(upbeat music)
- Hello everyone and welcome to the channel.
- Today, I'm gonna cook up a menu so significant
that it made history.
The question is, can our normals and you at home
guess what it is?
So today's menu, cold chicken is inside it.
- So to clarify again, he's gonna make three hints?
- Essentially, you're going to lead us
a gingerbread trail of clues to try and guess what this is?
- Yep, I feel like, hopefully,
the menu should be a clue in itself,
but at the same time, I will punctuate it with three clues
and you have the option to ask questions
if you get really stuck.
- We said it last time,
but basically when we were planning this format,
we realised it's just a complete rip-off
of "The Masked Singer" but with food.
- And 20 questions.
- And, hey, that's TV, so, you know.
- So I'm starting with roast chicken sliced up.
- So this is cold but pre-cooked chicken,
and this was on the menu, right?
- Yes. Some sliced breast meat.
- You know how when he's in the kitchen usually,
there's a swagger.
Like, I'm in control, I know what I'm doing.
It's like it's 10 times that today.
- I know. - 'Cause now he has the power
of a little bit more knowledge.
- He's impish,
that's what he is today. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah. - He's like this,
I know something you don't know.
♪ Doo-dah, doo-dah ♪
- Impish Ebbers. (Barry laughing)
- Oh, okay. - We also have cold ham,
cold tongue, and cold beef.
Some people tell me I'm a mean beast
'cause I cut it very fine.
- Whatever that was, on reflection it's not subtle.
I don't know what it's referring to?
- And he hasn't given it away, which is really annoying.
Look at him, impish.
- If anybody got it from that alone, I'd be impressed,
but it's possible.
I would also like to make some pickles.
So I've got some little cucumbers
and I'm just gonna halve them.
And then like we do with all pickles we make on the channel,
we've made lots over the years, I'm gonna salt them.
You don't eat all of that, you wash it off later on,
but the salt will help draw out the moisture,
keeps them crunchy, and starts to season it.
At which point they look like that.
So all of that moisture has come out of the cucumber
but now they're terribly salty,
so they do need to be washed in cold water
before being stacked back into a jar,
and then a hot pickling liquid poured over,
which is gonna be beer, vinegar, sugar, and pickling spices.
- I've had a moment.
- No.
- I've had a moment.
- Have you had a moment?
- He's been dropping a few hints
and something, something, just clicked.
- To clarify, the method and the menu
that you're cooking up right now,
is exactly how it was in history?
- It is our best interpretation of the information we have.
- I think I've got the main clue.
I think I've git the main clue,
so I think I know the main theme here.
I can't work out, my next thing is the event.
- Whilst our picking liquid comes up to a simmer
to be poured over the top, shall I give you your first clue?
- Yes, please. - Please.
- Well you've already got it. - Second.
- This menu was enjoyed by two Edwardian gentlemen,
Graham and Ken.
Don't take anything I say too literally.
But now this is up to a boil,
it can go over our cucumbers and they will be pickled.
- He's done it again.
He just did it again.
Right? Okay.
- What does Edwardian even mean?
Discuss amongst yourselves.
- I have a very strong theme and a link to the event
but I dunno what the event itself was.
- Oh no!
- The next element to this menu is potted meat.
We have some pork belly
and some duck legs that we cured in a seasoned herby salt.
And then after that we brushed it off and we've slow
cooked it in duck fat.
I need to drain some of the fat off and pick the meat.
- It's hard cos neither
of us really know when the Edwardian period was.
- I think it's when Queen Victoria died is the period
immediately after that with Edward.
- Victoria was mid to late 1800's.
- Play along at home.
You've only had one clue so far, but
if you think you get it put the time code
at which you finally kind of had a hunch.
So potted meat is something we're less familiar with now
in the sense that it is a way of preserving-ish meat
to eat at a later date.
I'm pretty sure this isn't how it would've been done
back in the day,
but, the idea of turning it with kind of
a beater or a paddle in a mixer,
doesn't blend it up like a food processor
but kind of breaks up enough for this to work.
Then you pour the fat back in, along with our spices
mix spice, mace and nutmeg.
I'm also gonna add in a little bit of Armagnac.
- Ebbers I have a question.
Are any of these components gonna be served warm?
- No.
- I don't know what I make of that.
- I hate these games that game sucks.
- You look like what are you doing there?
You look like you're about to be strip searched.
- So deliberately pressing it now.
So A all that fat sets up, but also there's no air pockets
cuz the air pockets essentially
if you have them in there is where it's gonna carry on
not being preserved.
This is a mixture pretty much equal quantity of
duck and pork.
- I need another clue now like I'm, I'm,
- I'm flailing Baz
- A little bit of clarified butter over the top,
seals it all in.
And if I've done this perfectly
there should be no space for oxygen oh bother.
There are a couple of air bubbles.
We're gonna eat this now as soon as it's cold and set.
- Making a big deal on the fact there's bubbles
and air and oxygen,
more, more than least.
- Well that's only because if you do have air and bubbles
it doesn't preserve and therefore will probably kill you.
- Anyone got any ideas?
- So earlier on I cut up lots of red onions
and sweated them down
and mixed them with sugar, balsamic, a few spices
little bit of garlic and cooked it until it is
- Jam - Jammy
- You want it thick enough again
so it can spread with a selection
of our cold meats.
While I do this,
would you like a second clue?
- Yes, please - Please.
- This menu revolves around anthropomorphism.
- Ah [Bleeps]
- Which is the attribution
of human characteristics to God, animal or objects.
