0:00:02 > 0:00:05Sometimes there's no place like home,
0:00:05 > 0:00:07and few things are more comforting and delicious
0:00:07 > 0:00:09than real home cooking.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13Living in this beautiful country with great produce
0:00:13 > 0:00:18right on our doorstep, we really are spoilt for choice.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21So, in this series, I'm inviting you into my kitchen
0:00:21 > 0:00:23to share with you some of my tasty home-cooked treats.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28The dishes I turn to, whether entertaining friends and family,
0:00:28 > 0:00:30or just relaxing on my own.
0:00:45 > 0:00:50MUSIC: Theme to Grange Hill
0:00:50 > 0:00:54Although I now call Hampshire home, I grew up in Yorkshire.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59And it's the food from my childhood spent there that I often crave.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05As well as tasting terrific, they bring back so many great memories.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15Now, I have such fond memories as a kid,
0:01:15 > 0:01:17arguing with my sister at the top of the landing
0:01:17 > 0:01:21as my Evel Knievel toy veered into her My Little Pony display.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23But it was those smells from downstairs,
0:01:23 > 0:01:25and the smells from my kitchen,
0:01:25 > 0:01:28and watching my mother cook, that really inspired me to be a chef.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30And visiting my grandmother, my auntie,
0:01:30 > 0:01:32both of which were amazing bakers.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34I have so many childhood favourites.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38I'm going to share with you right now just a few of them.
0:01:38 > 0:01:39I want to inspire you with food
0:01:39 > 0:01:43that instantly transports you back to your school days.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45I'll be cooking dishes
0:01:45 > 0:01:48that put modern twists on some cherished classics.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50We'll be learning the history
0:01:50 > 0:01:53behind some of our best-loved traditional treats.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59But nothing gets me quite so nostalgic as cooking up roast pork
0:01:59 > 0:02:04with apple sauce, spuds and cabbage, just like my mum used to make.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08Now, one of my favourite pieces of meat,
0:02:08 > 0:02:11particularly for Sunday lunch when I was a kid, was roast pork.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13This is the shoulder of pork.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16There's nothing better than it slow roast with that lovely,
0:02:16 > 0:02:19crispy crackling. And my mother's roast potatoes.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22But what we need to do is get crispy crackling on it.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25Now, to do this, you're better off using a sharp knife,
0:02:25 > 0:02:27really, for this, rather than a knife like this.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29And what you do is score it.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31Now, be really careful with this.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33You basically just get this right inside,
0:02:33 > 0:02:35and you just slice it all over the top.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37Quite deep.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40'My method involves mixing chopped thyme with sea salt,
0:02:40 > 0:02:43'and then massaging the meat with some olive oil
0:02:43 > 0:02:47'before rubbing the salt mix into the cuts on the pork shoulder.'
0:02:47 > 0:02:51What this salt is going to do is draw out all that moisture
0:02:51 > 0:02:55and create a crackling on top of the pork,
0:02:55 > 0:02:57which we all want to sort of fight over.
0:02:57 > 0:03:02And then, I'm going to cook this on the actual open tray of the oven.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05This is often known as sort of weeping cooking,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08ie you allow the juices to drip onto a tray.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11We're going to use those juices to roast our potatoes.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14What you need to do with this, is basically sort your oven out.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17You want enough space in the bottom to put a tray,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20and enough space in the top to put your pork.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25So, pop the tray in first of all. Lift out this tray.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27Now, my best advice really with this,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30you get yourself like a little cooling rack.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32Place that on the top.
0:03:32 > 0:03:33Cos it's easier to handle,
0:03:33 > 0:03:36and certainly easier to get the pork out of as well.
0:03:36 > 0:03:41'Cook the pork shoulder in a low oven for about four to five hours.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46'Which gives me loads of time to get on with sorting out the other bits.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48'First, my apple sauce.'
0:03:49 > 0:03:52You must use Bramley apples. These are unique to the UK.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56There's nowhere else that grows them like us around the world.
0:03:56 > 0:04:01They've got a sharpness, and taste delicious. Perfect for apple sauce.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Now, what's great about this is you can make a decent amount.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11It freezes so well, this stuff.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14It's a common misconception, you think it's going to go brown.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18Actually, you can freeze apples just sliced. They don't go brown.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21'Now, for me, it's not cooking if there's no butter.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24'So, that goes in first with some water, and the apples.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28'Now, I like to add just a sprinkling of sugar,
0:04:28 > 0:04:31'so the sharpness of the apples really comes through.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33'And then I simmer it all for about ten minutes.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36'You can add cloves and nutmeg if you fancy.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38'But I'm a man of simple tastes.'
