0:00:02 > 0:00:04For everyone, there's a taste of food
0:00:04 > 0:00:06or a smell of cooking that zooms you right back to childhood.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09It's just like my mum's cake!
0:00:09 > 0:00:11'I'm Brian Turner...'
0:00:11 > 0:00:13Today is a memory day for you.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15'..and I'm going to stir up the food memories
0:00:15 > 0:00:17'of some much-loved celebrities...'
0:00:17 > 0:00:18Oh!
0:00:18 > 0:00:19Look at that!
0:00:19 > 0:00:23- '..going back to their early years before they were famous...'- Mmm.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25Oh, my gosh!
0:00:25 > 0:00:27'..with recollections of Sunday roasts and school dinners...'
0:00:27 > 0:00:29It's time for something to eat.
0:00:29 > 0:00:30Brilliant.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33'..and celebrating the food their home regions are proud of.'
0:00:33 > 0:00:35Which way would you like to go?
0:00:35 > 0:00:36Er... This way.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39'I'll recreate a nostalgic family favourite...'
0:00:39 > 0:00:42Mmm, you can't beat a crumble.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45'..and a tribute dish that puts my guest's life on a plate.'
0:00:45 > 0:00:47This is an absolute delight.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51'Today, national treasure Nicholas Parsons
0:00:51 > 0:00:54'returns to north London, where he grew up.'
0:00:54 > 0:00:55This is nostalgia.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59'There were early clues to the long career that lay ahead...'
0:00:59 > 0:01:03The only way I could survive was I could make my chums laugh.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05'..heart-wrenching times during the war...'
0:01:05 > 0:01:08The firefighters were still there, the ambulance people,
0:01:08 > 0:01:12and we helped taking cups of coffee round and things.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14'..and dishes that I'll be creating...'
0:01:14 > 0:01:15This is a classic dish.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18'..to take him straight back to childhood...'
0:01:18 > 0:01:19How did it compare to your mum's?
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Whatever she had in the kitchen, she'd throw in.
0:01:22 > 0:01:23'..in a mouthful.'
0:01:23 > 0:01:26Oooh, exciting!
0:01:34 > 0:01:38This is the London that the Parsons family moved to, in the early 1930s,
0:01:38 > 0:01:42just a few years before the outbreak of World War II.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45It was pre the National Health Service,
0:01:45 > 0:01:49and Nicholas's father was a GP who had bought a practice here.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56We've brought Nicholas back to Hampstead Heath
0:01:56 > 0:02:00to help jog his memories of life as a child growing up in north London,
0:02:00 > 0:02:04as I start to build up ideas for a nostalgic recipe
0:02:04 > 0:02:07inspired by his childhood and home life,
0:02:07 > 0:02:11and a special dish I want to create that pays tribute to Nicholas.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16He had been born in Grantham, so it was a big move for a small boy.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19So, what happened about schooling, then?
0:02:19 > 0:02:21- You came down at eight years of age...- Yes.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24If you could afford it in those days,
0:02:24 > 0:02:28parents would send their boys to boarding prep schools.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32- Right.- And I and my older brother went to one in Hendon,
0:02:32 > 0:02:34and we were caned all the time, or slippered.
0:02:34 > 0:02:35- Oh, no!- Oh, yes.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38I have memories of bending over and getting six of the best.
0:02:38 > 0:02:43Of course, I found I was so utterly, utterly miserable there
0:02:43 > 0:02:46that the only way I could survive was I could make my chums laugh
0:02:46 > 0:02:49and of course regularly, and I would take off the masters.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52- And of course that was fatal. - Did you get caught?- Oh, yes!
0:02:52 > 0:02:54- Oh, no! - There was one famous occasion
0:02:54 > 0:02:57when I was taking off one of the masters, and he came in!
0:02:57 > 0:03:01And I was going like a bomb, getting wonderful laughter from my mates.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04I couldn't understand why they suddenly went quiet.
0:03:04 > 0:03:09Then I realised they were looking at the door and there was Mr Stovitsky.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11His classroom capers were the building blocks
0:03:11 > 0:03:14for an incredibly long and successful career,
0:03:14 > 0:03:17culminating in Radio 4's Just A Minute,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20which he still hosts, after nearly 50 years.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26He excelled in comedy and character roles in theatre and film,
0:03:26 > 0:03:30but became a household name thanks to The Arthur Haynes Show,
0:03:30 > 0:03:31The Benny Hill Show,
0:03:31 > 0:03:34and the one that sticks out in my mind,
0:03:34 > 0:03:35Sale Of The Century.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40But there were mountains to climb before all that.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44A lot of people don't realise that at the beginning of the war,
0:03:44 > 0:03:46everything stopped.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48My parents said, "Well, what are you going to do?",
0:03:48 > 0:03:52and I said, "There's only one thing I ever wanted to do.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55"I want to be an actor."
0:03:55 > 0:03:58They weren't exactly horrified, they just thought it was ridiculous.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01- Mortified? - No, no. It was the attitude then.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04People didn't go into this "show business".
0:04:04 > 0:04:06We didn't call it show business then, it was theatre.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08My father's attitude was quite succinct.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10He said, "That's not a proper job."
0:04:12 > 0:04:16With that, his parents sent him in a completely different direction,
0:04:16 > 0:04:20engineering, and packed him off to Glasgow,
0:04:20 > 0:04:22to do an apprenticeship in the shipyards of Clydebank.
0:04:22 > 0:04:27I remember the first day. I was a complete oddball to them.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30There I was with my public school accent saying, "Hello, chaps!
0:04:30 > 0:04:32"What are we going to do today?"
0:04:32 > 0:04:34But somehow I survived.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38Although Nicholas was called up for National Service
0:04:38 > 0:04:40at 17 and a half years of age,
0:04:40 > 0:04:43his engineering work was classed as a "reserved occupation"
0:04:43 > 0:04:45so he was exempt.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48However, he was one of the first people to join up
0:04:48 > 0:04:50to the local Home Guard on Clydebank.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53- I did actually finish my apprenticeship.- You did?
