Rhodes puts on Tudor feast

With not a food processor or fan-assisted oven in sight, celebrity chef Gary Rhodes tried his hand at 16th century cooking at Hampton Court.

In the Great Kitchens, which made two meals a day for 800 members of Henry VIII's court, Rhodes admitted he might have found the conditions challenging.

He was helping to launch the first of six weekend demonstrations at Hampton Court where chefs will prepare Tudor, Stuart and Georgian dishes.

Rhodes helped to rustle up 16th century "brown fryes" (battered brown bread dipped in sugar) and dates, figs, cinnamon and allspice wrapped in pastry.

He said: "It's fascinating how many recipes I thought were relatively new were prepared hundreds of years ago. I can't imagine not having all my labour-saving devices, though. But they knew how to put on a feast. I might take a few tips home."

After this weekend's art of royal sweets, attractions to come will include whole boars will be roasted on a spit.

The royal palaces have all been hit hard by the tourism slump after 11 September. Hampton Court has reported a 30 per cent fall in visitors but hopes to entice them back with events such as these.

Hampton Court Palace