Chat Ed : Welcome to this evening's Beyond River Cottage with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall! In tonight’s instalment from Beyond River Cottage Spring brought many new arrivals at Hugh's farm. Maggie gave birth to 11 piglets, which were joined by two new lambs. Elsewhere, Hugh was been invited to an Easter Blossom Picnic Party, where the stakes were high in a competition for the best picnic. And Hugh joins us now to answer your questions about life at the farm…
Karl C : Hi Hugh
Hugh : Hi everybody! It's been a while. Good to be back online. Hope you enjoyed the show. I've been drinking a bit of cider while I was watching tonight's show but I have managed to keep up with Colin or myself!
pebbles : lo hugh
Hugh : So, who's first?
Max : Hell Hugh!!
Winnie : Hi Hugh!
Zed42 : Hiya Hugh, I was just wondering how your restaurant was doing, and if you are taking bookings?
Jim Johnson : Can we eat at your restaurant at river cottage hq?
mark : Hi Hugh
maca : me you show is great
Hugh : Thanks for asking, but it's worth making clear that what we've got going at River Cottage HQ isn't really a conventional restaurant.
caspar : what is it then?
Hugh : We have regular events - two or three a week at the moment where we serve up our own produce and other local goodies to one or two long tables of diners all eating together. Sometimes I'll do a cooking demo before the dinner and other times we'll have guests, either from the show or other local producers whose stuff we love. We're also running full-day courses such as “Catch and Cook” where we take you out fishing and bring you back to RC HQ and help you cook your catch. Check it out at www.rivercottage.netHope to see you all soon!
danccooke : how do you get invited?
Sye : been a huge fan from day one
Hugh : You don't have to get invited - you can book online at the website.
mike2 : see you soon hugh ;)
Andy Frizzell : Got two of your books love 'em!
MickB : Hi Hugh - the new place looks superb - you are so lucky :-)
MrChutney : Do you miss the old river cottage?
Mairead : What's happened to the old river cottage now you're not there?
emmanottingham : Can i just ask do you miss the tiny land holding you used to live on?
Hugh : I do miss it but I know the people who are living there and I pop in from time to time and they are loving it as much as I did. It was an unforgettable experience being there and it's the reason my family and me have now settled full-time in Dorset.
Wozzer : How many pints of cider did you end up 'downing' Hugh?
Lucy : how was your hangover after all that cider drinking?!
justin : How bad was the cider hangover Hugh?
Hugh : That would be impossible to calculate! But the great thing about all those cider brews is that they are made with pure apple juice, often organic, and no additives of any kind. I shouldn't be recommending over-indulgence but if it's going to happen it's a great drink to do it with. I couldn't exactly say it's hangover-free but it's a lot more forgiving than industrially produced drinks. OK... if I had to stab a guess I reckon somewhere between six and eight pints
Tinca : What's the best type of apple tree to plant if you want to make your own cider eventually ?
Hugh : Good question, Tinca and I wish I knew a little more about cider apple varieties. One of the best known here in Dorset is Kingston Black which makes a strong dry cider but it's often blended with other varieties.
Zed42 : Ouch, I tend to lose the feeling in my nose after about 3, LOL.
Hugh : What I have stronger views on are the most delicious eating apples and of course they are around right now. My favourites are Orleans Reinette, just mentioned in the show, Egremont Ruffet, Ashmead's Kernel and John O'Gold.
mark70 : Hi Hugh, How's the poorly lamb from today’s show?
digbydog : Do you find it hard to eat animals you have known personally?
Hugh : The poorly lamb is now a fit and healthy seven-month-old. Dare I say... not far off market weight., but she's a good ewe, so I might keep her on as a breeder. Digby, not really, I'm used to it now. In the end I can feel a whole lot better about eating meat from animals I have cared for personally. I know they have lived well and I know what they have eaten and I have done my best to get the best out of them. I think the whole family feels like that.
gina : Your book has inspired me to buy a pair of chickens - they'll be my first - any recommendations for friendly types?
Hugh : Erm... there are lots of lovely varieties of chicken...from speckled ones like the Cuckoo Maran to gorgeous gold ones like the Buff Orpington.
