0:00:01 > 0:00:03'For everyone, there's a taste of food
0:00:03 > 0:00:06'or 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 > 0:00:13It reminds me of someone I used to know at school.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15'..and I'm going to stir up the food memories
0:00:15 > 0:00:18'of some much-loved celebrities...'
0:00:18 > 0:00:19Ohh, look at that.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22'..going back to their early days before they were famous...'
0:00:22 > 0:00:23Mmm.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25Oh, my gosh.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28'..with recollections of Sunday roasts and school dinners...'
0:00:28 > 0:00:29- It's time for something to eat. - Brilliant.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32'..and celebrating food their home regions are proud of.'
0:00:32 > 0:00:34HE LAUGHS
0:00:34 > 0:00:36- Which way would you like to go? - Er, this way.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39'I'll recreate a nostalgic family favourite...'
0:00:39 > 0:00:41Mmm, you can't beat a crumble.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45'..and a tribute dish that puts my guest's life on a plate!'
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Magic, magic.
0:00:47 > 0:00:52Today, television presenter Diane Louise Jordan returns to her
0:00:52 > 0:00:54childhood home in Hertfordshire.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58There are surprises at her old school.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01- How are you? - I'm a bit shellshocked.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05And memories of the neighbourhood that meant so much to her family.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09This area and that house, I'd say it saved our lives.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12And I'll be cooking dishes for her with local produce...
0:01:12 > 0:01:14This is it.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16..that'll be a real taste of childhood.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19I'd like to share it with you, but I'm not going to.
0:01:19 > 0:01:20It's gorgeous.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Today, I'm in Hatfield, where I'm going to be finding
0:01:31 > 0:01:35out about the food memories of Diane Louise Jordan.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37Which do you fancy, which are your favourites?
0:01:37 > 0:01:38All of them.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40How did I know you'd say that?
0:01:40 > 0:01:44Diane's best known today as a presenter of Songs Of Praise.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46But back in 1990...
0:01:46 > 0:01:48DUCK CALL
0:01:48 > 0:01:51..she landed one of the best jobs in television
0:01:51 > 0:01:55when she became a Blue Peter presenter.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59It's only three weeks to go before the clocks go back
0:01:59 > 0:02:03and the stark evenings start drawing in, what does that mean?
0:02:03 > 0:02:07We'll all be switching on more lights around the house.
0:02:07 > 0:02:12Today, I'm going to find out all about her food memories
0:02:12 > 0:02:15and use them as the inspiration for two special dishes I'm going
0:02:15 > 0:02:18to create, just for her.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20Well, my mouth is salivating already.
0:02:22 > 0:02:28Diane was actually born in Hackney, in East London, in 1960.
0:02:28 > 0:02:33Her parents, Harold and Norma, had both travelled from Jamaica
0:02:33 > 0:02:36to London, where they met and married in 1956.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42My mum, all her sisters, they came here for their training as nurses
0:02:42 > 0:02:47and midwives and things like that, and then they went back to Jamaica.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50So I think the plan for my mum was to go back, but she met my dad.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53And I always go, "Oh, how romantic, you fell in love."
0:02:53 > 0:02:55She went, "No, we didn't fall in love, he just kept pestering me
0:02:55 > 0:02:57"and I gave in."
0:02:57 > 0:03:00I'm like, "I'm so glad you gave in because, hey, I wouldn't be here."
0:03:00 > 0:03:01Exactly. Exactly that.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Harold and Norma settled in Hackney,
0:03:04 > 0:03:08where they began raising their family in a one-bedroom flat.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11But in the '50s and '60s,
0:03:11 > 0:03:15London could be a very unfriendly place for new arrivals.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19I do remember overridingly that it was a very cramped place,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22that we felt sort of a bit unwelcome.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24I remember being in the butcher shop with Mum...
0:03:24 > 0:03:27I'm a vegetarian now. Oh, butcher's shop.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29But I remember being in the butcher's shop with my mum,
0:03:29 > 0:03:31and we'd have to wait at the back
0:03:31 > 0:03:34until everybody else was served and then we got served.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36And at night, we used to...
0:03:36 > 0:03:39It was during that time when there were all those sort of riots
0:03:39 > 0:03:43happening in Notting Hill and it was quite tough.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46And my mum and my dad, to keep us children safe,
0:03:46 > 0:03:51they'd put us on a mattress right under the window because there were
0:03:51 > 0:03:54stories of stones coming through the homes of Caribbean people.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57So the stones would come, say a brick came through a window...
0:03:57 > 0:04:00- Sure, it would miss you. - It would miss us.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04- Yeah.- So there was this sort of backdrop of anxiety.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07At night, we always taped up the letterbox as well,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10just to make sure nothing came through there.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13So the outside world felt quite scary.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20Diane's dad was determined to find a better home for his family
0:04:20 > 0:04:24outside the capital and settled on Hatfield, 20 miles north of London.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30Hatfield was one of the many new towns that were
0:04:30 > 0:04:33built across the country after the Second World War.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36They offered modern homes, set in peaceful neighbourhoods,
0:04:36 > 0:04:40complete with all the facilities young families could want.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44I can't work out what made me more happy,
0:04:44 > 0:04:46the happiness on my mum's face...
0:04:46 > 0:04:50The smile, I mean, it was like all the weight of the world
0:04:50 > 0:04:53had just left her, and I do remember that.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55I just remember my mum being happy.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57But obviously, my dad was chuffed to pieces.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02Diane spent her whole childhood in Hatfield.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05I want to find out what it was like growing up here
0:05:05 > 0:05:08and what part food played in her life when she was young.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14So why are we actually in this particular shop?
0:05:14 > 0:05:15What does this mean to you?