0:04:53 > 0:04:55I'm a qualified marine mechanical engineer.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57I've got my lines to prove it.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01I could put a pump together and break it apart...
0:05:01 > 0:05:05So you must have quite vivid memories of the war?
0:05:05 > 0:05:10When I was working on Clydebank, you got ten days' holiday a year.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12Nobody could go away for the holidays
0:05:12 > 0:05:15because all the beaches were covered with barbed wire
0:05:15 > 0:05:18and everything like that, so everybody just went to their homes.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22- And my home was in London.- Right.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25And so I went and had a holiday in the Blitz.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33- ARCHIVE:- 'The world's greatest city writes in flames
0:05:33 > 0:05:37'an epic of courage that stirs the hearts of free men everywhere.'
0:05:39 > 0:05:42But there is one famous day concerned with Hampstead Heath,
0:05:42 > 0:05:44and I happened to peek out the curtain,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47because it was now about nine o'clock at night.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50I said to my father, "It's very strange,
0:05:50 > 0:05:55"it's lighter now than it was when the blackout started."
0:05:56 > 0:05:58And he said, "Something's going on.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01"Let's walk up to Hampstead Heath and see."
0:06:01 > 0:06:03We got to the Whitestone Pond,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06and, from the Whitestone Pond, you can see right out
0:06:06 > 0:06:08across to the centre of London.
0:06:11 > 0:06:16And it was the night of the great famous fire bombing.
0:06:18 > 0:06:23The whole of London seemed to be engulfed in flames.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26It was very emotional.
0:06:29 > 0:06:30You couldn't believe it.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34There in the centre, you could see St Paul's illuminated
0:06:34 > 0:06:38as if by searchlights with these fires everywhere.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45And it seemed as if the whole of the city of London
0:06:45 > 0:06:48was about to be destroyed by fire.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50It was very disturbing,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53and as we slowly walked back I said to my father,
0:06:53 > 0:06:55"It's very frightening, isn't it, Dad?"
0:07:01 > 0:07:05The next morning, we got in the car and we drove up to the centre,
0:07:05 > 0:07:07and they were still there - it was quite emotional -
0:07:07 > 0:07:09the firefighters were still there,
0:07:09 > 0:07:11the ambulance people,
0:07:11 > 0:07:14the first-aid workers, everyone.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20And we helped taking cups of coffee around and things.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24The devastation was incredible.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30It was a sight which is fixed in my mind
0:07:30 > 0:07:32and I will never forget.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42Mr WS Morrison is here to explain.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46The best way you can help is by rationing yourselves.
0:07:46 > 0:07:51I'm sure that all of you will buy your fair share and no more.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54So, at the beginning of the war, rationing came in.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58It was worked out what was a basic necessity for everybody
0:07:58 > 0:07:59in order to remain healthy.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02So it was one egg a week,
0:08:02 > 0:08:04two ounces of meat, two ounces of butter,
0:08:04 > 0:08:07two ounces of sugar and two ounces of tea,
0:08:07 > 0:08:11and as many potatoes and as much bread as you wanted.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14People were encouraged to grow their own vegetables
0:08:14 > 0:08:16so we did have vegetables,
0:08:16 > 0:08:18but there were never any fat people.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22- No.- Obesity... I mean, the word I don't think even had been coined!
0:08:22 > 0:08:25And we were very healthy as a nation.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Well, look, I've got something here
0:08:28 > 0:08:30that might provoke a couple of memories of that era.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32You need to open it up.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38October 10th, 1939!
0:08:38 > 0:08:41That was my birthday just after the war started.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45I can assure you it's freshly made. It's not from 1939!
0:08:46 > 0:08:48- No butter.- No butter.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50And that is Spam, isn't it?
0:08:50 > 0:08:51It is the original Spam.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56Very nice.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59- Oh, good man! That's what I like. - Takes me back.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01Takes me back.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04But it was quite a luxury in those days, wasn't it?
0:09:04 > 0:09:06It was invented purely and simply
0:09:06 > 0:09:09- because they needed something that tasted better.- Yeah.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11Do you think most people ate Spam in those days?
0:09:11 > 0:09:14- I think they ate anything they could get their hands on.- Right.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18Anything meaty that you could manage to scrounge or get.
0:09:18 > 0:09:19I mean, outside of your ration.
0:09:19 > 0:09:24Spam wasn't on the ration, so if you got a Spam sandwich, that was great.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31Spam wasn't the only treat that escaped wartime rationing.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37Churchill referred to fish and chips as "the good companions",
0:09:37 > 0:09:39and consequently it became upwardly mobile,
0:09:39 > 0:09:43changing from working-class food to a national weekly staple.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47'Once upon a time it was roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51'Now, it's fish and chips, Britain's new national dish.'
0:09:56 > 0:09:58It might be a British classic,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01but one of its latest proponents in the capital is Italian!
0:10:03 > 0:10:06Andreas Sturniolo and his girlfriend Kasia
0:10:06 > 0:10:08set up business a couple of years ago.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12People are very surprised when Italians cook fish and chips.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16My answer, to put a stop to the question,
0:10:16 > 0:10:19is, if Jamie Oliver cooks Italian, I can do fish and chips!
0:10:19 > 0:10:21I can cook fish and chips.
0:10:21 > 0:10:22Madam, one for you?
0:10:24 > 0:10:25Thank you.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29They've won Street Vendor of the Year,
0:10:29 > 0:10:33and Andreas strives to make the best-quality fish and chips he can.
0:10:35 > 0:10:40London's food scene has changed incredibly in the past 20 years.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43Nowadays, I find better ingredients than I actually find in Italy.
0:10:43 > 0:10:44There is a better variety,
0:10:44 > 0:10:48there is an incredible quality as well, of the ingredients
0:10:48 > 0:10:50that you can find in London,
0:10:50 > 0:10:53and so, yes, for a food-passionate person,
0:10:53 > 0:10:55for a person with these passions,
0:10:55 > 0:10:57London is the place to be, definitely.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03In his pursuit of perfection,
0:11:03 > 0:11:07Andreas goes straight to the UK's largest inland fish market,
0:11:07 > 0:11:08Billingsgate.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12And that requires a ridiculously early start.
