0:00:05 > 0:00:09My two passions are flying and food.
0:00:11 > 0:00:16It's from up here you really get to appreciate the unique landscape
0:00:16 > 0:00:20that produces the food that I love to cook.
0:00:30 > 0:00:31So I'm taking to the skies
0:00:31 > 0:00:34to show you how this land has influenced our larders.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44On my journey around the UK,
0:00:44 > 0:00:47I'll be meeting the people that work this ever-changing landscape,
0:00:47 > 0:00:49revealing how this terrain
0:00:49 > 0:00:54has served up some of the country's best regional ingredients.
0:00:54 > 0:00:55It tastes so good.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59Also, I'll be sharing some great recipes that showcase this amazing land,
0:00:59 > 0:01:03that put such great food on our tables.
0:01:03 > 0:01:08Today, I'm heading to my home county of Yorkshire.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19Yorkshire, God's Own Country...
0:01:23 > 0:01:27It's the biggest county in the United Kingdom,
0:01:27 > 0:01:29and it'll come as no surprise to you
0:01:29 > 0:01:33that I think it's undeniably the best.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45As a Yorkshireman born and bred, there's no better landscape on earth.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48It really is a spectacular place.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51And, believe me, there's a heck of a lot of it.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56It's as diverse as it is mighty,
0:01:56 > 0:02:01the famous Dales, covered in rich, green, upland pastures.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04Here, the hardy Swaledale sheep thrive,
0:02:04 > 0:02:05feasting on the grass
0:02:05 > 0:02:09and producing some of the best-tasting, most tender mutton
0:02:09 > 0:02:11anywhere in the country.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16The wild, exposed coastline of East Yorkshire
0:02:16 > 0:02:21is dotted with towns and villages, steeped in fishing history.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24Whitby, Scarborough and Robin Hood's Bay
0:02:24 > 0:02:28are all places of my childhood.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32I'd fish for delicious mackerel, herring and cod.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35Even in the industrial heartland of the county,
0:02:35 > 0:02:39farmers have made the most of the sandy, easy-draining soil
0:02:39 > 0:02:42by historically growing liquorice.
0:02:44 > 0:02:45But the industrial heartland
0:02:45 > 0:02:48is also famous for another Great British ingredient,
0:02:48 > 0:02:51and that's where I'm heading first.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54A lot of people whinge about the cold in Yorkshire,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57but there is one plant that's produced here that really loves it -
0:02:57 > 0:03:01it has its origins from Siberia - and that's rhubarb.
0:03:03 > 0:03:08Whether it's in pies, tarts, sweets or, of course, the humble crumble,
0:03:08 > 0:03:14rhubarb is one of those ingredients that we've all grown up with.
0:03:15 > 0:03:16100 years ago,
0:03:16 > 0:03:19Yorkshire was the biggest producer of rhubarb in Europe.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22It was all grown in a 30-square-mile triangle
0:03:22 > 0:03:27between Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield.
0:03:29 > 0:03:34The Yorkshire Rhubarb Triangle is only a third of the size it was in its heyday.
0:03:34 > 0:03:39It still produces, in my opinion, the best rhubarb in the world.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47That's thanks to farmers like Simon Dobson,
0:03:47 > 0:03:51whose family have been farming here for more than 200 years.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57My grandfather was very, very passionate about rhubarb,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00and I can remember, as a child,
0:04:00 > 0:04:02walking in the rhubarb with him.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05This is him in 1967,
0:04:05 > 0:04:09an elderly gentleman even then, but still at work.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12In fact, he actually had a pair of working boots
0:04:12 > 0:04:15for his 80th birthday.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21As a farmer, I don't like to see weeds in crops,
0:04:21 > 0:04:24but a saying my grandfather used to have was,
0:04:24 > 0:04:26"If you go to buy a farm
0:04:26 > 0:04:31"and there is a thistle on that farm big enough to tie your donkey to,
0:04:31 > 0:04:36"then buy the farm, because it will definitely grow rhubarb."
