National Trust 1930's AGA Masterclasses

 Last Saturday and Sunday visitors to The National Trust’s Upton House and Gardens near Banbury were treated to a series of 1930s themed Aga Masterclasses by Richard Maggs, the Aga Cookery Doctor. The weekend event was in support of the National Trust’s move to make their historic properties feel more lived in, by giving visitors a sense of atmosphere and experience.

Upton House was the home of a 1930s millionaire, Walter Samuel, 2nd Viscount Bearsted, who was Chairman of Shell Oil and the son of the company’s founder.  Lord and Lady Bearsted hosted many weekend parties at Upton House in the 1930s and this atmosphere is being recreated with visitors encouraged to sit in the cosy Inglenook, to answer the telephone, play a game of snooker or to search through papers to discover more about how Lord Bearsted spent his fortune. Visitors can also see the dining room table dressed ready for an evening dinner party – complete with place names and menu cards.

Over 200 visitors attended the seven half hour events over the weekend, with Richard cooking tirelessly on one of the two four-oven Aga cookers in the original 1930s kitchen.  Visitors enjoyed seeing the Aga in action and tasting the Aga difference with samples of the food cooked – including shortbread and flapjacks, the 1930s favourite Croques Monsieurs, baked salmon with steamed rice and carrots, Richard’s ‘saucepan-less’ lemon curd, fruity sponge roulade and mini meringue nests filled with fresh cream and strawberries.

Julie Smith, Upton House Property Manager said, “Richard was fabulous and hit exactly the right note with his combination of Aga cooking, cast iron history and 1930s kitchen know-how.  Every visitor I spoke to said how much they enjoyed the Masterclasses.  They commented on how they made the House feel like it was 'living', which is exactly what we were hoping for.”

As part of the demonstration, Richard used an authentic 1930s design Aga kettle, showing how an Aga will boil water at the rate of a pint a minute as good as when it was sold.  Some of the recipes used came from Good Food on the Aga, by Ambrose Heath, The Daily Telegraph food and wine correspondent for more than forty years.  Published in 1933, this was the first ever Aga cookbook – first editions can now reach up to £200 by collectors.  Thankfully facsimile paperback editions were available and copies were sold throughout the weekend.

Richard Maggs shares the content of the 1933 AGA brochure	Another Roulade emerges light and evenly cooked