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Now, to make the best roast potatoes...
0:04:41 > 0:04:44I did actually phone my mother for this last night, for this recipe.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Now, she always buys good quality King Edward potatoes.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51So, with these potato trimmings, even the apple trimmings
0:04:51 > 0:04:55we used to give to the pigs, cos we were brought up on a pig farm.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59Hence, you always had the best quality pork around.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02'So, once my spuds are in, I just bring the pan to the boil
0:05:02 > 0:05:06'and let it gently bubble for one minute only before draining.'
0:05:08 > 0:05:09Nice and quick.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15'Now, I just need to cover my potatoes in that fantastic pork fat,
0:05:15 > 0:05:18'add a bit of salt, and bang them back in the oven for 40 minutes.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20'I've turned the heat up
0:05:20 > 0:05:23'for the perfect potatoes and crispy crackling.'
0:05:23 > 0:05:26Now I'm going to teach you how to cook cabbage properly.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29It doesn't leave you mentally scarred as a child when you end up
0:05:29 > 0:05:34with this limp, manky, overcooked stinking-your-house-out cabbage.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37This is hispi cabbage, or pointed cabbage, which I've been told.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40Cos this is delicious,
0:05:40 > 0:05:42when you taste it like this.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44It is not good
0:05:44 > 0:05:47when it goes on at the same time as your pork in the oven.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51So, to cook it, we cook it simply.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54'And for me, that means my food heaven ingredient.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57'With water, in a pan, plus a bit of seasoning.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59'Cook for three minutes, and it's done.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03'The key to getting it right is to hardly cook it at all.'
0:06:03 > 0:06:07You see, Sunday lunch doesn't have to be stressful. I'm not stressed.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Chilled out. It's all about timing, you see.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12Getting everything ready beforehand.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14And look...
0:06:14 > 0:06:18Mmmm, je t'aime, je t'aime. Look at that.
0:06:19 > 0:06:20How good does that look?
0:06:21 > 0:06:25Fantastic piece of roast pork.
0:06:26 > 0:06:27That's what food's all about.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30And then, of course, we've got our roast potatoes,
0:06:30 > 0:06:34which have been cooked in all those lovely juices from the pork as well.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40God, they look good.
0:06:43 > 0:06:50I used to fight so much with my sister over this bit. Crackling.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Even now, we still have scraps
0:06:53 > 0:06:56over the dining room table over this.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Sometimes, to go forward in life, you've got to go backwards.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06Go back to your childhood and have some of your favourite meals.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Cos that is knockout.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12So, there you have it, my roast pork shoulder with apple sauce
0:07:12 > 0:07:14and perfect potatoes.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16A meal made of memories.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21I think one of the main reasons my family's meals were so memorable
0:07:21 > 0:07:25was the outstanding produce used to make them.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28Here in Hampshire, I'm always amazed by the excellent produce
0:07:28 > 0:07:32readily available within a stone's throw of my home.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36Like the wares of Jayne and David Muggeridge,
0:07:36 > 0:07:40who make award-winning fruit cordials using old family recipes
0:07:40 > 0:07:44from their Portsmouth kitchen, which are a hit all over southern England.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46Drinking these is like time-travelling
0:07:46 > 0:07:48back to your school days.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50We make quite a large range of cordials.
0:07:50 > 0:07:51We try to follow the seasons.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54We make a raspberry and elderflower, lemon and borage,
0:07:54 > 0:07:57lime and lime mint. All sorts of unusual things.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59Rhubarb and ginger, which is very good as a soft drink,
0:07:59 > 0:08:01but equally good in gin and champagne.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03Jayne's family have had an appetite
0:08:03 > 0:08:07for what you might call posh squash for over 100 years.
0:08:07 > 0:08:08I've made cordials since I was little.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11They're from my grandmother's recipes, Grandmother Mabel.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15My grandmother used to be a cook in the '20s.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18She trained in a place called AB Marshalls in Mortimer Street,
0:08:18 > 0:08:21which was a cookery school and finishing school of its day.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Today, Jayne's making orange and lemon cordial.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27When you make a cordial...
