Sir Terry Wogan recently visited Mother Shipton’s Cave in Knaresborugh, filming the new show Terry & Mason’s Great Food Trip.
The show features London cabbie Mason McQueen and Terry Wogan touring the UK in the footsteps of American food writer Sam Chamberlin.
Chamberlin decided to really see whether British food was as terrible as the rest of the world made out and the result was a book called British Bouquet: An Epicurean Tour of Britain.
Terry and Mason we’re welcomed by Mother Shipton’s Cave owner Fiona Martin, who has been a fan of Sir Wogan for many years and proudly showed him around the historic park. Including the world famous wishing well, where they both may or may not have made a wish, they’ll never tell!
Squirrel pate was the tasty treat decided upon, handmade at the park using wild garlic which grows on mass in and around Mother Shipton’s Cave and partnered with sloe gin, made from sloes collected from the woodland and made by local friend of the park, Shelia.
Whilst everyone happily tucked in, Mason was a little unsure, and was heard to say:
Oh yeah, squirrel paté, a little on the gamey side for me.
But if you didn’t know it was squirrel you wouldn’t have been able to tell.
Despite Sir Wogan having been in broadcasting for more than 50 years, it is this project that he claims has been his favorite.
He has never made any secret of his fondness for food so when he was asked if he’d like to clamber into the back of a London taxi and travel across Britain sampling the delights of local cuisine he almost bit the BBC2 producer’s arm off.
Fiona was thrilled to welcome both Terry and Mason:
It is always a pleasure to welcome celebrity visitors to the park, both Terry and Mason we’re an absolute delight and thoroughly engrossed themselves in the history and mystic of the park and its heritage.
Although we’re obviously proud of the tradition that Mother Shipton’s is known for, it was also really wonderful to be able to celebrate the stunning woodland that surrounds us.
The Harrogate episode will be aired on BBC 2 on 22 September 2015 at 6.30pm