0:04:42 > 0:04:46I don't know whether it's the fact that I'm a Yorkshireman, but I love this stuff.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49There's nothing else looks like it and tastes like it.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52But rhubarb isn't actually a fruit, it's a vegetable.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59It's picked by hand
0:04:59 > 0:05:02from April to September.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04On Simon's team, there's a small team of seven pickers,
0:05:04 > 0:05:07but today it's going to be eight
0:05:07 > 0:05:10as I'm going to need a few sticks to cook my recipe with.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13- Simon. Good to see you. - Good morning.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15- We're by a noisy road! - That's the A1M.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18Well, this looks fabulous. How do you pick it?
0:05:18 > 0:05:23- It's a twisting-and-pulling action to create a clean break.- OK.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26If you snap it, what happens then?
0:05:26 > 0:05:28If we snap it, the remaining product will rot
0:05:28 > 0:05:32and then that rot can affect the root itself.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35- So you twist and pull? - Yes, twist and pull.- All right.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38JAMES GRUNTS
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Come on!
0:05:42 > 0:05:44- I've got one. - And you've just got a hernia!
0:05:44 > 0:05:46THEY LAUGH
0:05:46 > 0:05:51What does rhubarb need? Because we've only got a small area of land, the Rhubarb Triangle.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53Why is it so good here?
0:05:53 > 0:05:56- Here, we have a microclimate.- Yes.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58We've got the correct soil type.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01We've got soils which were fertilised
0:06:01 > 0:06:05from the night soils that came out of Leeds and Bradford.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08That would be, what, the by-product from the woollen mills?
0:06:08 > 0:06:10No, the night soil is actually from the dry closets,
0:06:10 > 0:06:14going back before we had proper sewage systems, etcetera.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16So this was human fertiliser,
0:06:16 > 0:06:20going way, way back before the sewage systems.
0:06:20 > 0:06:25They used to come out here in thousands of house-and-cartloads, literally,
0:06:25 > 0:06:29you know, pouring it on the land, and deep, as well.
0:06:29 > 0:06:34We also had shoddy coming out of the woollen industry,
0:06:34 > 0:06:36and the shoddy is a by-product of that.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39It's the short hairs from the fleece.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41What does that impart into the soil, then?
0:06:41 > 0:06:45- That gives us a natural nitrogen fertiliser.- Yes.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49Also, the fibrous content opens up the soil
0:06:49 > 0:06:52and makes it free-draining.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57The days of rhubarb farmers being knee-deep in night soil have long gone,
0:06:57 > 0:07:01but some of the nitrogen from it, and from the shoddy from the wool industry,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04still remains in the earth today,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07helping Yorkshire rhubarb thrive.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12This is hard work. Is it always picked by hand?
0:07:12 > 0:07:17This is hard work. Rhubarb is most probably one of the most manual crops known to man
0:07:17 > 0:07:21and everything to do with rhubarb is what we call manumatic.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23Nothing is mechanised at all.
0:07:23 > 0:07:28- Manumatic - is that a new Yorkshire lingo?!- That's rhubarb terminology.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31- That's a Yorkshire made-up name, innit?- It is, but...
0:07:31 > 0:07:35- Ooh! - That's not very manumatic, James.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38- There you go.- Manumatic.- Manumatic.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41There's something impressive about it, isn't there? Look at that.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44How would you do this, then? How would you cook it?
0:07:44 > 0:07:48- Well, I like the traditional way, but I just don't like lumpy custard. - Don't say crumble!
0:07:48 > 0:07:50I love rhubarb crumble. Absolutely. JAMES SIGHS
0:07:50 > 0:07:54But we now need to take rhubarb forward as an ingredient.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58It's got fantastic properties, it's healthy,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01so we need to include it in modern recipes.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06I think I can help you out there, Simon.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10I've got a great recipe for a delicious savoury rhubarb dish.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12I'm going to use a fabulous oily fish
0:08:12 > 0:08:17that I used to catch as a boy just along the Yorkshire coast - fresh mackerel -
0:08:17 > 0:08:20and serve it with a crispy rhubarb salad
0:08:20 > 0:08:23and a fruity rhubarb chutney.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26So often with this, you actually serve rhubarb with a dessert.