0:05:15 > 0:05:19Well, when I was younger, you know, when I started senior school,
0:05:19 > 0:05:20I was then allowed down the town,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23- because we used to live at the other end of the town.- OK.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26And it was only probably about two miles away,
0:05:26 > 0:05:28but it felt like another city.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31- So to go down the town was a really big thing.- Grown-up.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33Yes, especially on Saturday morning.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36But we always, always used to pop into Simmons Bakery
0:05:36 > 0:05:38and buy an iced bun.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40But I used to have this thing of
0:05:40 > 0:05:42if I bought something sweet,
0:05:42 > 0:05:45I always used to, I felt that I always had to have something,
0:05:45 > 0:05:47um, a piece of fruit.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49We hardly ever had sweet things when we were at home anyway,
0:05:49 > 0:05:53mostly to do with the fact that we couldn't afford it, so an iced bun
0:05:53 > 0:05:55was a treat and it felt like it was more like a pudding.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58So I would buy my little green shiny apple and me
0:05:58 > 0:06:01and my mates would sit on the wall just opposite the bakery,
0:06:01 > 0:06:05just through there actually, and I'd munch my apple and have my iced bun.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12The cafe we're in - a place that was so important to Diane as a child -
0:06:12 > 0:06:15is a bit of a Hertfordshire institution.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18It's part of a local chain
0:06:18 > 0:06:21which was founded here nearly 200 years ago.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28The current bakery has been on the same site since 1945.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35Back then, everything was done by hand.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41But now, this bit of kit can turn out 8,000 rolls an hour!
0:06:43 > 0:06:46But the old skills aren't dying out just yet.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49At the moment, I'm making multi-grain sour loaves,
0:06:49 > 0:06:56which we produce around 150 a day and 300 all weekend.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58And then this is,
0:06:58 > 0:07:01this is what the finished loaves looks like once it's been baked off.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04In the old days we used to do it like this,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07but then there are not many people that can hand mould...
0:07:08 > 0:07:10Better than you, Paul Hollywood.
0:07:12 > 0:07:13Without a doubt,
0:07:13 > 0:07:16the runaway favourite produced by this bakery is...
0:07:16 > 0:07:19DRUMROLL
0:07:19 > 0:07:21The doughnut!
0:07:22 > 0:07:24Ah, doughnuts!
0:07:24 > 0:07:27Sticky with sugar or icing, full of raspberry jam -
0:07:27 > 0:07:29or custard if you're a bit weird -
0:07:29 > 0:07:33I can't think of anyone who doesn't love a doughnut.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35After a day of making them,
0:07:35 > 0:07:39it's not something I really want to eat.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42OK then, I can't think of anyone who doesn't like them
0:07:42 > 0:07:44apart from Paul here.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47We are just waiting for the doughnuts to fry.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49They take one minute and ten seconds each side.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53At the moment, they are very popular.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56We make a million doughnuts a year.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59If you think that's a lot - in this country, we get through
0:07:59 > 0:08:04200 doughnuts, cakes and pastries each, every year.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10That adds up to an annual UK total of over 12 billion.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16So in thousands of bakeries up and down the country, we're all
0:08:16 > 0:08:21making memories of our favourites - just like Diane and her iced buns.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23We sell about 900 a day.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26Other items, fashionable items, come in and go,
0:08:26 > 0:08:30but iced buns are still very popular, public still demand them.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Oh, at long last, here come the buns. Thank you.
0:08:35 > 0:08:36Thank you very much.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39That's fabulous. I want to eat them now.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43- You see, I can't even wait. - You go for it.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46Mmm. That is heaven, that is heaven.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Does that remind you of how it used to be?
0:08:48 > 0:08:50That brings back so many... It is sort of better.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53You know when you really love something and then you eat it
0:08:53 > 0:08:55again years later, it's a bit of disappointment isn't it?
0:08:55 > 0:08:56This is perfect.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02Although the bakeries were full of lovely treats when Diane was
0:09:02 > 0:09:07a child, one thing was missing in Hatfield - none of the shops
0:09:07 > 0:09:10sold the ingredients Diane's mum needed for her home cooking.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16So my mum, she's a brilliant Caribbean cook, really,
0:09:16 > 0:09:18all her food was delicious.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20Her English cooking was -
0:09:20 > 0:09:23she's not alive now so I can say it - abysmal.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25- Oh, dear.- But she thought she was a great cook.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27I love you, Mum.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32As they couldn't get the ingredients in Hatfield, Diane's mum
0:09:32 > 0:09:36and dad would make regular trips to the famous Ridley Road market
0:09:36 > 0:09:39back in Hackney, to stock up on essentials.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44- Do you know what, when my mum used to cook here...- Yeah.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46I used to feel a little bit embarrassed, I was like,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49"Stop cooking that Jamaican food, we live in England now."
0:09:49 > 0:09:52I mean, I really liked rice and beans and that's about all
0:09:52 > 0:09:54she ended up doing in the end,
0:09:54 > 0:09:57and sometimes we'd have fried dumplings. And, you know,
0:09:57 > 0:09:59our Sunday breakfasts were delicious,
0:09:59 > 0:10:00but they were a bit different.
0:10:00 > 0:10:05When I went to Jamaica and realised everybody was doing that, so there
0:10:05 > 0:10:08was fried dumpling, boiled dumplings and soup, just like my mum did it.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11There was... You could get fresh callaloo, you know,
0:10:11 > 0:10:14you could get mangoes off the tree in my grandad's garden.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16- Sure, yeah, yeah.- It was just...
0:10:16 > 0:10:20It all opened up and I realised why my mum and my dad still really...
0:10:20 > 0:10:23Cos I was thinking, "Why do you go to so much effort to go to
0:10:23 > 0:10:25"Ridley Road? There is food in Hatfield."
0:10:25 > 0:10:26And then I started getting it.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30It's just these sort of memories that are going to inspire
0:10:30 > 0:10:34the dish I'll be making for Diane later.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36So I can see this is going to be a bit of a challenge for me.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40I'm going to create something that reminds you of your childhood,
0:10:40 > 0:10:41that reminds you of the Caribbean,
0:10:41 > 0:10:44that we can purchase in this part of the world,
0:10:44 > 0:10:46that a vegetarian eats,
0:10:46 > 0:10:48ay, ay, ay, ay, ay.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50Do you know, I really feel sorry for you,
0:10:50 > 0:10:52but I don't know how you are going to do it.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54We'll give it a go.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Anyway, back to my bun.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02While I'm thinking about recipes,
0:11:02 > 0:11:06we're heading off to our next stop - Diane's first school.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12Back then, it was called Bishop Wood's Infants.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14It's now part of the De Havilland School.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18- Wow. This is... - So what do you think?
0:11:18 > 0:11:21It's actually, it's freaking me out a little bit.
0:11:21 > 0:11:22Really?
0:11:22 > 0:11:26Because it sort of feels familiar, but it's...it's bigger.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28Were these buildings here?
0:11:28 > 0:11:30I'm not sure because... They look a bit new.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32- They look new, don't they?- Yeah.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34That bit there with the chimneys,
0:11:34 > 0:11:37that looks like where the kitchen was, which I think served
0:11:37 > 0:11:40both the primary school and the infant school.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43- So did you like school meals? - I loved school dinners.- Really?
0:11:43 > 0:11:45Yeah, I was one of those weird people...
0:11:45 > 0:11:48You know when you meet adults and they talk about their
0:11:48 > 0:11:50school dinners, they always give it a thumb's down.
0:11:50 > 0:11:55And I just didn't get that because for me school dinners were the best.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59I used to really look forward to coming into our little dining room
0:11:59 > 0:12:01and we'd have tables with, I think,
0:12:01 > 0:12:06maybe six or eight children around each table and some of the
0:12:06 > 0:12:08people at the head of the table had to be the food monitor.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11- Monitor. Yeah, yeah, I remember that.- That's right.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15And my favourite pudding, I used to love everything with custard.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17But my best - and this school
0:12:17 > 0:12:21was the only place it's been done perfectly -
0:12:21 > 0:12:24is chocolate pudding and chocolate custard.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26And I don't know, all these fancy...
0:12:26 > 0:12:29There's a little warning to you, Brian, all these fancy restaurants
0:12:29 > 0:12:32and all these fancy chefs, they do chocolate pudding and chocolate
0:12:32 > 0:12:35custard but they do chocolate sauce, and they don't put enough on.
0:12:35 > 0:12:36No, we want chocolate pudding.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39I should start a campaign, shouldn't I?
0:12:39 > 0:12:42- Well, you'll be pleased to hear, in my thinking already...- Huh.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45..that chocolate pudding and chocolate sauce do not exist.
0:12:45 > 0:12:46No!
0:12:46 > 0:12:49Sorry, sorry, you've had enough of that in your lifetime.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52I really... You know what, I'm now going to be disappointed.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56How many years since you've been in there?
0:12:56 > 0:12:58Since 1964. That's a long time.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00It is quite a while, you are quite right.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03I really hope you enjoy it in there, it will be a fantastic experience.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06Meanwhile, I'm going to nip over there, I'm going to try
0:13:06 > 0:13:10and find a dish to put together that sort of reflects your early days,
0:13:10 > 0:13:12the past, perhaps a Caribbean influence,
0:13:12 > 0:13:15food that you will enjoy, but not chocolate pudding.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18- You go enjoy that in there. - No chocolate pudding.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20How can you not have chocolate pudding?
0:13:27 > 0:13:28Oh, my gosh.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33It's a really weird feeling.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35This is our school hall.
0:13:38 > 0:13:43And...we used to come in here for assembly. It was also...
0:13:43 > 0:13:44It doubled up as a gym.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46I wouldn't be surprised
0:13:46 > 0:13:49if that's exactly the same climbing frame and stuff that we had before.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52I'm actually shocked that I'm so...
0:13:52 > 0:13:54I feel like crying, I'm so shocked that I feel like this.
0:13:54 > 0:14:00I'm really happy to be here, but I think there's a...
0:14:00 > 0:14:04It feels like your life is literally flashing by you.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08And my memory is not very good, and I'm shocked at how much
0:14:08 > 0:14:10I really did remember this room.
0:14:12 > 0:14:17And it just makes me feel really nostalgic for my childhood.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20It was a really nice childhood. We had a really...
0:14:20 > 0:14:23I had a great experience here.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27I think all children should have at least the experience I had.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29We really felt cared for.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31Coming into assembly, which we had every day,
0:14:31 > 0:14:34I really believe that assembly is a great thing
0:14:34 > 0:14:37because it sort of settled you, no matter what you came from.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40It was a moment in the day where everyone could just be
0:14:40 > 0:14:43still for a while and sort of catch their breath
0:14:43 > 0:14:45before going off into their classrooms.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47And for me, that really helped.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49And I still like really quiet mornings now.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54We've set up the kitchen in the playground,
0:14:54 > 0:14:56where I'm going to create a vegetarian dish,
0:14:56 > 0:15:01inspired by Diane's memories of the Caribbean food her mum used to make.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04First thing I'm going to do is I'm going to make some fried
0:15:04 > 0:15:08dumpling batter, so strong flour goes in there.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12I'm going to take about 4g,
0:15:12 > 0:15:17almost a teaspoon of quick dried yeast.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20And then the water goes in.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24This wants to be like a soft dough,
0:15:24 > 0:15:26a stiff batter.
0:15:28 > 0:15:34And put it in a warmish region to just prove a little bit.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36Takes about 20 minutes, half an hour.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39It will depend on where you put it and the temperature.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42It's lovely and warm here today, it will take some holding.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46Next, I'm going to make a little vegetable stew.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48First, I need some chopped shallots,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51which I'm going to fry with some fresh corn.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54Now I want a bit of colour in there.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57I've got this lovely green pepper.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04So that goes in there, lovely colours already there.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06We want to sweat those off a little bit.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09Whilst we are doing that, I've got these tomatoes.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11I've taken the seeds out, I've kept the skin on, I'm going
0:16:11 > 0:16:15to put those into my stew in a moment, so they will actually start
0:16:15 > 0:16:19to melt a little bit, give a lovely flavour, lots of lovely colour.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24My vegetable stew needs just a couple more ingredients.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27OK, so I'm going to put some vegetable stock in there.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29I'd often use chicken stock personally,
0:16:29 > 0:16:31but we must remember Diane is a vegetarian,
0:16:31 > 0:16:33so a bit of vegetable stock in there...