0:08:27 > 0:08:29Most of the time through the summer it's all soft fruits,
0:08:29 > 0:08:32but obviously at this time of year we can't get soft fruits.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34So, a good alternative is to have citrus,
0:08:34 > 0:08:35because you need vitamin C.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39If you roll the fruit back and forward in your hands,
0:08:39 > 0:08:43it releases the sinews in the fruit, so you get more juice out of them.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46Grandma Mabel's recipe calls for thin-skinned fruit to be used,
0:08:46 > 0:08:48whole, rather than juiced,
0:08:48 > 0:08:49to add to the sharpness,
0:08:49 > 0:08:52and to stop the finished product being sickly sweet.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58Make sure it's all chopped up.
0:09:00 > 0:09:01And just pop it into a clean pan.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05And do the same again...
0:09:07 > 0:09:08..with the lemons.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11It's nice to have something you've made yourself.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13You know where it comes from, you know what it tastes like.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16You know what's in it. And you know it's not going to be bad for you.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Once the fruit has been blitzed, Jayne adds water
0:09:19 > 0:09:20and pops it onto the hob.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24I was about seven when we first made a cordial with my mum and dad.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26Dad grew it, Mum made it.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30Dad wasn't allowed in the kitchen, cos he burnt everything!
0:09:30 > 0:09:32Luckily Jayne's got her granny's gift for cooking,
0:09:32 > 0:09:37and still makes this old-fashioned favourite the traditional way.
0:09:37 > 0:09:38A sieve and muslin.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41Almost the same as my grandmother Mabel would have used.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44You can't get any simpler than that. Such a pretty colour.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48Put your sugar in. And we add some citric acid.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54The cordial just needs another blast of heat,
0:09:54 > 0:09:55then it's ready for bottling.
0:09:56 > 0:10:01If you want a clean flavour, which bursts on your palate
0:10:01 > 0:10:04when you drink it, so you know it's made with love,
0:10:04 > 0:10:06you have to make it with love.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09Truly artisan-made.
0:10:09 > 0:10:10It is indeed.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13Even their trusty kettle does overtime, steam sealing the bottles.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19I love making things that my grandmother made, and my parents
0:10:19 > 0:10:22always said to me that one day I'd make my living from cooking.
0:10:22 > 0:10:23And I do.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26And I'm sure my grandmother and my mother and father
0:10:26 > 0:10:29are looking down and saying, yeah, she done it. She made it.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37It's great to have such quality cordials nearby,
0:10:37 > 0:10:40especially as Jayne's come in with some for me to use
0:10:40 > 0:10:43for my raspberry jelly with lime syrup
0:10:43 > 0:10:44and home-made ice cream.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47A modern take on a kiddy party classic.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50This is kind of like a grown-up version of jelly and ice cream.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53Using some of this amazing cordial that we've got there.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57So, first of all I'm going to make the jelly part of it.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59'Step one, make the sugar syrup
0:10:59 > 0:11:02'by adding sugar into a pan of hot water.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04'Whilst the sugar dissolves,
0:11:04 > 0:11:07'soften some of the gelatine leaves in cold water.'
0:11:07 > 0:11:10- What have you brought along for me, then?- This is rhubarb and ginger.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12Do you want some water in it to dilute it down?
0:11:12 > 0:11:14Do you need water, or can you drink it neat?
0:11:14 > 0:11:16Most chefs drink it neat.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21Yeah. It's delicious. I always think with cordials,
0:11:21 > 0:11:23it literally coats your mouth with flavour.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27It's like the best fruit juice, isn't it, really? That hit.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31'And now I'm going to pour out a litre of my syrup into a bowl,
0:11:31 > 0:11:34'and save the rest to make a sauce later.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36'Then I take out the soaked gelatine leaves
0:11:36 > 0:11:38'and whisk them into the syrup,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41'which will transform it into a set jelly.'
0:11:41 > 0:11:43And now I need to flavour this, so we need to pick one.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47- What's this? Raspberry and English elderflower.- Raspberry.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52I don't need to go any further. That is the one. That is fantastic.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55- I've got to have a bit of that. Which is it? This one?- Yes.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59- And you say you make about 500 bottles a day?- Mmm.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02500 bottles a day, and you've got that old kettle sealing up...
0:12:02 > 0:12:06That's my husband's job. JAYNE LAUGHS
0:12:06 > 0:12:09That's great, innit, yeah?