0:08:26 > 0:08:31It's fabulous with panna cotta and crumbles and fools and all manner of desserts,
0:08:31 > 0:08:37but it's brilliant when you actually cook this into a chutney and serve it with fish or duck,
0:08:37 > 0:08:40anything that's quite fatty or oily, because it cuts through the flavours.
0:08:40 > 0:08:45So for this, I'm basically just going to take the rhubarb and chop it up.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47The rhubarb up in Yorkshire is a bit like us.
0:08:47 > 0:08:52Some of it's grown indoors - pampered, making it sweeter,
0:08:52 > 0:08:56then you've got this outdoor type - subject to all the elements of this fine county -
0:08:56 > 0:09:00making it rough around the edges and tart to the taste buds,
0:09:00 > 0:09:02perfect for a chutney.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04So we've got the rhubarb,
0:09:04 > 0:09:08and then just take a little shallot and finely chop that, as well.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12And then the flavourings with rhubarb that go really well
0:09:12 > 0:09:17are things like ginger, orange and whisky.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19The whiskey's gone...
0:09:19 > 0:09:20The director.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24..so we're left with oranges and a little bit of ginger.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28I'm just going to chop this up small.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30Now, normally when you're making chutney,
0:09:30 > 0:09:34you would throw these ingredients in and boil it for about 45, 50 minutes,
0:09:34 > 0:09:36but this is a quick way of doing a chutney.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39You start off with a hot pan and some caster sugar.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43Throw that in the pan. And then we're going to create a caramel for this.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47It's much quicker and, I think, tastes much better.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50We're going to add a touch of rosemary to this -
0:09:50 > 0:09:54particularly good with mackerel -
0:09:54 > 0:09:56and a little bit of orange.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59Just as the sugar starts to caramelise,
0:09:59 > 0:10:03we're going to throw in these sultanas, which are lovely.
0:10:03 > 0:10:04They go into the boiling-hot sugar.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08If you keep your eye on this, you'll see them start to almost puff up.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10It happens really quickly.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13Now everything else gets added.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16In we go with the rhubarb, the rosemary,
0:10:16 > 0:10:18the shallots, the ginger...
0:10:19 > 0:10:21..the orange juice.
0:10:24 > 0:10:30And with this, it'll all become quite sticky and quite solid.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32Then, of course, what we need to do is deglaze this.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35I'm going to use cider vinegar. You can use white wine vinegar.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39One thing I wouldn't really use, particularly a quick chutney like this,
0:10:39 > 0:10:41is use malt vinegar.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Cook it for at least eight to ten minutes.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46As it's cooking, it's going to reduce down.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50That reduction will create our chutney, in effect.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52I'm going to serve this with a little salad,
0:10:52 > 0:10:56which is quite foreign in these parts.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01It's a lovely fresh salad, with orange segments...
0:11:01 > 0:11:05Get rid of the juice into our chutney.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09..celery leaves,
0:11:09 > 0:11:12the tips of some red chicory,
0:11:12 > 0:11:13fresh dill
0:11:13 > 0:11:15and pea shoots.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19And then set that aside to tackle the fish.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21A lot of people are put off by this as a fish
0:11:21 > 0:11:24because they find it too full of bones.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27We're going to fillet this. It's pretty straightforward.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30Insert the knife in it,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32slide it along its back like that.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36It's a very easy fish to fillet, this.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39I'll do the same with the other side.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Take the bones from this and you just take the knife
0:11:42 > 0:11:45and just remove the little ribcage there.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49This is a way of actually getting rid of all the bones,
0:11:49 > 0:11:51so it's much easier to eat.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54You have bones right through the centre.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57You can remove these with a pair of tweezers,
0:11:57 > 0:12:01but the easiest way to do it is V-cut the fish.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04You create a little incision one side
0:12:04 > 0:12:07and a little incision the other side
0:12:07 > 0:12:09and the bones just lift out.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12So, really, you've got mackerel with no bones at all.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15I'm going to use a pretty extraordinary way of cooking this fish.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18None of your pan-fried nonsense here.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22It's time to get the toys out because I'm going to blow-torch it.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24The taste of it is fantastic.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27But the blowtorch is important. This is a proper one.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30This is used to fix your car.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33Don't buy these piddly little things, they're a waste of time.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36You want a proper blowtorch.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38And then basically just score the top of the fish.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42This will cook in about a minute and a half.
