TV&REVIEWS
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WORDS: ZOE WEST, RACHEL OGDEN, MICHAEL DARLING. PHOTOS: BBC, ITV, NETFLIX, UKTV
Mary Berry heads to the beautiful Scottish Highlands for a Christmas special, which sees her cook an array of indulgent dishes for the festive season. Giving her a hand in the kitchen are tennis star Andy Murray, comedian and TV presenter Iain Stirling and singer Emeli Sandé. Here, the much-loved dame reveals more…
Tell us about the new show, Mary Berry’s Highland Christmas?
Well, it’s really rather exciting. I’ve been meeting different celebrities and I’ve been cooking delicious Scottish recipes that you might like to serve over the Christmas time.
What made you want to do a festive special in Scotland?
My mother was born in Scotland, and I love it there. We had a lot of Scottish traditions growing up and they’ve stayed in our family.
What are some of the highlights?
I loved filming on the Jacobite Steam Train. The scenery was unbelievable. I hadn’t been on it before and the train was packed with people, just like us, wanting to see the very best of the Scottish countryside. Looking for reindeers in the Highlands and seeing them in their natural habitat was lovely, too.
Do you have you a favourite recipe from the show?
The Highland beef pie. In Scotland, they use different cuts of meat, so we used shin of beef and made it into a wonderful tender, full-flavoured pie, with pickled walnuts and a lovely pastry on top.
You also make a fondue paired with leftovers…
You can do this with a lot of leftovers. We usually do too many roast potatoes, so they are ideal. Cut them up small, reheat them until they’re piping hot and just dip them in!
Do you have a Christmas jumper?
Yes. I have a lovely cream jumper that I wear in the show. It has ‘Fa La La’ written on it in red writing and I love it!
✱ Mary Berry’s Highland Christmas is on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer
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