0:12:09 > 0:12:10He's stood there, all day, just doing that.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13You get all the glory. What a life, eh?
0:12:13 > 0:12:16- I feed him, though.- Oh, do you? That's quite nice, innit?
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Right, this is like a grown-up version of jelly.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20So, a little bit of vodka.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24Right, we're going to make our little terrine now.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26'And to make sure it turns out perfectly,
0:12:26 > 0:12:30'oil the mould first before lining it with clingfilm,
0:12:30 > 0:12:33'so when you press it in, it will stick to the mould.'
0:12:34 > 0:12:37So, once you get to that stage you want some ice in the tray.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42A bit of water.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44And then... This is the fun bit, really.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48It's a bit like making cordial. You can use whatever you want.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51So, we take a ladle full of this.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55And then you've got your fantastic raspberries here.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57So you can use different fruits, different flavours
0:12:57 > 0:12:59- and different alcohol bases then? - Yeah.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01Don't go nicking the recipe, Jayne.
0:13:01 > 0:13:02I'll be seeing it at a farmers' market.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05- Coming to a farmers' market near you.- Definitely.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07Jayne's elderflower cordial terrine.
0:13:09 > 0:13:10As seen on TV.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14So, the idea is, you basically layer this up.
0:13:14 > 0:13:15- You see we've got one layer?- Yep.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19What you can do is, keep it in the ice, and you keep building it up.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21What I've got in the fridge just to show you..
0:13:21 > 0:13:25- I've got one here, you see. - So, how long does that take to set?
0:13:25 > 0:13:27When you've got warm jelly like this,
0:13:27 > 0:13:28it'll only take ten minutes.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31This is the dish that, if you've got time on your hands,
0:13:31 > 0:13:32this is ideal.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34You keep layering this up.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38- So, are puddings your favourite then? - I think so, really, yeah.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40And butter?
0:13:40 > 0:13:43- And cream?- What made you think that? I don't use much butter.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46- What made you think that? - HE LAUGHS
0:13:46 > 0:13:48There. You just keep layering this all up.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51Ideally, you can pop it in the fridge in the ice as you go,
0:13:51 > 0:13:53build it all up, build up all the layers,
0:13:53 > 0:13:55and you've got a lovely little treat.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59Now for our ice cream. Now, I'm sure Granny knew how to make ice cream.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01How do you make yours?
0:14:01 > 0:14:04- I make custard, proper custard. - That's what I'm about to do.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07- Do you know the recipe off by heart? - No.- Come on!
0:14:07 > 0:14:09Granny knew the recipe off by heart.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12One litre of proper custard is eight eggs, right?
0:14:12 > 0:14:16The more egg yolks you put in, the richer the ice cream will become.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20The more sugar you put in, the thinner the ice cream will become.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24- Really?- Cos sugar will act as a defrosting agent.- Right.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Double cream. Full-fat milk.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31And then what we do is take some vanilla.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33Now, the important bit is the sugar.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35You need to measure this exact, really.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38This is where the recipe, really with ice cream,
0:14:38 > 0:14:43can go terribly wrong. And you need 8oz of sugar, new money.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45Which is half a pound in old money.
0:14:47 > 0:14:48Or, how many grams?
0:14:48 > 0:14:52- I only do pounds and ounces. - Ah, got you!
0:14:52 > 0:14:56- It's basically 225g of sugar. - I haven't got one of those, either.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58I've got one with...
0:14:58 > 0:15:01- Have you got one of those with the old weights on it?- Yes!
0:15:01 > 0:15:03I'm that old-fashioned, I'm afraid.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05See, I had one of those in the bathroom.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07It gave you a false reading all the time!
0:15:07 > 0:15:10- That's where it's been going wrong. - That's what my husband says.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13What you mustn't do is actually throw the sugar into the egg yolks
0:15:13 > 0:15:15too soon. Because it will burn.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17It's really a common mistake when people are making this,
0:15:17 > 0:15:21particularly cakes and sponges. They add that to the sugar.