0:11:12 > 0:11:13His alarm goes off at 3am!
0:11:15 > 0:11:18If you are looking for anything fish-related in London,
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Billingsgate is definitely the place.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23It helps us a lot because it cuts a middleman,
0:11:23 > 0:11:26which means we can keep our prices lower at the market.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30- That one there? - That's very nice.- Yeah.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34And Mark Morris has got plenty of fish to fry.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38Lovely, thank you very much, see you again.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40We are seeing a big upturn in the fish and chip trade.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43In the last couple of years, it's become a very trendy item.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46We've seen more and more people now going back
0:11:46 > 0:11:48to traditional good-quality British fish and chips,
0:11:48 > 0:11:50and that's what Andreas is buying,
0:11:50 > 0:11:55certainly what he'll be doing with the quantity he's buying from me.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58We like to source and choose our own fish for ourselves,
0:11:58 > 0:12:01rather than get it delivered.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04We know that the fish we choose is right for us on the day.
0:12:07 > 0:12:13For me, the secret to great fish and chips is in the batter.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17I am mixing some plain flour with cornflour,
0:12:17 > 0:12:19a little bit of baking powder,
0:12:19 > 0:12:21and a touch of turmeric and salt,
0:12:21 > 0:12:23mixing them all with water.
0:12:25 > 0:12:31Turmeric hasn't really got any taste function in the batter.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33I use it for colour.
0:12:33 > 0:12:34I like the colour of the turmeric.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37One more spoon of flour.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40I'm looking for a particular consistency here.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44It's more or less the one of double cream.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47It's very important how you treat the batter.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50I wouldn't use this batter to fry right away,
0:12:50 > 0:12:51I will need to proof it first.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54It needs to rest in the fridge, a minimum of four or five hours.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56Six is better.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Looks good to me, it looks ready to go into the fridge
0:12:59 > 0:13:00and to start proofing.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10All this prep means super-fast food at their market stall.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18See all those beautiful flakes forming once I put the cod in it?
0:13:18 > 0:13:21That's our style, that's where we're aiming.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23It gives a beautiful to look at fillet of fish,
0:13:23 > 0:13:28but also an added light crunch and an added texture to it.
0:13:28 > 0:13:29That's what we want to achieve.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37For generations, fish and chips have fed millions of memories -
0:13:37 > 0:13:39that's what good food does.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48For Nicholas, his earliest food memories come from the family home,
0:13:48 > 0:13:51so I've brought him back to a very noisy north London street
0:13:51 > 0:13:55to reminisce about his mother's cooking, and life in this house.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58And this was my home for many years.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01- Right.- And it has great associations, great affections,
0:14:01 > 0:14:04but it is terribly sad to come here now,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07because we are standing in what was the front garden.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11They've taken it back - across there was shops.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14We had a greengrocer, a fishmonger, a butcher, everything.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17It's all disappeared. It's all now utterly impersonal.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20Well, I'm going to cook something for you now
0:14:20 > 0:14:22which I hope will be nostalgic,
0:14:22 > 0:14:24but you are going to go inside
0:14:24 > 0:14:27and let's hope you find some happy memories in there.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33This building used to be one big family home,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36where Nicholas's father had his GP surgery.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38Now, it's split into flats.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44Well, this is a very strange experience,
0:14:44 > 0:14:48because what has happened to the family home
0:14:48 > 0:14:51is the whole of the thing has been pulled inside out,
0:14:51 > 0:14:54and they've built flats inside it.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56So, naturally, I don't recognise anything.
0:14:56 > 0:14:57I mean, this is a lovely flat,
0:14:57 > 0:15:01but the main entrance was down at the street.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04And on the ground floor, on one side, was the hall,
0:15:04 > 0:15:08which was also my father's waiting room for his patients.
0:15:08 > 0:15:09The other side was his surgery.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12Beyond was the dining room and the kitchen.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15We always had to wait until the last patient had been seen
0:15:15 > 0:15:16before we could have dinner,
0:15:16 > 0:15:18and I was getting famished sometimes,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21because the last patient may not go until eight o'clock.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25And then this lovely garden - small but very attractive.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29It was landscaped and my father looked after it beautifully.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31It's all gone now.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33There is a huge building going up there.
0:15:33 > 0:15:38And it is sad to come back and see something which was a very
0:15:38 > 0:15:43attractive place changed beyond all recognition.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48Family life revolved round his father's surgery.
0:15:48 > 0:15:54Nicholas lived here from age ten and it was his base until he reached 25.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57I was asked before I did the programme did we eat out much.
0:15:57 > 0:15:58No, we didn't.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02In those days there wasn't a culture of going out to restaurants.
0:16:02 > 0:16:07You always ate at home but we always had a roast on a Sunday and I have
0:16:07 > 0:16:10very happy memories of sitting round that dining-room table.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13It's amazing to think that chicken wasn't really thought of then.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16It was a delicacy.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18I mean, I am not a "foodie"
0:16:18 > 0:16:22so I don't have memories of great dishes and things.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26My mother was a good cook
0:16:26 > 0:16:29and my father loved his soups,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32and she made the most wonderful soups.
0:16:32 > 0:16:33My favourite dish,
0:16:33 > 0:16:37from what my mother used to cook, was the Irish stew.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42And that's exactly what I'm going to make first for Nicholas,
0:16:42 > 0:16:45as a bit of nostalgia on a plate.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48I'm making MY version of this classic,
0:16:48 > 0:16:52so fingers crossed it matches up to memories of his mother's dish.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56We've got some mutton chops here, not lamb chops, mutton chops.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00You've got bags of flavour and all we've done with these is
0:17:00 > 0:17:03we've put them into a bit of cold water, been up to the boil,
0:17:03 > 0:17:05then rinse them off so they look like this.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09You need a really good casserole pot, good, heavy pot.