0:12:46 > 0:12:51You get this lovely crispy skin over the top.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00Like that...
0:13:00 > 0:13:03You season it off afterwards
0:13:03 > 0:13:05because the pepper and salt will burn.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08A little drizzle of this rapeseed oil, as well,
0:13:08 > 0:13:10and you've got your mackerel fillets
0:13:10 > 0:13:12done with a simple blowtorch, nice and easy.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15We're nearly there. The chutney has reduced down.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18Just one more final touch needed.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22Just to finish off the salad, I'm going to use this rhubarb here
0:13:22 > 0:13:25and actually serve it raw.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28Use the world's worst peeler
0:13:28 > 0:13:33and basically peel this rhubarb, just shavings of it, really.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36A touch of oil, just to finish this off,
0:13:36 > 0:13:38a bit of seasoning...
0:13:43 > 0:13:46We're then going to take our lovely chutney.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49You can see that you haven't touched it, just left it,
0:13:49 > 0:13:52and because we've caramelised the sugar beforehand,
0:13:52 > 0:13:57you get this wonderful colour, but also the texture.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59You've got this wonderful mackerel.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03We can just decorate that...
0:14:03 > 0:14:06..with a little bit of the salad and this wonderful rhubarb.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10Eaten raw as well as cooked, it's fantastic.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14As a nation, we should eat more of it.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Don't just stick it in a glass with yoghurt on the top
0:14:17 > 0:14:19and call it a fool.
0:14:19 > 0:14:24This is what it's all about, because it is fabulous.
0:14:25 > 0:14:30There you have it - rhubarb chutney with a rhubarb salad and mackerel.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33Easy as that. Yorkshire through and through,
0:14:33 > 0:14:35like me.
0:14:36 > 0:14:41This dish really does showcase the fabulous versatility of Yorkshire rhubarb.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44From fresh in a salad, to cooked in a chutney,
0:14:44 > 0:14:48its unique sharp flavour sits beautifully alongside other ingredients,
0:14:48 > 0:14:52and it'll always be a real favourite of mine.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56What's amazing about the Rhubarb Triangle
0:14:56 > 0:14:59is that it's only a small area of land,
0:14:59 > 0:15:01but what it produces
0:15:01 > 0:15:05is such a fantastic crop of rhubarb.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11And in a chutney like this, with fish,
0:15:11 > 0:15:13it tastes fantastic.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24I'm leaving the industrial heartland of Yorkshire,
0:15:24 > 0:15:26with its Rhubarb Triangle, behind now
0:15:26 > 0:15:28and I'm heading further north
0:15:28 > 0:15:32to the wild and inhospitable Yorkshire Moors.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42There's not a lot that can be produced
0:15:42 > 0:15:44in terms of agriculture.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46There are a few sheep roaming around,
0:15:46 > 0:15:49but mainly it's just full of wild heather.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52That's the favourite for a little insect, the bee,
0:15:52 > 0:15:57and then produces some of the most famous honey this country has to offer.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04The beautiful North Yorkshire Moors are far and away the largest expanse
0:16:04 > 0:16:08of heather moorland anywhere in the UK.
0:16:09 > 0:16:14Every summer, great swathes of purple heather burst into flower.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16Ling heather is the most common.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19Its tiny pink flowers and unique nectar
0:16:19 > 0:16:21are irresistible to bees.
0:16:26 > 0:16:31One man taking advantage of this unique environment is Marcus Cordingly.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35First stung at the age of four, Marcus is a bee man through and through.
