| Title | : | Nigella Christmas: Food, Family, Friends, Festivities |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0307397742 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780307397744 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 277 |
| Publication | : | First published October 2, 2008 |
Nigella Christmas: Food, Family, Friends, Festivities Reviews
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In which Nigella wraps her mouth-hole around the impossible task of cooking everything that begins with an 'F' in a demented Scrabble instruction manual.
Her Furby recipe is to die for, but her attempt to BBQ the cast of Friends leads to multiple lawsuits.
It's a frankly filthy first-hand account of her failure to firmly grasp reality. -
A perfect addition to my book shelf, some truly indulgent and easy recipes to help make Christmas that tad bit more exciting. the pictures are stunning and add a dimensions to this book lacking in here first few.
i loved her writing about the real pagan traditions that have been over looked at Christmas , the way its been turned into a holiday of ridiculous glittering lights and spending far to much on useless presents.
Her writing in whimsical but so very true, the traditions are inspirational so as to keep Christmas as a time for family and a little bit of. Some of the pages were indulgent in pagan beliefs which was nice to see instead of tacky words about father Christmas, wrapping paper and all the other junk we try to fill Christmas with.
all in all a must by for anyone who like traditional cooking and a traditional way of thinking.
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Just in time for Christmas, Nigella Lawson has brought us a wonderful Christmas gift in her new cookbook Nigella Christmas. First I have to say this is a beautiful book. The photography is absolutely amazing. To tell you the truth I could just look at the pictures over and over again and be happy. They are bright and vibrant and there are so many of them and of all kinds of things, not only food. She has pictures of her table, of gifts, of herself and her kids and a lot of other little things. There is also a green ribbon marker to bookmark your place which I think is another really special touch.
Nigella is another favorite of mine. I find her to have a 'real' personality when I watch her on tv. In other words, I don't feel she is acting her way through. I love how easy she seems in the kitchen and how un-fussy she is about things. I get a huge kick out of her night time visits to the fridge for a snack.
This cookbook certainly hasn't disappointed me. As I said the pictures alone are amazing but the recipes are great too. Granted, most of this food is very holiday'ish and if you are anything like me and ate this rich food everyday, the hips would be continuing their outward journey. Really though, the majority of these recipes can be made at any time of the year, not just Christmas and any recipe can be altered with lower fat ingredients if you wish. This, however, is a Christmas cookbook and the season itself calls for indulgences. In the middle of the book she has a huge Main Event section that deals only with the Christmas meal. There is even a schedule on how she handles Christmas Eve and Day and also alternatives to the traditional turkey if you're looking for that.
This cookbook reads like a novel. She has a great intro where she tells us of her own thoughts on the Christmas season and each recipe has a short section telling us about it which is really interesting. The book is in sections such as cocktails & canapes, stress free suppers (to help before the Main Event hits), baking, and one of my favorites-edible gifts. It's always nice to receive a nice jar of vanilla sugar or a chutney wrapped up beautifully as a gift. All the recipes have make ahead tips and others with tips for freezing so if you were really organized you could really get yourself prepared early for Christmas and really be stress free which is Nigella's goal throughout this book
I really love this cookbook and it would make such a great Christmas gift for the cook or aspiring cook on your list. It's a beautiful book, full of great recipes to really get you into the Christmas spirit this year and every year. This book was released by Random House on November 11.
http://peekingbetweenthepages.blogspo... -
I adore this woman for so many reasons, but one quite important one is that, with this book, I’ve been able to create my own holiday traditions with my family. The cranberry mincemeat pies are essential for my Christmas, and yet it took me a few years before I made the bourbon butter that accompanies them. Together they are a life-changer. I’ve created food to give as gifts which by this point my family is obsessed with, and everything from Christmas morning (cheese and onion strata, anti-oxidant fruit salad, spruced up vanilla or spiced cake) to Christmas Eve geese (their fat is amazing with the roasted potatoes, though if you skip it can’t find goose grease, duck fat works exceptionally too. The potatoes cooked in goose fat are the #1 most requested dish from my entire extended family years in), or the standing rib roast with port and Stilton gravy...,to simple chocolate shortbread cookies that stay insanely moist even when left out for days...I could write a treatise on how much I love this book, but it would be a better use of your time to simply buy it yourself and dive on in. You won’t be disappointed.
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I wheel this out every year around October time to start my Christmas chutneys, then I move on to the Christmas cake in November. The gingerbread recipe is a tried and tested Christmas Eve favourite to make with the kids and my Christmas dinner veggies come from here. The piece de resistance is the Cranberry sauce that I make copious quantities of to give to loved ones each year. Perfection.
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A coffee-table volume to dream over, and maybe cook from.
I say "maybe" not because the recipes inside aren't wonderful. They are. Every last thing in this book looks tasty and worth making, even if you're not normally adventurous in the kitchen. However, the ingredients are hard to get, and spendy to boot, so unless you're the kind of person who just regularly puts edible gold dust on cookies, or actually owns a fir-tree Bundt pan (or is willing and able to shell out for one), this is going to be a fun fantasy read and not an actual cookbook.
Which is fine. It's good to have dreams. Everybody who celebrates Christmas has an idealized picture in their head of what it should look like, and Nigella's set of holiday fantasies is so cozy, it hurts. Cocktails, appetizers, gorgeous complete feasts, desserts, a Christmas brunch: this is glorious excess at its best, lovingly illustrated with gorgeous photographs. The most accessible chapter is the one on homemade food gifts, because most people with even a modicum of kitchen confidence could easily make them. Everything else, however, is pretty much a dare: out-Christmas me, you bloody Yankees! Go on and try!