0:17:09 > 0:17:10I've got one on here.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13I'm going to put some heat in here, that's it.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16And really there are only three ingredients,
0:17:16 > 0:17:20there's the meat, there's the onions and potatoes.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23So we are going to chop these potatoes up, nice and thin
0:17:23 > 0:17:26because we want them to mash up into the sauce
0:17:26 > 0:17:30and make a really tasty sauce to go with this dish.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34And the nice thing about this is it will help to thicken the sauce.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38Plenty of them. So in they go.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42I'm going to put just a bit of stock in there to start with.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44Probably in the old days they used to use just water,
0:17:44 > 0:17:46but I'm using chicken stock
0:17:46 > 0:17:48because I think it gives a nicer, bigger, stronger flavour.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50So then we put the mutton chops in.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Spread them across there.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56We are going to give them the long, slow cooking
0:17:56 > 0:17:59that Irish stew really deserves.
0:17:59 > 0:18:00This is a classic dish
0:18:00 > 0:18:03and I really hope that Nicholas is going to enjoy this.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05So bags of meat in there
0:18:05 > 0:18:07and now some onions.
0:18:07 > 0:18:12So once again, just take the root off, just shred them up...
0:18:15 > 0:18:19..so we now scatter the onions over the top
0:18:19 > 0:18:22and now I'm going to put some more stock in it.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26That's looking good.
0:18:26 > 0:18:27Bit of salt and pepper.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37And finally we make what we call a bouquet garni -
0:18:37 > 0:18:40it's herbs that give it a lovely flavour, so I'm going to take
0:18:40 > 0:18:42a stick of celery,
0:18:42 > 0:18:45just cut that in half, works fine.
0:18:45 > 0:18:50Then I've got some parsley stalks here, we stick those in there.
0:18:50 > 0:18:51A bay leaf.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55There's some thyme over here.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59It's looking lovely. That...
0:18:59 > 0:19:01Oh, that smells brilliant.
0:19:01 > 0:19:02And just a bit of rosemary.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05On it goes and we stick this on top,
0:19:05 > 0:19:09just to hold the whole thing together, and then a bit of string.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12But the idea here is that we give bags of flavour to the Irish stew
0:19:12 > 0:19:15but when we want to take it out, the herbs are not all over
0:19:15 > 0:19:18the place, we just pull out them all together.
0:19:21 > 0:19:26That goes in the pot, in there.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28A bit more stock.
0:19:31 > 0:19:32So there it is.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35The lid goes on, we bring it up to the boil and simmer it
0:19:35 > 0:19:37for about an hour and a half to two hours
0:19:37 > 0:19:39till the meat is tasty and tender.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41I just hope Nicholas loves it.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48He's found a part of the building that seems to have escaped
0:19:48 > 0:19:50the developers.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54I'm on the little balcony, which is exactly the same as when I was here.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57In fact I don't think it's been painted since then -
0:19:57 > 0:19:58they need to preserve it.
0:19:58 > 0:20:05But if you look down, there was the canopy above the front door
0:20:05 > 0:20:08and you came up the steps to the front door.
0:20:08 > 0:20:13To the left there was a forecourt, beyond that was the garage
0:20:13 > 0:20:16and of course the front garden stretched out
0:20:16 > 0:20:19to the middle of the road almost.
0:20:19 > 0:20:20And looking down there,
0:20:20 > 0:20:24this is indicative of the biggest change in my lifetime.
0:20:26 > 0:20:3065 years ago there was single-lane traffic here.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32Now everybody has a car.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34And all the buses, there are many more buses.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42So this is nostalgia.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44This balcony existed - it was all part of the house.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46I remember coming out here and looking out.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50Probably that buddleia was there originally.
0:20:50 > 0:20:51This brings a smile.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57My Irish stew is almost ready.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01I've sliced potatoes and onions, and added semi-cooked mutton chops with
0:21:01 > 0:21:03chicken stock and a bouquet garni,
0:21:03 > 0:21:05and simmered for an hour and a half.
0:21:12 > 0:21:13So what I've done here, look,
0:21:13 > 0:21:16I've got this wonderful stew cooking away here.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18Boiling away like that.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21We've used a bouquet garni to give it flavour.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23I don't need that any more so that can come out
0:21:23 > 0:21:25and then what I'm going to do...
0:21:25 > 0:21:27These are mutton chops, er,
0:21:27 > 0:21:32and it was a dish of the populus, was Irish stew, so there was
0:21:32 > 0:21:37sometimes a lot more bone in Irish stew than there was actually meat.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41So I'm just going to take a potato masher and just mash this up
0:21:41 > 0:21:44a little bit so that it starts to thicken up the sauce.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48The main difference is I would never be eating this out of doors.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51Well, quite frankly I wouldn't often be cooking it out of doors
0:21:51 > 0:21:53but because it is such a lovely day
0:21:53 > 0:21:56and we're just around the corner from your old house...
0:21:56 > 0:21:58- That's right. - That's why we're cooking it here.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00- That's right. OK. - I hope you are going to like this.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Just a drop more salt in there - a drop more pepper.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05You can put as much pepper as you like...
0:22:05 > 0:22:08- Are you a pepper merchant? - I'm a bit of a pepper freak!
0:22:08 > 0:22:09Good, OK.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13So what I've got here, look, I've got some potatoes,
0:22:13 > 0:22:17cooked in the jacket, and I've got, er, some onions, baby onions.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22And then we put all our bits and pieces...
0:22:22 > 0:22:23You've just taken those out.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Yeah, I took them out so that I could mash up the potato.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28You see, even though I'm a cook, there is
0:22:28 > 0:22:30sense to some of the things that I do.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34I hope you are going to take this and eat it and enjoy it.
0:22:34 > 0:22:35I will. I can't wait.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37Good man.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40We took a bit of parsley and a bit of the really sweet
0:22:40 > 0:22:44centre of celery and we used that for the colour.
0:22:44 > 0:22:45Normally, in households,
0:22:45 > 0:22:47it would be help yourself or someone dishes them out.
0:22:47 > 0:22:48What I'm going to do,
0:22:48 > 0:22:52I'm going to find three really nice chops for you.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55With a bit of meat to them. Oh, that looks lovely, that one there.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59So that's one, two... That looks a nice chop, doesn't it?
0:22:59 > 0:23:00I'm glad I didn't have any breakfast!
0:23:00 > 0:23:02Good man. That's what I like to hear.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05We've got a couple of onions on there.
0:23:05 > 0:23:06So we've got that there
0:23:06 > 0:23:10and then I'm just going to take a bit of the sauce, pile it on top.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18Just put that little bit of colour on there and that celery
0:23:18 > 0:23:20and there you have it, sir, that's an Irish stew.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- That's a traditional Irish stew. - That's how I see it.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Irish stew is one of those traditional dishes
0:23:27 > 0:23:30that can be interpreted in a hundred ways.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33This is MY version especially for Nicholas.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Gorgeous.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45How did it compare to your mum's?
0:23:45 > 0:23:47Well, the only thing about me mum's is...
0:23:47 > 0:23:48This is no criticism,
0:23:48 > 0:23:50because you've done the traditional Irish stew,
0:23:50 > 0:23:52- but she put everything in.- Right.
0:23:52 > 0:23:57We had celery, carrots, sometimes leeks...
0:23:57 > 0:24:00Whatever she had in the kitchen she'd throw in,
0:24:00 > 0:24:02and so you had this wonderful mixture.
0:24:04 > 0:24:05I can't digest butter and cream
0:24:05 > 0:24:08and every chef nowadays seems to put cream...
0:24:08 > 0:24:10There's none at all in here, sir.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12I know there isn't, Brian, because you knew I didn't like it.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14You're quite right!
0:24:16 > 0:24:18Nicholas likes simple food -
0:24:18 > 0:24:21stews and soups with plenty of black pepper.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24I reckon I'll need some fresh veg for my tribute dish,
0:24:24 > 0:24:27and nowadays, there's plenty to choose from.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34The wartime Dig For Victory campaign inspired ingenuity in the
0:24:34 > 0:24:39community, resulting in bountiful crops from the smallest of plots.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42- ARCHIVE:- This Dig For Victory leaflet number one,
0:24:42 > 0:24:44issued by the Ministry of Agriculture,
0:24:44 > 0:24:47tells you how to plan your spring planting campaign.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55In north-east London, an innovative urban farm is using ingenious
0:24:55 > 0:24:58methods to grow fresh produce in tight spaces, supplying
0:24:58 > 0:25:03its own cafe, and I'm on the hunt for ideas for my final dish.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10- Are you Jay? - I'm Jay, pleased to meet you.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12Pleased to meet you. Hi, Andy.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15'The key to Andy and Jay's system is fish!'
0:25:15 > 0:25:17This is an urban farm
0:25:17 > 0:25:21so it's all about sustainable growing within a small space
0:25:21 > 0:25:24and we are using an aquaponic farming system to grow crops.
0:25:24 > 0:25:25Fantastic.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32It's a circular system using water.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36The waste from these tilapia fish is converted into nutrients.
0:25:37 > 0:25:42The nutrients are absorbed by the plants, which cleanses the water.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45The clean water is then pumped back into the fish tanks.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50So these are just floating on water here and we've...
0:25:50 > 0:25:54We pump oxygen in here and there's LED lights under here to provide
0:25:54 > 0:25:57the full spectrum of light they need to grow.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59- So it's energy saving...- Yep.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01- ..it's cost effective...- Yep.
0:26:01 > 0:26:02..and it is...
0:26:02 > 0:26:05- It uses less water too than normal agriculture.- Oh, really?
0:26:05 > 0:26:09And it's a natural system - it's the way the ecosystem works.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12- Yep. Exactly.- But what kind of things grow well in this system?
0:26:12 > 0:26:16We've got lettuce over there, herbs grow amazingly well, erm,
0:26:16 > 0:26:18tomatoes can grow quite well as well.
0:26:18 > 0:26:23Erm, but we've got chives here, we've got basil.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26We've got some parsley and some heritage sage as well.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30So this sage, even though it looks quite broad leaf and big,
0:26:30 > 0:26:33if you get into the really small ones, you can really smell the sage.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37Oh, yes, so you can, yeah.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40But we've got, interestingly enough, we are trying out a few new
0:26:40 > 0:26:42things and we are trying out some ginger and lemon grass.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44We want to try and see what, where we
0:26:44 > 0:26:46can push the boundaries of what we can grow here.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50Good things to grow are crops that normally are flown in from
0:26:50 > 0:26:53another country, like lemon grass and ginger and basil,
0:26:53 > 0:26:57so if you can grow them here, local, it's...
0:26:57 > 0:27:01- People are very into cutting down on food miles.- Sure.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03And also it's going to be fresher and tastier.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06Well, there's no doubt, that principle, if it's fresh,
0:27:06 > 0:27:09if it's just been picked round the corner just before you use it,
0:27:09 > 0:27:12- that's got to be the better flavour. - Yep. Exactly.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16So, in effect, you're providing indoors, in a small space,
0:27:16 > 0:27:19in Dalston, what happens outside in major fields
0:27:19 > 0:27:21and pastures everywhere.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23Yeah, yeah, exactly, apart from we can guarantee
0:27:23 > 0:27:25sunlight for 12 hours a day.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33Outside, the farm feels a bit more conventional.
0:27:34 > 0:27:35Oh, crikey.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39So we are just feeding them lettuce from the system in the front.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42So it's quite a big space, is this. It strikes me that
0:27:42 > 0:27:45people would say in the middle of London you can't keep chickens
0:27:45 > 0:27:47but in fact you can prove that you can.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49Yeah, you've got four lovely hens here,
0:27:49 > 0:27:52these are Sussex hens and, you know, they are really healthy
0:27:52 > 0:27:54and they've got a lovely space to roam.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56- We let them out every now and then as well.- Do you really?
