River Cottage

Hugh moves into a primitive cottage in Dorset. He buys a pig, forages for wild food and befriends the locals.

Hugh turns his attentions to the River Piddle and pike fishing. Having landed his fish, he makes a delicious dish worthy enough to tempt the unwilling palate of the local keeper.

The vegetable garden is in full swing and Hugh is spoilt for choice with courgettes, carrots, fennel, french beans, spinach and beetroot bursting out all over

Hugh discovers that an infestation of mice is taking over the cottage. He calls in Sue Smith who runs a 'humane disposal team' with her partner Steve.

Hugh commissions local basket-maker Malcolm Seal to make an old-fashioned wickerwork eel trap, which he baits with a roadkill rabbit carefully scraped from the tarmac.

Hugh prepares a party for all his friends who have helped him throughout the series, but takes a break for a lesson in catching razor fish.

Hugh spends his first winter at River Cottage. The cider-marinated ham is ready, and Hugh goes in search of a fat goose to accompany it. To buy his goose, he sells homemade products at the local farmer's market. Hugh's marron glacé, brandy butter, and mince pies with actual lamb meat quickly sell at his farmer's market stall. Hugh feeds Christmas carol singers visiting the Hitches' mansion with a fish cake of smoked cod. Later, Hugh prepares a stuffed goose neck, a confit, and a roasted goose breast. Then, Hugh searches the woods for a yule log with Star, a local hedgewitch. Five members of the cider circle visit Hugh's cottage, and they feast on ham and stuffed goose neck. Hugh wins a year's supply of cider on a wager on a game a table skittles, a victory he attributes to the magical power of his yule log. Finally, as Hugh settles in to sleep, he leaves a mince pie by the fireside for you-know-who.