Jack. We're here today at Audley End.

We're going to jump back in time to

find out what life was like in the kitchen at

Audley End House in 1881.

We're going to meet the cook Mrs Crocombe

to find out more.

Come in.

Ahh

you must be Master Ollie and Master

Jack. Mrs Warwick the housekeeper

sent us.

We'd like to find out more about the kitchen here.

Well, you both look well mannered

and I hope your shoes are clean

I am

making a sweet custard dish for

Lord Braybrooke. Would you like me to

show you how? Yes, please!

Well, firstly

I set a custard and then I

cut it up into squares and I'm

piling it in this dish

like a mountain.

It's called schneemilch

It was one of the favourites of the queen's

children when they were your age.

Are you the only one who works here?

I'm in charge, but there are four

of us who work here. Myself,

then Mary-Ann my first kitchen maid

Sylvia my second kitchen

maid, and Annie Chase who works in the

scullery

Is it hard work?

We have to cook for Lord and Lady Braybrooke

and all their guests

as well as all the servants

and the servants don't eat the same dishes as

Lord Braybrooke so we do have to make

a lot of food.

Are your hands clean?

Well then, perhaps you'd like to help

me? Yes, please!

Well, what I'm going to use are some

pistachio nuts for decoration

but they need to be pounded

to small bits, do you think you could do that

Ollie?

Good. And for you

Jack, I'm going to get you

to whisk some of this

sweetend cream.

Where do you

and the other servants eat?

Ah well, most of the servants eat

in the servants hall but I

sit with the housekeeper Mrs Warwick

Mr Lincoln the butler, the more important

servants on a different table

Do you know meal times are

the only time we get to see the other servants

They don't come in here

even the family and usually the

guests never come into the kitchen

Now, how's that cream getting on?

Let me have a look

Oh yes. That's perfect!

I can now start to spoon

it on.

How does the food get to

Lord Braybrooke's table? Now, that's the job

of the footman and Mr Lincoln

the butler, you see I make the

food here in the kitchen and then it

leaves through the hatch just by the door

The dining table is

on the other side of the house and

upstairs, so the footmen have to

move very quickly. Mr

Lincoln and I have to be very

organised. Are there any children

here at Audley End House?

Well, not since I've been here. Only

visitors like yourselves. Lord and Lady

Braybrooke, have a daughter

Augusta, but she's married now

and got her own house.

There. Now

how are those pistachios coming on?

Good. Ooh

well done master Ollie, they do

look good. I'll be able to sprinkle

them on very easily

Oooh, now now

we don't want you spoiling your

dinner. Tsk.

Would you like one of my

queen drop biscuits? They are

my favourite.

Mmm yes.

What do you think?

Mmm

Now, I'm going to

add some of these rose petals to decorate

my schneemilch

It looks lovely

Ooh tut tut.

You must wait until later.

Would you like me to serve this to the

nursery this evening?

Ooh yes please