PoInTeRs : we have orphintons
Sarah X : Alan - I can recommend Cuckoo Marans for flavour
Hugh : Buff are a great dual-purpose bird, they lay well and also they are good eating. When I hatch chicks I keep the hens for laying and rear the cockerels for the pot - as you will see in programme nine in a few weeks' time.
brianm : hi hugh i haven’t much room so instead of chickens i bought 12 quail but i am getting sick of pickled quail eggs lol ant ideas as to what else i can do with them also with whole birds as i also have a surplus of adult birds
CLo : i don’t like this chicken talk
Harry Hill : Foul talk
Marcus Young : I love chickens
christina : i love chickens xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Richard F : that’s a poultry comment
Hugh : Well of course quail is a delicious eating bird, but I am a little anxious to hear you are keeping them because I know they are a tricky bird and I also know that commercially they are given a very rough time and farmed very intensively. I'm sure you are looking after yours well and that they are happy birds - but they do need plenty of space. As with my chickens, the male birds should be delicious, especially if you feed them well on grain.
natalie : Hugh can you buy any of your produce over the internet?
Hugh : Yes you can, Natalie, because we're doing some Christmas hampers with pork products made to my own recipes from fantastic locally reared pigs. We're also working with a number of small producers in the West Country to make yoghurts, soups and various delicious smoked things. It's all quite small-scale and local but we're at Britport Farmers' Market every month, usually the second Saturday. So yes, www.rivercottage.net to buy online.
mark : Hugh, did you know it is snowing in Cambridge?
Hugh : No?! It almost never snows in Dorset, in fact I wished it snowed a bit more. Oscar is now five and we've only ever managed to build one snowman in the garden here. Perhaps you could send us some? Also we need a good frost to improve the brussel sprouts!
gareth : frost improves brussels?
Quasi : sprouts are evil
Hugh : So I've always been led to believe! It helps to tighten the buds.
MatthewM : had a very tasty sprout chestnut and mushroom stew once
Hugh : Quasi, sprouts are much under-rated. Puree some with butter and little cream mixed with chopped fried bacon and tuck in.
Mike Lucas : What do you think of the mickey taking that Harry Hill has been performing on his 'TV Burp'?
Big Juss : sprouts rock!!!
Severin : They did you on Dead Ringers too.... Oh, how I love satire
Hugh : I'm a Harry Hill fan. I haven't seen the stuff they have done on the new series - am waiting for a tape because I missed the show - but apparently it was funny and as far as I can tell it seems to be quite affectionate.
Hendy : bet you don't have much time for TV!
Hugh : I thought the stuff he did last year was a hoot and particularly liked him banging on the bathroom door, cut with the bit in the show where I'm cleaning inky cuttlefish in the bath. Not so sure about the Dead Ringers stuff though, do I really talk like that?? And look so miserable?
Mick : Yeah man, lol
Zoey : as not at all hugh
Hugh : Cheers Mick!
Steve1 : Only when you kill your pigs
Severin : Hugh - you're not miserable at all. We all love you!
steve merrick : You never look miserable, just scruffy!! ;-)
Hugh : Well you've certainly got the scruffy bit right!
Vikki : Nothing wrong with scruffy!
Richard Sillitto : Big hair is good
Hugh : And I did think it was quite funny when they had me out on Wimbledon Common hunting Wombles. The weird thing is I actually started wondering what a Womble would taste like! A bit like squirrel maybe, a touch of rabbit... a hint of lamb.
Zed42 : laughs
Jonboy : Chicken
Joanne : Don' try eat Tomsk - he's too hard
Hugh : I'm not sure I could get one to fit in my oven though. I think a spit roasted Womble would probably be best.
user : Does Hugh have any views on the Fox hunting debate?
Hugh : I wrote a piece about this for The Observer - Food Monthly quite recently and you can check it out online. To summarise I've never been an enthusiast of hunting. I'm more interested in pursuing things that I can eat, but I do think that compared to the factory-farmed pigs the fox really doesn't need legislative protection.