0:16:35 > 0:16:40His dad was a beekeeper, so he's always grown up with them buzzing in the background.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49Timing is crucial for Marcus.
0:16:49 > 0:16:54He's spent the last few months protecting and nurturing his thousands of bees,
0:16:54 > 0:16:59building up their strength so they're in absolute peak condition for the job ahead.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03He's taking them up to the Moors, where they have just one mission -
0:17:03 > 0:17:07to make the most of a tiny window of opportunity when the heather's flower
0:17:07 > 0:17:12to create a unique and much sought-after product.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14The heather always comes out at roughly the same time
0:17:14 > 0:17:19but it only lasts three to four weeks, the flowering.
0:17:19 > 0:17:24There's only going to be maybe one week when the bees can actually work, because of the weather.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29Amazingly, a week is all it will take
0:17:29 > 0:17:33to fill the currently empty hives with delicious honey.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37The hives are protected from the wild weather of the Moors
0:17:37 > 0:17:39by putting them behind a stone wall,
0:17:39 > 0:17:42just a short flight from this precious ling heather,
0:17:42 > 0:17:46which his bees will predominantly feed on.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49I think that's a happy buzz.
0:17:51 > 0:17:56But whether Marcus will get any kind of return for all this hard work
0:17:56 > 0:17:58is still in the balance.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00It's farming, at the end of the day.
0:18:00 > 0:18:05It's a lot of hard work for uncertain returns.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09But if it pays off, it's worth it because heather honey is a fantastic product.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18A few weeks have passed since Marcus let the bees out onto the heather
0:18:18 > 0:18:20and I'm intrigued to know how they're getting on.
0:18:20 > 0:18:25First, I need to get out of these and get into something a little bit more suitable.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29MUSIC: "Flight of the Bumblebee" by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
0:18:32 > 0:18:34It's a right old faff getting this on,
0:18:34 > 0:18:40but it'll be worth it for the opportunity to cook with this exceptional honey.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43In the 1980s,
0:18:43 > 0:18:46people used to go clubbing like this.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52Marcus... Good to see you.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55- I found you at last! Are you all right?- Very well, thank you.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59Tell us about these hives. They're quite busy, these bees, at the moment.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01Well, the day's warming up.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03- Go on, then, you'd better...- OK.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06What we're going to do is just harvest a bit of honey here.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09How many bees would we have in one particular hive like this?
0:19:09 > 0:19:11This is actually quite small
0:19:11 > 0:19:14but when they're in full flow, you'd be looking at 60,000,
0:19:14 > 0:19:18- but this is about a third of the size.- 60,000?- Yes.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21What I'd like you to do, James, is take one of those frames out
0:19:21 > 0:19:24and see what the honey's like - see if it's sealed, if it's ready.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26- This one? - Yes. That's fine, yes. Mm-hm.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30Well done. You've got the makings of a beekeeper.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33OK. Hold it up.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Just give them a bit of smoke, just to stop them getting too...
0:19:36 > 0:19:38- ..ratty with us. - Give them smoke, yes.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42- Now what happens?- What happens now! You can brush the bees off.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46- THEY LAUGH - Brush the bees off!- Yes!
0:19:47 > 0:19:50- Doesn't this make them angry? - Not if you're gentle.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53I don't know how you do this for a living.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55You get stung now and again.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58- They're off. - That's it. That's lovely.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02I think we can use that for cooking because it's nice honey on there.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04What makes this honey so special is the ling heather
0:20:04 > 0:20:07the bees collect the nectar from.
0:20:07 > 0:20:12It's one of the few plants that can thrive in the tough conditions of the Yorkshire Moors.
0:20:12 > 0:20:18It loves the peaty soil, open landscape and acidic ground.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24- Marcus, you haven't got any gloves on.- Right, yes.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28Well, you don't have any empathy for the bees if you've got gloves on.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31- If they sting you once, you know to give them a bit of smoke...- Great!
0:20:31 > 0:20:35- ..whereas if you've got gloves on, you don't know if they've stung you. - Right.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39- You're more in tune with the bees. - One's buzzing around my head and he's not very happy!
0:20:39 > 0:20:42When you read about bees, one bee in its lifetime
0:20:42 > 0:20:44produces about a twelfth of a teaspoon.
0:20:44 > 0:20:49I mean, a tremendous amount of work these guys are going through to produce this honey,
0:20:49 > 0:20:52- so no wonder they get upset! - Yes, this is their life's work.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54But this is actually surplus to requirements.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57- Where's the queen in amongst all this?- She's in the bottom box.
0:20:57 > 0:21:02- She's in the bottom bit?- Yes. She's laying eggs. The top box is where they put the surplus honey.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04So, this is like a larder for them, then, the top box.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06It is, yes. That's a good way of looking at it.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09And they cannot stop working if the weather's right.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11Amazing things, aren't they?
0:21:11 > 0:21:15They're just good pets, really!
0:21:15 > 0:21:16HE LAUGHS
0:21:16 > 0:21:21- I've got a dog.- I suppose there's something for everyone, isn't there?
0:21:23 > 0:21:26If we squeeze this, how much honey do you reckon we'd get out of this?
0:21:26 > 0:21:29- Two pounds. - Two pounds out of one of these?- Yes.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33- Is it enough?- It's definitely enough. I ain't going for more.- Right.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36- You could -- No, I'm not going to, before they get angry!
0:21:36 > 0:21:40It's good to know that not everybody wants to be a beekeeper, James,
0:21:40 > 0:21:42otherwise I wouldn't have any work!
0:21:42 > 0:21:46I'm going to grab this bit and I'll leave you in peace.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48- See you later.- See you later.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50They're going to follow me, I know this.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54Fresh honey, straight from the hive...
0:21:54 > 0:21:59I can't wait to use it, just as Mother Nature intended.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01It's an amazing part of the world, the North Yorkshire Moors.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05I thought, up here, I thought I'd do a lovely little raspberry roulade
0:22:05 > 0:22:09using this beautiful heather honey.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13The sticky, tasty honey will be in the filling for this fantastic dessert,
0:22:13 > 0:22:17which is packed with fresh cream and lots of fresh fruit,
0:22:17 > 0:22:19so it's not all bad for you.
0:22:19 > 0:22:24Instead of doing a conventional sort of Swiss-roll sponge for this, I'm going to do meringue.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27I'm going to separate five eggs
0:22:27 > 0:22:30and make just a simple little meringue.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33I would separate them by hand.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37And then you need to whisk this up.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41Now, contrary to popular belief, Yorkshire does have electricity,
0:22:41 > 0:22:44so I'm not using that. We're using this.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47What you're looking for really
0:22:47 > 0:22:51is light peaks to start off with, and then you can add the sugar.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54Cookbooks would tell you to slowly add this,
0:22:54 > 0:22:57but you can get this in as quick as you can.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07That's it, really. The texture should be nice and light.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11The meringue mixture needs to go into a lined tin,
0:23:11 > 0:23:14with a little bit of oil in the base to keep the paper in place.
0:23:14 > 0:23:19Push the mixture right into the corners to keep the roulade nice and neat
0:23:19 > 0:23:23and then scatter with flaked almonds.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27And then this goes into the oven.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32We've got one we've done.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Now we're going to do a lovely cream and fruit filling
0:23:36 > 0:23:39together with that delicious honeycomb.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43For this, we're just going to use some full-fat double cream.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47Because in this neck of the woods, we don't use single cream
0:23:47 > 0:23:50and we don't use low-fat creme fraiche or yoghurt, right?
0:23:50 > 0:23:53Over here, it's double cream, proper stuff.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56I'm going to whisk this up with a bit of fruit.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00So we've got raspberries in there. Sorted.
0:24:00 > 0:24:05Putting the raspberries in the cream will give it a little bit of colour and a light flavour.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09It only needs lightly whipping, just so it holds its shape.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12Now, to roll up your roulade,
0:24:12 > 0:24:14it's easy to use a damp tea towel.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18Sprinkle it with some sugar, just some plain caster sugar,
0:24:18 > 0:24:21and then just tip out your meringue.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24The meringue was baked at 180 degrees for eight minutes,
0:24:24 > 0:24:28and then in a cooler oven at 160 for a further 15.
0:24:28 > 0:24:33This gives it a nice sticky middle and a crispy outside.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37And then you've got this wonderful cream, which you're going to place in there.
0:24:37 > 0:24:42A decent amount of filling, as well. Swiss rolls should be indulgent.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46I'm going to use a mixture of different fruits that we've got,
0:24:46 > 0:24:48strawberries,
0:24:48 > 0:24:50a few more raspberries, as well,
0:24:50 > 0:24:52blueberries,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55a few blackberries, as well...
0:24:56 > 0:24:58..and then some of this spectacular honey.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Now, this is really special, I have to say.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03You can see the wonderful purple colour here.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06It only flowers for about four to five weeks a year, this stuff,
0:25:06 > 0:25:09but what it produces is this amazing honey.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11Just look at that!
0:25:14 > 0:25:17It's just one of the joys of nature, this sort of stuff.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19It's been around for thousands of years.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21It never goes off, honey, as well.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24It's one of these ingredients that's got its own preservative.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27Because it's warm on a day like today,
0:25:27 > 0:25:30it just literally pops out the honeycomb.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34We can put that... Just dot it around in here.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37You can see the colour of it, as well.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40It's really unique is Yorkshire heather honey.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44I know I keep going on about it being God's Own Country, but it kind of is a special place.
0:25:44 > 0:25:50Some of the best people in the world come from this neck of the woods,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53you've got the best honey in the world,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56but you've also got the best fish and chips in the world,
0:25:56 > 0:25:59just from over there in Whitby.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08That is proper!
0:26:08 > 0:26:12I'm going to put more on it. That is delicious!
0:26:12 > 0:26:14And then to roll it up,
0:26:14 > 0:26:17you just basically tuck it in to start off with
0:26:17 > 0:26:19and just gently roll it.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21Carefully fold it in.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26HE CHUCKLES
0:26:26 > 0:26:29Check that out!
0:26:30 > 0:26:33All this scrumptious pud needs now is some decoration -
0:26:33 > 0:26:38some more fresh fruit and, of course, more of that delicious honey.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43Sprigs of heather are optional, of course.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49Add a light dusting of icing sugar,
0:26:49 > 0:26:52which is easier said than done out on the Moors,
0:26:52 > 0:26:55and the dessert is done.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58It looks delicious. One thing I found fascinating about today,
0:26:58 > 0:27:01a bee's life only spans about six weeks
0:27:01 > 0:27:06and a twelfth of a teaspoon of honey, that's all it produces in those six weeks.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09So when you see it on a shelf, love it and respect it a bit more
0:27:09 > 0:27:13because that is Yorkshire gold.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19The taste of North Yorkshire Moors heather honey
0:27:19 > 0:27:22is much stronger and more pungent than other honeys,
0:27:22 > 0:27:26so its flavour really punches through the cream and the fruit
0:27:26 > 0:27:29in this delicate but rich dessert.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44Whilst flying over this country of ours,
0:27:44 > 0:27:48I've seen how diverse the ingredients are that it has to offer.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52Down on the ground, I've collected a wealth of fantastic foods,
0:27:52 > 0:27:58from the dairy cows in Devon who give us milk for the indulgent clotted cream,
0:27:58 > 0:28:03to the delicious langoustines in the calm waters of Loch Fyne...
0:28:03 > 0:28:04Just beautiful!
0:28:04 > 0:28:08..deep-fried on the shoreline...
0:28:09 > 0:28:12..and the huge pea harvest...
0:28:14 > 0:28:17..cooked in the wide-open spaces of the Fens.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23From cherries to raspberries... That is really delicious.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26..and from beef to salmon... You've got to love this place.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29..the diverse landscape of this nation
0:28:29 > 0:28:32really has shaped the foods we love so much.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34It just goes to prove,
0:28:34 > 0:28:37nobody does it better than Britain.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd