Her books are stuffed full of delicious recipes for meat , game and fish dishes . But Mary Berry has revealed there is one animal – horse – she will absolutely not cook or eat because it reminds her of a treasured childhood friend . When she was a girl , the Great British Bake Off judge had a pony called Kerry Lass . The pair were so close that when Mary was struck down by polio at the age of 13 , her father walked Kerry Lass four miles to see her at the hospital . A young Mary Berry with Kerry Lass , the pony which comforted her when she was struck down with polio . When Mary was better , she went on to win rosettes with Kerry Lass at pony shows . So when Mary was first served horsemeat , it reduced her to tears . She explained : ‘ At 17 I went away to Pau in the South of France for a few months to study domestic science , including cleaning windows with newspaper and water , while living with a Catholic family with ten children . ‘ I ’ d left my pony at home and on the journey I kept seeing horses ’ heads in villages , then the first night the family served me horsemeat and I cried and I cried . Tears poured down throughout the meal but they took little notice . I just hated it . ‘ I wasn ’ t allowed in their kitchen during the day and didn ’ t go in there at night because there were rats. ’ The TV chef had only been introduced to domestic science the year before . In an interview with the Observer Food Monthly magazine , she recalled : ‘ My parents went to the head teacher at Bath Grammar when I was 16 and said , “ What could Mary do ? ” and she replied , “ I don ’ t know , very little . Perhaps she could be a child ’ s nurse. ” . When Mary was better , she went on to win rosettes with Kerry Lass at pony shows . Above the horse visits her in hospital . In an interview the 79-year-old said she first took up baking at school when domestic science was offered as a subject . ‘ And my father said , “ I ’ d pity the child. ” But I was in the first bunch of pupils who could choose between Latin and maths and domestic science ... and there was a brand new domestic science department . ‘ I ’ d never baked with Mother but when I brought home a treacle pudding , Father said it was as good as Mother made. ’ Miss Berry , 79 , also said that she struggled with her weight in her younger years . ‘ I got chubby as a teen , and then , when my children were young , I was half at home and half at work and there were all their crusts available at home and all my cooking and testing at work , and it all went on my bottom , as it may . ‘ But I ’ ve had my bottom under control for the last few years ! ’ And the wine-loving presenter revealed that she hasn ’ t touched a drop of alcohol following her knee-replacement surgery in January . ‘ Each night since , my husband has said , “ A glass of wine , Mary ? ” and I ’ ve said no . But ... I think I ’ d better get back to normal ! ’
The 79-year-old had a pony called Mary when she was a child . When she was hospitalised with polio her father brought pony to visit . Later in life the chef cried when first served horsemeat while in France .