Zoey : good for you hugh!
ursula : Ban it
Tinca : go hugh!
Ifan : don’t ban it
Kent_Paul : ban ban ban ban!!!
Hugh : They live wild and free and if they die at the hands of humans, whether by being shot or killed by hounds, their death is no worse than any other they would meet in nature. Not everyone will agree with this but it seems to me deeply hypocritical to be baying for the protection of a fox while munching on a bacon sandwich from a miserable, abused, factory-farmed pig.
Shaveface : Especially when they run across the M4 right in front of you at 2 a.m.!
Big Juss : Why are the shows only 1/2 hour long? We need more!!! - Any chance of a Christmas special?
ursula : What will you be eating for Christmas dinner?
Giles : Hello Hugh, just like to say giles, dave, hayley and ben love you!
Edward Williams : Hugh you are the most tasty dish on TV.
Hugh : Ha ha! How extraordinary that you should mention it. We have a one-hour Christmas special, which we have started filming, in fact I was making edible Christmas tree decorations only this afternoon. It's the first one-hour we've done and we're cramming it full of Christmas goodies, so I really hope you will all enjoy it. It goes out on Thursday 23rd December.
tractord : every time i watch you programme it makes me hungry
dennis : Edible Xmas Decorations, Genius
Hugh : For Christmas dinner I will be eating goose, one of my own, in fact you can see them arriving in a couple of weeks' time - they have had a lovely summer and autumn on the village green and are starting to look about ready. It's the first time I have raised geese, so I am really looking forward to it.
Sarah X : Any chance of getting a few more ideas for organic sausages out of you? I've been making the usual pork & leek, pork & apple but would like to stretch things a bit further
Zed42 : goose fat roast potatoes, can't beat them
Hugh : OK... I'm very keen on sausage making but personally I don't go for the ones with stuff like pork and leeks added, I like more of a traditional banger with a really good blend of herbs and spices. My favourite mix has a bit of white pepper, sage and coriander
Chat Ed : Our half hour is almost up, so last questions now...
digbydog : If you could only grow one veggie, what would it be?
Hugh : I hate these kinds of questions... the whole point of a vegetable garden is that you can grow the things you really love and for me it changes from year to year. I guess a while ago it would have been peas, but now I'm really into my roots and squashes. Radishes, beetroot and a lovely squash called Crown Prince were among my favourites this year. I've also started to love my lettuces (hope that doesn't sound too unhealthy).
johnathonathon : cheers hugh
Richard Sillitto : How are your bees doing? Have you found them relatively easy to keep?
Hugh : They've been put to sleep, not in the final sense of the phrase, but for the winter. I loved my first bee experience and it's a real thrill collecting the honey. I've had a lot of help from the marvellous Ken Bishop, who you will meet in next week's show and it's a real treat to have my own honey on my breakfast toast.
L1VE2R0CK : It’s not a question, just don't stop after 'Beyond River Cottage' ok?
Hendy : Thanks Hugh, look forward to the next show
neilk : What's the one recipe you would urge people to try?
Hugh : I make stew in programme nine, the week before Christmas, and try to explain the pleasures and principles of simple slow-cooking with good, but inexpensive, ingredients. Look out for it and I hope it will keep you warm for the rest of the winter.
Chat Ed : Our half hour is now up folks, so thanks for coming to talk to us Hugh…
Winnie : Bye Hugh!!!
dennis : It’s been a pleasure talking Hugh
cider rules : Yes, more river cottage Hugh
Severin : Good goodnight, Hugh! Sleep well!
Naomi : thanks hugh, keep us entertained and hungry
Kent_Paul : bye bye, it’s been fun
jim2 : xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Charlie : bye Hugh
Ed1968 : Bye Hugh
Nigel : Make sure we do thus again SOON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Neil Harris : maybe ill get thru next time!!!
CLo : bye
Hugh : Thanks everyone, great to talk to you. I've really enjoyed it, got through about a pint and a half of cider while chatting, think I better have something to eat now or I'll pay the price in the morning. Hope to hear from you all again soon, Take care…
Hugh leaves the room
