Hi I'm Ollie and hi I'm
Jack. We're here today at Audley End.
We're going to jump back in time to
find out what life was like in the kitchen at
Audley End House in 1881.
We're going to meet the cook Mrs Crocombe
to find out more.
Come in.
Ahh
you must be Master Ollie and Master
Jack. Mrs Warwick the housekeeper
sent us.
We'd like to find out more about the kitchen here.
Well, you both look well mannered
and I hope your shoes are clean
I am
making a sweet custard dish for
Lord Braybrooke. Would you like me to
show you how? Yes, please!
Well, firstly
I set a custard and then I
cut it up into squares and I'm
piling it in this dish
like a mountain.
It's called schneemilch
It was one of the favourites of the queen's
children when they were your age.
Are you the only one who works here?
I'm in charge, but there are four
of us who work here. Myself,
then Mary-Ann my first kitchen maid
Sylvia my second kitchen
maid, and Annie Chase who works in the
scullery
Is it hard work?
We have to cook for Lord and Lady Braybrooke
and all their guests
as well as all the servants
and the servants don't eat the same dishes as
Lord Braybrooke so we do have to make
a lot of food.
Are your hands clean?
Well then, perhaps you'd like to help
me? Yes, please!
Well, what I'm going to use are some
pistachio nuts for decoration
but they need to be pounded
to small bits, do you think you could do that
Ollie?
Good. And for you
Jack, I'm going to get you
to whisk some of this
sweetend cream.
Where do you
and the other servants eat?
Ah well, most of the servants eat
in the servants hall but I
sit with the housekeeper Mrs Warwick
Mr Lincoln the butler, the more important
servants on a different table
Do you know meal times are
the only time we get to see the other servants
They don't come in here
even the family and usually the
guests never come into the kitchen
Now, how's that cream getting on?
Let me have a look
Oh yes. That's perfect!
I can now start to spoon
it on.
How does the food get to
Lord Braybrooke's table? Now, that's the job
of the footman and Mr Lincoln
the butler, you see I make the
food here in the kitchen and then it
leaves through the hatch just by the door
The dining table is
on the other side of the house and
upstairs, so the footmen have to
move very quickly. Mr
Lincoln and I have to be very
organised. Are there any children
here at Audley End House?
Well, not since I've been here. Only
visitors like yourselves. Lord and Lady
Braybrooke, have a daughter
Augusta, but she's married now
and got her own house.
There. Now
how are those pistachios coming on?
Good. Ooh
well done master Ollie, they do
look good. I'll be able to sprinkle
them on very easily
Oooh, now now
we don't want you spoiling your
dinner. Tsk.
Would you like one of my
queen drop biscuits? They are
my favourite.
Mmm yes.
What do you think?
Mmm
Now, I'm going to
add some of these rose petals to decorate
my schneemilch
It looks lovely
Ooh tut tut.
You must wait until later.
Would you like me to serve this to the
nursery this evening?
Ooh yes please