0:00:02 > 0:00:05'The royal family are steeped in tradition and, throughout history,
0:00:05 > 0:00:07'the royal tables have showcased culinary excellence.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09'In celebration of royal food...'
0:00:09 > 0:00:11We know it's the Queen's recipe
0:00:11 > 0:00:13because we've got it in her own hand.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15'..from the present and the past...'
0:00:15 > 0:00:17That is proper regal!
0:00:17 > 0:00:20'..we recreate old family favourites...'
0:00:20 > 0:00:24Now, the Queen Mother had this really wicked trick with these.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26What a mess.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28'..we sample royal eating alfresco...'
0:00:28 > 0:00:31- Oh, wow!- That is what you want.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34'..and revisit the most extravagant times.'
0:00:34 > 0:00:37Pheasant, stag, turkey, salmon, oysters
0:00:37 > 0:00:41- and turbot dressed in a lobster champagne sauce.- Unbelievable!
0:00:41 > 0:00:43'This is Royal Recipes.'
0:00:46 > 0:00:50Hello, I'm Michael Buerk, and welcome to Royal Recipes.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54This is Audley End, one of Britain's finest stately homes,
0:00:54 > 0:00:59built in the style of a royal palace and once owned by a king.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02In the splendour of the gardens, halls and kitchen
0:01:02 > 0:01:05of this grandest of country houses,
0:01:05 > 0:01:10we'll be recreating the food served at the highest royal tables.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13And it all starts here with this gem,
0:01:13 > 0:01:16a royal kitchen maid's cookbook -
0:01:16 > 0:01:20the only surviving recipe book of its kind in the royal archive.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23This is an exact copy of the original,
0:01:23 > 0:01:25which is kept at Windsor Castle.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Inside - the recipes of Mildred Nicholls,
0:01:28 > 0:01:32who worked at Buckingham Palace in the early 1900s.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35And for the first time in over 100 years,
0:01:35 > 0:01:37we'll be bringing these recipes back to life.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45'This time, we're cooking food inspired by
0:01:45 > 0:01:47'the royal family's travels.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50'We're going on the move with the Queen and the Windsors,
0:01:50 > 0:01:52'overseas and at home.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54'Today, in the Royal Recipes kitchen,
0:01:54 > 0:01:56'chef Paul Ainsworth is inspired
0:01:56 > 0:02:00'by Prince Philip's Canadian trip across the Arctic Circle...'
0:02:00 > 0:02:02I bet that was better than the duke had.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04Thank you very much.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07'..Dr Matt Green investigates the history
0:02:07 > 0:02:09'of a favoured royal tipple,
0:02:09 > 0:02:11'taken on tours at home and abroad...'
0:02:11 > 0:02:13- Ooh, that is delicious! - Isn't that gorgeous?- Ooh, that is.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16- That really is.- Yeah. - I might have to have another sip.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20'..and a top chef cooks Indian food the way Prince Charles likes it.'
0:02:20 > 0:02:23And I made sure that I cooked it to perfection
0:02:23 > 0:02:26when I got the chance to cook for His Highness.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33In the grand setting of this stately home,
0:02:33 > 0:02:36we're going on tour with Her Majesty.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40Welcome to the historic kitchen with the very modern,
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Michelin-starred chef Paul Ainsworth.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45- Paul, we're going travelling today. - We are.
0:02:45 > 0:02:46The Queen does a lot of travelling.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49In fact, she's the most travelled monarch we've ever had.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52She's been to 128 countries,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55and the country that she's been to most,
0:02:55 > 0:02:58- not surprisingly, I suppose, is Canada.- Right.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01As far as food's concerned, what does Canada make you think of?
0:03:01 > 0:03:03Straight away - maple syrup, crispy bacon.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06Oh, that stuff that shatters when you try to cut it?
0:03:06 > 0:03:07That's it. That's the stuff.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09But also, they're very fond of game.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11What are you going to cook for us today, then?
0:03:11 > 0:03:14Today, I'm going to cook for you a beautiful loin of reindeer
0:03:14 > 0:03:15with an amazing sauce.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18So, it's reindeer. Same as venison, isn't it?
0:03:18 > 0:03:20- Absolutely.- Canada - caribou. - Yeah, yeah.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22- So, how are you going to do it? - What we've got here, Michael,
0:03:22 > 0:03:26is the loin, so what we call the saddle - right along the top.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29And what we're going to do is we're just going to wrap it in bacon,
0:03:29 > 0:03:31and that is our fat - we're adding our fat.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34- You're stopping it from drying out and getting stringy.- Absolutely.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37We've got that lovely flavour of the bacon.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40- So, we'll just...- That's a bit tricky.- Just over like that.
0:03:40 > 0:03:41And do you know what?
0:03:41 > 0:03:43When it comes over the other side, it's ever so pretty.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45So, we're just going to go over one more time,
0:03:45 > 0:03:48but we don't want to go too much. Then we're just going to cut that.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50- Just to make it look neat? - Yeah, just to make it look neat
0:03:50 > 0:03:52and I don't really need all of that.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54We've gone over twice,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57so the loin is properly sealed in there, OK?
0:03:57 > 0:04:00Here, lovely British ingredient - rapeseed oil.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03So, just going to move that oil round the pan
0:04:03 > 0:04:06and we want to get this pan quite hot, all right?
0:04:06 > 0:04:08So it'll sear the whole thing and seal everything in?
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Do you know what? Yeah. Not so much seal. The first bit -
0:04:11 > 0:04:14- caramelise, sear, flavour. - Yeah, yeah.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17So, just going to take a nice knob of butter, straight into the pan,
0:04:17 > 0:04:21- and we'll get cooking straightaway. - A lot of butter in there. Wow.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23But we want to get that really nice and hot. OK.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25So, Michael, we're going to turn it over
0:04:25 > 0:04:28and we're going to put it join side down, so it doesn't spring open.
0:04:28 > 0:04:29We're basically going to seal that side first.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32I was going to say - what stops the whole thing falling open?
0:04:32 > 0:04:35So, in we go. Just nice and gently like that.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38And you know what the trick is, Michael? Moving the butter.
0:04:38 > 0:04:39- Right.- By moving the butter,
0:04:39 > 0:04:42you're then controlling the temperature,
0:04:42 > 0:04:44and we control that by adding a little bit more butter
0:04:44 > 0:04:46to cool it down or moving it.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48- But you don't turn the actual meat? - Yeah, we're going to turn it,
0:04:48 > 0:04:51- but we want to get flavour. - You're going to sear it first.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53- Yeah.- Yeah.- Garlic.- Yeah. - And what that's going to do,
0:04:53 > 0:04:55that's going to permeate through the butter
0:04:55 > 0:04:57- and go right into that venison. - And you just split it?
0:04:57 > 0:04:59- Just split it. Leave the skin on. - You don't blast it.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02- Thyme. Again, just rub it in our hands.- Mm-hm.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04- Oh, yeah, yeah.- Delicious. OK?
0:05:04 > 0:05:08Watch out cos the thyme will spit a little bit, like that.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Now, do you know what else would be lovely with this?
0:05:11 > 0:05:13Something like a fillet of beef.
0:05:13 > 0:05:14- Yeah.- Something that hasn't got much fat.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17- That hasn't got much fat itself. - Hasn't got much fat itself. Wrap it in bacon.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20Or, like a Wellington, you could then wrap it in pastry,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23- bake it - beautiful. - Yeah, yeah.- Right.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25So, we're just going to move it over like that.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Just look at how it's starting to go crispy now, Michael.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30- Yeah.- Absolutely delicious.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33We actually know the Duke of Edinburgh
0:05:33 > 0:05:35has eaten, well, caribou.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37He was the first member of the royal family
0:05:37 > 0:05:40to actually cross the Arctic Circle and he had caribou then.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43- And caribou's rather like reindeer, isn't it?- Yeah, absolutely.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45Again, under that kind of venison umbrella.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48- But I don't think his was as nice as this.- Right.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50So, we're now going to...
0:05:51 > 0:05:54..transfer this to a tray and we're going to cook that in the oven
0:05:54 > 0:05:56and, believe it or not, do you know how long that'll take in the oven?
0:05:56 > 0:05:59- About six minutes. - Six minutes?- Six minutes.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02And do you know what you want to do, Michael, as well?
0:06:02 > 0:06:03That join side, where the bacon is,
0:06:03 > 0:06:07- we want to keep that join side down, like that.- Yeah.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09- Looks good?- It does. It does. It looks really good.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11So, beautifully caramelised, that lovely bacon flavour.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14If you could just pop that one into the oven for me
0:06:14 > 0:06:15and grab the other one that's cooked.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17It's had a nice, long rest.
0:06:17 > 0:06:18- Yes, Chef.- Thank you.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23- Here we are, Paul. - Thank you very much.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27- On the resting grid. That's important?- Yes, that's it.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30What we're going to do - straight off and onto there.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32- Right.- OK?
0:06:32 > 0:06:34- Ready to make some sauce? - Absolutely. What have you got here?
0:06:34 > 0:06:37So, we've got some shallot here that has just been
0:06:37 > 0:06:39basically cooked without colour in a little bit of butter.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41We're just going to get that moving around.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43While that's happening, remember that bacon that I cut off?
0:06:43 > 0:06:46- Yeah.- We're just going to cut it up nice and small.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51So, just going to move that shallot and bacon, which is delicious.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55- Right, that's our base for the sauce.- Yeah.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Next, we've got here mushroom ketchup.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00Not much, all right?
0:07:00 > 0:07:03We're just going to literally deglaze the pan.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05Next, we're going to add our Madeira.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07Now, we don't put the mushroom ketchup in
0:07:07 > 0:07:10and then the Madeira in. We want a fast reduction,
0:07:10 > 0:07:12so we want to cook this fast so we retain the flavour.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15Otherwise, it's just all disappearing into the atmosphere.
0:07:15 > 0:07:16So, Madeira.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19Oh, what a waste of a glass of Madeira!
0:07:19 > 0:07:20No, I'm telling you, it's not.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24And now we're going to let that reduce right down, OK?
0:07:24 > 0:07:26In the meantime, I've cooked some kale,
0:07:26 > 0:07:28which is so beautiful with this dish.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31Nice and simple. We've just kind of cooked it in its own steam, really.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34We haven't, like, boiled it in water to lose the flavour.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37- It's a kind of wintry vegetable, isn't it?- Yeah, perfect.
0:07:37 > 0:07:38And goes so well with this.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41Just going to put our kale back on to warm, Michael.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44And now we're going to add our beef stock.
0:07:49 > 0:07:50Going to bring that to the boil
0:07:50 > 0:07:52and then we're just going to add in peppercorns.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56These are pink ones, Michael, and they've been brined, as well,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59so they've got, actually, a nice acidity to them.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01They're not, like, a harsh pepper taste.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03- Little bit of cream.- Oh, your little bit of cream. Let's have a look.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06- Watch, it is little.- Yeah. - Only a little bit.- Yeah.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08- Definitely the butter? - Just a little bit.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11And that, we're just going to let that melt in there.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13- Right, it's time to plate up.- Yeah.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16We've got our kale that we've just, like I said, cooked in butter.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19- Just smell that.- Yeah, but look...
0:08:19 > 0:08:21Oh, the smell is lovely, but look at the colour.
0:08:21 > 0:08:22- Colour of it.- Look at the colour.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24Beautiful and green, nice and buttery.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26- Really deep green. - And soft, as well.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30There's nothing worse than when kale is undercooked and it's all chewy.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32- Right, like that. Beautiful.- Mm-hm.
0:08:32 > 0:08:33- OK, ready?- Yeah.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37- Go on, do it! Do it!- OK. First bit is for you to try.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39- Look at that.- Oh!
0:08:39 > 0:08:43And that is what you call cooked properly. It's not raw.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45And that's because the meat was at room temperature,
0:08:45 > 0:08:48and that's because all of those little things we did along the way
0:08:48 > 0:08:50- make the difference.- Mm!
0:08:50 > 0:08:53- Oh, I say!- Crunchy bacon.- Mm!
0:08:54 > 0:08:58Carve that all the way along. Our sauce is nice and ready.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00And then we're just going to pile them on like that.
0:09:00 > 0:09:01That is just...
0:09:01 > 0:09:05That is absolutely beautifully cooked.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07Finish it, Michael.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10Little bit of sea salt just on the face on the middle.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12And we're just going to take some thyme...
0:09:12 > 0:09:16- It's really succulent. - ..like that. And now our sauce.
0:09:18 > 0:09:23- Just look at that. Just over, OK? - Yeah.- And there you have it.
0:09:23 > 0:09:28Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31Right, let's have a noodle of your noisette.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34- There we go. There we are. - Dig in. Dig in.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38- Can I go first?- Go for it. Yeah, absolutely.- Shall we try this one?
0:09:38 > 0:09:39Oh, look at that!
0:09:42 > 0:09:44- I've mucked up your bacon, haven't I?- No, it doesn't matter.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47- I'm going to have the kale, as well. - It's all in the eating.- Yeah.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51Ooh, I love that kale. Look at the different colours.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53Mm-mm-mm!
0:09:57 > 0:10:03- Mm!- Happy?- Mm! Yeah, the sauce has got a lovely kind of acidity to it.
0:10:03 > 0:10:04Mm!
0:10:08 > 0:10:11I bet that was better than the duke had.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13Thank you very much.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16My pleasure, in every possible way.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20A game dish inspired by royal tours of Canada.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24Wherever the Queen travels, she's said to enjoy a taste of home
0:10:24 > 0:10:26and one treat in particular.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Top chef Anna Haugh is heading north...
0:10:41 > 0:10:43..in search of a slice of what's reported to be
0:10:43 > 0:10:46a regal tea-time favourite
0:10:46 > 0:10:49wherever in the world Her Majesty happens to be.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52Apparently, when the Queen goes on foreign visits,
0:10:52 > 0:10:54she has a list of things that she brings with her.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57One of the things she brings with her is tea,
0:10:57 > 0:10:59which is understandable, because we're all very sensitive
0:10:59 > 0:11:03about our perfect cup of tea, but she also brings a cake -
0:11:03 > 0:11:05Dundee cake.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08This reigning monarch, who could have anything she wants,
0:11:08 > 0:11:11and she wants Dundee cake with her wherever she goes.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13And I thought that was so interesting.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18This fruit cake shares its name with the city of Dundee on the banks of
0:11:18 > 0:11:24the River Tay, famous for The Broons, jam and marmalade.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26But what's so distinctive about it?
0:11:26 > 0:11:28To find out, Anna has headed just south of Dundee
0:11:28 > 0:11:30to Cooper in Fife,
0:11:30 > 0:11:33the hometown of Scottish bakers to the royal household,
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Fisher & Donaldson.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38"Team members required." Might be a good job for me.
0:11:38 > 0:11:43- Hi, I hear you're hiring.- We are. Would you like a wee trial?- Why not?
0:11:43 > 0:11:47And she's joining the staff behind the counter of the shop.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49So, right, what do I start doing?
0:11:49 > 0:11:52Do I get to eat the cakes first, or...what's the story?
0:11:52 > 0:11:53That's part of the job, right?
0:11:53 > 0:11:55This fifth generation of family bakers
0:11:55 > 0:11:58produce 400 different treats and it's said that
0:11:58 > 0:12:01while Prince William was studying at nearby Saint Andrews,
0:12:01 > 0:12:05he came here to get his favourite chocolate biscuit or Tiffin cake.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08But it's Dundee cake they've famously been making
0:12:08 > 0:12:09for nearly a century.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12Right, so, I'm here for some Dundee cake.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15- OK. Would you like to come over and have a wee look?- Yes.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19OK, this is Dundee cake here.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22Do you want to have a little feel and...?
0:12:22 > 0:12:24- Oh, it's much lighter than I expected it to be.- It is, yeah.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27Yeah, considering fruit loaves and all of those kind of cakes,
0:12:27 > 0:12:31- you always think that they're real heavy, but this is the small one. - That's the individual one, yeah.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33That's super cute. Look at that.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36And we'd sell about 110 of these a week.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38- Go away. Really?- Yeah, they're very popular with us.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41All the nuts, all lovely placed around.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45- Yeah, by the nutter.- By the nutter! - BOTH LAUGH
0:12:45 > 0:12:47That's not being disrespectful.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50The person who places the almonds on top of a Dundee cake,
0:12:50 > 0:12:54which gives it its unique look, is called the nutter.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56And do you know what's in a Dundee cake?
0:12:56 > 0:12:58I've got a rough idea,
0:12:58 > 0:13:01but I wouldn't like to say it's true, but I'm thinking.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04- Sounds like you know the secret recipe.- Oh, no. No.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07Never been open to the secret recipe.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12Anna's now heading to the nearby bakery headquarters
0:13:12 > 0:13:17to find out what goes into the cake to give it that unique flavour.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Ben Milne has worked in the factory since he was a boy
0:13:20 > 0:13:23and is the fifth generation of his family to do so.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25So, I've been to the shop and it was fabulous.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27The ladies were amazing.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31One thing they didn't know was what exactly goes into the Dundee cake.
0:13:31 > 0:13:32It's quite a simple recipe.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Well, the first thing we do is we put the butter
0:13:35 > 0:13:37and the sugar into the mixer.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39Mix this for about two or three minutes.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42The next thing we need to do is just put the eggs in,
0:13:42 > 0:13:43pouring in a little bit at a time.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46- That looks like that's coming together nicely.- Yeah.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49And then the next stage is to add your marmalade,
0:13:49 > 0:13:51your ground almonds, your mixed peel.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53Is there some sort of story that, originally, it was cherries,
0:13:53 > 0:13:54or have I got that wrong?
0:13:54 > 0:13:57The idea was Mary Queen of Scots didn't like cherries.
0:13:57 > 0:13:58They put almonds on instead.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00But the Dundee cake was popularised
0:14:00 > 0:14:03and certainly mass-produced by the Keillers,
0:14:03 > 0:14:05- who were a marmalade producer... - Ah, I see, I see.- ..in Dundee.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07Yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10So, they used Sevillian oranges in their marmalade
0:14:10 > 0:14:13and that's how the marmalade ended up in the Dundee cake.
0:14:13 > 0:14:14It all makes sense now.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16So, it's the almonds on top,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19then that all-important marmalade inside,
0:14:19 > 0:14:22which really makes a Dundee cake.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26And then your mixed peel. We're going to add the flour.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30So, now we just add the fruit by hand at the end. Fold that in.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33The next thing is to put it into the baking tin
0:14:33 > 0:14:35and you want to get it nice and smooth
0:14:35 > 0:14:38so that it's easier to put the nuts on the top.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40The ladies in the shop mentioned that the person
0:14:40 > 0:14:42who puts the nuts on top is called the nutter.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46Yeah, well, it takes quite a while to place all the almonds on the top,
0:14:46 > 0:14:48so, yeah, if you're not a nutter before you start the job,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50you certainly are when you get to the end!
0:14:50 > 0:14:54After nutting, it's into the oven at 170 degrees
0:14:54 > 0:14:57for an hour and a half or two hours, then it's ready to taste.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01Oh, that smells amazing. Smells beautiful.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03I'll just cut you a little slice off.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06Mm! Mm!
0:15:06 > 0:15:09The cake is delicious, it's well-balanced,
0:15:09 > 0:15:11it's not too light, it's not too heavy.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14- You could say it's a cake fit for a queen.- Mm.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23Apparently, when the royals are on the move in the United Kingdom,
0:15:23 > 0:15:26maybe going from, you know, one of their houses to another,
0:15:26 > 0:15:29they like to live a little more simply.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32One of their servants who actually served in several reigns,
0:15:32 > 0:15:35a guy called Charles Oliver, said they had an absolute passion -
0:15:35 > 0:15:38nearly all the royals have an absolute passion for eggs.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40The Queen, apparently, likes hers brown.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43- And I totally agree.- Really?- Yeah.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45Once you crack them open, they're all the same, aren't they?
0:15:45 > 0:15:47No, they're not. What you find is...
0:15:47 > 0:15:50- You see, like this one here, really dark brown.- Yeah.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52Nine times out of ten, if you crack that open,
0:15:52 > 0:15:54it's a really tight yolk.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56The white around it is really, really tight.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58And you find the really pale ones, like that,
0:15:58 > 0:16:01the white is a lot more watery, and just, yeah...
0:16:01 > 0:16:04That's why they're more expensive and it's worth it, you reckon?
0:16:04 > 0:16:06Well, maybe. But the dark brown, I totally agree with the Queen.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08The dark brown ones are lovely.
0:16:08 > 0:16:09She likes her brown eggs, apparently,
0:16:09 > 0:16:11- either fried or scrambled. - Scrambled.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14Prince Charles likes them with crumpets...
0:16:14 > 0:16:15- Yes.- ..apparently.- Yeah.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18But what royals down the generations have particularly liked
0:16:18 > 0:16:22is a dish called oeufs en cocotte a la creme.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25And it's actually got some minced chicken on the top, I think.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27It's a bit of an odd idea, isn't it? What is it?
0:16:27 > 0:16:29Is it what we used to call coddled egg,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32- or is that something different? - I don't know why you're asking me.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36Yeah, it's very strange. Basically, the cocotte is the mould.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38- Yeah.- Break the egg in there
0:16:38 > 0:16:40and exactly like you said - coddled eggs.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42You're just baking them with a little bit of cream on top.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44It's quite a French dish,
0:16:44 > 0:16:46- back in that era of when things were very rich.- Bit rich?
0:16:46 > 0:16:48- Very, very rich.- Try it?- Yeah.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53Oh, it's pretty nice. A bit rich.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57- Nice sort of combination of tastes. - Yeah.- Mm! And the minced chicken -
0:16:57 > 0:16:59- gives you something to chew, doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02- All right. I wouldn't be mad on it myself.- No.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05But with eggs, apparently,
0:17:05 > 0:17:08the Duke of Edinburgh likes to cook for himself and the Queen -
0:17:08 > 0:17:09likes to cook omelettes -
0:17:09 > 0:17:12and he's got his own special electric frying pan
0:17:12 > 0:17:15with a glass lid. Do you approve of that?
0:17:15 > 0:17:17Not really. I don't think you can...
0:17:17 > 0:17:19With an omelette, you've got to stay classic.
0:17:19 > 0:17:24You've got to stay true to its roots and it's about having a good pan,
0:17:24 > 0:17:27good eggs and just nice seasoning,
0:17:27 > 0:17:29keeping it simple, not too many flavours,
0:17:29 > 0:17:32and just gently stirring those eggs.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35And the secret to a great omelette, which the French will call baveuse,
0:17:35 > 0:17:38which is nice and soft in the centre.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41But it's easy, isn't it? It's a doddle. Even a duke could do it.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44- Well, you're about to find out! - BOTH LAUGH
0:17:44 > 0:17:46- Go on.- So, what we're going to do,
0:17:46 > 0:17:48we're going to do omelette with fine herbs.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51So, fine herbs - again, it's quite a classic French dish.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53You've got parsley, tarragon and chives.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55That's what we're using in here.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57So, not things like thyme or rosemary.
0:17:57 > 0:17:58They're what you call hard herbs.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00So, you're going for these soft herbs.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03So, we're just going to start, Michael, by chopping some chives.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05God, you're doing that very, very fine.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07- Chive is part of the onion family... - Yeah, yeah.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09..so it's quite a strong herb.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11So, you can see, I've got this lovely sharp knife
0:18:11 > 0:18:13and letting the knife do all the work.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16- So, that's our chives.- Yeah. - I'm going to take some tarragon.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Got the nice, small tarragon here. Leave it on the stalk.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21When it's so young like this,
0:18:21 > 0:18:23just nice on the stalk, it's a lovely flavour.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26Love tarragon. Just smell that.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28- Oh, it's great. - It's just gorgeous, isn't it?
0:18:28 > 0:18:32- Do you think the duke does this? - Maybe.- A bit of prepping?- Maybe!
0:18:32 > 0:18:34You'd know better than me.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37- Well, maybe he's got his people. Maybe his people do it.- Yeah.
0:18:37 > 0:18:42- OK, our last herb - parsley. - Yeah.- Great herb, parsley.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44And again, we're going to leave the parsley slightly larger.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48- OK. Pan on now, all right?- Yeah.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50While our pan's getting nice and hot,
0:18:50 > 0:18:52we're going to go with our eggs.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55For the omelette, this size of pan - these are quite nice, large eggs.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57We're going to use exactly like the Queen likes.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59We're going to go with the nice, dark brown ones.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01- Look at the colour of those yolks. - That's a really rich colour.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05- They are gorgeous, aren't they? - There you go.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07OK.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Whisk the eggs up.
0:19:09 > 0:19:10Now...
0:19:12 > 0:19:13..at this stage...
0:19:16 > 0:19:21- You use butter, not oil? - I use butter cos I want flavour.
0:19:21 > 0:19:26Especially for this, we just want that butter - a just amount -
0:19:26 > 0:19:30and then we're going to get that nice nuttiness.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33Right, nice pinch of chives. Now, some people...
0:19:33 > 0:19:36- These herbs aren't for decoration. - Wouldn't some people put that in later?
0:19:36 > 0:19:38They'd put that in later, exactly.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40And that's a very good point you raise
0:19:40 > 0:19:43and we're putting it now because this isn't for decoration.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45We want flavour.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47- So, it gives it more time... - Absolutely.
0:19:47 > 0:19:48- ..to steep into it?- Right.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52I could do this, you know. I could do this.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54This is the key here.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56Gently.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59- Now control the heat.- Yeah. - OK? Control the heat.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01- By taking it off? - Like that. By taking it off.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03- Can you see how quick it's cooking?- Yeah.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06- Now we start our base, like that.- Yeah.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08Now back on the heat.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12- And you see how lovely and soft those eggs are?- Mm-hm.- OK?
0:20:12 > 0:20:14Like that, and now we make the shape.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17And we're just basically setting the bottom.
0:20:17 > 0:20:18- Patting it out. - Yeah, we're patting it out,
0:20:18 > 0:20:21setting the bottom. And there's so much heat in there.
0:20:21 > 0:20:27And I can't stress more - take your time, relax with it.
0:20:27 > 0:20:28We don't want colour on the bottom.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Now, just gently, you can start to see, underneath,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34- it's going to come together like that, all right?- Yeah.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36So, we're just going to turn it round like that
0:20:36 > 0:20:38and basically just roll our omelette over.
0:20:38 > 0:20:43- Can you do that?- That's it, yeah. - This is the intricate bit.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46- It's still going to be gooey inside, isn't it?- Absolutely.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48- Is that how you want it? - That's exactly how we want it.- Yeah.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50Because the idea is we don't want to be eating rubbery eggs.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52We want that lovely flavour of the eggs.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54So, you don't flip it over or anything like that?
0:20:54 > 0:20:56No, we're just going to now take our plate...
0:20:56 > 0:20:59And for me, if you're tipping an omelette out of the pan,
0:20:59 > 0:21:01it's cooked.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03It's gone right the way through. It's like rubber.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05We want that lovely, soft egg.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08So, we're just going to gently take it out,
0:21:08 > 0:21:10place it on our plate like that.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14Can you see how those eggs are just so lovely and still gooey and soft?
0:21:14 > 0:21:17- Yeah, yeah.- And now, if you want, just a little bit more herbs.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Oh, you sprinkle some more on the top?
0:21:19 > 0:21:20Only a little bit cos we've got it through...
0:21:20 > 0:21:23- Beautifully orange, those eggs, aren't they?- Absolutely stunning.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25- Even in the omelette.- Yeah.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27Oh, that looks great.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29- OK? And that's it. - Incredibly simple.- Simple as that.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32- Quick, simple. - But that's what we're after there.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34And when you go in the middle of that, it's cooked.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36People think, "Oh, it's raw egg." It's not raw egg. It's cooked.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38- Cos you can imagine, we folded it over...- Yeah.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41- ..so imagine the heat that's in the middle there.- Yeah.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43- Wow!- And there we are. As simple as that.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Let's be having it. Here we go.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47You are eager, aren't you? You're looking forward to this one.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49- It's the best bit. - It's so simple, but delicious.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52- Come on, get on with it!- Go on. - Stop talking.- In you go.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54Talk, talk, talk!
0:21:54 > 0:21:56I'm surprised you ever get round to serving in your restaurant!
0:21:56 > 0:22:01PAUL CHUCKLES Mm! Ooh!
0:22:01 > 0:22:05- Mm, that is really nice. - Worth talking about, you see?
0:22:05 > 0:22:08- It's the tarragon that comes through.- Yeah.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Really, really nice.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13- Those eggs...- For me, it's that soft centre.- Yeah.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16- You broke those eggs, but not in vain.- No.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18Lovely omelette.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20An egg and herb delight.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22The easiest of dishes to cook and eat,
0:22:22 > 0:22:24whatever the location.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31Overseas tours can tickle royal taste buds, as well.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34After two recent visits to the subcontinent,
0:22:34 > 0:22:38Prince Charles is said to be more interested in Indian food.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41With the job of developing the prince's palate
0:22:41 > 0:22:44is Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51Chef Atul knows mutton is the Prince of Wales' favourite meat.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55He's chosen a shoulder cut to cook a dish which will perfectly showcase
0:22:55 > 0:22:58the most delicate nihari spice mix.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01I'm going to make a mutton pie, but it's just not a mutton pie -
0:23:01 > 0:23:03it's THE mutton pie.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06I've cooked this on a couple of occasions for Prince Charles
0:23:06 > 0:23:09and I have to say that His Highness absolutely loved it.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12I had kept the recipe very mild,
0:23:12 > 0:23:15because he's not a huge fan of massive spices.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19So, I kept it to rose water, rose petal.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21I used some garlic. He was OK with the garlic.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24I didn't use any chilli powder. So, I've kept it very mild.
0:23:24 > 0:23:30To create flavour without heat, Atul uses aromatic spices.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33We're going to make a marinade. Now, ginger, garlic.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36So, I'm not going to use a huge amount, but about a tablespoon
0:23:36 > 0:23:40and we have about a good 300g of thick yoghurt.
0:23:40 > 0:23:41Garam masala.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46Turmeric powder.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48Salt to taste.
0:23:48 > 0:23:49Lemon juice.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51It's best to take the seeds out, if you can.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58Prince Charles is very keen on mutton, and so am I.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01I work a lot with him and his charity.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04I'm passionate about all his ethos, to be honest.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08His ways of looking at the way our countryside works,
0:24:08 > 0:24:10the way our farming works,
0:24:10 > 0:24:13the way we should look at mutton in terms of a food -
0:24:13 > 0:24:16I am totally bought into it and this is one of my favourite meats.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22The smell is just amazing.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25It will be taken over by the flavours.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Rub in all the nooks and the corners.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30OK, that's it.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32And this needs to go for resting.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35Next, Atul makes the sauce for the pie.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38He adds spices, including black cardamom, cinnamon,
0:24:38 > 0:24:42cloves and mace to hot mustard oil.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46And the spices are crackling and that's a very good sign.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48The sliced onions here, which can go in.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53Then he adds ginger, garlic, coriander,
0:24:53 > 0:24:56nutmeg and dried rose petals.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59OK, I'm going to bring the lamb in.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04And from here on, I have some lamb stock.
0:25:04 > 0:25:05That goes in.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10The lid goes on.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14160 degrees for six hours in the oven
0:25:14 > 0:25:16and we'll have our nihari almost there.
0:25:18 > 0:25:19Once the mutton is ready,
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Atul removes the slow-cooked meat from the bone
0:25:22 > 0:25:26and adds it back into the sauce, along with some vegetables.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31So, I have the mixture ready for my mutton pie.
0:25:31 > 0:25:32So, we have beautiful mash here -
0:25:32 > 0:25:35just potato which has been cooked and passed through.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39To that, we'll add a nice blob of butter and about three yolks.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44All I do is just beat it with a paddle.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46OK, I think I've got my mash ready.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Got a piping bag ready.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57The mash is ready. Let's get the pastry cases.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00We've got mutton and let's fill it.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05And let's be generous about it.
0:26:07 > 0:26:08That's pretty good.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10Whichever way you like it.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16If you want to be rustic,
0:26:16 > 0:26:18just slap the mash on it and straight in the oven.
0:26:18 > 0:26:19That's fine.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23But not for the royal nihari lamb pie or mutton pie.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25It has to be perfect for me
0:26:25 > 0:26:27and this one is almost.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31So, now I'm taking this into the oven - 12-15 minutes.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33While the pies go in the oven,
0:26:33 > 0:26:36Atul sautees some beetroot and Brussel tops.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38Now coconut, just to finish the cooking.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41You can use desiccated coconut, if you have at home.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45And we are done, believe it or not, and just need to plate up.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47Let's go for it.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50I'm just going to roll a few Brussel tops.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52Nihari is something which is
0:26:52 > 0:26:56a kind of a celebration food for people
0:26:56 > 0:26:57and I don't want to get it wrong.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59This is a very important recipe for me
0:26:59 > 0:27:02and I made sure that I cooked it to perfection
0:27:02 > 0:27:05when I got the chance to cook for His Highness.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10Official overseas tours can certainly present the royal family
0:27:10 > 0:27:13with many different challenges.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15Katie Nicholl is a royal correspondent
0:27:15 > 0:27:17who's been on tour with the royal family
0:27:17 > 0:27:19over the last decade and more
0:27:19 > 0:27:21with several generations of the royal family.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23How do they organise what they eat? Do they take their own chefs?
0:27:23 > 0:27:25Well, actually, they don't take their own chefs, which,
0:27:25 > 0:27:28when I first started doing this job, I was rather surprised,
0:27:28 > 0:27:29particularly with the Queen.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32You might expect that she would travel with her head chef, but no.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35What tends to happen is, before they go away,
0:27:35 > 0:27:36they have meetings,
0:27:36 > 0:27:39or the head chef will have meetings with the host nations
0:27:39 > 0:27:42to discuss exactly what the Queen will eat
0:27:42 > 0:27:45and what she won't eat, what she'll drink, how she likes it,
0:27:45 > 0:27:48her Dubonnet and gin cocktail in the evening.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50It's six o'clock, you know.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53Has to be mixed 50-50 and it HAS to come at six o'clock.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57Whatever the routine, they pause at five o'clock for high tea.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00So, the traditions that they enjoy back at the palace
0:28:00 > 0:28:01are taken overseas.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03And there is a list, as you might expect,
0:28:03 > 0:28:06of very specific foods that they're not allowed to eat
0:28:06 > 0:28:09- and the foods that they do. - What kind of thing?
0:28:09 > 0:28:11Well, for example, one of the big no-nos is garlic.
0:28:11 > 0:28:12Now, this was an issue
0:28:12 > 0:28:15when the Queen went to visit Italy all those years ago,
0:28:15 > 0:28:18because, of course, they're in close proximity with people.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20Woe betide they might have bad breath.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24So, no garlic, no spices. They don't like anything too spicy.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26They don't want to have an upset stomach when they're travelling.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28No shellfish, because, of course,
0:28:28 > 0:28:30there's a risk that they might get sick on shellfish.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33And they will eat meat in certain countries that they travel to,
0:28:33 > 0:28:34but never rare.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37It must be well cooked, because these routines that they're on,
0:28:37 > 0:28:40their itineraries are jam-packed, they're very intensive.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42They just can't afford to feel unwell.
0:28:42 > 0:28:46So, has the Queen ever had anything really exotic at all
0:28:46 > 0:28:49- on one of these royal tours? - She has, actually. Back in 1986,
0:28:49 > 0:28:51she was on an official visit to China
0:28:51 > 0:28:54and she ate - with great dexterity, I have to say -
0:28:54 > 0:28:57using chopsticks, sea slugs,
0:28:57 > 0:28:59which, I have to say, didn't look terribly appetising,
0:28:59 > 0:29:01but, of course, had she not tried them,
0:29:01 > 0:29:04it might have been seen as great offence to her host nation.
0:29:04 > 0:29:06Even if you don't like the look of it
0:29:06 > 0:29:07or it looks terribly odd,
0:29:07 > 0:29:10you must be seen to be polite and to try it, at least.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13What about the younger royals? Do they play as safe?
0:29:13 > 0:29:16Well, I actually think they're a bit more adventurous.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19The one thing the Queen rarely does is eat in public.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21In fact, there is a sort of rule
0:29:21 > 0:29:23that she's not to be photographed when she's eating.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26And all the meals, which are planned with great foresight,
0:29:26 > 0:29:27take place behind closed doors.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30But particularly when I travel with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge,
0:29:30 > 0:29:31they'll get involved,
0:29:31 > 0:29:34and they seem to love things that have a culinary aspect.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37So, for example, we were in Montreal back in 2011
0:29:37 > 0:29:39and they went to visit a cookery school.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41William couldn't help sort of sticking his finger into a sauce
0:29:41 > 0:29:44and particularly wanting to try something that was sweet.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46He has a sweet tooth like his grandmother and loves chocolate.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48- And they even tried naughty shellfish.- Well, they did.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52That was on a recent trip, in fact, to Canada.
0:29:52 > 0:29:53We were at a food festival
0:29:53 > 0:29:57and there were these very unusual, rather rude-looking clams,
0:29:57 > 0:30:00and they looked at them with that sort of look like, "What are these?"
0:30:00 > 0:30:02And they did actually eat them.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04And, of course, that was the story of the day.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07- Do they take any snacks with them? - Well, they do, funnily enough,
0:30:07 > 0:30:09because, often, they don't get to each lunch
0:30:09 > 0:30:10if the itinerary is very busy.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13Now, Kate loves muesli bars. She snacks on those.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15- William's partial to... - You've seen them, have you?- I have.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18I've seen them in the footwell of her car. Boxes of them.
0:30:18 > 0:30:20William's partial to a fizzy drink -
0:30:20 > 0:30:22a well-known fizzy drink that keeps him going.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24And, actually, one thing that they don't travel without
0:30:24 > 0:30:26is a tummy settler.
0:30:26 > 0:30:27They do take a medical trunk with them
0:30:27 > 0:30:29and they've got lots of tummy settlers,
0:30:29 > 0:30:31so that if, for example, when they're in India,
0:30:31 > 0:30:33they do want to try something a bit spicy,
0:30:33 > 0:30:35they've got something to settle the tummy if needs be.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38So, if something, after all that, does go wrong, they've got a plan B?
0:30:38 > 0:30:40Oh, yes, the royals always have a plan B.
0:30:42 > 0:30:43Paul, we all know, don't we,
0:30:43 > 0:30:45or at least it's been widely reported,
0:30:45 > 0:30:49that the Queen's favourite tipple is gin and Dubonnet.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52- Packs a real punch.- Don't mind if I do, Michael. Thank you.
0:30:52 > 0:30:56Prince Charles likes gin too, but he likes gin and tonic.
0:30:56 > 0:30:57And his own gin and tonic.
0:30:57 > 0:31:01Apparently, his bodyguards carry his own gin and tonic round with him...
0:31:01 > 0:31:03- Right, OK.- ..so he can have it to hand when he needs it.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06Do you know what, though? On a cold day like today,
0:31:06 > 0:31:09- this is actually quite nice.- Yeah. - I quite like this, actually.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12- The common thread is gin.- Right, OK.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16Historian Dr Matt Green looks at the origins
0:31:16 > 0:31:18of what is really a very regal drink.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28Matt has come to a gin distillery in Chiswick, West London.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31I'm here to meet a man called Jared Brown.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33He's the master distiller at Sipsmith Gin
0:31:33 > 0:31:36and he's going to tell us the fantastic story
0:31:36 > 0:31:40of how a foreign king turned us into a nation of gin drinkers.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43It might look like a drab, anonymous warehouse,
0:31:43 > 0:31:45but through those doors, that's where the magic happens.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51- Welcome.- Hi, Jared. How's it going?- Good.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55- How are you?- I'm very well. This is...extraordinary.
0:31:55 > 0:31:56So, talk me through it.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59I mean, it's the hissing that strikes you first, isn't it?
0:31:59 > 0:32:03That's the steam heating these stills.
0:32:03 > 0:32:04- OK.- Warming them.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07Sipsmith is the first copper-pot distillery
0:32:07 > 0:32:11to open within London's city limits in nearly two centuries.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15- These are the botanicals that we use in the gin.- OK.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18- The star of the show, of course, is the juniper.- The juniper.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22But by volume, the next ingredient is Russian coriander.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24This is cinnamon,
0:32:24 > 0:32:28and then we use orris root liquorice,
0:32:28 > 0:32:31which gives the perception of sweetness on the palate.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33- So, all of these, without fail, will be in every single gin?- Yes.
0:32:33 > 0:32:35That's amazing.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39London dry gin as we know it evolved from a simple,
0:32:39 > 0:32:42juniper-flavoured grain spirit produced in Holland -
0:32:42 > 0:32:45the home of William of Orange,
0:32:45 > 0:32:47who was soon to become William III of England.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50At that time, it wasn't even called gin.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52It was called genever.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54I've got some genever here.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58- Wow.- It's still made in the Netherlands.- Mm-hm.
0:32:59 > 0:33:04- And first, note the colour. - It looks like whisky.- Yeah, exactly.
0:33:04 > 0:33:09When William married the British Queen Mary II in 1689,
0:33:09 > 0:33:12he began to encourage gin production here,
0:33:12 > 0:33:15but it wasn't just because he liked the taste.
0:33:15 > 0:33:17He had some very pragmatic reasons.
0:33:17 > 0:33:19They were at war with France
0:33:19 > 0:33:24and he saw an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone
0:33:24 > 0:33:27of ending the imports of French brandy
0:33:27 > 0:33:32and using up the grain surplus by promoting distilling in England.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35Did he say, "I'm going to pass a law to make it easy
0:33:35 > 0:33:37"for anyone to open a distillery"?
0:33:37 > 0:33:40He threw the door open and if you wanted to be a gin distiller,
0:33:40 > 0:33:41you put a sign up
0:33:41 > 0:33:45and in ten days, that was a legal distilling premise.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49What King William did with that simple act
0:33:49 > 0:33:53was he made gin, or genever, cheaper than beer.
0:33:53 > 0:33:58It exploded. In 1721, there was a working gin still
0:33:58 > 0:34:01in one out of every four buildings in London.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03Genever, at this point, was abbreviated to gin,
0:34:03 > 0:34:05and fast became a blight,
0:34:05 > 0:34:10as documented in Hogarth's cartoon of 1751, Gin Lane,
0:34:10 > 0:34:14a copy of which Jared keeps behind the bar.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18This is anti-gin propaganda in action
0:34:18 > 0:34:22that was paid for by the brewing industry,
0:34:22 > 0:34:26who was losing so much money at the time,
0:34:26 > 0:34:29because gin was cheaper than beer.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32Such was the anti-gin outcry,
0:34:32 > 0:34:36Parliament finally succeeded in regulating gin production.
0:34:36 > 0:34:41The Gin Act of 1751 brought long overdue quality control
0:34:41 > 0:34:43and helped refine and transform gin
0:34:43 > 0:34:47from the scourge of a nation to its national drink.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51America, they have whisky. Mexico has their agave spirits.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54France has their brandies.
0:34:54 > 0:34:55For England, it's gin.
0:34:55 > 0:34:59Most of us love our gin with tonic and a slice of lemon,
0:34:59 > 0:35:02but the Queen Mother had her own particular recipe.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04From what I've heard,
0:35:04 > 0:35:07she would stop off at the American Bar at The Savoy
0:35:07 > 0:35:09and have a gin and it...
0:35:09 > 0:35:12- OK, what does that mean? - ..which is gin with Italian.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14The "it" is short for Italian vermouth.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17- OK.- And when you refer to it as Italian vermouth,
0:35:17 > 0:35:21that generally means the sweet or rosso vermouth.
0:35:21 > 0:35:25Three parts gin and one part Italian vermouth,
0:35:25 > 0:35:27the gin and it had floated across the Atlantic
0:35:27 > 0:35:31during Prohibition in the 1920s and was a big hit in London,
0:35:31 > 0:35:34where the bright young things had gone cocktail mad.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37Harry Craddock, who would have possibly
0:35:37 > 0:35:41also served drinks to the Queen Mum,
0:35:41 > 0:35:45he said a cocktail should be drunk while it's still laughing at you.
0:35:45 > 0:35:49- MATT LAUGHS - Well, on that note, cheers.- Cheers.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54- Ooh, that is delicious. - Isn't that gorgeous?- Ooh, that is.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57- That really is.- Yeah. - I might have to have another sip.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03200 years ago,
0:36:03 > 0:36:06people would eat gingerbread as they sipped their gin.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08It was a natural food and drink pairing.
0:36:11 > 0:36:15Well, in a kind of homage to that classic,
0:36:15 > 0:36:19that royal combination of gin and ginger,
0:36:19 > 0:36:22we're going to turn to the recipe book
0:36:22 > 0:36:24of the kitchen maid in Buckingham Palace
0:36:24 > 0:36:27in the early years of the 20th century, Mildred Nicholls.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30Now, she would probably have been discouraged from drinking gin,
0:36:30 > 0:36:33- don't you think?- I'm sure.- Probably couldn't afford it, actually.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35- Yeah.- But she was keen on ginger nuts,
0:36:35 > 0:36:37and she's got a recipe for ginger nuts.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40- You've done it, haven't you? - We have. We've done them here.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42Get your teeth into it.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44Mm. Ooh!
0:36:44 > 0:36:46- They're a bit odd, aren't they? - Yeah, they're a bit hard.
0:36:46 > 0:36:48Oh, there we are. I broke it.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51- But they don't taste of ginger. - No. No.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53On the other page of this wonderful recipe book
0:36:53 > 0:36:56- is a recipe for lemon cheesecake. - Lemon cheesecake.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58So, are you doing Mildred's actual recipe?
0:36:58 > 0:37:01Not exactly. We're doing a homage to Mildred.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04Mildred did, basically, little tartlets
0:37:04 > 0:37:07that she would then fill with this lovely lemon mixture,
0:37:07 > 0:37:09which, back then, was called cheesecake,
0:37:09 > 0:37:10which we now know as curd.
0:37:10 > 0:37:15So, what we're doing is essentially a big cheesecake
0:37:15 > 0:37:16with that lovely base as we know it
0:37:16 > 0:37:20and then Mildred's wonderful lemon curd mixture on top.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23Right, we've got some ginger nut biscuits, not Mildred's.
0:37:23 > 0:37:25- So, these are... - These are going to taste of ginger.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27These have got a bit of a ginger tang to them. Absolutely.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30- And we're just going to add in the butter.- Yeah.- OK?
0:37:30 > 0:37:32- Just melted butter. - You've probably seen this before -
0:37:32 > 0:37:34your sort of...kind of cheesecake base.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37- And if you could just... - Yeah, I've seen my cook doing this.
0:37:37 > 0:37:42Yeah, yeah. BOTH LAUGH
0:37:42 > 0:37:43- Yeah.- Oh, dear. And what we're doing,
0:37:43 > 0:37:46we just want to make a bind, basically.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49So, just give that a bit more of a mix.
0:37:49 > 0:37:50OK? And then, when you've mixed that,
0:37:50 > 0:37:53pour it all in there, and then, just with your spoon,
0:37:53 > 0:37:55crush it down so you make a nice, thin base,
0:37:55 > 0:37:57- like you would for a cheesecake.- OK.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01Over here, Michael, I'm going to now make the lemon curd.
0:38:01 > 0:38:06- I've got the unskilled job here, have I?- Every job, there's a skill.
0:38:06 > 0:38:08Right, that's fine. Now put that into there
0:38:08 > 0:38:10- and then, with your spoon, pat it down.- OK.
0:38:10 > 0:38:14Meanwhile, I'm going to add two egg yolks to four eggs.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17We're going to get our butter in the pan.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19And that's the nice thing about curd -
0:38:19 > 0:38:22that lovely richness that comes from the butter.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25- So, did you say two egg yolks to four eggs?- Two egg yolks.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28- So, it's yolk heavy? - Yeah, for richness.- Yeah.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32- Sugar. OK?- Yeah.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34We're just going to stir that in.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37And what you don't want to do, you don't want to let it catch.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40You want it to be like that lovely, rich,
0:38:40 > 0:38:43deep yellow that you have with lemon curd.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45- Do you like lemon curd? - I do. I do, I do, I do.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47- You can't leave it, then?- No. - Leave it for a second?
0:38:47 > 0:38:50Leave it for a second, just watch the heat.
0:38:50 > 0:38:54- You can turn it down a little bit. - Do I really press this down?
0:38:54 > 0:38:56That's it. Press. This is the real trick to it.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59And when you get into the corners, just use this smaller spoon...
0:38:59 > 0:39:01- Oh, I'm with you. - ..just like that, OK?
0:39:01 > 0:39:03But really press it down. That's really important.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06Otherwise, when you take that slice, it's just going to crumble.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09- So, the success of this is all down to me, really, isn't it?- Naturally.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12- Yeah.- Skilled job. Skilled job. - Cos spooning that biscuit like that
0:39:12 > 0:39:14- is the essence of this dish. - I was always good at spooning.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16Right, as you can see, Michael,
0:39:16 > 0:39:19I'm just putting lemon zest into here.
0:39:19 > 0:39:23And what that does, that really gives it a lovely fragrance.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25- Gives a real buzz, doesn't it, lemon?- Oh, I love it.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27OK, so, we've got those in.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29Now cut those two lemons,
0:39:29 > 0:39:31and we're just going to take that juice.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34Now, best way to get juice from a lemon and extract all the juice
0:39:34 > 0:39:37is just put your spoon in there like that and go all the way round.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40So, you don't use one of those things that you...?
0:39:40 > 0:39:43- A lemon squeezer? - Well, YOU probably do.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45- I just use a spoon.- Oh, right.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47So, all the way round like that,
0:39:47 > 0:39:51so we're getting all of that, extracting all of that juice.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54- OK? That is looking fantastic, Michael.- It's not bad, is it?
0:39:54 > 0:39:56Right, I'm just going to pass our lemon juice...
0:39:56 > 0:39:58Not everybody could do this, you know.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04- Not as well as that. - No, you're right.- Cornflour.
0:40:04 > 0:40:11- And that cornflour is basically just going to stabilise the mix.- Mm-hm.
0:40:11 > 0:40:12OK.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15So, it's a really easy recipe, really,
0:40:15 > 0:40:19because it's just everything's going into the one pan.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21Some curd, you would fold the butter in at the end,
0:40:21 > 0:40:24but Mildred's recipe, it's just all into the one pan,
0:40:24 > 0:40:25turn up the heat,
0:40:25 > 0:40:27and we're just going to cook it till it's nice and thick.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31Little tip - add the eggs at the end,
0:40:31 > 0:40:33because now we've got all the liquid in there
0:40:33 > 0:40:34and the eggs aren't going to be right at the bottom
0:40:34 > 0:40:36- where they could... - They could catch.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39..they could catch and scramble. Absolutely.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41So, we just take that out there now,
0:40:41 > 0:40:46just cook that gently until it goes nice and thick.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48Can you see how it's starting to...?
0:40:48 > 0:40:50You see that rich colour of that kind of curd?
0:40:50 > 0:40:53- It's really kind of sticky. - Absolutely.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57Right, can you just see, Mike, it's just starting to now thicken.
0:40:57 > 0:41:01It's very clever, because you've got the lemon reacting with the butter,
0:41:01 > 0:41:03- you've got that fat... - What do you mean reacting?
0:41:03 > 0:41:06You've got that fat and then you've got all that lemon cutting through,
0:41:06 > 0:41:09so they're just made for each other.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12Right, now we're getting nice and thick, like that, OK?
0:41:12 > 0:41:15- Yeah.- OK. And just pour that in like that.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20- Oh, wow.- And that is it. - Just the smell of it coming across.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22- Absolutely. - The lemon and the butter.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24And it is literally as simple as that.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27And if you could now take that to the fridge for me
0:41:27 > 0:41:29and there should be...
0:41:30 > 0:41:32- ..one I made earlier. - One you prepared earlier.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34- One I prepared earlier! - Right, here we go.
0:41:34 > 0:41:35I'd better not drop it.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44- HE HUMS - Look at that.- What do you think?
0:41:44 > 0:41:47- Beautiful, no?- Yeah. - Yeah?- Looks lovely.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50- Do you want to try some? - Probably tastes horrible.
0:41:50 > 0:41:51I doubt that very much.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53- Come on, come on! - I doubt that very much.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55- Come on. Slice it, slice it. - Hang on, be patient.- All right.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58Best things come to those who wait. Right.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02The thing to remember with this -
0:42:02 > 0:42:04the base is going to be quite solid, cos that butter's set.
0:42:04 > 0:42:08So, just make sure you've gone all the way through.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13- There we go. Right down. - Ah. Give me sunshine, isn't it?
0:42:13 > 0:42:15- Ready?- Yeah.- OK.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20- There you have it.- Wow.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22Lemon cheesecake, Mildred's way.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25- BOTH LAUGH A la Mildred.- A la Mildred.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28- Can I have some?- Go for it. - OK.- Get stuck in.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33I'm going to do it with my fingers. Ooh!
0:42:35 > 0:42:38Mm. Well, I have to say, the top is a real disappointment,
0:42:38 > 0:42:41but the base is... HE LAUGHS
0:42:41 > 0:42:44- It's really delicious.- I was going to say the opposite, actually.
0:42:44 > 0:42:46- Oh, were you? - Do you know what, though?
0:42:46 > 0:42:48- I absolutely adore things like that. - It's lovely.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50- Cup of tea...- Yeah.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53You can imagine it. You know, afternoon tea, walled garden...
0:42:53 > 0:42:58- You'd never get up again, would you? - No. That is stunning. I love it.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01- It's the lemon and the butter, the eggs. Delicious.- Mm!
0:43:01 > 0:43:05Well, that's it from our celebration of food on the move
0:43:05 > 0:43:08with the royals both at home and overseas.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11Time for us to go on the move now. See you next time.