Blue Planet II
Mary Berry rustles up a feast at Highclere castle, aka Downton abbey, for her new series…
If you have ever wondered what really goes on in Britain’s great stately homes, then look no further!
In her new four-part series, former Bake Off judge Mary Berry goes behind the scenes at four of Britain’s famous stately homes, starting with Highclere Castle, which doubled as the house in the ITV drama Downton Abbey.
‘This series is different because nobody has been allowed to go behind the scenes,’ says Mary. ‘I loved the fact that you didn’t know what was behind the closed doors when you walked down a corridor!’
In each programme, Mary meets the stately homes’ owners and creates recipes inspired by the homes using produce from their farms and gardens.
The high life
This week she meets Lord and Lady Carnarvon, who live at Highclere with their family and seven dogs. In the vast kitchen, Lady Carnarvon helps her to create dishes including raspberry tartlets, cannon of lamb and a gooseberry and elderflower fool.
‘Sometimes I was cooking with the owner and sometimes with a chef,’ says Mary. ‘At Highclere I also made a game stew – and the gardens were beautiful!’
Highclere was famous in Victorian times for lavish dinner parties costing up to £500,000 in today’s money, with high-class guests such as Benjamin Disraeli, King Edward VII and archaeologist Howard Carter.
Mary gets to experience a posh candlelit dinner party, featuring her cannon of lamb recipe.
‘I felt just like Lady Mary in Downton Abbey,’ explains Mary. ‘The parties may have evolved, but they still bring people together to dine in an elegant style. Making this was a rare glimpse into the private side of what is a very public house!’