0:15:21 > 0:15:22You mix it together,
0:15:22 > 0:15:24and you end up with little yellow pieces you can't get rid of.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27It's because the sugar is actually curing the egg yolks.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31- It's cooking.- Oh, right.- What you must do is keep them separate
0:15:31 > 0:15:33until this starts to come to the boil.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35And now we add the sugar to the mix.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42Now, I'm using a fancy ice-cream machine like this.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45Not like Granny had, where she had to stir it round probably
0:15:45 > 0:15:47every 20 minutes out of the freezer.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50You bring this to the boil, and just pour it in.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Mix it together.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58And really, it's this next part that's quite crucial.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05You can tell when it's going to be ready,
0:16:05 > 0:16:09because it starts to get thicker and thicker and thicker.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13The bubbles will start to disappear. Then it's at the right temperature.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17At this point we can take the whole lot, pour it straight into our bowl.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20Take out our vanilla pod, save that for another day.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24'It only takes half an hour to freeze in my modern machine,
0:16:24 > 0:16:27'which is ample time for me to rustle up a little something
0:16:27 > 0:16:29'that will take this dish to the next level.'
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Right, we've got the remaining syrup here.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35What we're going to do with this, is just make a lovely sauce with this.
0:16:35 > 0:16:36'All I'm going to do is choose
0:16:36 > 0:16:39'another one of Jayne's cracking cordials.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42'This time, lime and mint for a bit of contrast.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44'And warm it up.
0:16:44 > 0:16:45'I want a clear sauce
0:16:45 > 0:16:48'so I'm going to use arrowroot powder instead of cornflour
0:16:48 > 0:16:49'to thicken it.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52'And I dissolve that into the syrup I saved earlier.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57'Lime zest will perk it up no end, and once you've added
0:16:57 > 0:17:01'the thickened syrup to the hot cordial, throw in the lime zest.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03'And that's your sauce sorted.'
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Here, taste that. Dip your finger in there.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09- It's lovely.- You see?- Very nice.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17- So, it's quite a soft jelly. - Very, very soft.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19You don't want it to taste like jelly you had as a kid.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24See, it's a bit different to my gran's jelly and ice cream.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27But with your gran's recipe for cordial,
0:17:27 > 0:17:30- it kind of makes it better, doesn't it, really?- Yes.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32- Can I try?- Go on, then. Dive in.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35- I can cope with criticism.- You can?
0:17:35 > 0:17:38I spoke to your husband, I know what you're like.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43- It's really nice.- You can't criticise that, can you?- It's really nice.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46There's a lot of vodka gone in there as well.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48'I'm so glad Jayne's here.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51'Jelly and ice cream, however much you tart it up,
0:17:51 > 0:17:53'isn't for eating on your own.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55'It's food for sharing with others.'
0:17:57 > 0:18:00One of the nation's best-loved childhood treats,
0:18:00 > 0:18:02and a winner with me, is gingerbread.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06But it's undergone a transformation over the past 500 years or so.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13In his Yorkshire kitchen-cum-food laboratory, Gerard Baker reveals
0:18:13 > 0:18:17a very different sweet indulgence our medieval ancestors enjoyed.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22If you ask most people what comes to mind
0:18:22 > 0:18:26when you ask them about their childhood baking,
0:18:26 > 0:18:28the chances are the first thing they'll remember
0:18:28 > 0:18:30is the gingerbread man.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32It may be the runaway treat of fairy tales,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35but gingerbread hasn't always been for children.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Recipes in the Middle Ages were unrecognisable
0:18:38 > 0:18:40from what we know and love today.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44But at their heart is the same special ingredient.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46There's one thing that's common to all gingerbreads,
0:18:46 > 0:18:50be it the gingerbread man or the earliest gingerbread recipes,
0:18:50 > 0:18:51and that is this stuff.
0:18:51 > 0:18:52Root ginger.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55Root ginger is an Asian plant essentially,
0:18:55 > 0:18:57but it no longer exists in the wild.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59And that gives us a clue,
0:18:59 > 0:19:02that it's been around in common use for centuries.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05And in fact, it came first to the British kitchen in the 12th century.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09Ginger was one of the many herbs and spices brought back to Europe
0:19:09 > 0:19:14by returning crusaders, enriching Western cooking.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16It was used in powdered form alongside pepper
0:19:16 > 0:19:19as one of our most common seasonings.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23It was only later, in the 13th and 14th centuries, that we begin
0:19:23 > 0:19:27to see the first recipes for what we might think an early gingerbread.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31Gerard's going to make a recipe from the 15th century,
0:19:31 > 0:19:33unlike any around today.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35Ginger was incredibly expensive,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38so this dish was only available to the wealthiest.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43Now, there are very few ingredients in an early gingerbread.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46Honey, as the source of sweetness,
0:19:46 > 0:19:49Stale breadcrumbs, which provided the bulk of the gingerbread,
0:19:49 > 0:19:52and, of course, ground ginger, the spice.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55Which was the form that most ginger would have been imported as.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57We start off with the honey.
