Nigella Christmas: Food, Family, Friends, Festivities
Christmas is a time for family and friends, for tradition and treats. But, let's face it, when the pressure to feed and entertain builds up, the festive season can start to lose its sparkle . . . That's where Nigella comes in. With her no-nonsense approach, her inspirational ideas, and her empathy for the practical realities of the season--combined here with reliable, easy-to-follow recipes and reassuring advice about planning and cooking ahead--Nigella Christmas is guaranteed to bring comfort and joy and make sure the season of good will stays that way. Here is everything you could wish for to make your life and your Christmas easy and enjoyable: from party canapes, cocktails, and manageable mass catering, to scrumptious Christmas cakes and puddings; from no-fuss brunches to quick-and-easy homemade presents (chutneys, preserves, and other delectable standbys) and edible tree decorations. There are mouth-watering recipes with a seasonal twist, and simple menus for feeding friends and family over the extended holiday season with minimum stress and maximum enjoyment. And, of course, exciting and inspiring variations for the Main Event itself--from her traditional super-juicy turkey with all the trimmings, to festive ginger-glazed ham and the Ultimate Christmas Pudding; from goose, rib of beef, and stuffed rolled pork, all the way to a special vegetarian Christmas feast, a chocolate pudding, a French Yule Log, an Australian Christmas Pudding, and The Boozy British Trifle. Nigella's cakes, as always, gladden the heart--and, like many of the recipes here, are at home all year round--but her At-a-Glance Christmas Lunch Countdown, together with make-ahead and freeze-ahead tips throughout, can help take the stress and strain out of the season. With its glorious illustrations, Nigella Christmas will surely be a perennial favorite--the book we will all reach for, for inspiration and reassurance, when Christmas comes around each year.
MY REVIEW: "Nigella Christmas" is such a gorgeous book. It truly is one of those cookbooks that looks good enough to eat! The introduction is interesting, informative, and unexpected--combining ancient holiday customs with modern awareness and sensibility. Being a watcher of TV's "Nigella Feasts", I am familiar with the author's speaking voice and persona. I could distinctly "hear" her speaking the introduction while I read it, and that made the words even more enjoyable. Nigella Lawson's food is sumptuous, even voluptuous, but still "do-able". She never skimps on anything, but nothing is ever elaborate or overly-complex. Simply superb! The very first recipe in the book is a cocktail called "Poinsettia"--pretty, pleasing, and potent. Only three ingredients: Prosecco, Grand Marnier, and cranberry juice. Now, that's the spirit! The appetizers run the gamut from savory to sweet. Another simple recipe with only three ingredients: "Party Parma Ham Bundles"--prosciutto is wrapped around bite-sized morsels of goat's cheese and figs. Imagine that trio of flavors in each nibble! Nigella states that while she "can't fashion wreaths or fold napkins", she does have a knack for making relishes and chutneys. How lovely to make a midnight kitchen raid, snag the last homemade roll with a slice of ham or turkey and top it with a dollop of relish or chutney! The "Three Seasonal Salads" with their unique and colorful uses of ravishing red fruits and vegetables make you want to take your fork to the page. Special mention must be made of the cakes. Definitely cakes to give to "the person who has everything". Give them one of these cakes, and they could ask for nothing more. There are many, many more wonderful recipes including main dishes, sides, sweets, and treats that are too tempting to limit just to the holidays. Throughout all, there is a true sense of the author's own belief that festive indulgence is not a bad thing, but a celebration of being alive and an affirmation of what is important in life. A belief in hearth and home and adhering to ritual and tradition when the world around us is so unsettling and uncertain. As Nigella says: "The Christmas rituals of the home are, even if not based around faith, essentially an act of good faith." A well-said and well-represented sentiment presented in a gorgeous gift of a book.
Book Copy Gratis Hyperion Books
Nigella Lawson, food enthusiast, television personality and journalist, is the bestselling author of eight books: Nigella Express: Good Food Fast, Feast: Food to Celebrate Life, Nigella Fresh, Nigella Bites, How to Be a Domestic Goddess, How to Eat, which have sold in excess of 6 million copies worldwide, and Nigella Christmas: Food Family Friends Festivities. Her groundbreaking iPhone App debuted in April 2010 and her new book, NIGELLA KITCHEN Recipes From the Heart of the Home, which accompanies her television series of the same name seen on Food Network, is a return to her signature focus on feel-good food for the way we eat today, published by Hyperion in October 2010.
Nigella’s 2005 book Feast: Food to Celebrate Life inspired Nigella Feasts, which debuted on Food Network in fall 2006. The Domestic Goddess returned in her second Food Network series, Nigella Express, launched in fall 2007 in conjunction with the release of Nigella Express. American audiences also know Nigella as host of Forever Summer with Nigella, her popular cooking/lifestyle series that aired on Style, and Nigella Bites, which aired on E! Entertainment Television and Style.
In July 2003, Nigella launched Nigella Lawson’s Living Kitchen, a range of kitchen items designed in collaboration with Sebastian Conran, to widespread acclaim in the U.S.
Nigella was Deputy Literary Editor of The Sunday Times before pursuing a successful freelance career. She has written for a variety of magazines and newspapers, including The Sunday Times, Evening Standard, Guardian, Daily Telegraph, Observer, Times Magazine and in the U.S. for Gourmet and Bon Appétit magazines. She originated the restaurant column in The Spectator and wrote the food column for British Vogue for several years. Nigella also wrote a bi-monthly food column for The New York Times Dining In, Dining Out section.
Hailed as Author of the Year by the 2001 British Book Awards, Nigella was also named Bon Appétit magazine’s 2002 "Tastemaker of the Year." How to Eat was honored as the 1998 British Books Awards Illustrated Book of the Year, while How to Be a Domestic Goddess was named Cookery Book of the Year by the Guild of Food Writers in 2001. Nigella Bites received the WH Smith Book Awards 2002 Lifestyle Book of the Year, with the cooking series based on the book winning the Gold Ladle for Best Television Food Show from the World Food Media Awards in 2001.
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