- What?
- Clear?
- This is hard.
- Now you're beginning to get a picture here.
We've got cold chicken
or ham
or tongue
or beef
or chutney
or potted meat.
Why was he emphasising the or? Or.
Ebbers, can I ask some questions?
- Yeah.
And I will choose whether I answer them or not
because mwahaha.
- How important is the or?
- Some would say crucial.
- So, was the existence of this dish
in itself historically significant
or did it celebrate a time or event
that was historically significant?
- It is an occasion that has gone down in history.
- Okay. - And this is
what it included.
- And it was it the first one of its kind?
- No, no.
In fact it was an approach to life.
You know, when pace slows and life kind
of meanders and there's a breeze in the trees
you just want to enjoy a meal.
- Annoyingly, each clue, undoes the last.
- I know.
- Super simple.
And then we have one more hero dish to create.
The last thing I'm gonna do is a sandwich.
And this particular sandwich is a symbol
of respectability and restraint.
As quoted in this book,
it's a cress sandwich.
- Oh, can't wait for this.
A cress, just, just cress?
- A little pot of mustard.
Don't lose that.
- Oh no
- Refrain from giving away, if you think you're close.
There's one more clue to come.
- I have a question.
Is this event related to the world of literature?
- Yes.
- I'm screwed.
I'm screwed.
- Are you almost ready for another clue?
- Yes please. - Please need it, please
- Please
- Clue three, I want to actually read to you.
It's a quote from the book
but I think it'll give you some nice context.
If you are to travel, you must also eat,
this doesn't mean you must compromise
whether you are visiting Calcutta or the Cotswold,
certain standards must be maintained.
A selection of meats and salads is transported
at whatever level of inconvenience is necessary.
Along with the crockery and cutlery required.
- He's bought his own bag in. Stupid little picnic bag.
- No
- He's been trying to expense this bag for so long.
His way
- He's been vetoing this bag for the last year.
- It's important to be prepared for every eventuality.
Does that now help you?
- It narrows things down into just
the vortex of uncertainty.
- Ginger beer, not lashings, just a few.
- If you know the book it's
it's staring you right in the face.
- The last thing is homemade lemonade.
Freshly squeezed lemon juice, sugar
or actually I'm gonna do a little bit of honey.
And water or sparkling water if you
want it sparkling, traditionally it would've been flat.
- Firstly, does the watercress link
towards the location of the author?
- It is cress, not watercress,
but I see where you're going,
and I'm gonna say, yeah.
- Ho ho ho ho.
Holy, really?
- Broadly speaking.
Not specifically speaking.
- I, I live on the Watercress Line
and there's in Hampshire and there's watercress everywhere
and there's a famous author from Hampshire.
- We tried to keep the spread true to the book.
There were other things we were gonna put in as extra clues.
But we thought it might have given
it away like sausage cooked in Yorkshire batter,
for example, but that might have been too obvious.
So instead this is the menu that made history.
Their boards are blank.
We're, we're introducing the boards this time,
cuz people said he cheated last time.
- I didn't cheat.
- I don't think he did, but it did look like it.
- Does this event happen pre or post book launch?
- In the mind of the author, pre
cuz he had to put it onto the pages.
- Oh, so, so it's therefore it's within the book?
- Gonna have to ask you to lock in an answer.
- I'm gonna write down all the streams that I've had.
- A mind map.
- So on the count of three, turn your boards around.
1, 2, 3.
This was Ratty's picnic from Wind in the Willows.
The picnic shared
by characters in the Wind in the Willows, by the stream.
I like this and Wind in the Willows gets
a strong half point.
This is one of the most iconic picnics in literature
full stop as voted for by loads
of different publications, including Penguin
and it made this because it was a moment in history
but it keeps making history
because it's a timeless classic that is still sold
in huge volume today,
even though it began life as a collection
of letters written by Kenneth Graham to his kids.
- Oh, okay.
- I mean, a cress and mustard sandwich is actually banging.
- Yeah.
- You wouldn't think it.
- Unless you know the book and it is quite a quoted picnic
in other literature, bits and pieces.
Ratty is very generous with his time.
Although people call him a mean beast
cuz he slice his meat very thin.
And the whole thing starts with cold chicken.
- Well done. by the way,
- The significance of the book is definitely there
because I remember being read to from Wind in the Willows
even though it's not one
of the iconic children's books of my childhood.
- Right, Baz you won.
- Do I get, - How did Baz win?
- Do I get your hand?
- You got the same.
- Oh yes.
- No picnic is complete without additional seasonal drinks.
No one even tried my lemonade.
But would you like to try some gin?
- Yes please.
- Cheers.
- Cheers to Kenneth Graham and a timeless classic.
- To Ken
- Because I won,
do I just keep your hamper?
- How did you win?
Just cuz you put the word picnic down.
It's bloody obvious it was a picnic.
- By a stream.
- No.
- How many of you guys got it?
Comment down below and with your time code of when you did.
- Also, if you want to get your hands
on our delicious strawberry gin,
the information is downstairs.
- And as always give the video a like, if you enjoyed it,
so we know to make more of these.
- Character synop- synopsis of Mr. Toad.
See if this reminds you of anyone.
Toad is rich, jovial, friendly and kindhearted
but aimless and conceited.
He regularly becomes obsessed
with current fads only to abandon them abruptly.
He's also crashed seven cars
and been in hospital three times, spent a fortune on fines.
- Yeah. And that's why he's the lead character.
- Sometimes you dress as a washer woman.