0:20:03 > 0:20:04We don't need to use fresh breadcrumbs
0:20:04 > 0:20:08because, of course stale breadcrumbs are a by-product of every kitchen.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12It was a really good way of using up something to make a new dish.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14And then the ginger itself,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17which has the benefit of also being a preservative.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21Most medieval cooking was done over an open fire.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24So, rather than being baked like modern gingerbread,
0:20:24 > 0:20:25it was heated in a pan.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30But it cooks very quickly, as the bread thickens the mixture.
0:20:30 > 0:20:35So, why did this aristocratic snack become people-shaped?
0:20:35 > 0:20:38Supposedly it was none other than Queen Elizabeth who gave us
0:20:38 > 0:20:40the first gingerbread men,
0:20:40 > 0:20:43which she had baked in the likeness of courtly visitors
0:20:43 > 0:20:44and presented as gifts.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49So, it's ironic, really, that what was a courtly treat
0:20:49 > 0:20:51in the form of an early gingerbread
0:20:51 > 0:20:53became the food of the nation's children,
0:20:53 > 0:20:55the nation's childhood treat.
0:20:55 > 0:21:00And that started to take place largely in the 17th and 18th century,
0:21:00 > 0:21:03when annual fairs that were held around the country,
0:21:03 > 0:21:05agricultural fairs, if you like,
0:21:05 > 0:21:08saw an increasingly large variety of cakes and biscuits
0:21:08 > 0:21:10being sold as treats for children.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14That largely came about as a result of the cheapness of sugar,
0:21:14 > 0:21:17as the trade from the West Indies increased.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19This looks like it's nearly ready now.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22It's still soft enough to put into the mould.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26Now, this is a set, and not a baked, gingerbread.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29And it take two or three days to firm up.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32Not the ideal thing if you've got a lot of hungry and expectant children
0:21:32 > 0:21:34waiting at the kitchen table for a treat.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37I just need to press the surface of the gingerbread
0:21:37 > 0:21:39with dampened fingers.
0:21:41 > 0:21:42Smooth it into the mould.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46And then I can leave it in a warm, dry place to set.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50Now, that will take two or three days to dry and become firm enough to cut.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53But fortunately, because there's a bit of a kid in me,
0:21:53 > 0:21:54I made one earlier so I could try.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59I shall have a taste.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06And for me, it's just the perfect combination of honey and spice.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09What a treat.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18When I think about the food I loved growing up,
0:22:18 > 0:22:20sometimes it's about more than the people who made it.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23It's about the place I ate it as well.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25Like one of my treasured treats as a young 'un.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27Good old Yorkshire parkin,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30the soft, syrupy oatmeal cake oozing with treacle.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33For me, it's a recipe with northern soul.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37Now, this is parkin. It's one of my grandmother's old recipes.
0:22:37 > 0:22:38It's a classic, really,
0:22:38 > 0:22:42and one that is often served on Bonfire Night in Yorkshire.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45But it's really an adaption, I suppose, of gingerbread.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47'Just like my granny,
0:22:47 > 0:22:50'I'm using light brown sugar rather than dark brown.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52'The molasses flavour can be a bit too much.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55'Then the same amount of butter goes in.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59'And for that supreme stickiness, I like a heart-stopping combo
0:22:59 > 0:23:03'of three parts golden syrup to one part black treacle,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06'as a little of the treacle's burnt caramel taste goes a long way.'
0:23:06 > 0:23:09Now, what you need to do now is just warm this up.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11So, take the entire lot.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16All we're going to do is melt the butter and sugar
0:23:16 > 0:23:20and the golden syrup. What we don't want to be doing is boiling it.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22Because if we boil anything like this,
0:23:22 > 0:23:24you really unbalance the recipe.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26So it's important that you're just warming it.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29So, do this on a really low heat to start off with.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31This is a recipe that I've never changed.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35It just brings back so many memories of my childhood.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39'Now for the dry ingredients,
0:23:39 > 0:23:43'starting with oats and self-raising flour.'
