:52:57 > 0:53:01And then, tight-fitting lid, cover...
0:53:01 > 0:53:04and cook slowly
0:53:04 > 0:53:06for about 40 minutes.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11Season our chops with plenty of salt and fresh ground pepper.
0:53:13 > 0:53:16Now I want a teaspoon of mustard,
0:53:16 > 0:53:20wholegrain mustard, on each pork steak.
0:53:20 > 0:53:23This is for flavour and also to help the rosti stick.
0:53:23 > 0:53:26Just spread it nice.
0:53:26 > 0:53:29It's a lovely recipe, this.
0:53:29 > 0:53:32We're covering both sides of our chops here,
0:53:32 > 0:53:35but our rosti is only added to one.
0:53:35 > 0:53:39Take some potato, place it on your pork,
0:53:39 > 0:53:42and pack it, and you want that covered.
0:53:42 > 0:53:44Looks good, that, mate.
0:53:44 > 0:53:47It's one of those things you watch, and you think,
0:53:47 > 0:53:50- it's going to be quite nice, that. - It's brilliant, man.
0:53:50 > 0:53:53Heat some butter and oil in a large frying pan,
0:53:53 > 0:53:58then fry your rosti for two minutes, or until golden brown.
0:54:00 > 0:54:02Then flip and take another two minutes,
0:54:02 > 0:54:05cooking the meat side to seal in those flavours.
0:54:05 > 0:54:07Oh, oh-ho! Look at them!
0:54:07 > 0:54:11- As you can see, the potato does stick nicely.- Perfectly done.
0:54:11 > 0:54:16But all that pork flavour goes into the underside of the rosti.
0:54:16 > 0:54:18So there's nothing wasted. There's method to the madness.
0:54:18 > 0:54:24It's like having pork chops and chips all in a oner.
0:54:24 > 0:54:27And once all four are fried, they're ready for the oven.
0:54:27 > 0:54:31Pop these out to join their chums on the tray.
0:54:31 > 0:54:34Now, I bet you thought that potato was going to fall off.
0:54:34 > 0:54:35Well, it hasn't.
0:54:35 > 0:54:38What we need to do now
0:54:38 > 0:54:43is to bake that in a preheated oven, 180 degrees Celsius, for a fan oven,
0:54:43 > 0:54:46for 15 minutes, to make sure that's golden and crispy
0:54:46 > 0:54:48and the pork's cooked through.
0:54:48 > 0:54:50Which gives us time to finish the cabbage
0:54:50 > 0:54:54and make the lovely mustard cider creamy sauce for the top.
0:54:58 > 0:55:01Now, look at that.
0:55:01 > 0:55:02That's come right down.
0:55:02 > 0:55:07Now, we're going to peel an apple, core it,
0:55:07 > 0:55:11cut it into centimetre-thick slices,
0:55:11 > 0:55:13and this is a dessert, an eating apple.
0:55:13 > 0:55:16Put it back in there.
0:55:19 > 0:55:22Stir it through and cook
0:55:22 > 0:55:23for another five minutes.
0:55:23 > 0:55:26Now for our sauce. Finely chop one shallot.
0:55:28 > 0:55:33And we're doing that in the pan that we sealed the crusted pork in.
0:55:33 > 0:55:37We're going to use all the butter and flavours, the salt and mustard,
0:55:37 > 0:55:40it's all going to help when we make the sauce.
0:55:40 > 0:55:44Right, they're nice and translucent.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46So I'm going to put in a tablespoon of flour.
0:55:46 > 0:55:49Mix that in and just cook the flour out a bit.
0:55:49 > 0:55:52To this, we add some cider.
0:55:52 > 0:55:55And it goes with the pork, it's just lovely.
0:55:59 > 0:56:02So we want one teaspoon
0:56:02 > 0:56:04of Dijon mustard.
0:56:04 > 0:56:08One teaspoon of wholegrain mustard.
0:56:09 > 0:56:12One teaspoon of muscovado sugar,
0:56:12 > 0:56:15just to temper the sourness of the mustard.
0:56:15 > 0:56:19And one tablespoon of honey.
0:56:19 > 0:56:20Oh!
0:56:25 > 0:56:27And it should bubble like a good 'un
0:56:27 > 0:56:29until the volume's gone down by half.
0:56:32 > 0:56:36Once that's reduced by half, add some cream and reduce again.
0:56:40 > 0:56:44- That pork should be done now. - It certainly should.- Ho-ho!
0:56:46 > 0:56:49Lovely! It's like a potato armadillo.
0:56:55 > 0:56:56Our lovely...
0:56:58 > 0:57:00..red cabbage. Ho-ho-ho!
0:57:00 > 0:57:01Beautiful.
0:57:04 > 0:57:05Look at that.
0:57:05 > 0:57:07Indeed.
0:57:07 > 0:57:10The pork's cooked through nicely.
0:57:13 > 0:57:15That sauce is perfect with it.
0:57:15 > 0:57:19The potato is kind of sticky with the pork juices.
0:57:19 > 0:57:22There's something about the method with the potato
0:57:22 > 0:57:26getting all the goodness from the pork that really works.
0:57:26 > 0:57:30And that just goes to show the versatility of the great British tattie.
0:57:30 > 0:57:34- And we've only just begun to unpeel it.- Yeah.
0:57:42 > 0:57:46Potatoes might be the ugly duckling of the vegetable world...
0:57:47 > 0:57:51..but dig 'em up, give 'em a wash, and they'll be well on their way
0:57:51 > 0:57:54- to becoming a swan.- Beautiful.
0:57:54 > 0:57:56Easy to grow, and abundant,
0:57:56 > 0:57:58they've not only been central to some of the dishes
0:57:58 > 0:58:01that have underpinned the growth of our great nation...
0:58:01 > 0:58:03It's hot, comforting, delicious.
0:58:03 > 0:58:08..but as tastes have evolved, their versatility and dependability
0:58:08 > 0:58:10have cemented their popularity
0:58:10 > 0:58:14with food lovers up and down the British Isles.
0:58:14 > 0:58:16It's just heaven.
0:58:16 > 0:58:20Ladies and gents, you can't go wrong with a spud.
0:58:20 > 0:58:24If any of these potato dishes have taken your fancy,
0:58:24 > 0:58:29log on to...
0:58:29 > 0:58:31and follow the links.
0:58:51 > 0:58:54Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd