TASTE OF THE COUNTRY
TV CHEF JAMES MARTIN SAMPLES THE TASTIEST TREATS AROUND THE UK…
Given that we’re all stuck indoors at the moment, James Martin’s new show is making us feel very envious. The beloved TV chef has had a whale of a time in his follow-up to Great British
Adventure – travelling the length of the United Kingdom, in search of many of the unique dishes that our great nation provides…
Hi, James! What’s the thinking behind your new show?
I just had this idea of visiting islands to highlands – places I’ve never been before. So, we go from the Isles of Scilly in episode one, all the way up to Shetland in the last show. We also travel further south than we’ve ever been before. We went to Jersey and Guernsey, and then across to the Isle of Man, from where we worked our way all the way up through the UK. There’s an island off the coast of Northern Ireland called Rathlin island, where there’s amazing kelp!
So it lived up to your expectations?
Beyond my expectations! Have you heard of the Royal Scotsman? It’s like the Scottish version of the Orient Express. They have this dining car at the end, which is all glass. Everywhere you look in the Highlands is just beautiful. The Isle of Skye is spectacular! We went on a boat trip, and saw dolphins, whales, penguins, puffins – just incredible scenery, beautiful beyond words.
It sounds as though it’s given you a whole new perspective on the country…
Well, I’ve always lived in the countryside. We all go on holiday to Spain or France, but look at what’s on our doorstep and how beautiful it is! However, it takes a little bit of effort to find it and see it. There’s an art deco island off the Dorset coast, which you access by tractor. The hotel there is like a throwback to a Hollywood movie set.
It’s spectacular to see it!
Which places stood out for food?
The best meal I had was in Darlington. And we went to a little shop called Mrs Max Farm Shop, overlooking the Cairngorms. While I was there, chickens from the farm were jumping on my legs and shoulders! That was the purest form of what we found. Amazing seafood – langoustines tasting like nothing I’ve had before. And meats and produce and raspberries and strawberries – all those little hidden gems! That’s what you remember.