0:23:43 > 0:23:44Now for our spices.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47And this is where you get the kick.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49When you have dried ginger in anything,
0:23:49 > 0:23:51you don't only get the flavour,
0:23:51 > 0:23:53you get this kick at the back of your throat.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56And that's what parkin is really good for.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59Especially when we had it around Bonfire Night, to warm you up.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05'Then, a teaspoon each of ground nutmeg and mixed spice...
0:24:08 > 0:24:09'..before cracking in two eggs.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15'Then I add a splash of milk, and finally, a pinch of salt.'
0:24:18 > 0:24:22Before I mix everything together, you need to butter the tin.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25For that, I'll just use some softened butter.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Now, I don't really use pastry brushes.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31And then what we can do is combine all the ingredients. So...
0:24:34 > 0:24:36The sugar's not really dissolved.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39All you're doing with this is just melting the butter.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41Mix this together now.
0:24:42 > 0:24:43And I would always do this by hand.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45Because if you do this by machine,
0:24:45 > 0:24:48you're going to break up the oats in there,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51and you won't get that texture to your parkin as well.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54Got to try it.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56Cos it does taste fantastic with that spice.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59Give it a good, quick mix.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01And then pour it into your tin.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04You can see from the mixture it's actually quite a wet mix.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06And this means that it's got to cook
0:25:06 > 0:25:09slightly longer than a normal cake mix.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12You reduce the temperature down to stop it from burning.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14'The parkin needs about an hour and a quarter to cook.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16'And if I was doing this like my granny,
0:25:16 > 0:25:18'all my work would be done now.'
0:25:18 > 0:25:22But I've got to fancy this up, and I've got to use Yorkshire's veg.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25This is what this is classed as. Rhubarb.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27We produce some of the best in the world in Yorkshire.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30People have really fallen out of favour with rhubarb,
0:25:30 > 0:25:31mainly because of its taste.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34I don't think people put enough sugar into it.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37That's why it really lends itself together with this.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39'I prefer rhubarb in batons.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41'To cook it, I get a pan,
0:25:41 > 0:25:43'and pop in some butter,
0:25:43 > 0:25:45'water and sugar.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48'Plus a bit of orange zest
0:25:48 > 0:25:51'which really enhances the rhubarb's flavour.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53'Then I poach it for just a few minutes.'
0:25:55 > 0:25:56So, while that's gently poaching,
0:25:56 > 0:25:59I'm going to do the best part of this dish
0:25:59 > 0:26:01which is the sauce to go with it.
0:26:01 > 0:26:06And for that, we use a combination of golden syrup,
0:26:06 > 0:26:09the same spices, and cider.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13Now, my granny wasn't a drinker. She had a bit of a sherry now and then.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17But cider was definitely always in her cupboard.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20Not really to drink, but to cook with.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23All you do with this is bring it to the boil.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26You end up with this amazing spiced syrup
0:26:26 > 0:26:28that you can serve with the rhubarb.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32So this rhubarb is cooked.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36Take it off the heat.
0:26:38 > 0:26:39That's what you're looking for.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41Something that's not a load of mush.
0:26:41 > 0:26:46Too often with rhubarb, people just cook it to death.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49You end up with this horrible stew in the bottom.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52The worst thing you can possibly buy is tinned rhubarb.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55That is up there with horseradish for me. Food of the devil.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59It's food of the gods.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02And best of all, it's from my neck of the woods.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04Now, this is one I made earlier.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07The key to this is leaving it for at least a couple of days,
0:27:07 > 0:27:09five if possible.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12You get this tackiness to the parkin,
0:27:12 > 0:27:17which is what really separates it apart from most other cakes.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20Just a nice little piece on this.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22You've got this wonderful rhubarb here.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26And then some of this amazing syrup.
0:27:26 > 0:27:31Now, this, to be honest, is really fantastic.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33Just vanilla ice cream.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37You just put a spoonful on there.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41It's a little bit more fancy than what Granny used to give us.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47I think I've got it. It's as good as hers.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51And this is too good not to share. You lot, dive in.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53'Recreating your childhood favourites
0:27:53 > 0:27:56'doesn't have to mean cooking retro food.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00'For me, it's all about looking at old recipes and adding a new twist.
0:28:01 > 0:28:02'That means I can be creative
0:28:02 > 0:28:06'while still getting blurry-eyed at the memories from my past.'
0:28:08 > 0:28:09If you'd like to know more
0:28:09 > 0:28:11about how to cook the recipes featured on today's show,
0:28:11 > 0:28:15you can get all of them at our website: