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Britain is world-famous for its stately homes. | 0:00:02 | 0:00:05 | |
And when it comes to food, | 0:00:05 | 0:00:08 | |
our country houses were the taste makers. | 0:00:08 | 0:00:11 | |
Curry and cockles. It's an absolute first for me. | 0:00:12 | 0:00:15 | |
In this series, we'll sample delicious dishes... | 0:00:15 | 0:00:18 | |
They look wonderful, Mary. | 0:00:18 | 0:00:21 | |
..and enjoy the lavish hospitality | 0:00:21 | 0:00:23 | |
that these homes were celebrated for. | 0:00:23 | 0:00:26 | |
You look absolutely stunning. | 0:00:26 | 0:00:28 | |
I'll show you how to cook tasty modern recipes | 0:00:28 | 0:00:32 | |
inspired by the history of our great houses. | 0:00:32 | 0:00:35 | |
This is actually Napoleon's chair from Waterloo. | 0:00:35 | 0:00:38 | |
Mind you, I could do with a cushion! | 0:00:38 | 0:00:40 | |
Join me as I meet the families who own these exceptional homes. | 0:00:40 | 0:00:44 | |
The best thing about the staircase, obviously, | 0:00:44 | 0:00:46 | |
-is going down on a tray, or on your bottom. -Oh! | 0:00:46 | 0:00:49 | |
And find out what it's really like to live... | 0:00:49 | 0:00:53 | |
That looks quite saucy. | 0:00:53 | 0:00:54 | |
..work... | 0:00:54 | 0:00:55 | |
-Oh, it's very like cutting a hedge. -I think you're better at baking! | 0:00:55 | 0:00:59 | |
..and party in the nation's most beautiful stately homes. | 0:00:59 | 0:01:03 | |
I'm not going to drop it! | 0:01:03 | 0:01:05 | |
This week, I'm visiting Highclere Castle, | 0:01:05 | 0:01:08 | |
the home of the Victorian house party... | 0:01:08 | 0:01:11 | |
I feel just like Lady Mary. | 0:01:11 | 0:01:14 | |
..where I'll be joining a very special dinner. | 0:01:14 | 0:01:17 | |
This is your invitation to dine at some of Britain's grandest tables | 0:01:17 | 0:01:22 | |
in some of the most beautiful houses in the land. | 0:01:22 | 0:01:25 | |
I'm in Hampshire, 60 miles west of London. | 0:01:36 | 0:01:40 | |
I'm on my way to explore one of the most significant houses in England. | 0:01:40 | 0:01:45 | |
It's Highclere Castle. | 0:01:47 | 0:01:48 | |
Although it's probably better known to millions of TV viewers | 0:01:48 | 0:01:52 | |
around the world... | 0:01:52 | 0:01:54 | |
Wow! | 0:01:54 | 0:01:55 | |
..as Downton Abbey. | 0:01:55 | 0:01:57 | |
There it is, peeping between the trees, | 0:02:01 | 0:02:04 | |
Highclere Castle. | 0:02:04 | 0:02:06 | |
It is truly magnificent. | 0:02:06 | 0:02:09 | |
For nearly 200 years, | 0:02:10 | 0:02:12 | |
Highclere has hosted some of the most glamorous and influential | 0:02:12 | 0:02:16 | |
weekend house parties in British high society. | 0:02:16 | 0:02:20 | |
Now, I've been invited in, too. | 0:02:20 | 0:02:23 | |
-Good morning. -Hello, good morning, welcome. | 0:02:23 | 0:02:26 | |
What a glorious day. | 0:02:26 | 0:02:27 | |
It is fantastic. | 0:02:27 | 0:02:28 | |
It feels so familiar from watching Downton, | 0:02:28 | 0:02:31 | |
but it's also somehow different. | 0:02:31 | 0:02:34 | |
I'm here to find out what and who keeps a home like this going | 0:02:34 | 0:02:39 | |
in today's world. | 0:02:39 | 0:02:41 | |
Can I take your coat and hat? | 0:02:41 | 0:02:42 | |
Thank you. | 0:02:42 | 0:02:43 | |
I'm meeting Fiona, eighth Countess of Caernarvon, | 0:02:48 | 0:02:52 | |
who lives here with her family and seven dogs. | 0:02:52 | 0:02:55 | |
Quite a welcome. | 0:02:55 | 0:02:57 | |
How lovely to meet you. | 0:02:57 | 0:02:59 | |
-What a treat. -I am thrilled to be here. | 0:02:59 | 0:03:02 | |
Well, thank you for coming. | 0:03:02 | 0:03:03 | |
Hello! What a family you have! And this is one of your puppies. | 0:03:03 | 0:03:07 | |
This is little Evie, and she's just like a little lapdog. | 0:03:07 | 0:03:12 | |
-Aren't you? -She's very lovely. Hello, poppet. | 0:03:12 | 0:03:14 | |
Well, you know why I love her, because I have Darcy at home, | 0:03:14 | 0:03:18 | |
and you look as though you're her first cousin. | 0:03:18 | 0:03:21 | |
Isn't she lovely? | 0:03:21 | 0:03:22 | |
-So, how long have your family been here? -Since 1679. | 0:03:22 | 0:03:26 | |
So the family have been here for, sort of, 350 years. | 0:03:26 | 0:03:29 | |
And before that, it was owned by the church. | 0:03:29 | 0:03:31 | |
People have lived here since 749 AD. | 0:03:31 | 0:03:34 | |
So, I'm looking after something which is stately, | 0:03:34 | 0:03:37 | |
and something which is a home, which matters a lot to me. | 0:03:37 | 0:03:41 | |
And sharing it with friends and family, what is more important? | 0:03:41 | 0:03:44 | |
It's living in the now for something I'm trying to preserve | 0:03:44 | 0:03:47 | |
for the future. | 0:03:47 | 0:03:48 | |
And so, how many can you have to stay here? | 0:03:48 | 0:03:51 | |
Hello, poppet, yes. | 0:03:51 | 0:03:53 | |
I'm happy having, I suppose, about 20 people to stay. | 0:03:53 | 0:03:57 | |
I think that's enough. I'm not a hotel. | 0:03:57 | 0:04:00 | |
But there are 200-300 rooms in this house. | 0:04:00 | 0:04:03 | |
-Wow! -So, it's... And there are. | 0:04:03 | 0:04:05 | |
So, what happens behind that gallery up there? | 0:04:05 | 0:04:07 | |
The main bedrooms and guest bedrooms run all around this gallery. | 0:04:07 | 0:04:11 | |
You can walk round down the stairs and pretend you're Lady Mary, | 0:04:11 | 0:04:15 | |
if you want to be, | 0:04:15 | 0:04:16 | |
or some of the illustrious guests from the past. | 0:04:16 | 0:04:20 | |
In the Victorian era, | 0:04:22 | 0:04:23 | |
Highclere Castle was renowned | 0:04:23 | 0:04:25 | |
for hosting the most prestigious weekend house parties. | 0:04:25 | 0:04:30 | |
The weekends were partly for matchmaking among the gentry. | 0:04:30 | 0:04:34 | |
But the house parties also had a major influence | 0:04:34 | 0:04:37 | |
on business and politics. | 0:04:37 | 0:04:39 | |
You're very famous for your house parties. | 0:04:39 | 0:04:42 | |
Tell me more about them. | 0:04:42 | 0:04:44 | |
I think the weekend house parties began because Highclere provided an | 0:04:44 | 0:04:48 | |
environment where Cabinet ministers, politicians, diplomats, | 0:04:48 | 0:04:52 | |
could sit and discuss over dinner challenging matters of the day. | 0:04:52 | 0:04:56 | |
For example, the fourth Earl drafted the Canadian constitution here, | 0:04:56 | 0:05:02 | |
which became the Dominion of Canada on 1st July, 1867. | 0:05:02 | 0:05:07 | |
It's a home that oozes history. | 0:05:08 | 0:05:10 | |
And the fact that it's only a short distance from London, | 0:05:10 | 0:05:13 | |
no doubt allowed the more powerful guests to come, | 0:05:13 | 0:05:16 | |
and boosted the impact of the parties held here. | 0:05:16 | 0:05:20 | |
Mary, would you like to see some more of this house? | 0:05:20 | 0:05:22 | |
-I would love to. -Then let's go this way. -OK. Come on, chaps. | 0:05:22 | 0:05:25 | |
Everybody come. | 0:05:25 | 0:05:26 | |
Highclere was designed with entertaining in mind. | 0:05:28 | 0:05:32 | |
From the grand saloon for receiving important guests, | 0:05:32 | 0:05:36 | |
to the magnificent library... | 0:05:36 | 0:05:39 | |
..to the peaceful drawing-room, where the ladies | 0:05:40 | 0:05:43 | |
retired after dinner. | 0:05:43 | 0:05:45 | |
This is a lovely room, isn't it? | 0:05:47 | 0:05:49 | |
Absolutely. And it's so light. | 0:05:49 | 0:05:51 | |
The person who decorated this drawing room, Mary, was Almina, | 0:05:51 | 0:05:55 | |
and she's one of the most important figures in Highclere's history. | 0:05:55 | 0:05:58 | |
So, there's a photograph of her, when I think she was round about 19. | 0:05:58 | 0:06:04 | |
And she was the illegitimate daughter of Alfred de Rothschild. | 0:06:04 | 0:06:07 | |
She was his only daughter. | 0:06:07 | 0:06:09 | |
He adored her. So when she married the fifth Earl of Caernarvon, | 0:06:09 | 0:06:13 | |
with whom she was madly in love, | 0:06:13 | 0:06:14 | |
he gave her a dowry with some £500,000, | 0:06:14 | 0:06:17 | |
which in those days was such a lot of money. | 0:06:17 | 0:06:20 | |
Perhaps £60 million in today's terms. | 0:06:20 | 0:06:23 | |
That'd do a lot of restoration and building and whatever, wouldn't it? | 0:06:23 | 0:06:28 | |
The fifth Earl married an heiress. | 0:06:28 | 0:06:30 | |
Jolly useful thing to do. | 0:06:30 | 0:06:31 | |
In the 19th century, Highclere was the house to be invited to. | 0:06:32 | 0:06:37 | |
I'm told that Benjamin Disraeli, soon to be Prime Minister, | 0:06:37 | 0:06:42 | |
and even Prince Bertie, the future King, have partied here. | 0:06:42 | 0:06:46 | |
But entertaining on that scale required more than beautiful rooms. | 0:06:46 | 0:06:51 | |
It required staff, and through an unassuming door in the corner | 0:06:51 | 0:06:56 | |
of the saloon, lies another world. | 0:06:56 | 0:06:58 | |
This is the green baize door. | 0:06:58 | 0:07:00 | |
So this was to muffle the sound? | 0:07:03 | 0:07:05 | |
It was. So we're now in the staff part. | 0:07:05 | 0:07:08 | |
And these stairs go the whole way up. | 0:07:08 | 0:07:11 | |
So the housemaids and the footmen could operate | 0:07:11 | 0:07:15 | |
with never being seen by the guests or family. | 0:07:15 | 0:07:18 | |
Look at the number of stairs up here, it's extraordinary. | 0:07:18 | 0:07:21 | |
Goodness gracious, it's almost to heaven! | 0:07:21 | 0:07:24 | |
LAUGHTER | 0:07:24 | 0:07:26 | |
-You didn't need the gin. -No! | 0:07:26 | 0:07:27 | |
These stairs must have been busy. | 0:07:27 | 0:07:29 | |
I'm told there used to be more than 50 household staff. | 0:07:29 | 0:07:34 | |
There were chambermaids upstairs, and cooks in the basement kitchen | 0:07:34 | 0:07:39 | |
where Lady Caernarvon takes me next. | 0:07:39 | 0:07:41 | |
An astonishing 60 metres away. | 0:07:41 | 0:07:44 | |
Goodness gracious. | 0:07:44 | 0:07:45 | |
This goes on for ever. | 0:07:45 | 0:07:47 | |
This part hasn't really been seen on television | 0:07:47 | 0:07:50 | |
because Downton filmed all the kitchen scenes in Ealing Studios. | 0:07:50 | 0:07:54 | |
And our own kitchens have been where they've been for 1,000 years. | 0:07:54 | 0:07:58 | |
But they really are used today to cook for all our tours and dinners. | 0:07:58 | 0:08:02 | |
So, they chose to create the kitchen scenes elsewhere. | 0:08:02 | 0:08:06 | |
Well, I'm privileged. | 0:08:06 | 0:08:08 | |
I'm seeing something that the viewers didn't see. | 0:08:08 | 0:08:11 | |
It's the last part of the journey into the kitchen. | 0:08:15 | 0:08:18 | |
We're nearly there. | 0:08:18 | 0:08:19 | |
It's a fair sized kitchen. | 0:08:21 | 0:08:23 | |
It's a great kitchen. | 0:08:23 | 0:08:25 | |
It strikes me that it's an awful long way to the dining room. | 0:08:25 | 0:08:29 | |
I should think... How you keep the food hot, I don't know. | 0:08:29 | 0:08:33 | |
I gather Mrs Mackie, one of the cooks of the '30s, | 0:08:33 | 0:08:35 | |
used to chase the footman down the corridor, saying, "Run, run!". | 0:08:35 | 0:08:39 | |
Gosh. | 0:08:39 | 0:08:40 | |
It is very tall. | 0:08:40 | 0:08:42 | |
So the kitchen wouldn't get too hot. | 0:08:42 | 0:08:44 | |
And the windows are all quite high, so you've got maximum wall space. | 0:08:44 | 0:08:49 | |
In most old stately homes, the kitchen would be north facing | 0:08:49 | 0:08:53 | |
cos then there was less light and the food was less likely to spoil. | 0:08:53 | 0:08:57 | |
It would stay cooler. | 0:08:57 | 0:08:58 | |
And you've then got an awful lot of space to cook in. | 0:08:58 | 0:09:01 | |
It's a very practical, well-designed kitchen. | 0:09:01 | 0:09:03 | |
And the plates there... | 0:09:03 | 0:09:05 | |
Now, is this the crest of the family? | 0:09:05 | 0:09:07 | |
Yes. We've just had them made again. | 0:09:07 | 0:09:09 | |
This is a brand-new set. | 0:09:09 | 0:09:12 | |
And I've copied Almina, the fifth Countess's design, more or less. | 0:09:12 | 0:09:15 | |
So it's quite fun, isn't it? | 0:09:15 | 0:09:17 | |
I've done enough for a small group of friends. | 0:09:17 | 0:09:20 | |
I've done enough for 80 people to sit down. | 0:09:20 | 0:09:22 | |
80 people! But they're beautiful. | 0:09:22 | 0:09:24 | |
So, how important was the food for the reputation of the house? | 0:09:24 | 0:09:27 | |
To me, the food we deliver, the dinners, the suppers, | 0:09:27 | 0:09:32 | |
they matter enormously. | 0:09:32 | 0:09:33 | |
And I want people to enjoy it and to be impressed by Paul, | 0:09:33 | 0:09:37 | |
our chef's cooking. | 0:09:37 | 0:09:38 | |
He's excellent. | 0:09:38 | 0:09:40 | |
And so, still today, you use this kitchen that's so far away? | 0:09:40 | 0:09:44 | |
There's not a day that I don't come into this kitchen. | 0:09:44 | 0:09:46 | |
But now you're here, Mary, | 0:09:46 | 0:09:48 | |
I really hope that you might cook with us as well. | 0:09:48 | 0:09:50 | |
And I really look forward to that. | 0:09:50 | 0:09:52 | |
I'm itching to get going. | 0:09:52 | 0:09:54 | |
-Will you give me a hand? -I would love to, Mary, thank you. | 0:09:54 | 0:09:57 | |
Since afternoon tea was an important part of the weekend house party, | 0:10:00 | 0:10:05 | |
I think we should make an indulgent tea-time treat. | 0:10:05 | 0:10:08 | |
My raspberry tartlets with creme patisserie. | 0:10:08 | 0:10:12 | |
The creme patisserie couldn't be easier to make. | 0:10:12 | 0:10:16 | |
Start by warming 150ml of milk, | 0:10:16 | 0:10:19 | |
with some vanilla extract. | 0:10:19 | 0:10:21 | |
Heat the milk until it's scalding hot, | 0:10:21 | 0:10:25 | |
so you can just put your finger in and lift it out again. | 0:10:25 | 0:10:28 | |
Meanwhile, I'm going to put an egg in here. | 0:10:28 | 0:10:31 | |
Do you have hens here? | 0:10:31 | 0:10:33 | |
I do have hens. | 0:10:33 | 0:10:35 | |
Nothing better than fresh eggs. | 0:10:35 | 0:10:37 | |
Different colours. White eggs, blue eggs, brown eggs, | 0:10:37 | 0:10:40 | |
and different sizes. | 0:10:40 | 0:10:41 | |
I used to have a hen which laid green eggs. | 0:10:41 | 0:10:44 | |
Did you? Very unusual. | 0:10:44 | 0:10:46 | |
Which was very good for boiled eggs for breakfast. | 0:10:46 | 0:10:48 | |
Add 25g of caster sugar and 25g of plain flour | 0:10:48 | 0:10:53 | |
and whisk it all to a stiff paste. | 0:10:53 | 0:10:55 | |
Just until it's smooth. | 0:10:55 | 0:10:58 | |
There it is. And then I'm going to put the milk into there in two lots. | 0:11:00 | 0:11:05 | |
That's because I don't want the egg to separate. | 0:11:05 | 0:11:08 | |
That looks smooth to me. | 0:11:09 | 0:11:11 | |
And then in goes the rest of the milk. | 0:11:11 | 0:11:13 | |
Now that looks like a thin custard. | 0:11:17 | 0:11:20 | |
But it will thicken up nicely | 0:11:21 | 0:11:23 | |
as soon as I've put it back on the heat. | 0:11:23 | 0:11:25 | |
How about you giving it a jolly good beat? | 0:11:27 | 0:11:29 | |
Fine. | 0:11:29 | 0:11:30 | |
A bit of welly in there. | 0:11:31 | 0:11:33 | |
You know, in earlier days, when we didn't have machines, | 0:11:33 | 0:11:37 | |
the cooks used to have huge great muscles, didn't they? | 0:11:37 | 0:11:40 | |
There's a fruit biscuit recipe from 1811, we've got, | 0:11:40 | 0:11:44 | |
and in the middle it says, "stir for two hours". | 0:11:44 | 0:11:48 | |
Which seems a bit extraordinary when they're making it. | 0:11:48 | 0:11:51 | |
I think you've done really well. | 0:11:51 | 0:11:53 | |
I want it really thick. | 0:11:53 | 0:11:54 | |
-And we'll put some cream in it. -How delicious. | 0:11:54 | 0:11:57 | |
Let the mixture cool thoroughly, then whisk in 75ml of double cream. | 0:11:57 | 0:12:03 | |
So, the creme patisserie is made, and I reckon... | 0:12:03 | 0:12:07 | |
it tastes... | 0:12:07 | 0:12:08 | |
-Go on! -Can I taste it? It's my special role! | 0:12:08 | 0:12:12 | |
That's delicious, actually. | 0:12:12 | 0:12:14 | |
And the cream is absolutely scrummy. | 0:12:14 | 0:12:17 | |
I like to make my own shortcrust pastry, | 0:12:17 | 0:12:20 | |
but you can buy ready cooked cases if you're in a hurry. | 0:12:20 | 0:12:23 | |
Then it's just a matter of placing fresh raspberries on top. | 0:12:26 | 0:12:29 | |
This is my smiley face. | 0:12:30 | 0:12:32 | |
There we go. Two eyes and a mouth. | 0:12:32 | 0:12:34 | |
I'll do it properly, I promise! | 0:12:34 | 0:12:35 | |
I can see you like having a good play with the children | 0:12:35 | 0:12:39 | |
-when they're all baking. -Yes. | 0:12:39 | 0:12:40 | |
And for the glaze, heap some raspberry jam with a little water. | 0:12:40 | 0:12:45 | |
And that will slacken it down and we just push it through the sieve | 0:12:45 | 0:12:50 | |
so we don't get the seeds. | 0:12:50 | 0:12:52 | |
That's it. | 0:12:52 | 0:12:54 | |
The aim is to put, sort of, minimum on, and let it just run over. | 0:12:57 | 0:13:03 | |
It's really to give a shine. | 0:13:04 | 0:13:06 | |
That just looks perfect. | 0:13:06 | 0:13:09 | |
Well, it's been lovely having you as my sous-chef. | 0:13:09 | 0:13:12 | |
Oh, thank you, Mary. Come along. | 0:13:12 | 0:13:14 | |
Now's my chance to really play at being in Downton Abbey. | 0:13:16 | 0:13:20 | |
Taking afternoon tea with a Countess. | 0:13:22 | 0:13:25 | |
This must be what it was like to be entertained here | 0:13:25 | 0:13:28 | |
back in Highclere's house party heyday in the late 1800s. | 0:13:28 | 0:13:33 | |
They look wonderful, Mary. | 0:13:33 | 0:13:36 | |
You are clever. | 0:13:36 | 0:13:37 | |
Mmmm! | 0:13:50 | 0:13:51 | |
That's delicious. | 0:13:51 | 0:13:53 | |
I can see people being very distracted | 0:13:53 | 0:13:56 | |
with all the beauty of this room. | 0:13:56 | 0:13:57 | |
Well, it's quite a French room, isn't it? | 0:13:57 | 0:14:00 | |
-With all the gold. So it's rather beautiful. -And the views! | 0:14:00 | 0:14:03 | |
Who else has got a backdrop of the wonderful folly at the back? | 0:14:03 | 0:14:06 | |
I know. It is beautiful, isn't it? | 0:14:06 | 0:14:08 | |
You know, I think people might imagine being a Countess, | 0:14:08 | 0:14:11 | |
that every day you sit down and have tea, | 0:14:11 | 0:14:14 | |
and you have Lewis serving you, even if nobody's about. | 0:14:14 | 0:14:17 | |
-Is that so? -Certainly not! | 0:14:17 | 0:14:19 | |
I'm often making myself a really nice cup of tea. | 0:14:19 | 0:14:22 | |
But I'm having it often at my desk in my office. | 0:14:22 | 0:14:25 | |
It is a hands-on job, whether you're working in the office | 0:14:25 | 0:14:29 | |
or finding that you need to ring an electrician, | 0:14:29 | 0:14:32 | |
or you've got various great friends. | 0:14:32 | 0:14:34 | |
Steve the roofer's a great friend, you always need a good roofer. | 0:14:34 | 0:14:38 | |
The plumbers were here today. | 0:14:38 | 0:14:39 | |
There's marketing to be done, e-mails to be answered. | 0:14:39 | 0:14:43 | |
Laughter to be had, as we go about every day's business. | 0:14:43 | 0:14:47 | |
There's a long list. | 0:14:47 | 0:14:48 | |
And actually, I don't think my husband disclosed | 0:14:48 | 0:14:51 | |
quite the length of the list when he asked me to marry him. | 0:14:51 | 0:14:54 | |
It's clear that taking on a house like this is a huge responsibility. | 0:14:57 | 0:15:02 | |
And I can imagine the maintenance bills are endless. | 0:15:02 | 0:15:06 | |
So this luxurious home has had to evolve partly into a business. | 0:15:06 | 0:15:11 | |
And to find out more, I'm meeting Fiona's husband Georgie, | 0:15:11 | 0:15:16 | |
eighth Earl of Caernarvon. | 0:15:16 | 0:15:18 | |
We're introduced by the castle manager, | 0:15:18 | 0:15:21 | |
in keeping with proper protocol. | 0:15:21 | 0:15:24 | |
-Lord Caernarvon, Mary. -Hi, good afternoon, welcome to Highclere. | 0:15:24 | 0:15:26 | |
I'm very thrilled to be here. | 0:15:26 | 0:15:28 | |
The Earl is, after all, the Queen's godson. | 0:15:28 | 0:15:31 | |
-Enjoy your visit. -Thank you. | 0:15:31 | 0:15:32 | |
Much of the 5,000 acre estate is a working farm. | 0:15:32 | 0:15:37 | |
We specialise in winter oats, | 0:15:37 | 0:15:39 | |
which we process for feeding for performance horses | 0:15:39 | 0:15:42 | |
like racehorses and polo ponies. | 0:15:42 | 0:15:44 | |
And then, for spring crops, like spring malting barley. | 0:15:44 | 0:15:47 | |
And this year we're doing spring beans. | 0:15:47 | 0:15:50 | |
And you have masses of sheep. | 0:15:50 | 0:15:52 | |
-How many have you? -Well, we have about 1,600 ewes, | 0:15:52 | 0:15:56 | |
and there'll be about 2,500 lambs. | 0:15:56 | 0:15:58 | |
Nowadays, we very much use the sheep to help control all of this | 0:15:58 | 0:16:03 | |
very big area of grassland we have in the park here. | 0:16:03 | 0:16:06 | |
This beautiful parkland, as well as being part of the house, | 0:16:15 | 0:16:18 | |
is regularly opened to the public. | 0:16:18 | 0:16:21 | |
Highclere also has a long-standing reputation | 0:16:21 | 0:16:25 | |
for hosting top-quality game shooting weekends. | 0:16:25 | 0:16:29 | |
Highclere's been involved with game shooting | 0:16:29 | 0:16:31 | |
all the way back from the end of the Victorian and Edwardian period, | 0:16:31 | 0:16:35 | |
when it was one of the heights of recreational entertainment | 0:16:35 | 0:16:38 | |
for country house parties and that kind of thing. | 0:16:38 | 0:16:41 | |
So, is shooting the main part of the business here, | 0:16:41 | 0:16:43 | |
or is it just a small part? | 0:16:43 | 0:16:44 | |
Well, I wouldn't say it's a vast part of the business. | 0:16:44 | 0:16:47 | |
But I would say it's a relevant part of the business, | 0:16:47 | 0:16:50 | |
especially with the seasons. | 0:16:50 | 0:16:51 | |
And also because the game does get used in restaurants. | 0:16:51 | 0:16:54 | |
And we serve game ourselves here in the castle. | 0:16:54 | 0:16:56 | |
And it's terribly good for us. | 0:16:56 | 0:16:58 | |
It is. It's very low-fat, naturally low-cholesterol, | 0:16:58 | 0:17:00 | |
and very tasty. As you know, you can cook it in many different ways. | 0:17:00 | 0:17:04 | |
Pheasant shooting is out of season between March and October. | 0:17:06 | 0:17:10 | |
But the gamekeepers stay busy, clearing woodland, | 0:17:10 | 0:17:13 | |
rearing birds, and training their dogs. | 0:17:13 | 0:17:15 | |
Lord Caernarvon introduces me to gamekeepers Eddie Hughes, | 0:17:17 | 0:17:21 | |
Tom Hibberd, and Val Maskell. | 0:17:21 | 0:17:24 | |
Hello, Valerie. | 0:17:24 | 0:17:26 | |
I have never seen a bevy of spaniels behaving so beautifully. | 0:17:26 | 0:17:30 | |
Yes, they are perfectly disciplined and well behaved. | 0:17:30 | 0:17:33 | |
They're all so quiet and happy, aren't they? Hello, poppet! | 0:17:33 | 0:17:37 | |
Like my Darcy, these dogs are all spaniels, | 0:17:37 | 0:17:40 | |
a breed which originally came from Spain, hence the name spaniel. | 0:17:40 | 0:17:45 | |
They've been used as hunting dogs since at least the 15th century, | 0:17:45 | 0:17:50 | |
with Springer spaniels trained to flush, or "spring" birds | 0:17:50 | 0:17:54 | |
from their ground nests. | 0:17:54 | 0:17:55 | |
The smaller cocker spaniels tended to be used for hunting woodcock. | 0:17:55 | 0:18:00 | |
Val has been training and breeding gundogs all her life. | 0:18:01 | 0:18:06 | |
So, Val, how long have you been here at Highclere? | 0:18:06 | 0:18:09 | |
Well, I've been here nearly 20 years on the estate, with Eddie. | 0:18:09 | 0:18:13 | |
Gosh, that's a good innings. | 0:18:13 | 0:18:15 | |
When do you start training the dogs? Do they have to be a certain age? | 0:18:15 | 0:18:19 | |
Well, I start training them as soon as possible. | 0:18:19 | 0:18:21 | |
Ours live indoors because somebody tried to steal them one night | 0:18:21 | 0:18:24 | |
when they were out in the kennels. | 0:18:24 | 0:18:26 | |
We don't want to take the risk of losing them. | 0:18:26 | 0:18:28 | |
I bet they'd rather be in your kitchen than anywhere else. | 0:18:28 | 0:18:30 | |
They certainly would, yes. | 0:18:30 | 0:18:32 | |
Lots more cuddles. | 0:18:32 | 0:18:34 | |
So, are you going to put them through their paces? | 0:18:34 | 0:18:36 | |
Yes, we let them hunt around. | 0:18:36 | 0:18:38 | |
And then we'll fire a shot. | 0:18:38 | 0:18:39 | |
They all have to sit down. | 0:18:39 | 0:18:41 | |
And then we'll throw a dummy for them. | 0:18:41 | 0:18:44 | |
And then one dog is selected to fetch that dummy and bring it back | 0:18:44 | 0:18:47 | |
-to me and put it in my hand. -OK. | 0:18:47 | 0:18:50 | |
WHISTLE PEEPS | 0:18:52 | 0:18:56 | |
GUNSHOT | 0:19:00 | 0:19:01 | |
Wait! | 0:19:03 | 0:19:04 | |
Marty. | 0:19:04 | 0:19:06 | |
Marty! | 0:19:06 | 0:19:07 | |
Oh, you clever boy. | 0:19:19 | 0:19:20 | |
Good boy. | 0:19:20 | 0:19:22 | |
A wonderful job, Marty. Well done. That's a good boy. | 0:19:23 | 0:19:26 | |
Spending time with the gamekeepers has given me an idea for a recipe. | 0:19:33 | 0:19:37 | |
Game has been a prominent part of the menus at Highclere | 0:19:38 | 0:19:41 | |
for 200 years. | 0:19:41 | 0:19:43 | |
So I'm going to make a rich pheasant casserole | 0:19:43 | 0:19:46 | |
that could be used for the gamekeeper's lunch. | 0:19:46 | 0:19:49 | |
First of all, I'm using a big pan | 0:19:56 | 0:19:58 | |
and I'm going to make sure that it's hot before I fry all the meat. | 0:19:58 | 0:20:03 | |
So I'm just turning that up. | 0:20:03 | 0:20:05 | |
And I've got a brace of pheasants here. | 0:20:05 | 0:20:07 | |
I've got prime birds. | 0:20:07 | 0:20:09 | |
A little bit of oil in the bottom, just enough to cover the base. | 0:20:09 | 0:20:13 | |
Expect a sizzle, cos I've got this pan hot. | 0:20:14 | 0:20:17 | |
Keep turning and just get them brown. | 0:20:27 | 0:20:30 | |
It all adds to the flavour. | 0:20:30 | 0:20:32 | |
Once the meat is browned, put it to one side, | 0:20:34 | 0:20:37 | |
then in the same pan, fry the bacon. | 0:20:37 | 0:20:40 | |
I'm using smoked for extra flavour, | 0:20:40 | 0:20:42 | |
along with a roughly chopped onion and celery. | 0:20:42 | 0:20:45 | |
In goes the celery. | 0:20:45 | 0:20:47 | |
Again, keep that stirring all the time. | 0:20:50 | 0:20:54 | |
And when it's all very, very hot, I'll add the flour. | 0:20:56 | 0:20:59 | |
Sprinkle that in. | 0:21:01 | 0:21:02 | |
And it's important to make sure every bit is covered in the flour. | 0:21:04 | 0:21:09 | |
Don't worry about that deep golden brown at the bottom. | 0:21:11 | 0:21:14 | |
That will all come up when I add the stock. | 0:21:14 | 0:21:17 | |
I'm using pheasant stock, but you can use chicken if you prefer. | 0:21:17 | 0:21:21 | |
And you could use cider, | 0:21:21 | 0:21:23 | |
although I find cloudy apple juice gives it a warmer, fuller flavour. | 0:21:23 | 0:21:28 | |
Right, we need a little bit of Worcester sauce. | 0:21:28 | 0:21:31 | |
That just sharpens it up. | 0:21:34 | 0:21:36 | |
A little redcurrant jelly. | 0:21:38 | 0:21:39 | |
Any fruit jelly will do. | 0:21:39 | 0:21:41 | |
Just whichever one you've got in the cupboard. | 0:21:41 | 0:21:44 | |
It doesn't really matter. | 0:21:45 | 0:21:47 | |
Add seasoning. | 0:21:48 | 0:21:50 | |
And fresh bay leaves. | 0:21:52 | 0:21:53 | |
There they are, then I'm going to tip all the meat in there. | 0:21:53 | 0:21:57 | |
That is quite a good colour, but it's a little bit grey | 0:22:00 | 0:22:05 | |
so I'm going to do a little bit of gravy browning. | 0:22:05 | 0:22:07 | |
Just a dash. Go easy on it, | 0:22:07 | 0:22:10 | |
because it's quite dark and it's just caramel colouring. | 0:22:10 | 0:22:13 | |
And that really does look rich and good. | 0:22:13 | 0:22:17 | |
Then it needs simmering on a low heat | 0:22:19 | 0:22:22 | |
for around one and a half to two hours, until really tender. | 0:22:22 | 0:22:27 | |
Mushrooms go in for the last half-hour, so they stay firm. | 0:22:27 | 0:22:31 | |
Then it's ready for the gamekeepers. | 0:22:31 | 0:22:34 | |
I'm serving it simply with green veg and mash, | 0:22:37 | 0:22:40 | |
to let the pheasant flavour shine. | 0:22:40 | 0:22:43 | |
I hope you're starving! | 0:22:43 | 0:22:44 | |
I've been toiling away all morning and I want you to eat it all! | 0:22:44 | 0:22:48 | |
Right, can you take this? It's blooming hot. | 0:22:48 | 0:22:51 | |
There we are, Val. I know you went without breakfast this morning, | 0:22:51 | 0:22:54 | |
-so you must be starving. -Thank you! | 0:22:54 | 0:22:57 | |
-Pass it down the line. -Wonderful, thank you, Mary. | 0:23:01 | 0:23:03 | |
I'm told at the end of the 19th century, | 0:23:03 | 0:23:06 | |
there could have been up to 100 gamekeepers, helpers and staff | 0:23:06 | 0:23:10 | |
on a single shoot weekend. | 0:23:10 | 0:23:12 | |
I'm glad I haven't got to cook for all that lot. | 0:23:12 | 0:23:15 | |
So, when you have a shoot here, how many people come? | 0:23:15 | 0:23:19 | |
-Probably got 25 to 30 people, have been here last time. -Yeah, yeah. | 0:23:19 | 0:23:23 | |
And there must be some very well behaved dogs here, I should think, | 0:23:23 | 0:23:26 | |
-cos it could be chaos! -There is occasionally! | 0:23:26 | 0:23:29 | |
Most of you have been working here for many, | 0:23:31 | 0:23:33 | |
many years and what is it that you like, cos none of you seem to leave? | 0:23:33 | 0:23:38 | |
Well, it's the atmosphere of the place. | 0:23:38 | 0:23:41 | |
We all get on well together, don't we? | 0:23:41 | 0:23:43 | |
-Yeah. -All of us. -Camaraderie. | 0:23:43 | 0:23:45 | |
Eddie does a shooter's meal. | 0:23:45 | 0:23:47 | |
Sorry, Eddie and Valerie do a shooter's meal. | 0:23:47 | 0:23:50 | |
Sorry, Val. | 0:23:50 | 0:23:51 | |
They prepare a meal for what we call the team, | 0:23:51 | 0:23:54 | |
-or the family. -Eddie's a very good cook. | 0:23:54 | 0:23:57 | |
I carry the things in and out mainly. | 0:23:57 | 0:24:00 | |
Very nice, Mary. | 0:24:02 | 0:24:03 | |
-Is it? -Very nice. -Very good, yeah. | 0:24:03 | 0:24:06 | |
-Oh, good. -Thank you very much, Mary. It's delicious. -Thank you. | 0:24:06 | 0:24:09 | |
The top-class shoots were a key feature of the weekend house parties | 0:24:15 | 0:24:19 | |
that made Highclere such an influential and sought after place | 0:24:19 | 0:24:24 | |
to visit. | 0:24:24 | 0:24:25 | |
And it was the fifth countess, the young Lady Almina who, | 0:24:25 | 0:24:30 | |
just months into her new life here, | 0:24:30 | 0:24:33 | |
had to host perhaps the most influential guest of all. | 0:24:33 | 0:24:37 | |
Her father wanted to make sure that she was fully accepted | 0:24:37 | 0:24:40 | |
into high society, and he arranged for the Prince of Wales, | 0:24:40 | 0:24:45 | |
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, | 0:24:45 | 0:24:47 | |
who was going to become later Edward VII, | 0:24:47 | 0:24:49 | |
came to stay at Highclere, so it was an extraordinary, | 0:24:49 | 0:24:52 | |
extravagant three-day party and shoot. | 0:24:52 | 0:24:57 | |
That's what she was in charge of at just 19. | 0:24:57 | 0:25:01 | |
Lady Caernarvon shows me the bedroom that Almina had redecorated | 0:25:08 | 0:25:12 | |
especially for the future king. | 0:25:12 | 0:25:14 | |
All in red, very royal. | 0:25:16 | 0:25:18 | |
So these are the original silk wall hangings from 1895. | 0:25:18 | 0:25:22 | |
-Good gracious. -It's lovely. | 0:25:22 | 0:25:24 | |
They must have been of very good quality to have stayed like this. | 0:25:24 | 0:25:27 | |
And I think this bed was brought in for the Prince of Wales. | 0:25:27 | 0:25:30 | |
It doesn't look so big today, but yet, | 0:25:30 | 0:25:32 | |
king-size sheets don't necessarily fit it very well. | 0:25:32 | 0:25:35 | |
It is quite a large bed. | 0:25:35 | 0:25:37 | |
The Prince was a very robust man, was he? | 0:25:37 | 0:25:39 | |
Yes, he was quite a large man, | 0:25:39 | 0:25:41 | |
with a girth that testified to his love of food, I think you might say. | 0:25:41 | 0:25:45 | |
Yes. And he would have been waited on hand, foot and finger. | 0:25:45 | 0:25:49 | |
Completely. He demanded the best, so the best bedrooms, | 0:25:49 | 0:25:52 | |
the best decorations, the best food, champagne, wine, | 0:25:52 | 0:25:56 | |
so if you had him to stay quite often, or longer than a weekend, | 0:25:56 | 0:26:00 | |
you know, you could find yourself dipping deep into your pockets | 0:26:00 | 0:26:03 | |
to try to pay for it all. | 0:26:03 | 0:26:05 | |
Luckily, with Almina's huge wealth, | 0:26:08 | 0:26:10 | |
she was able to go to town for this very special weekend house party. | 0:26:10 | 0:26:15 | |
Delving deep into the family's private archives | 0:26:18 | 0:26:21 | |
reveals what it takes to entertain a demanding 44-year-old Prince. | 0:26:21 | 0:26:27 | |
Mary, we're so lucky to have this account book | 0:26:28 | 0:26:31 | |
of the special entertainments with HRH the Prince of Wales, | 0:26:31 | 0:26:35 | |
December 1895. | 0:26:35 | 0:26:37 | |
It just shows you the quantity of foods, of provisions, | 0:26:37 | 0:26:42 | |
the amount of decorating, | 0:26:42 | 0:26:44 | |
refurbishment that was done, the carpets, | 0:26:44 | 0:26:47 | |
the hire of marquees, | 0:26:47 | 0:26:49 | |
it's just endless. | 0:26:49 | 0:26:51 | |
I mean, I think in today's terms, Almina spent about £500,000 | 0:26:51 | 0:26:55 | |
on entertaining the Prince of Wales for three days. | 0:26:55 | 0:26:59 | |
All for just one weekend. | 0:26:59 | 0:27:01 | |
Which was just two evenings, if you think about it! | 0:27:01 | 0:27:05 | |
And then he was on the train again. | 0:27:05 | 0:27:07 | |
Have you any idea what was actually served on the main evening dinner? | 0:27:07 | 0:27:12 | |
So from my research on this particular weekend, | 0:27:12 | 0:27:16 | |
I've constructed what I think is the very likely selection of dishes. | 0:27:16 | 0:27:21 | |
The Prince of Wales was very keen on oysters. | 0:27:21 | 0:27:24 | |
It was a very good safe starting point. | 0:27:24 | 0:27:26 | |
There were always two soups, a thin soup and a thick soup. | 0:27:26 | 0:27:29 | |
So it was consomme clair and cock-a-leekie. | 0:27:29 | 0:27:31 | |
The soups were followed by six further courses, | 0:27:31 | 0:27:35 | |
served one after the other, as was the new fashion. | 0:27:35 | 0:27:39 | |
There could have been more than 20 different dishes. | 0:27:39 | 0:27:42 | |
Finally ending with a buffet. | 0:27:42 | 0:27:44 | |
A buffet. I bet there were some good leftovers! | 0:27:44 | 0:27:47 | |
Yes, I think the staff must have ate well, and of course, | 0:27:47 | 0:27:50 | |
the Prince of Wales then had a small buffet up in his bedroom, | 0:27:50 | 0:27:53 | |
in case he became hungry during the evening. | 0:27:53 | 0:27:56 | |
With food as her secret weapon, the visit was a triumph for Lady Almina, | 0:27:58 | 0:28:03 | |
securing her a place in English society, | 0:28:03 | 0:28:07 | |
and cementing Highclere's reputation for distinguished parties. | 0:28:07 | 0:28:12 | |
And today is little different. | 0:28:13 | 0:28:15 | |
Current royalty have also been entertained here. | 0:28:15 | 0:28:19 | |
Lady Caernarvon is inviting a few friends to a house party. | 0:28:19 | 0:28:23 | |
I've been asked to join them, and also to suggest a recipe | 0:28:23 | 0:28:28 | |
to serve at the main dinner. | 0:28:28 | 0:28:30 | |
All this talk of royalty makes me think of the perfect dish. | 0:28:31 | 0:28:36 | |
My succulent cannon of lamb, | 0:28:37 | 0:28:39 | |
served on a crispy celeriac potato cake, | 0:28:39 | 0:28:42 | |
with a luxurious fresh mint gravy. | 0:28:42 | 0:28:45 | |
Now cannon of lamb is the saddle of lamb, | 0:28:50 | 0:28:53 | |
it's the eye of the meat, and it's very expensive, | 0:28:53 | 0:28:57 | |
but it is something that is so special, | 0:28:57 | 0:29:01 | |
so tender, and quite easy to serve. | 0:29:01 | 0:29:03 | |
It's for a great celebration. | 0:29:03 | 0:29:05 | |
Having seasoned the meat with salt and pepper, | 0:29:08 | 0:29:11 | |
and lightly brushed it with oil, | 0:29:11 | 0:29:12 | |
I'm browning it in a really hot pan. | 0:29:12 | 0:29:15 | |
I want to do this as quickly as possible. | 0:29:15 | 0:29:18 | |
You can see by the smoke, it's really, really, really hot. | 0:29:20 | 0:29:25 | |
Now already, I need to be turning it. | 0:29:27 | 0:29:30 | |
The reason for sealing the meat before I roast it, | 0:29:30 | 0:29:34 | |
it gives a wonderful colour so you have to stand there and let it smoke | 0:29:34 | 0:29:38 | |
straight in your hair, it doesn't matter. | 0:29:38 | 0:29:41 | |
I've got some rosemary here. | 0:29:41 | 0:29:43 | |
There's an abundance of herbs to choose from here, | 0:29:43 | 0:29:46 | |
which is wonderful. | 0:29:46 | 0:29:48 | |
So, put that underneath each piece, | 0:29:48 | 0:29:51 | |
so that will permeate through the meat, and that will be browned. | 0:29:51 | 0:29:55 | |
There. | 0:29:57 | 0:29:58 | |
That is beautifully sealed, just what I wanted. | 0:29:58 | 0:30:02 | |
Done really, really fast. | 0:30:02 | 0:30:04 | |
I'm going to sit those on the top. | 0:30:04 | 0:30:06 | |
It's got to have eight minutes' roasting. | 0:30:07 | 0:30:10 | |
So in it goes, to a hot oven at 200 fan. | 0:30:11 | 0:30:16 | |
To go with that very glamorous cannon of lamb, | 0:30:22 | 0:30:26 | |
I've decided to make potato cakes but with a difference, | 0:30:26 | 0:30:29 | |
with celeriac. | 0:30:29 | 0:30:31 | |
The two flavours go very well together. | 0:30:31 | 0:30:33 | |
So, you need 350g of potatoes, and 250g of celeriac. | 0:30:33 | 0:30:40 | |
I've grated the potato and the celeriac, using the coarse grater, | 0:30:40 | 0:30:45 | |
put it in a tea towel to get every little bit of wet out of it. | 0:30:45 | 0:30:49 | |
This is something that's got to be done at the last minute, | 0:30:49 | 0:30:53 | |
otherwise the celeriac goes brown. | 0:30:53 | 0:30:55 | |
So, salt and pepper. | 0:30:55 | 0:30:57 | |
Divide the grated veg into equal sized piles | 0:30:59 | 0:31:03 | |
and squash them down to make patties. | 0:31:03 | 0:31:05 | |
You've got to be firm, and you've got to use force. | 0:31:05 | 0:31:09 | |
It will begin to stick together. | 0:31:09 | 0:31:11 | |
That's it. | 0:31:11 | 0:31:13 | |
It's the starch in the potato which is holding it all together. | 0:31:13 | 0:31:18 | |
Then they're ready for frying, | 0:31:20 | 0:31:22 | |
but make sure your pan is nowhere near as hot as it was for the lamb. | 0:31:22 | 0:31:26 | |
Notice how I'm pushing the sides in, | 0:31:27 | 0:31:30 | |
so that they don't all join up, and good news, | 0:31:30 | 0:31:33 | |
you can make these ahead and reheat them. | 0:31:33 | 0:31:36 | |
Fry them until golden brown on each side. | 0:31:36 | 0:31:40 | |
Cook them too quickly and you'll find that they will burn underneath | 0:31:42 | 0:31:47 | |
and it won't be done in the middle, | 0:31:47 | 0:31:49 | |
so I've turned the heat down, and doing them very, very gently. | 0:31:49 | 0:31:52 | |
Serve with a traditional gravy enriched with port | 0:31:57 | 0:32:01 | |
and freshly chopped mint from the garden. | 0:32:01 | 0:32:03 | |
That that looks pretty good to me, | 0:32:07 | 0:32:09 | |
so that needs to go into the gravy, like that. | 0:32:09 | 0:32:13 | |
I'm going to taste it and see that it really is sheer perfection | 0:32:14 | 0:32:19 | |
to serve with that lamb. | 0:32:19 | 0:32:20 | |
That's pretty good. | 0:32:26 | 0:32:28 | |
To me, that's a dish fit for a prince. | 0:32:28 | 0:32:32 | |
I can't tell you how thrilled I am that I'm going to be | 0:32:32 | 0:32:35 | |
at this great dinner party that Lady Caernarvon is going to give, | 0:32:35 | 0:32:40 | |
and she's chosen to have this wonderful lamb dish. | 0:32:40 | 0:32:43 | |
I so hope they enjoy it. | 0:32:43 | 0:32:45 | |
Whether the guests are visiting royalty, weekend house guests, | 0:32:53 | 0:32:58 | |
or paying public, | 0:32:58 | 0:32:59 | |
the rooms here have to be kept in first-rate condition. | 0:32:59 | 0:33:03 | |
There is a never-ending list of jobs | 0:33:03 | 0:33:06 | |
that keeps the 14 household staff rather busy. | 0:33:06 | 0:33:09 | |
It'll look much more spectacular here. | 0:33:11 | 0:33:13 | |
It was rather hidden round a corner before. | 0:33:13 | 0:33:15 | |
-It's got really good light there. -It's lovely. | 0:33:15 | 0:33:17 | |
I think it's pretty good to keep out of the way here. | 0:33:21 | 0:33:24 | |
It must be very, very heavy. | 0:33:24 | 0:33:26 | |
-It's the frame... My goodness, David, that's very high. -Yeah. | 0:33:26 | 0:33:30 | |
And then at the top is a picture rail, is it? It will hook over. | 0:33:31 | 0:33:35 | |
-There is. -That's it, down. That's it. | 0:33:35 | 0:33:38 | |
-The other down! -OK. | 0:33:38 | 0:33:39 | |
-Happy? -No, left a bit with your left hand, David. | 0:33:41 | 0:33:45 | |
It's not quite vertical. | 0:33:45 | 0:33:46 | |
Is it tipping down on the top left-hand corner a little bit? | 0:33:46 | 0:33:50 | |
Yes. | 0:33:50 | 0:33:51 | |
It's a bit cockeyed. | 0:33:51 | 0:33:53 | |
-Happy? -Yeah, I think so, actually, John. Brilliant. | 0:33:57 | 0:34:00 | |
Thank you, very, very much. | 0:34:00 | 0:34:01 | |
You've got a great team of people here. | 0:34:02 | 0:34:04 | |
Who are they all and what do they all do? | 0:34:04 | 0:34:06 | |
I have. Well, I don't know, Matthew, you do multitasking, | 0:34:06 | 0:34:10 | |
afternoon teas, helping with dogs, | 0:34:10 | 0:34:13 | |
feed the chickens when I can't do that. | 0:34:13 | 0:34:15 | |
I can't think what you came here to do, but that's what you do now! | 0:34:15 | 0:34:19 | |
I don't think I'm doing what I came here to do! | 0:34:19 | 0:34:21 | |
What was the job description when you came? | 0:34:21 | 0:34:23 | |
I think it was pretty much whatever I needed to do. | 0:34:23 | 0:34:26 | |
-Oh, good. -Walking the dogs, helping to butler in the castle, | 0:34:26 | 0:34:29 | |
and then it's just grown since then. | 0:34:29 | 0:34:32 | |
And which part do you enjoy most? | 0:34:32 | 0:34:34 | |
All of it. It's very varied, so it's fun. | 0:34:34 | 0:34:37 | |
It is really good fun working here. | 0:34:37 | 0:34:40 | |
And then, Pat, I don't know how long you've been here for, | 0:34:40 | 0:34:42 | |
which way exceeds me, doesn't it? | 0:34:42 | 0:34:44 | |
-Yeah. 57 years now. -57 years?! | 0:34:44 | 0:34:47 | |
Yes, yes. | 0:34:47 | 0:34:48 | |
-Gosh. -We do painting and decorating all the way around, | 0:34:48 | 0:34:51 | |
whether it's in the castle, or around the estate. | 0:34:51 | 0:34:54 | |
I hope you're not going up ladders. | 0:34:54 | 0:34:56 | |
No, thanks to Lady Caernarvon. No, I don't, not any more. | 0:34:56 | 0:34:59 | |
-She banned me. -So, how many have you got in your team? | 0:34:59 | 0:35:02 | |
There's three of us. Mike is one, and young Richard's the other. | 0:35:02 | 0:35:05 | |
Mind you, I call them the boys. | 0:35:05 | 0:35:07 | |
The boys. Well, one's coming 80, and the other's coming 48. | 0:35:07 | 0:35:10 | |
One's coming...? | 0:35:10 | 0:35:12 | |
80. I come for 75. | 0:35:12 | 0:35:14 | |
And no sign of retirement? | 0:35:14 | 0:35:16 | |
-No. -Not allowed to! | 0:35:16 | 0:35:18 | |
No! I was just going to say that! | 0:35:18 | 0:35:19 | |
I understand that, I can tell you. | 0:35:19 | 0:35:21 | |
You just keep going. It's much better. | 0:35:21 | 0:35:23 | |
And on a Friday every so often, we have fish and chips together. | 0:35:23 | 0:35:27 | |
Pat goes and gets fish and chips from our local fish and chip shop. | 0:35:27 | 0:35:30 | |
We sit down and wherever we are... | 0:35:30 | 0:35:31 | |
We hide. | 0:35:31 | 0:35:33 | |
-Well, that's good. -Yes. | 0:35:33 | 0:35:34 | |
My husband doesn't think I should have fish and chips, | 0:35:34 | 0:35:36 | |
but I think it's excellent! | 0:35:36 | 0:35:38 | |
Well, it's a great thing to share. | 0:35:38 | 0:35:40 | |
And then, John Gunter, who's our castle manager. | 0:35:40 | 0:35:42 | |
I'm not quite sure what's on your CV, either. | 0:35:42 | 0:35:46 | |
I'm not quite sure I've got a true job description either, | 0:35:46 | 0:35:49 | |
but it does include everything. | 0:35:49 | 0:35:51 | |
We do some large events and that takes a lot of planning. | 0:35:51 | 0:35:55 | |
The team are a relatively small team, | 0:35:55 | 0:35:57 | |
very hard-working, | 0:35:57 | 0:35:59 | |
and you've got to have some good humour and good nature, | 0:35:59 | 0:36:02 | |
otherwise it just doesn't gel and that's the magic gel | 0:36:02 | 0:36:05 | |
that makes it work for us all, I think. | 0:36:05 | 0:36:07 | |
And, after a hard week, everybody has some fish and chips. | 0:36:07 | 0:36:10 | |
I like that idea. | 0:36:10 | 0:36:11 | |
I've never been invited, so I wouldn't know. | 0:36:11 | 0:36:15 | |
-Hope for an invitation! -I will look more diligently on Friday lunchtimes | 0:36:15 | 0:36:19 | |
for my fish and chip invitation. | 0:36:19 | 0:36:21 | |
-Have I put the cat amongst the pigeons? -Yes, I think you have! | 0:36:21 | 0:36:24 | |
It looks as though you might have to have somebody else. | 0:36:24 | 0:36:27 | |
Yes, I think I might, Mary. | 0:36:27 | 0:36:29 | |
Cut! | 0:36:29 | 0:36:30 | |
Now, there's one more member of the team I really must meet. | 0:36:36 | 0:36:40 | |
Paul Brooke-Taylor cooks for the family as well as for public events. | 0:36:40 | 0:36:44 | |
-Right place, right time? -Absolutely. -Lovely to meet you. -You, too, Mary. | 0:36:44 | 0:36:47 | |
-Thank you. -So how did you come to get here? | 0:36:47 | 0:36:50 | |
I was in a very big hotel corporation chain | 0:36:50 | 0:36:53 | |
and I found that as soon as you become head chef, you stop cooking. | 0:36:53 | 0:36:56 | |
I wanted to get my hands dirty. | 0:36:56 | 0:36:58 | |
I wanted to cook but nine years ago.. It's flown by, to be honest. | 0:36:58 | 0:37:01 | |
-So you got the job? -I did, yeah. | 0:37:01 | 0:37:03 | |
I took over a sleepy little castle. | 0:37:03 | 0:37:05 | |
It was lovely. We did the odd posh wedding and then they did a TV show | 0:37:05 | 0:37:09 | |
here and my life changed. | 0:37:09 | 0:37:10 | |
What's the biggest number you have for tea? | 0:37:10 | 0:37:12 | |
A wedding, we'll cap at 120. | 0:37:12 | 0:37:14 | |
If it's family dining, we'll do 30. | 0:37:14 | 0:37:16 | |
Afternoon teas, | 0:37:16 | 0:37:18 | |
we do over 110 a day when we're open to the general public. | 0:37:18 | 0:37:21 | |
And you're two chefs now. | 0:37:21 | 0:37:23 | |
Going back 100 years ago, how many would have been in here? | 0:37:23 | 0:37:25 | |
I have this conversation with Lord Caernarvon a lot. | 0:37:25 | 0:37:28 | |
I've got to be honest, his team back then was a lot bigger. | 0:37:28 | 0:37:30 | |
But it was one chef per job. | 0:37:30 | 0:37:32 | |
I think now, we have more equipment, we have better ovens. | 0:37:32 | 0:37:35 | |
It's not such manual labour. | 0:37:35 | 0:37:37 | |
And it was a totally different environment. | 0:37:37 | 0:37:40 | |
This house has had to change to match today's society, | 0:37:40 | 0:37:43 | |
and make some money. | 0:37:43 | 0:37:45 | |
Opening the house to the public is a relatively recent change, but the | 0:37:49 | 0:37:54 | |
Caernarvon family have been in the public eye throughout their history. | 0:37:54 | 0:37:59 | |
None more so, perhaps, than Lord Caernarvon's great-grandfather, | 0:37:59 | 0:38:03 | |
George Herbert, the fifth Earl. | 0:38:03 | 0:38:06 | |
He was an early pioneer in travel photography. | 0:38:06 | 0:38:10 | |
And there's that rather wonderful drawing of him with his lucky hat on | 0:38:13 | 0:38:17 | |
-and his cigarette in his right hand. -Oh, how lovely. | 0:38:17 | 0:38:20 | |
What I like is the lucky hat. | 0:38:20 | 0:38:22 | |
It's looking pretty worn and dented there. | 0:38:22 | 0:38:25 | |
That portrait does have a touch of Indiana Jones about it, | 0:38:25 | 0:38:28 | |
but you can see the extraordinary character of the man. | 0:38:28 | 0:38:32 | |
He was the late Victorian, Edwardian eccentric adventurer. | 0:38:32 | 0:38:37 | |
One great friend of his and a regular visitor here | 0:38:40 | 0:38:42 | |
was the famed archaeologist Howard Carter. | 0:38:42 | 0:38:46 | |
I'm told that, together, in these very rooms, | 0:38:46 | 0:38:50 | |
they would plan their expeditions to Egypt, | 0:38:50 | 0:38:53 | |
where they made one of the world's most significant | 0:38:53 | 0:38:56 | |
archaeological discoveries, the tomb of Tutankhamun. | 0:38:56 | 0:39:01 | |
This is very much the area he worked in, | 0:39:01 | 0:39:03 | |
because here we are now in the Valley of the Kings. | 0:39:03 | 0:39:06 | |
I think in very early 1923, | 0:39:06 | 0:39:08 | |
just only within two months of him actually discovering the tomb | 0:39:08 | 0:39:11 | |
of Tutankhamun in November 1922 with Howard Carter. | 0:39:11 | 0:39:15 | |
And there's the famous steps down to the tomb. | 0:39:15 | 0:39:18 | |
And there's my great-grandfather, the fifth Earl, on the left... | 0:39:18 | 0:39:21 | |
-Right. -And Howard Carter on the right, looking very dapper. | 0:39:21 | 0:39:24 | |
The two men's stoic persistence in the heat and dust and flies | 0:39:24 | 0:39:28 | |
of the dessert paid off in the greatest archaeological find. | 0:39:28 | 0:39:32 | |
Look at the huge smiles! And also look at their dress. | 0:39:32 | 0:39:36 | |
I mean, they've got waistcoats on in this heat! | 0:39:36 | 0:39:38 | |
Yes, I think there was a strong tradition of rather wintry | 0:39:38 | 0:39:41 | |
British dress in rather a warm climate, even in Egypt. | 0:39:41 | 0:39:43 | |
Can you imagine when they first break down the door | 0:39:43 | 0:39:46 | |
of the antechamber of the tomb, my great-grandfather says to Carter, | 0:39:46 | 0:39:50 | |
"Can you see anything? Can you see anything? What's happening?" | 0:39:50 | 0:39:53 | |
They're all in a high state of excitement, because actually, | 0:39:53 | 0:39:55 | |
they'd found all this rubbish had been piled up everywhere, | 0:39:55 | 0:39:58 | |
and Carter had been in previous tombs, | 0:39:58 | 0:40:00 | |
where there was nothing the other side, but this time, | 0:40:00 | 0:40:03 | |
he says, "Yes, I see wonderful things." | 0:40:03 | 0:40:06 | |
And there's everywhere the glint of gold. | 0:40:06 | 0:40:09 | |
Well, I shall not forget the look on their faces. | 0:40:09 | 0:40:12 | |
I mean, it's magical, isn't it? | 0:40:12 | 0:40:14 | |
The whole thing is, it was such a time of such excitement | 0:40:14 | 0:40:16 | |
and it was such bad luck for my great-grandfather | 0:40:16 | 0:40:19 | |
that he didn't live to see so many of the wonderful objects | 0:40:19 | 0:40:22 | |
that finally came out of the tomb. | 0:40:22 | 0:40:24 | |
He went off to take a few days' rest down the river, | 0:40:29 | 0:40:31 | |
which was when he was bitten by the fateful mosquito in March 1923. | 0:40:31 | 0:40:36 | |
And what happened after that? | 0:40:36 | 0:40:38 | |
Eventually, he returned to Cairo with blood poisoning | 0:40:38 | 0:40:41 | |
but sadly, in the end, succumbed to pneumonia | 0:40:41 | 0:40:44 | |
and he died in the hour of his triumph, | 0:40:44 | 0:40:46 | |
and, of course, he never actually saw the wonderful golden mask. | 0:40:46 | 0:40:50 | |
Nonetheless, Lord Caernarvon was assured of a place | 0:40:52 | 0:40:56 | |
in archaeological history. | 0:40:56 | 0:40:58 | |
When you were a boy, | 0:40:58 | 0:40:59 | |
was it very exciting growing up with all these stories? | 0:40:59 | 0:41:02 | |
Well, the strange thing was, I used to wonder a lot about all this, | 0:41:02 | 0:41:05 | |
but my grandfather was very reticent about it. | 0:41:05 | 0:41:08 | |
-Really? -And he was the one that hid | 0:41:08 | 0:41:10 | |
quite a number of these incredible objects that we have here | 0:41:10 | 0:41:14 | |
in dark cupboards, between two rooms, | 0:41:14 | 0:41:17 | |
and no-one was ever allowed to see them | 0:41:17 | 0:41:18 | |
and he blocked up the entrance either side. | 0:41:18 | 0:41:20 | |
I think he was very upset by the fact that his father had suddenly died | 0:41:20 | 0:41:25 | |
when he really was quite, quite young | 0:41:25 | 0:41:27 | |
and Egypt had, out of the blue, taken something away from him | 0:41:27 | 0:41:31 | |
and totally changed his life. | 0:41:31 | 0:41:32 | |
And my grandfather was just quite quiet about his father's work. | 0:41:32 | 0:41:37 | |
Thankfully, the currant Lord Caernarvon keeps replicas | 0:41:37 | 0:41:41 | |
of his great-grandfather's finds | 0:41:41 | 0:41:44 | |
in a public museum deep in the basement, | 0:41:44 | 0:41:47 | |
a tribute to this remarkable chapter in Highclere's history. | 0:41:47 | 0:41:52 | |
Gosh, that is sheer magnificence. | 0:41:52 | 0:41:55 | |
Well, this is the glorious middle coffin. | 0:41:55 | 0:41:58 | |
Of course, the actual embalmed body | 0:41:58 | 0:41:59 | |
was found vested inside three golden coffins | 0:41:59 | 0:42:02 | |
and this one's known as the middle one | 0:42:02 | 0:42:03 | |
and it was absolutely covered in an effect of semiprecious stones. | 0:42:03 | 0:42:08 | |
Can you see all the glory of all the colours? | 0:42:08 | 0:42:11 | |
The reds, the blues, and the gold. | 0:42:11 | 0:42:13 | |
Well, it is absolutely spectacular. | 0:42:13 | 0:42:16 | |
Wow! There it is, I know it's a replica, but isn't it magnificent? | 0:42:19 | 0:42:24 | |
It's an extraordinary replica to scale of the real golden mask. | 0:42:24 | 0:42:29 | |
And this weighs around 11 kilos and it's an extraordinary amount of gold | 0:42:29 | 0:42:34 | |
on one beautiful artistic object, of the face of the boy king. | 0:42:34 | 0:42:38 | |
Remember, he died when he was only about 19, or so. | 0:42:38 | 0:42:41 | |
It's so beautiful and gentle and the actual features. | 0:42:41 | 0:42:44 | |
Yes, they really are extraordinary. | 0:42:44 | 0:42:46 | |
It's one of the world's greatest objects. | 0:42:46 | 0:42:49 | |
But the days of grand discoveries, | 0:42:53 | 0:42:55 | |
sumptuous living and weekend house parties at Highclere were numbered. | 0:42:55 | 0:43:00 | |
The Second World War brought turbulent times | 0:43:01 | 0:43:04 | |
and the current Lady Caernarvon, a keen historian, | 0:43:04 | 0:43:08 | |
has been unearthing some of the castle's wartime stories. | 0:43:08 | 0:43:11 | |
She's arranged an expedition to show me evidence | 0:43:13 | 0:43:17 | |
of an aeroplane that crashed here. | 0:43:17 | 0:43:19 | |
Her team of plane hunters | 0:43:19 | 0:43:21 | |
includes metal detector enthusiasts Paul McTaggart and Robert Coleman, | 0:43:21 | 0:43:27 | |
and retired Concorde pilot Steve Bowhill Smith. | 0:43:27 | 0:43:31 | |
What are you looking for? What are you expecting? | 0:43:31 | 0:43:33 | |
Well, we've got some photographs to show you. | 0:43:33 | 0:43:36 | |
That's a B-17, which was called a flying Fortress. | 0:43:36 | 0:43:41 | |
It crashed up on the top of the hill. | 0:43:41 | 0:43:42 | |
They were usually about ten people on board | 0:43:42 | 0:43:45 | |
but this was a training flight, | 0:43:45 | 0:43:47 | |
and they had only seven on board. | 0:43:47 | 0:43:49 | |
And to search for it, we had to get permission from the MoD. | 0:43:49 | 0:43:55 | |
-You have to have a licence. -Really, on your own land? | 0:43:55 | 0:43:57 | |
Yes, it's called the Protection Of Military Remains Act, | 0:43:57 | 0:44:01 | |
so we had to do it properly. | 0:44:01 | 0:44:02 | |
We had to get the landowner's permission | 0:44:02 | 0:44:04 | |
and then we had to get the MoD's permission as well. | 0:44:04 | 0:44:07 | |
I'm told the main bulk of the American plane was recovered | 0:44:14 | 0:44:18 | |
a few days after the crash. | 0:44:18 | 0:44:19 | |
But, over the last few years, | 0:44:19 | 0:44:21 | |
Lady Caernarvon and her team have collected | 0:44:21 | 0:44:24 | |
dozens of smaller pieces of the wreckage | 0:44:24 | 0:44:26 | |
that have been lying here untouched since the Second World War. | 0:44:26 | 0:44:30 | |
Perhaps I should explain what we think happened. | 0:44:30 | 0:44:34 | |
They hit the trees, | 0:44:34 | 0:44:35 | |
those big cedar trees up on the top, and they just came crashing down | 0:44:35 | 0:44:38 | |
through the trees here, | 0:44:38 | 0:44:40 | |
down the slope and it basically exploded into a million bits. | 0:44:40 | 0:44:45 | |
So you can walk along amongst the trees here | 0:44:45 | 0:44:48 | |
and you can actually see things in the undergrowth from the aircraft. | 0:44:48 | 0:44:54 | |
OK, Mary. This is a metal detector. | 0:44:54 | 0:44:56 | |
Put your arm in there and all you do is, basically, | 0:44:56 | 0:44:58 | |
just wave it backwards and forwards. | 0:44:58 | 0:45:00 | |
What am I waiting for? A noise? | 0:45:00 | 0:45:02 | |
You're waiting for a noise. As soon as you go over a piece of metal, | 0:45:02 | 0:45:04 | |
it'll squeak at you and you'll know exactly. | 0:45:04 | 0:45:07 | |
That's it. Close to the ground. | 0:45:10 | 0:45:11 | |
The lower to the ground, the better it is. | 0:45:11 | 0:45:13 | |
BEEP | 0:45:16 | 0:45:18 | |
-What was that? -That was the signal. | 0:45:18 | 0:45:20 | |
Right in the middle of that. | 0:45:20 | 0:45:21 | |
There, look. It's all over the place. Just underneath the surface. | 0:45:21 | 0:45:24 | |
That wasn't digging for it. It was just there. | 0:45:24 | 0:45:26 | |
No, there was no digging, because there's so much of it, | 0:45:26 | 0:45:29 | |
-just up in the woods. -What have you found? | 0:45:29 | 0:45:31 | |
Well, this was just on the bank up there. | 0:45:31 | 0:45:34 | |
It looks like a hatch of some description. | 0:45:34 | 0:45:36 | |
There's a hinge there and there will be another hinge somewhere else | 0:45:36 | 0:45:40 | |
-up there. -It's airframe, definitely. | 0:45:40 | 0:45:43 | |
It's amazing to think that this has been here 70-odd years. | 0:45:43 | 0:45:48 | |
And it was only three days before the end of the war. | 0:45:48 | 0:45:50 | |
So absolutely tragic, really. | 0:45:50 | 0:45:52 | |
They'd done their 30-odd missions, | 0:45:52 | 0:45:54 | |
so this is where it all came to an end. | 0:45:54 | 0:45:57 | |
-Rather sad. -Rather sad, terrible, yeah. | 0:45:57 | 0:46:00 | |
But, for me, it's something about understanding what happened | 0:46:00 | 0:46:04 | |
to these young men who gave so much | 0:46:04 | 0:46:06 | |
and doing some sort of memorial for them | 0:46:06 | 0:46:08 | |
over in the castle gardens, looking up at this hill. | 0:46:08 | 0:46:11 | |
It's the stories of husbands, of brothers, of sons, | 0:46:15 | 0:46:18 | |
who died fighting for all of us. | 0:46:18 | 0:46:20 | |
We're heading to one of Highclere's follies, known as Heaven's Gate. | 0:46:25 | 0:46:30 | |
It was built over 250 years ago... | 0:46:30 | 0:46:34 | |
..by the current Earl's great, great, great, great, great, great great uncle! | 0:46:35 | 0:46:41 | |
With truly breathtaking views over the estate, | 0:46:41 | 0:46:44 | |
it's a fitting place to reflect on the changing fortunes of Highclere | 0:46:44 | 0:46:49 | |
since the Second World War. | 0:46:49 | 0:46:51 | |
What was the impact of the war on Highclere? | 0:46:51 | 0:46:55 | |
Highclere was commandeered by the Ministry of Health | 0:46:55 | 0:46:57 | |
and it became home for evacuee children so, suddenly, | 0:46:57 | 0:47:00 | |
there were between 25 and 50 tiny children aged three to five, | 0:47:00 | 0:47:05 | |
living on the top floor of the castle, | 0:47:05 | 0:47:07 | |
throughout the war with their teachers, nursing assistants. | 0:47:07 | 0:47:10 | |
So the chef, therefore, was now cooking for 80 people a day, | 0:47:10 | 0:47:14 | |
breakfast, lunch, and high tea for the children. | 0:47:14 | 0:47:18 | |
It was a time of hardship. | 0:47:18 | 0:47:21 | |
You had to really look after the food you were growing. | 0:47:21 | 0:47:23 | |
Nothing was wasted. | 0:47:23 | 0:47:25 | |
I mean, the vegetable garden here, the kitchen garden was invaluable, | 0:47:25 | 0:47:28 | |
because it was very successful | 0:47:28 | 0:47:29 | |
and it not only supplied the castle and the children | 0:47:29 | 0:47:32 | |
but it could also supply beyond that, as well. | 0:47:32 | 0:47:34 | |
After the war, things changed for the great estates. | 0:47:34 | 0:47:38 | |
Is that right? | 0:47:38 | 0:47:39 | |
It did. There was no money, no resources, | 0:47:39 | 0:47:42 | |
rationing still continued. | 0:47:42 | 0:47:44 | |
It was a very tough time so no-one could afford to employ | 0:47:44 | 0:47:47 | |
anybody either and nor could you repair anything, | 0:47:47 | 0:47:50 | |
because there was nothing to repair anything with. | 0:47:50 | 0:47:53 | |
It's amazing this house survived, because, I think, during the 1950s, | 0:47:53 | 0:47:58 | |
a lot of great houses of England were knocked down or destroyed. | 0:47:58 | 0:48:03 | |
What a sadness that is. | 0:48:03 | 0:48:05 | |
The post-war era marked a turning point | 0:48:09 | 0:48:11 | |
for Highclere's lavish house parties. | 0:48:11 | 0:48:14 | |
The prestigious and glamorous weekends that sparked off adventure, | 0:48:14 | 0:48:19 | |
shaped politics, and even created a country. | 0:48:19 | 0:48:22 | |
In order to survive and prosper in the modern world, | 0:48:27 | 0:48:30 | |
the house had to change. | 0:48:30 | 0:48:33 | |
It had to become more businesslike and open its doors to the public. | 0:48:33 | 0:48:37 | |
Nonetheless, this is still a home | 0:48:41 | 0:48:44 | |
and Lord and Lady Caernarvon still host house parties, | 0:48:44 | 0:48:48 | |
albeit on a smaller scale than during Almina's time. | 0:48:48 | 0:48:52 | |
And so, tonight, I will be able to witness this wonderful home | 0:48:53 | 0:48:57 | |
in all its dinner party glory | 0:48:57 | 0:49:00 | |
but, first, I've been asked to choose our pud. | 0:49:00 | 0:49:03 | |
So for the grand finale for this special dinner party, | 0:49:05 | 0:49:09 | |
I'm going to make gooseberry and elderflower fool. | 0:49:09 | 0:49:13 | |
It's luxurious, it's British, very, very special. | 0:49:13 | 0:49:17 | |
It's a classic English pudding, | 0:49:19 | 0:49:21 | |
served at country house dining tables for hundreds of years. | 0:49:21 | 0:49:25 | |
I'll be serving it with a delicate honey biscuit, | 0:49:25 | 0:49:28 | |
made with local honey. | 0:49:28 | 0:49:30 | |
In the pan, I've got 500g of gooseberries, | 0:49:31 | 0:49:35 | |
100g of caster sugar - a bit less, if you like it sharp. | 0:49:35 | 0:49:39 | |
And three tablespoons of Lady Caernarvon's | 0:49:39 | 0:49:43 | |
home-made elderflower cordial. | 0:49:43 | 0:49:45 | |
Though, of course, you could buy it. | 0:49:45 | 0:49:48 | |
I'm gently cooking that, squashing them down. | 0:49:48 | 0:49:52 | |
You notice that I've got green gooseberries. | 0:49:52 | 0:49:55 | |
If you're cooking with gooseberries, always pick them young and green. | 0:49:55 | 0:49:59 | |
They're very bitter to eat like that, freshly, | 0:49:59 | 0:50:02 | |
but they're much better for cooking. | 0:50:02 | 0:50:04 | |
When they're soft, take the pan off the heat, | 0:50:05 | 0:50:08 | |
remove about a quarter of the mixture to use later as a topping, | 0:50:08 | 0:50:12 | |
then blitz the rest into a mush. | 0:50:12 | 0:50:15 | |
There we are. That's a mush. | 0:50:19 | 0:50:22 | |
But if you put that just with the cream for a fool, | 0:50:22 | 0:50:25 | |
you would have lots of pips which aren't very nice to eat, | 0:50:25 | 0:50:28 | |
so that's why we're going to sieve it. | 0:50:28 | 0:50:31 | |
You just need to force it through, so keep pressing. | 0:50:31 | 0:50:35 | |
Now look at that. That is just pips | 0:50:35 | 0:50:38 | |
and I'll just discard it to one side. | 0:50:38 | 0:50:41 | |
There we are. | 0:50:41 | 0:50:42 | |
Before you can mix it with the cream to make the fool, | 0:50:43 | 0:50:46 | |
you'll have to chill the puree in the fridge until it's nice and firm. | 0:50:46 | 0:50:50 | |
Traditionally, you would add all double cream. | 0:50:51 | 0:50:55 | |
But I've decided to make it a little bit sharper by adding yoghurt | 0:50:55 | 0:50:59 | |
and I've got 100ml of full-fat yoghurt | 0:50:59 | 0:51:04 | |
and 200ml of whipped double cream. | 0:51:04 | 0:51:07 | |
Start with pouring cream. | 0:51:07 | 0:51:09 | |
It's easier to whip. | 0:51:09 | 0:51:11 | |
So in it goes. | 0:51:11 | 0:51:12 | |
Then I'm going to add the cream, so just beat that in like that. | 0:51:13 | 0:51:18 | |
Just until you've got no streaks. | 0:51:19 | 0:51:21 | |
That's it. That looks perfect. | 0:51:24 | 0:51:27 | |
A lovely smooth consistency and I can smell the elderflower. | 0:51:27 | 0:51:32 | |
Serve in elegant glasses and top with the reserved compote. | 0:51:35 | 0:51:39 | |
And then, just to finish it, a little mint, fresh from the garden. | 0:51:42 | 0:51:47 | |
Don't always think of mint as being always to go with lamb. | 0:51:47 | 0:51:51 | |
It's lovely to have on a pud. | 0:51:51 | 0:51:54 | |
Just gives it a lift. | 0:51:54 | 0:51:55 | |
So there you have it - our wonderful, luxurious British pud, | 0:51:56 | 0:52:00 | |
all ready for that very special dinner party. | 0:52:00 | 0:52:04 | |
Talking of which, | 0:52:10 | 0:52:12 | |
the household is starting to prepare for this evening's extravaganza. | 0:52:12 | 0:52:16 | |
There's much to do, everything from seating plans, | 0:52:20 | 0:52:23 | |
flower displays to laying the table, | 0:52:23 | 0:52:26 | |
which the butler, Luis Coelho, is in charge of. | 0:52:26 | 0:52:28 | |
Luis, I've come to see what you're up to. How's it all going? | 0:52:28 | 0:52:32 | |
It's going very well. I think we're pretty much set. | 0:52:32 | 0:52:35 | |
Well, it's all looking pretty magnificent. | 0:52:35 | 0:52:37 | |
The glasses come from Italy and they are hand painted in gold. | 0:52:37 | 0:52:41 | |
They do look really special. | 0:52:41 | 0:52:42 | |
-Now, you're the butler. -I am indeed. -What is it like to work here? | 0:52:42 | 0:52:45 | |
It's a great responsibility | 0:52:45 | 0:52:47 | |
and we've got a lot of standards | 0:52:47 | 0:52:49 | |
and we're serving like they served many years ago. | 0:52:49 | 0:52:52 | |
So it's a tradition, as well. | 0:52:52 | 0:52:54 | |
It's looking really lovely. | 0:52:54 | 0:52:56 | |
All that's missing are the flowers. | 0:52:56 | 0:52:58 | |
Five acres of gardens and greenhouses at Highclere | 0:53:01 | 0:53:05 | |
provide a ready source of fresh flowers and plants | 0:53:05 | 0:53:09 | |
to decorate the staterooms on special occasions. | 0:53:09 | 0:53:12 | |
The gardens used to be attended by a team of over 20 gardeners. | 0:53:12 | 0:53:17 | |
Nowadays, it's just Paul Barker and his team of two, | 0:53:17 | 0:53:21 | |
who ensure a year-round supply of floral colour. | 0:53:21 | 0:53:24 | |
Lady Caernarvon has been arranging flowers from the garden | 0:53:28 | 0:53:32 | |
to provide a centrepiece for the sumptuous dining table. | 0:53:32 | 0:53:35 | |
As the household prepares to receive this evening's guests, | 0:53:48 | 0:53:52 | |
there's only one thing left for me to do, | 0:53:52 | 0:53:55 | |
dress for the occasion. | 0:53:55 | 0:53:56 | |
I feel just like Lady Mary in Downton Abbey. | 0:53:58 | 0:54:01 | |
GENERAL CONVERSATION | 0:54:04 | 0:54:06 | |
At the end of the 19th century, | 0:54:12 | 0:54:13 | |
Highclere was the epitome of luxurious entertaining. | 0:54:13 | 0:54:17 | |
The gatherings here had defined a generation. | 0:54:25 | 0:54:27 | |
The parties have evolved since then but they still bring people together | 0:54:29 | 0:54:33 | |
to talk, laugh, to dine in an elegant style. | 0:54:33 | 0:54:37 | |
Mary, you look absolutely stunning! | 0:54:37 | 0:54:40 | |
How lovely to see you. | 0:54:40 | 0:54:41 | |
Very exciting to see the salon so alive with people. | 0:54:41 | 0:54:46 | |
Can I offer you a drink before you go any further? | 0:54:46 | 0:54:49 | |
There's a nonalcoholic or a champagne cocktail. | 0:54:49 | 0:54:52 | |
Oh, I shall. | 0:54:52 | 0:54:53 | |
To keep up my reputation. | 0:54:53 | 0:54:55 | |
Okey doke. | 0:54:55 | 0:54:56 | |
Compared to the house parties from a bygone era, | 0:54:57 | 0:55:01 | |
this dinner party is more modest. | 0:55:01 | 0:55:03 | |
But the guest list is just as varied. | 0:55:03 | 0:55:06 | |
Including a bishop, a gardener, | 0:55:06 | 0:55:09 | |
and a cook. | 0:55:09 | 0:55:10 | |
As the guests are summoned into the dining room, | 0:55:12 | 0:55:15 | |
we are reminded of the special history of this house. | 0:55:15 | 0:55:18 | |
The place names are written in Egyptian hieroglyphs. | 0:55:18 | 0:55:22 | |
-Gracious me. -I can explain, right-to-left. | 0:55:22 | 0:55:25 | |
Meanwhile, chef Paul and his team have been cooking | 0:55:25 | 0:55:28 | |
in the distant kitchens. | 0:55:28 | 0:55:30 | |
Have you got half a lemon? | 0:55:30 | 0:55:31 | |
Then they whiz the cooked food along the long corridor | 0:55:31 | 0:55:35 | |
to a plating room near the dining room. | 0:55:35 | 0:55:37 | |
That's Paul's secret to serving my cannon of lamb | 0:55:37 | 0:55:41 | |
while it's really piping hot. | 0:55:41 | 0:55:43 | |
Ready, Josh? Let's go. | 0:55:43 | 0:55:46 | |
It's like a military operation. | 0:55:46 | 0:55:48 | |
Centuries-old traditions of hospitality | 0:55:55 | 0:55:59 | |
meet entertaining in the modern world. | 0:55:59 | 0:56:02 | |
It's a rare glimpse into the private side of a very public house. | 0:56:03 | 0:56:08 | |
You are a wonderful family and thank you for welcoming me. | 0:56:11 | 0:56:13 | |
You're so kind and we've really enjoyed this week, as well. | 0:56:13 | 0:56:17 | |
-It's been great to have you. -Thank you. -Thank you. | 0:56:17 | 0:56:21 | |
I will leave Highclere with great memories, | 0:56:22 | 0:56:26 | |
especially of the people who work behind the scenes | 0:56:26 | 0:56:30 | |
to keep this great house alive for everyone to enjoy. | 0:56:30 | 0:56:35 | |
Next time, I visit Scone Palace, | 0:56:51 | 0:56:54 | |
Scotland's crowning glory. | 0:56:54 | 0:56:56 | |
They were crowned on this very stone? | 0:56:56 | 0:56:58 | |
I'll cook up a feast fit for royalty. | 0:56:58 | 0:57:01 | |
I reckon you might have topped the chart with that. | 0:57:01 | 0:57:03 | |
And get a taste of the sport of kings. | 0:57:03 | 0:57:05 | |
Look! | 0:57:07 | 0:57:08 | |
I'm reeling with excitement... | 0:57:08 | 0:57:11 | |
Woohoo! | 0:57:11 | 0:57:12 | |
..for my Highland adventure. | 0:57:12 | 0:57:14 |