0:16:35 > 0:16:38And a bit of double cream.
0:16:38 > 0:16:39Salt and pepper.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46And then the tomatoes go in there and we just leave this to cook out.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55Inside the school, Diane's still getting her bearings.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58Ah, that leads through to junior school.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00I'll go and have a quick look.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02I'm sorry, I've just got to have a peep.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Yeah, look, it's the same room but bigger.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Yeah, I remember this.
0:17:07 > 0:17:12Oh, my gosh, I think I've just seen somebody I know.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15- Oh, Julie.- How are you?
0:17:15 > 0:17:18Oh, I'm a bit shellshocked to tell you the honest truth.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21I was trying to work out... We both went to this school,
0:17:21 > 0:17:24but you went to this school with my brother, didn't you, Roger?
0:17:24 > 0:17:25Yes, yeah, Roger.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28- Yeah, yeah. So you were a couple of years younger.- Yeah.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30- It's really changed. - I know, I know.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34- When you come, there used to be a hatch here.- That's...
0:17:34 > 0:17:37There was infants this side and juniors that side.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39- It was two dining rooms. - That's right.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41- That's why I got confused... - They've changed all this.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43Cos when I came out of the hall...
0:17:43 > 0:17:45So when we were in the infant school,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48were there steps coming up there or something?
0:17:48 > 0:17:49Yeah, they didn't have the lift.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51- Yeah.- And this was the dining room.
0:17:51 > 0:17:52All that was the dining room.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55Yes, that's right. That's why I got completely confused.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57And there were wooden steps, if you remember right,
0:17:57 > 0:18:00there was wooden steps that you went down into the hall.
0:18:00 > 0:18:01- Yes.- Very, very different.- So...
0:18:01 > 0:18:05Right, so this is where the infants' dining room would have been.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07- Yup, that's it.- All of this. OK.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09Now I get where we are in the school.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11Why are you here anyway? What do you do?
0:18:11 > 0:18:13I'm the cook. I've been a cook here for 20 years.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15I've just got my long service ward.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18- Wow. So you left and then came straight back?- Yeah.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20No, no. No, I left, I worked, I worked...
0:18:20 > 0:18:23When I had children, I came back here because I wanted
0:18:23 > 0:18:25- a school job, so I'm the cook. - Well, I'm so glad you're here
0:18:25 > 0:18:28because you've really helped bring back these memories.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Oh, Julie, I'll let you get back to work, and thank you so much.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34- That's OK. Find your classroom. - Yeah, I am going to find it now.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37Up through that way. That's the caretaker's office, that one.
0:18:37 > 0:18:38Oh, yeah, and then I can go down, can I?
0:18:38 > 0:18:41- That hasn't changed a lot. - All right. OK, thank you.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43- Good luck.- Thank you, bye-bye.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49Outside, while my stew's cooking, I'm going
0:18:49 > 0:18:52to make a simple red pepper sauce, starting with an onion
0:18:52 > 0:18:57and a large red pepper, chopped finely and fried in butter.
0:18:59 > 0:19:00I'm going to cook them really soft.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02I've got a little bit of dry sherry here.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04It just gives it a different flavour.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07What I really want to do, I'll make this quite spicy,
0:19:07 > 0:19:10so I've got some wonderful Tabasco sauce here.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12So we'll put, very carefully measure that,
0:19:12 > 0:19:14as little or as much as you like.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17Don't know what Diane wants, so I'll make it quite spicy.
0:19:17 > 0:19:18There we go.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22I've got my vegetable stock, put that in there.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26Just a tad of cream.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36Yeah, this is my...
0:19:36 > 0:19:40This is my classroom, but they've changed it.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46Mrs Wheatley would sit down here, she'd be,
0:19:46 > 0:19:49she'd greet at the door, she was so lovely.
0:19:49 > 0:19:54Sitting here, because it feels familiar, um,
0:19:54 > 0:19:57this is a nice feeling because I remember this bit.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00But where's the blackboard gone?
0:20:00 > 0:20:04That was a real sign of my classroom,
0:20:04 > 0:20:07and I used to like watching Mrs Wheatley. It's like all teachers
0:20:07 > 0:20:11had special handwriting that worked perfectly on blackboards.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17I felt really safe here, particularly in this classroom.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21Yeah, I adored Mrs Wheatley. She is what teachers should be.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23She even looked like a teacher, you know,
0:20:23 > 0:20:28dark curly hair and brogue shoes, and, you know, Arran cardigans
0:20:28 > 0:20:31and tweedy skirts. She looked like a proper teacher.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37You're born with great creative imaginations, but to be in a place
0:20:37 > 0:20:44where you can really, that can be nurtured is so important and so...
0:20:44 > 0:20:47I am sitting here... It is a little bit different, but I am
0:20:47 > 0:20:51so grateful that this room existed
0:20:51 > 0:20:57because I just feel like I had a really great start in life.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07The stew and the sauce are ready.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11It's nearly time to plate up my Caribbean feast.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15I've made a simple but vibrant vegetable stew with corn, tomato
0:21:15 > 0:21:19and green pepper, cooked together with some vegetable stock and cream.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25And alongside it, I've made a quick red pepper sauce, with just
0:21:25 > 0:21:31an onion, some garlic, a red pepper, stock, cream and a splash of sherry.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35I do hope this dish will bring back memories of childhood for Diane,
0:21:35 > 0:21:38especially once I've put on the finishing touches.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43- Hi, Brian. - Dear lady, how was that?
0:21:43 > 0:21:45That was emotional.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48Seriously, it was...
0:21:48 > 0:21:50I think I went through every gamut of emotions you can think of.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52- Did you cry?- No.
0:21:52 > 0:21:53But you don't have to say.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56I hope lovely experiences, I hope you really enjoyed it.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00Now, I've prepared this dish which I hope will
0:22:00 > 0:22:01think, smell of the Caribbean,
0:22:01 > 0:22:04will the dishes that your mum talked about, perhaps she didn't cook.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06And what...
0:22:06 > 0:22:09Because your vegetarian, I've done a little vegetable stew over here.
0:22:09 > 0:22:14So I've got green peppers, tomatoes, onions. But I've also done,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17and this will be a real test will this...
0:22:17 > 0:22:21These, hopefully, are going to become fried dumplings
0:22:21 > 0:22:24with a Caribbean recipe that I saw.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27So we'll just put those... Let's see if we can get these...
0:22:29 > 0:22:31Oh, you're making little tiny ones, how cute.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34Yeah, well, you're tiny and you're cute, so this is really to...
0:22:34 > 0:22:36You say all the right things.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40They look fantastic to me.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42And it's all good fun is doing these.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Just you have to be careful of course, it's hot fat.
0:22:45 > 0:22:46Keep our eyes on those.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49So whilst that's happening, just this parsley,
0:22:49 > 0:22:52just going to chop it at the last minute, so that we can get
0:22:52 > 0:22:56those lovely colours staying there, get lovely flavours.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59- I love watching a chef work. - Yes, so do I.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01I couldn't do that, takes me about three days.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04Right, I think we are just about ready there.
0:23:04 > 0:23:05So we just take those out.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07Just put those there to drain.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10They are nice and light, I have to say.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12They are lighter than I thought they'd be.
0:23:12 > 0:23:17- We'll take the chopped parsley, going to put it in my stew.- Yep.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19And it goes over there.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21Give us a spoon.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24So, look, I just stir that in nicely.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27- It's all those lovely vegetables. - Yeah, it looks lovely.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29So, look, that goes in the middle of plate.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31So there I've made a sauce here.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33But normally, with electricity, I'd blitz this
0:23:33 > 0:23:36and it would be a bit finer, but actually it's chopped nice and fine.
0:23:36 > 0:23:42- But just nice colours. Red peppers, there's sherry in there.- Great.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46You're a very brave man leaving the spoon so close to me.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49It's all right, dear, I've got you under control.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53And nice little dumplings, I'm just going to...
0:23:53 > 0:23:55pile them on top.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57- So gorgeous. - Just got a little bit of...
0:23:57 > 0:24:02I hope this will be a nostalgic return to the Caribbean for you.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07This is a dish I'm hoping is packed full of memories for Diane,
0:24:07 > 0:24:11inspired by the stories of the food of her childhood.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15It's a colourful, spicy vegetable stew topped with dumplings
0:24:15 > 0:24:19that should remind her of the ones that her mum used to make.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22I'm going to try these dumplings first but... Do you know,
0:24:22 > 0:24:25I am actually going to try a bit of everything because I can't wait.
0:24:25 > 0:24:26Good girl.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33SHE LAUGHS I'm not sure I like that laugh.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38I was always told not to speak with my mouth full.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40It's not fun, you've got bags of space in there.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43Yeah, but if I wasn't married, you'd be my husband.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47This is gorgeous, this is absolutely gorgeous.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49It may not be 100% Caribbean,
0:24:49 > 0:24:52but does it have certain nostalgic thoughts of the Caribbean?
0:24:52 > 0:24:55Well, the dumplings, they look a bit like a fritter,
0:24:55 > 0:24:58and then I love the lightness of them.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01They are just nice because it reminds me of my mum's cooking,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04- but it's advanced a little bit. - Oh, how sweet.
0:25:04 > 0:25:05No, it's true.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07And I think that's what all good cooking should be like,
0:25:07 > 0:25:10- shouldn't it? - Evolution. You are quite right.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14I'd like to share it with you, but I'm not to.
0:25:14 > 0:25:15It's gorgeous.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19Mmm.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22I'm really glad to have been able to cook a taste of the Caribbean
0:25:22 > 0:25:27for Diane, and bring back some happy memories of her mum's home cooking.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32But imagine if you moved to a place where you couldn't buy any
0:25:32 > 0:25:35British basics like potatoes, carrots or onions.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37Those wonderful root vegetables.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40You'd soon miss them and familiar recipes.
0:25:41 > 0:25:46But you might come up with the same solution as farmer David Mwanaka.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49David trained as a journalist in Zimbabwe.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51However, in 1991,
0:25:51 > 0:25:55he and his wife fled their homeland to move to the UK.
0:25:55 > 0:26:00Once here, he found it difficult to get a job in his chosen profession.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04But one day, he had an idea that changed his life completely.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09I've come just ten miles down the road, from Hatfield to Enfield,
0:26:09 > 0:26:10to meet him.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13You haven't always been a farmer, so how did it all start?
0:26:13 > 0:26:17When I came over to this country, I started missing the food that
0:26:17 > 0:26:22I used to get back home. So it came to a point when I thought,
0:26:22 > 0:26:26"What shall I do, should I continue missing the food or do something?"
0:26:26 > 0:26:29That's when I started experimenting to grow
0:26:29 > 0:26:32some of the foods that I grew up eating in Zimbabwe.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35What were the kind of things that you missed the most?
0:26:35 > 0:26:39I would say that I missed the most white maize.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42I know most of you don't know it, but I personally missed it
0:26:42 > 0:26:45when I came to the UK and it simply wasn't available.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48So that's actually what drove me into farming.
0:26:48 > 0:26:53'White maize is a bigger, chewier cousin of sweetcorn
0:26:53 > 0:26:57'and it's one of the staple crops in southern Africa.'
0:26:57 > 0:26:59So was it easy to grow maize in the first place?
0:26:59 > 0:27:00Well, absolutely not.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02It was very difficult.
0:27:02 > 0:27:08It took me something like well over six years to try to get a crop,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11because I was growing seed
0:27:11 > 0:27:16from various countries and maize itself is a tropical crop.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19So it really needs a warm summer.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22And at the same time, the summer has got to be long.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25So it really took me a long time for me to get...
0:27:25 > 0:27:26to get to know what to grow.
0:27:29 > 0:27:35David now produces enough vegetables to supply his farm shop and butchers
0:27:35 > 0:27:40where his home-made African-style sausages are a big seller.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42As business has expanded,
0:27:42 > 0:27:46he's begun growing a variety of vegetables - including pumpkins,
0:27:46 > 0:27:50squash and mustard leaves - all grown in his greenhouses.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53And he's promised me some kale to take away.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57I think I might have bitten a bit more off than I can chew here.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Oh, right, there you go. This is it.
0:28:00 > 0:28:05Now, this is not kale as I know it. It has got smaller leaves,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08which I can see there are small leaves, and it's deeper green.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11Yes, there are so many, many varieties of kale.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14- This is just one of them. - Right, OK. And what would you eat?
0:28:14 > 0:28:17- You'd eat...- Just leaves, yeah.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20- Maybe from there.- Right.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24- This bit, boil it, just like spinach.- OK.
0:28:27 > 0:28:32David still grows fields of the vegetable that started it all.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35It's early in the season for white maize,
0:28:35 > 0:28:38but some of the crop's already as tall as me.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41It's like being in a jungle, isn't it ?
0:28:41 > 0:28:45Yeah. So this is probably a month away from harvesting.
0:28:45 > 0:28:46Right.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49And like all things, they are better eaten fresh
0:28:49 > 0:28:52when they have just been harvested, the lovely young tender, sweet.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55Absolutely, absolutely. Actually, one thing with maize is,
0:28:55 > 0:28:58maize has got a shelf life of one day, unlike sweetcorn.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00- Really?- Yeah, just one day.
0:29:00 > 0:29:04You've got to pick it, either cook it or boil it on the day.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07So that's how difficult it is dealing with maize.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11And actually, in Mexico, where maize originally is from,
0:29:11 > 0:29:15they used to say that if you want the best taste out of maize,
0:29:15 > 0:29:17you make sure you boil the pot first.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20- Really? Pick and then put it straight in the pot.- Exactly.
0:29:20 > 0:29:25When it's ready, some maize will be sold fresh, the rest will be frozen.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30In the meantime, David's wife Brenda has invited me
0:29:30 > 0:29:33to try some of their other produce.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35That looks wonderful.
0:29:35 > 0:29:36That's the Boerewors sausage.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39Ah, Boerewors - South Africa and Zimbabwe.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42You are very proud of your Boerewors. Very good.
0:29:42 > 0:29:47Then you've got the squashed leaves of pumpkin leaves there.
0:29:47 > 0:29:48Very good, very good.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50I feel really guilty, we haven't eaten anything and me,
0:29:50 > 0:29:53I've never stopped eating.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56I can completely understand what drove David to grow
0:29:56 > 0:29:58a taste of his homeland.
0:29:58 > 0:30:02For me, life without spuds wouldn't be worth living.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07I'm going to be using some of David's wonderful vegetables
0:30:07 > 0:30:10as part of the tribute dish I'm going to make for Diane
0:30:10 > 0:30:12in the street she grew up in.
0:30:16 > 0:30:22Diane's beloved father lived in the family home until his death in 2011.
0:30:22 > 0:30:26This is the first time Diane's been back since.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29- There it is.- Mmm.- How do you feel?
0:30:29 > 0:30:31Um... Now...
0:30:31 > 0:30:32Speechless?
0:30:32 > 0:30:35This is probably the hardest one, really, because, um...
0:30:37 > 0:30:38That was your home.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41That was the place you came to from Hackney.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45Yeah, it's so weird because we essentially lived here
0:30:45 > 0:30:47all our lives, this was the family home.
0:30:47 > 0:30:51It looks so different, it's grey and...
0:30:51 > 0:30:53Was it a different colour before?
0:30:53 > 0:30:59It was white and the windows were different. But it feels absolutely
0:30:59 > 0:31:02weird to be standing here and not just walking in the side door.
0:31:04 > 0:31:08I just used to come and let myself in, and now I'm standing here...
0:31:08 > 0:31:11And it's a grey house, you know, it's a white house.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13I know it sounds silly but...
0:31:16 > 0:31:18I believe it's a young family who've just moved in.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21- We were really young when we moved there.- Right.
0:31:21 > 0:31:26- And this house, believe it or not, was a blessing to us.- Sure.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32It wasn't just the house, the whole neighbourhood has left its mark.
0:31:32 > 0:31:33It was more magical when we first moved in.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36Obviously, everything was brand-new, there were never cars.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39- There are cars all the way... - I was going to ask you, it's very busy now.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42Yeah, I've got photos of when we used to play up the front here,
0:31:42 > 0:31:47and maximum two cars you'd see along this road.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50So it was really safe to play out here.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52And we used to play literally on this green,
0:31:52 > 0:31:55we used to play rounders and we used to have such fun.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58Did you get a sense of community after a while?
0:31:58 > 0:32:00Definitely, definitely. Everybody knew everybody.
0:32:00 > 0:32:05And I think a lot of what happens to you as a young person is about
0:32:05 > 0:32:08the person you become as an adult.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11And the house has changed a lot.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15But this area and that house, I would say it saved our lives.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17- Fantastic.- Yeah.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22I am going to cook a dish just for you, and I really hope you enjoy it.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25In the meantime, why don't you just have a walk around the area,
0:32:25 > 0:32:27see who you can see and what you can see.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29I'm looking forward to that food already.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33My tribute dish for Diane is inspired by what I've found
0:32:33 > 0:32:35out about her today.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37It's going to be vegetarian,
0:32:37 > 0:32:39it's going to incorporate the ingredients I picked
0:32:39 > 0:32:44up on David's farm, and it's going to have my own Caribbean twist.
0:32:44 > 0:32:48To start with, I'm going to need a halved butternut squash.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51Don't throw the seeds away, we can use those.
0:32:53 > 0:32:57So I'll put those into a bowl here and we'll treat those later.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01But look at those lovely pumpkin seeds.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03So...salt and pepper.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07Nice, gentle flavour of butternut squash.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09You want to give them some flavour,
0:33:09 > 0:33:11so I've got this thyme over here.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16We are just going to sprinkle that over the top,
0:33:16 > 0:33:20give it a real bit of flavour and then a bit of rapeseed oil.
0:33:20 > 0:33:24And we'll just put those to roast in the oven, 180 degrees,
0:33:24 > 0:33:28200 degrees, probably take about 20 minutes, half an hour.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31They don't need to be fully cooked but almost.
0:33:31 > 0:33:36'While the squash is cooking, Diane's exploring some of her old haunts.'
0:33:36 > 0:33:39So we came to Hatfield not too soon after,
0:33:39 > 0:33:44not too long after this new development had been established.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47And there was a real sense of excitement
0:33:47 > 0:33:51and there was a real pride in being part of this new community.
0:33:51 > 0:33:56And if you notice the church over there, it's in the shape of a sail.
0:33:56 > 0:34:00In those days, everybody went to church, so they wanted to
0:34:00 > 0:34:03sort of declare that as the centre of community. And they created,
0:34:03 > 0:34:05if I've got this right,
0:34:05 > 0:34:10but they purposely created it in the sort of ship's sail shape
0:34:10 > 0:34:15to sort of give it a sense of adventure and exploring the new.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20When they were built, the new towns were designed to be
0:34:20 > 0:34:24family friendly with facilities for everyone.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26What used to happen was that, you know,
0:34:26 > 0:34:29mums would take the kids to school in the pushchairs and prams,
0:34:29 > 0:34:31nobody drove to school in those days.
0:34:31 > 0:34:35And then they would come up here to get the food shopping for the day.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38And I think the launderette was always there.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41But the charity shop was the vegetable...the greengrocers.
0:34:41 > 0:34:45There's a taxi shop, and that used to be where I got...
0:34:45 > 0:34:46That was a cake shop.
0:34:46 > 0:34:50So I used to get iced buns there as well.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56We may have started the day with an iced bun,
0:34:56 > 0:35:00but we're going to finish with something savoury and spicy.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03I've already got a butternut squash roasting in the oven.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06Once it's cooked, I'm going to stuff it with a mix of rice
0:35:06 > 0:35:08and kidney beans.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11This is a staple dish in the Caribbean,
0:35:11 > 0:35:14where it's known as rice and peas.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16Put some oil in there too.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18Start to heat up.
0:35:18 > 0:35:23First, I'll need half an onion and a diced courgette.
0:35:23 > 0:35:27And I'm going to add one of the new ingredients I've just discovered -
0:35:27 > 0:35:29white maize.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32Nice and chewy, not as sweet as sweet corn but actually works well.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34So I'm going to put that in there.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38Oopsy daisy.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41It's like popcorn, it started jumping out then.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43Next, a can of tomatoes.
0:35:43 > 0:35:48Tinned tomatoes work well in lots of these stews and sauces
0:35:48 > 0:35:49and helps it to cook.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54And finally...
0:35:54 > 0:35:56I'm going to put some okra in there.
0:35:56 > 0:36:00I know it's very much loved in the Caribbean.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03Going to put it in there and I'm going to keep the little bits
0:36:03 > 0:36:06and put it in there.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09A bit of salt and pepper.
0:36:09 > 0:36:13And now, I'm going to add my rice and peas.
0:36:13 > 0:36:17Now that's looking quite good, is that.
0:36:19 > 0:36:23Diane's bumped into an old friend of the family, it's Jennie.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25I don't know if you remember, but when we were young,
0:36:25 > 0:36:28all the kids, we used to play rounders on this bit of green.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30We're still getting that, um...
0:36:30 > 0:36:33- Oh, kids still do that? - Yeah, it's football now.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35See, rounders was better.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39Do you think it's changed round here quite a lot?
0:36:39 > 0:36:40Oh, yes.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42You know, I don't go out an awful lot now.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46- Yeah.- But no, on the whole, it's not bad.
0:36:46 > 0:36:47You know in the olden days, though,
0:36:47 > 0:36:50- we never had all these cars down here, did we?- Oh, no.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52So it was like, it was safe to play out here.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54It was, it was. It was, yeah.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57Now the butternut squash is tender,
0:36:57 > 0:37:00I'm going to stuff it with my rice and peas mixture.
0:37:00 > 0:37:05Well, the nice thing about this, there is plenty of it, so you can
0:37:05 > 0:37:08actually serve some separate if you like, but just to make it...
0:37:08 > 0:37:13I think this looks really pretty, and it's really tasty, is this.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16Let's put that in the oven now, again,
0:37:16 > 0:37:19just to finish cooking the squash but also to just keep sure
0:37:19 > 0:37:22that the filling is nice and cooked through.
0:37:22 > 0:37:23Bags of flavour in there.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35Well, this old tree really brings back very special memories.
0:37:35 > 0:37:38When I was younger, at one stage there were four
0:37:38 > 0:37:42children in our little house, and Mum and Dad, obviously all our
0:37:42 > 0:37:47friends used to pop in and out. So it was quite a busy house at times.
0:37:47 > 0:37:51So I used to just always look for those little nooks and crannies
0:37:51 > 0:37:54where I could pull myself away and just have some me time.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57And this place here, under the willow tree,
0:37:57 > 0:38:00was only about 15 yards away from the house,
0:38:00 > 0:38:03so quite often I would just nip out with jam sandwiches
0:38:03 > 0:38:06and my book to read or sometimes some sketching.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09And I'd literally just sit here, on a day just like this
0:38:09 > 0:38:12with the sun just pouring through the leaves,
0:38:12 > 0:38:14and feel so contented.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29While Diane's reflecting on her memories, back in the kitchen,
0:38:29 > 0:38:33I've been inspired by stories of her childhood to create a special dish
0:38:33 > 0:38:35that I hope she's going to love.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40So far, I've roasted a halved butternut squash
0:38:40 > 0:38:43and I've stuffed it with my version of rice and peas,
0:38:43 > 0:38:49packed full of delicious veggies like white maize, okra and tomatoes.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53I do hope Diane approves of my twist on her food heritage.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57- Hello, my darling. - Hello, sweetie, how was it?
0:38:57 > 0:39:00- I've had a great look around. - Really?
0:39:00 > 0:39:03So much has changed, it's weird. And now I've built up an appetite.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05- Fantastic. - So what have you got for me?
0:39:05 > 0:39:08Well, what I've managed to find is some kale, which is
0:39:08 > 0:39:11- sort of Caribbean style of kale.- OK.
0:39:11 > 0:39:15Unlike the kale that we have here, the curly kale....
0:39:15 > 0:39:17- I love curly kale. - Lovely, OK. So this is...
0:39:17 > 0:39:20And what we've done with this is we've taken the stalks
0:39:20 > 0:39:23- out of this, rolled it up like a cigar.- Oh, wow.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26Cut into thin slices, put into boiling water
0:39:26 > 0:39:28- and then take that in cold water. - Can I taste?
0:39:28 > 0:39:31You can, but it's not ready yet because I'm going to finish
0:39:31 > 0:39:34it off, but that's the first bit of the job that you need to do.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37And I'm going to serve the kale with whatever I've got in here.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41Salt and pepper in there and I've also got somewhere a bit of nutmeg.
0:39:41 > 0:39:42Oh, gorgeous.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44That, I think, just actually works nicely,
0:39:44 > 0:39:48so we'll just leave that to heat up.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52I've also made a green banana salad.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55I boiled them in their skins for 20 minutes, then peeled
0:39:55 > 0:39:57and chopped them into chunks.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01I added lime juice, the crunch of grated cucumber and onion
0:40:01 > 0:40:03and a little fresh chilli.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08And so now is the time to reveal what I've actually cooked for you.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11- We are going to put all this lot together.- Yeah, I can't wait.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13Me neither. SHE LAUGHS
0:40:16 > 0:40:18Ooh, that looks nice.
0:40:18 > 0:40:23Butternut squash, roasted and stuffed with rice and beans,
0:40:23 > 0:40:25okra, a courgette.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28So the rice and beans is sort of like the...
0:40:28 > 0:40:30It's based on the rice and peas type of...
0:40:30 > 0:40:33It's based on that kind of dish, yes, that's absolutely right.
0:40:33 > 0:40:34I mean, it's so funny,
0:40:34 > 0:40:37I used to say my mum, "You use kidney beans, you use, you know,
0:40:37 > 0:40:40"all sorts of different beans, but you call them peas, why?"
0:40:40 > 0:40:42She said, "Don't ask me any silly questions."
0:40:42 > 0:40:44Well, exactly, and I totally agree with your mother.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47The kale goes on...
0:40:47 > 0:40:49It's really not just tasty, but it's healthy is this kale.
0:40:49 > 0:40:52- Yeah, I love kale. - And I just think the colour....
0:40:52 > 0:40:56- It's gorgeous, isn't it? - ..is lovely. So I'm going to take...
0:40:56 > 0:40:59- That goes on there.- That looks nice.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03And then, just got this added extra.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06Whatever you do, don't spill it on the floor.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08- These are the actual seeds. - Oh, yeah.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10That I've just roasted.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12Wow, I would have thrown those away.
0:41:12 > 0:41:16Well, most people would do, but actually, they are very good for you,
0:41:16 > 0:41:20they are very tasty, they've got a really nice crunch to them.
0:41:20 > 0:41:25Oh, right, OK. Wow, I love that idea.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28- Now that's my hot tip for the day. - Well there you go, you see.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30Because you normally just waste it, there is nothing to be wasted.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32- That goes on there.- Great.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35Just a little bit to make it look pretty.
0:41:38 > 0:41:40Et voila, my tribute dish for Diane is
0:41:40 > 0:41:43butternut squash served on kale,
0:41:43 > 0:41:46stuffed with my twist on rice and peas.
0:41:46 > 0:41:50I'm serving it with a green banana salad.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54I do hope Diane enjoys my version of Caribbean flavours.
0:41:54 > 0:41:55So can I delve in?
0:41:55 > 0:41:59Please, yes, yes. Over here first. Want to hear what you think of this.
0:41:59 > 0:42:00Let me just try the rice.
0:42:03 > 0:42:04Mmm.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07Ooh, this is flavoursome.
0:42:08 > 0:42:09Right, butternut squash.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13- Roasting it just gives it so much flavour, I think.- Mmm.
0:42:13 > 0:42:14I'm not a Caribbean cook,
0:42:14 > 0:42:17I don't really know much about Caribbean cookery, but I've
0:42:17 > 0:42:20listened to different people, I've read cookery books, I've listened
0:42:20 > 0:42:24to what you've had to say and so it's inspired by the Caribbean.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26If you close your eyes when you're eating this,
0:42:26 > 0:42:29- I can see long white beaches. - Deep blue sea.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31Turquoise blue skies.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34Deep blue... Oh, my goodness me.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37Shall we go? Take our food and let's get our passports.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39This is so delicious.
0:42:39 > 0:42:40Have you had a good day today?
0:42:40 > 0:42:42I've had a great day. This is where I grew up.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44This is the place that formed me,
0:42:44 > 0:42:47and so it's so special coming back to do that.
0:42:47 > 0:42:51I...I can't express how much I love eating,
0:42:51 > 0:42:55and to have someone of your calibre cooking me such beautiful
0:42:55 > 0:42:59food all day, it's like I've gone to heaven and died, thank you.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01You're very kind. I'm glad you've enjoyed it.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04Seriously, I've loved it, I've loved it, thank you so much.
0:43:04 > 0:43:06You're an absolutely star.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09I would like to talk more, but I'm busy.
0:43:10 > 0:43:12Mmm, I'd like to do it again.