Return to River Cottage Season 7

In the final programme of this retrospective River Cottage series, Hugh reflects that sharing fresh, locally grown, seasonal produce with both family and friends has become the cornerstone of the River Cottage experience. Whether it's group-netting mackerel the traditional way or promoting Dorset's finest through his very own tomato festival, Hugh has long since been an advocate of the fun and feasting ethos. This week Hugh revisits some of the finest food gatherings; including a blossom party picnic and the annual cider knees-up at the Powerstock festival.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall looks back on his experiences of bagging 'one for the pot' from the rabbits that are eating his lettuces.

This week Hugh looks back at the part played by wild food over six years of Dorset downshifting. From the outset, the hedgerow larder played a vital part in his smallholder experiment, not only topping up his kitchen with a regular supply of free ingredients (from leafy Spring greens like nettles and watercress, to delicious autumn fungi like puffballs and truffles) but also keeping him in tune with the rhythms of the seasons. Whether it’s blackberries from the hedgerow, or fish from the sea, Hugh concludes that “wild food is not just something for nothing. It’s something for everyone.”

Continuing his retrospective assessment of the vital elements of rural life, Hugh looks back on his ever-increasing commitment to sourcing his food locally. It is not just about quality and taste, he concludes, the search for the best local food can lead you to all sorts of escapades and adventures. From plundering the sea for whelks to sell on the beach (then dressing up as a lobster for a fancy dress beer race) to recruiting a local biker to help him get asparagus from the ground to his punter’s plates in less than an hour, Hugh shows that it’s the feel good factor that makes local food special and keeps him coming back for more.

Hugh looks back at first seven years in Dorset, and all the lessons he has learnt about how to be thrifty on his small holding. From learning to make felt from his sheep’s fleeces to trying to revive traditions of tripe eating at the local farmers market, Hugh’s determined that no part of his precious live stock should ever go to waste. There’re tips too on the art of recycling as we see how Hugh converted the old cow stalls into a highly productive vegetable garden and how to make a traditional cold smoker from an old cider barrel and a few other bits and bobs found lying around the yard.

The View From River Cottage reflects on the seven years Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has spent in Dorset, and the many lessons he has learned along the way. Slowly but surely he has gained a whole new outlook on life – a set of principles to grow by, cook by, eat by and even live by The series kicks off by examining the importance of growing your own produce, including the satisfaction of rearing meat and nurturing fruit and vegetables. Part guide to rural living, part best of River Cottage, the series encompasses new links and Hugh’s latest recipes to add an interesting slant to the much loved River Cottage experience.