0:27:56 > 0:27:58Yep, and they have a run around in the polytunnel.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01And I take it these are layers, are they?
0:28:01 > 0:28:04Yeah, they lay. In the summer, each day, they lay one each.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06So that is how many eggs a year?
0:28:06 > 0:28:09Duh, duh, duh - that's over a thousand eggs!
0:28:09 > 0:28:13Yeah, I mean, in a good year it's about 1,200 eggs.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16Oh, fantastic, yeah. And...is that in here?
0:28:16 > 0:28:19- Well, let's have a look. - Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21We have... So they have laid.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23So they all lay in the same nest, do they?
0:28:23 > 0:28:24They all lay in the same nest.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26One after the other - they don't fight each other?
0:28:26 > 0:28:28No, they just queue up!
0:28:28 > 0:28:30It's quite amazing. Oh, that's fantastic, isn't it?
0:28:30 > 0:28:33Oh, look at that, you see fresh eggs and no little mark on them.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36No date stamp. We know how fresh they are.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40Wonderful! Let's just go in... Mind those chickens don't escape.
0:28:40 > 0:28:41You stay there, you!
0:28:44 > 0:28:47Next stop - veg growing in a polytunnel.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51This is our traditional growing system where we grow...
0:28:51 > 0:28:53- It's just like anybody's greenhouse.- Basically.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55We've got some tomato plants here.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58We've got some courgettes over there, which is flowering.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00- We've got some red cabbage over here.- I love red cabbage.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03Yeah, absolutely, and that's coming on really nicely.
0:29:03 > 0:29:04Then we've got some aubergine.
0:29:04 > 0:29:10So the beauty of this here is that anybody who has some spare space
0:29:10 > 0:29:12- can produce a polytunnel.- Yep.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15They're going to have fresh vegetables and herbs
0:29:15 > 0:29:18so any time they want they just walk out the back door and...
0:29:18 > 0:29:21- And get what they want.- Pick 'em, cook 'em and nothing can be fresher.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24- There's nothing better.- And you're going to cook something for us.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27- We're going to cook something in the kitchen.- Let's have a look.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35So what are we going to do?
0:29:35 > 0:29:37Right, so we are going to basically make
0:29:37 > 0:29:38a really nice, very fresh salad.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40We've got some eggs from outside as well.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43So the first thing I'm going to do is prepare our tomatoes.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46- We're going to fry these tomatoes. - Yeah.
0:29:46 > 0:29:47So we've kept them green.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50In the meantime, would you mind making a dressing for me?
0:29:50 > 0:29:52Yes. I'd be very happy to. What do you want me to do?
0:29:52 > 0:29:54So we've got some of those lovely herbs.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56I've picked loads of herbs. Pick what you like.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58- A selection of each.- Yeah.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00We're going to use that as our herbs,
0:30:00 > 0:30:03- so we're going to make it like a chimichurri dressing...- OK...
0:30:03 > 0:30:06So, we've got some garlic. I'm just going to...
0:30:06 > 0:30:09take that off for you there. I'll leave that for you.
0:30:09 > 0:30:10And then we've got some chilli in.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13- We've grown our own chillies and dried them out...- Oh, perfect.
0:30:13 > 0:30:17- You carry on...- I'll carry on with the tomatoes here.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19'The beauty of a chimichurri dressing
0:30:19 > 0:30:23'is that it can be made from any combination of herbs,
0:30:23 > 0:30:26'with chilli, garlic, oil and red wine vinegar.'
0:30:29 > 0:30:32- Now, this smells delicious. Is that what you want?- That's great.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34- And there's a bit of seasoning there...- OK.- ..a bit of salt
0:30:34 > 0:30:35and a bit of pepper as well.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38'Jay's coating the tomatoes in milk and flour.'
0:30:38 > 0:30:40OK, so the...
0:30:40 > 0:30:42That oil's nice and ready. I've put some tomatoes in there.
0:30:42 > 0:30:43We'll get them in.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46We only want a couple of minutes either side, Brian.
0:30:46 > 0:30:48- Yeah, you don't want to melt, do you?- No.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50You want to keep some of the structure of that tomato.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52- While that's happening...- Yeah.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54..we've got these lovely little courgettes
0:30:54 > 0:30:58and we're going to just give these a cut down the middle.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01'The courgettes are pan-fried with the tomatoes
0:31:01 > 0:31:05'until both have a rich, golden colour.'
0:31:05 > 0:31:08- And then I've got some mustard greens.- Yeah.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11And some of the lettuce. Little bed of that here.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13I'm salivating just looking,
0:31:13 > 0:31:15just the whole thought of how fresh these are
0:31:15 > 0:31:17is really, just thinks... this is going to be great.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19And just going to put a little bit of seasoning
0:31:19 > 0:31:22just on the tomatoes and a bit of pepper as well.
0:31:24 > 0:31:25There we go.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27It's looking great.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32- Just so fresh. - Make it look a bit nice.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38And the flowers as well, don't forget the flowers.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43So, we're going to get a little bit of this dressing, just...
0:31:44 > 0:31:46..adding a little egg here.
0:31:48 > 0:31:50- Oh, nice.- Straight in the middle.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55Soft-boiled egg yolk. Look at the colour of that egg yolk.
0:31:55 > 0:31:56Beautiful, isn't it?
0:31:56 > 0:31:58And then, final finishing touch,
0:31:58 > 0:32:00- we're going to get some flowers. - So we should. Oh, lovely, huh?
0:32:00 > 0:32:02It will make it look really nice
0:32:02 > 0:32:05and then we've got a bit of...caraway leaf.
0:32:05 > 0:32:10Fresh farm shop salad, picked...about an hour ago.
0:32:10 > 0:32:11Perfect.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18'Who'd have thought you could get food harvested
0:32:18 > 0:32:20'this fresh in a London cafe?'
0:32:20 > 0:32:22That's lovely.
0:32:22 > 0:32:23The eating tells you
0:32:23 > 0:32:26if you can get anything anywhere near as fresh as that...
0:32:26 > 0:32:30- magic.- That's it.- Jay, thank you very much. Well done.- Thank you.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45This theme of simple, freshly-picked produce
0:32:45 > 0:32:47has been the mainstay of the diet
0:32:47 > 0:32:49Nicholas has enjoyed throughout his life,
0:32:49 > 0:32:53much of which has been spent in the Hampstead area of north London.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56Perhaps it IS the answer to a long and healthy life.
0:32:59 > 0:33:00Nicholas raised his own family
0:33:00 > 0:33:03in the same part of London he grew up in.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07'We're taking him back to the house he moved to in the early 1960s.'
0:33:07 > 0:33:10This feels like real seclusion.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13- We're just on the edge of Hampstead Heath.- That's right.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15The very first house I ever bought,
0:33:15 > 0:33:18erm, with my first wife, was just round the corner.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21And then this property came on the market.
0:33:21 > 0:33:25We decided it was prettier, and more secluded, so I bought this.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28And this was our first real home.
0:33:28 > 0:33:32This is where my two children started and grew up,
0:33:32 > 0:33:36and coming back here is not only very nostalgic,
0:33:36 > 0:33:40it's very delightful, because when you took me to my childhood home...
0:33:40 > 0:33:41Right.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43..it was a bit of a shock
0:33:43 > 0:33:46and I was distressed to see what had happened to it.
0:33:46 > 0:33:52This one is obviously still being cared for and loved the same way.
0:33:52 > 0:33:53The only thing that's exactly the same is,
0:33:53 > 0:33:56well, the door's the same. Same knocker and everything.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58Well, I had grass there.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01That rose tree is exactly the same!
0:34:01 > 0:34:03But you can see it's grown over the years.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05And your two children were born into this house?
0:34:05 > 0:34:08Yes, born here and of course, at that time,
0:34:08 > 0:34:10- you were so much more safe and secure.- Sure.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12They could run out onto the heath here
0:34:12 > 0:34:15and they'd practise on their bicycles here, and, erm,
0:34:15 > 0:34:19I think for small children it was a marvellous opportunity for them.
0:34:19 > 0:34:23- A little bit of paradise. - We were very blessed.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25- So, do we want to go in the house? - I think you should.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29You don't know what they've done inside. You're about to find out.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31- Enjoy.- Enjoy, right. Mm.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37And while Nicholas steps back in time once more,
0:34:37 > 0:34:40I'm off to nearby Golders Hill Park,
0:34:40 > 0:34:42where we've set up our outdoor kitchen.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47I'm taking everything I've learnt about his story
0:34:47 > 0:34:49to cook my tribute dish for Nicholas,
0:34:49 > 0:34:52which represents his life...on a plate.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55Now, Nicholas says he loves a really good soup
0:34:55 > 0:34:59and an interesting soup and his favourite is minestrone.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02So, I'm going to see if my minestrone matches up
0:35:02 > 0:35:03to his minestrone.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06I've got a pan on, nice and hot. A bit of olive oil here.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09He doesn't take butter, he doesn't take cream, so we're OK here.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11Olive oil goes in.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14Try and get that warmed up.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18And I'm going to put some fresh thyme in there.
0:35:23 > 0:35:27And as minestrone is normally Italian soup,
0:35:27 > 0:35:29we're going to put some garlic in there.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34And the trick here is just to get the flavours out,
0:35:34 > 0:35:36but not to colour them.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39So, in that goes, in there.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51My first impressions are
0:35:51 > 0:35:55how wonderfully they have redesigned it.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58It really is most, most attractive.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00I wish we'd stayed here and done what they've done.
0:36:00 > 0:36:04- HE LAUGHS - Oh! Yes, of course.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08What is amazing is it was two little cottages.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10There were two fireplaces here
0:36:10 > 0:36:13and we kept one and we used the fire,
0:36:13 > 0:36:16but it's gone now and there were... I don't know how they propped it up,
0:36:16 > 0:36:19because there was a chimney breast here,
0:36:19 > 0:36:23which I thought was supporting this floor here.
0:36:23 > 0:36:24And that was where the door was.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27Came in, had a tiny office in the corner.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30And this was a sort of hallway dining area.
0:36:30 > 0:36:32That was the living room in there.
0:36:32 > 0:36:34The kitchen was certainly through here
0:36:34 > 0:36:36and they have redesigned it beautifully.
0:36:36 > 0:36:40And they've got a lovely, lovely kitchen here.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42It's a very happy feeling coming back
0:36:42 > 0:36:44and seeing something that you loved
0:36:44 > 0:36:47being also protected and loved again.
0:36:48 > 0:36:49It really is.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57The great thing about minestrone
0:36:57 > 0:36:59is you can put whatever vegetables you want in there.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03It doesn't really matter - whatever you've got.
0:37:03 > 0:37:04Nice bit of chopped...
0:37:06 > 0:37:07..onion.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11Bags of colour, bags of flavour,
0:37:11 > 0:37:14bags of fresh vegetables, that's what it's all about.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27'I'm cooking the vegetables for five minutes,
0:37:27 > 0:37:29'but I don't want them to colour,
0:37:29 > 0:37:32'then adding chicken stock and simmering.'
0:37:35 > 0:37:37So...oh.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39This is fascinating.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42And a beautiful pussycat as well.
0:37:42 > 0:37:43This...
0:37:43 > 0:37:45was our main bedroom
0:37:45 > 0:37:47and then we put the extension above.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50I and my wife moved up there and this became
0:37:50 > 0:37:53one of my children's bedrooms. But you see, oh...
0:37:53 > 0:37:57Oh, the door's still there onto the roof garden.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01That's still there, but they've done it so...creatively.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03And of course you look onto the heath,
0:38:03 > 0:38:05which is now, you're looking onto shrubberies.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07It does make you feel good
0:38:07 > 0:38:09when something that you've really enjoyed and loved
0:38:09 > 0:38:12and have happy memories about,
0:38:12 > 0:38:14you see it being looked after and loved in the same way.
0:38:19 > 0:38:20Oh.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23The surprise is the transformation
0:38:23 > 0:38:25from what I remember.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28This was...our main bedroom,
0:38:28 > 0:38:30but the staircase came up there
0:38:30 > 0:38:32and we went straight in here, the door was.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35Then you have this wonderful view onto Hampstead Heath.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39Because I'm quite emotional, sentimental about homes
0:38:39 > 0:38:43and the fact that my own children have happy memories,
0:38:43 > 0:38:45that makes one feel very happy.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48So, I've got a very good feeling being here.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58So, now that the stock's coming back up to simmering,
0:38:58 > 0:39:00I'm going to put in some macaroni.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02That's REAL minestrone.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07And then, a bit of potato.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16A touch of salt.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20And for Nicholas, some pepper.
0:39:24 > 0:39:26And we'll just leave that now to simmer
0:39:26 > 0:39:28for about 15 minutes, maximum.
0:39:30 > 0:39:31Back at the house,
0:39:31 > 0:39:34Nicholas is bursting with compliments for the current owners,
0:39:34 > 0:39:36Cindy and Bob.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39You have transformed it into something very special.
0:39:39 > 0:39:43We loved it here and I quite enjoyed the design,
0:39:43 > 0:39:45but you've redesigned it brilliantly.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47It's an amazing area to live.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50- It is.- I mean, you know, we are privileged to live here
0:39:50 > 0:39:53and this house is so much about looking out.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56- Absolutely.- It's what you see every day...- Absolutely.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58- ..and the heath... - Having seen what you've done,
0:39:58 > 0:40:00we should never have moved, we should've stayed here
0:40:00 > 0:40:03- and expanded.- You're still remembered here, very fondly.
0:40:03 > 0:40:05- You're very kind.- And the children.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07You're remembered as a very fine gardener.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10- Well, I was successful, yes. - Mm.- I am a keen gardener.
0:40:10 > 0:40:12You never rest, do you?
0:40:12 > 0:40:14The thing is, people say, "Well, at your age,
0:40:14 > 0:40:16"surely you've thought about retiring?" But...
0:40:16 > 0:40:18the answer is very simple.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21I'm in a profession that retires you.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23Once they think I can no longer do it,
0:40:23 > 0:40:25or the employers think I can no longer hack it
0:40:25 > 0:40:29or the public stop coming, I'm out, finished, I'm on the scrapheap.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32I don't think there's any chance of that happening. Do you?
0:40:34 > 0:40:37'My minestrone is almost ready.
0:40:37 > 0:40:42'I've added chopped onion, carrot, celery and fennel to olive oil,
0:40:42 > 0:40:44'flavoured with thyme and crushed garlic,
0:40:44 > 0:40:46'and cooked for five minutes.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48'Then I added chicken stock
0:40:48 > 0:40:51'and, after ten minutes of simmering, macaroni.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55'Finally, a diced medium-sized potato joined the mix.'
0:40:55 > 0:41:00Overall it's been one of those intriguing days? Rewarding at times?
0:41:00 > 0:41:03Relaxing, fascinating, interesting,
0:41:03 > 0:41:08unusual, but finishing up in the house where I,
0:41:08 > 0:41:11with my small young family, were very happy,
0:41:11 > 0:41:14it is very satisfying and very rewarding.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16I just want to tell you what I've done.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18I'm making a kind of minestrone.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21- The difference with this...- Mm.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24..for me, is that because I remember that you told me
0:41:24 > 0:41:27how chicken was such a delicacy...
0:41:27 > 0:41:30NICHOLAS LAUGHS ..and a rarity once upon a time...
0:41:30 > 0:41:32- so, I've roasted a couple of chicken legs...- Yeah.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35- ..I've used chicken stock to make this minestrone...- Mm-hm.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37..and I'm going to put the chicken into there.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40'I'm adding a diced courgette and de-seeded tomatoes
0:41:40 > 0:41:42'and taking the chicken off the bone to dice.'
0:41:42 > 0:41:46Give it a stir and whilst that's just coming up to the boil,
0:41:46 > 0:41:48- could you pass me the bowl, please? - Yes, right.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50All I'm going to do now is put this bit of roast chicken leg
0:41:50 > 0:41:54that you so desired when you were a young person.
0:41:54 > 0:41:56It's got everything that minestrone's got,
0:41:56 > 0:41:58plus a little something extra.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00And of course the Italians
0:42:00 > 0:42:02would finish it with a little bit of Parmesan.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05- Oh, yes. I like my Parmesan. - You grab a spoon there.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07- Stand next to me, Nicholas...- Right.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10..so that the wind doesn't blow the cheese all over the place.
0:42:10 > 0:42:14- I see what's happening, yes. It does get blown way, yes.- Does a bit.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18And there we are.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22My tribute to the man who loves soups, Nicholas Parsons.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24Minestrone with roast chicken.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27- There you are. Have a go at that, chef.- Ooh! Exciting.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29NICHOLAS LAUGHS
0:42:32 > 0:42:34Oh, that's...
0:42:37 > 0:42:38Mmm.
0:42:38 > 0:42:39I like that.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41That's gorgeous. Gorgeous.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43- Magic.- You are kind.
0:42:43 > 0:42:44No...
0:42:44 > 0:42:46I've always enjoyed soups
0:42:46 > 0:42:49and you've produced a magic potion there.
0:42:49 > 0:42:53Thank you, sir. So, how has the day been? Have you enjoyed it?
0:42:53 > 0:42:55Oh, it's been a wonderful day.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57Nostalgic, fascinating,
0:42:57 > 0:43:01evoking memories which, erm, were fading away.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04Well, it's been a privilege to be on this little voyage with you
0:43:04 > 0:43:06and I'm really glad that it's ended up well.
0:43:06 > 0:43:08It's been a pleasure, particularly the soup.
0:43:08 > 0:43:13- Good man.- I'm a soup man and he's a great soup maker.
0:43:13 > 0:43:16- Super.- Super! - NICHOLAS LAUGHS