A warning to sober folks: there's a LOT of booze in this cookbook, and I'm not even talking about the drinks section because it has plenty of mocktails for you. No, just about every last recipe in this book requires adding some sort of alcohol, so if you're one of those people who won't even cook with liquor, you're SOL (I know, there are substitutions, but what a pain in the ass, especially since Lawson doesn't provide alternatives - you have to be one of those people who already knows what to swap out for vodka or vermouth).
To sum up, if you're REALLY determined to stress yourself out and have THE most lavish Christmas ever, not just once, but EVERY FREAKING YEAR, you should buy this cookbook (and may the gods have mercy on your soul). Everybody else should just go to the library, check this out, and spend a pleasant afternoon (preferably one in July) drooling and dreaming (Lawson's accompanying essays are quite charming). This is an essential purchase for all cookery collections in communities where Christmas is celebrated. -
Obviously I love it. I have no time for anyone who disagrees.
There is plenty to inspire in the kitchen, but Nigella’s writing chops (she is unafraid of alliteration and loves a good pun) are readily on display in this book. A few favourite phrases include “suitably quaffable”, “kybosed”, “clipboard briskness”, “carp at your canapés”, “prodigious pavlova”, and
Not just recipes for the big day, these are recipes for the season. Quite frankly, it is the book you could easily call upon any time of year when you’re cooking for a crowd (small or large). I mean lamb tagine and maple cheesecake don’t scream Christmas, but they are plentiful and welcoming which is really what you need in any dinner-for-many circumstances.
A distinctly Northern Hemisphere abounds however there is plenty to adapt to warmer climes - try the canapé section, cocktails by the jug full, desserts and baking, edible gifts and showstopper centrepiece roasts (including ham times two). Classic Nigella practicality takes centre stage, but don’t kid yourself - this is the domain of someone who enjoys spending time in the kitchen.
It’s Christmas, it’s Nigella, it’s perfect. As is the Christmas tree bundt tin I am now DESPERATE for. -
Wie: Nigella Lawson, de queen bee van de Britse tv-koks.
Wat: Tijd om het elf maanden oude stof van je rendierdiadeem te blazen. Nigella's kerst barst van de tips voor een kerstdis op z'n Brits.
Waarom: Maak de weg vrij voor Nigelliaanse porties gedroogd fruit, kaneel en kalkoen. Als Nigella kookt, is alles vol: van de melk tot en met de goesting waarmee ze aan het fornuis staat. Haar tv-programma's krijgen steevast het etiket culinaire pornografie. Zwoel kijken en lippen tuiten kan ze als de beste. Maar wie of wat probeert ze te verleiden? Mijn gok: niet de kijker, maar de ingrediënten.
Nigella wordt lyrisch van een geslaagde stoofpot of taart. Klinkt dat herkenbaar? Laten we eerlijk zijn: koken is leuk, eten is beter. En dat heeft Nigella als geen ander begrepen. In haar kookboeken vind je hartige recepten, mooie plaatjes en verrukkelijke bindteksten. Tijdens het koken lijkt het of je gezellig met Nigella een praatje aan het maken bent. Voor je het weet sta je te knipogen naar de klomp boter in je pan.
Mijn 3 favoriete recepten:
Visgratin met peterselie
Tiramisutaart
Cubaanse kuursoep van zwarte bonen -
This was a shelving checkout at the library. I enjoyed it quite a bit, as I am getting in the mood for the Yule season. Our family doesn't really celebrate the faux before the slaughter holiday that is known as Thanksgiving. I like the idea of our family being together and celebrating being grateful and being under the same roof but that can be at any time. Anywho, I digress. I like the layout and the recipes although I have yet to try any. Got sick right before I was going to make the gingerbread. As it was for mass consumption at the library, I decided to forgo infecting my friends with consumption. (Actually hoof and mouth.)
After reading other reviews, I have requested it again because I did not read the text as well as I should have. And on layout, pics of food, five stars. Pics of people (I include pets in this category), more children and that adorable dog, way less of Nigella looking oh so festive in red, please. -
Christmas ready
I am a recent convert to Nigella’s cookery, and am so looking forward to trying some of these recipes this coming Christmas. Her writing style makes it all seem so easy, so fingers crossed ;-) -
As ever Nigella has wrapped me up in her wondrous text around her simply superb offerings in this beautiful book of Christmas delights. I’ve used so many to enrich my table this festive year at home.
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Wonderful love, love this book
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I read this almost every Christmas. Love her.
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I love Nigella and all her cookbooks! This one I enjoyed reading about all the Christmas recipes and traditions.
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Well used every year
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My annual check out of the library book for her wonderful Christmas Cake recipe and cocktails. This year paying special attention to the roast goose recipe!
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This is a great cookbook, that’s bursting with Nigella’s personality. The recipes are versatile and approachable, while her writing makes you feel as if you are part of the family.
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Boy, there's booze in every recipe.
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Gorgeous book with plenty of inspiration for cooking during the holidays.
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"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.
Review Copy Gratis Hyperion Books -
I love listening to Nigella Lawson when she is an occasional guest on NPR; I imagine many tv-watching cooks enjoy her program on the Food Network as well. Her down-to-earth approach to cooking and entertaining, and her self-admitted indulgent love of eating are as apparent in her cookbooks as they are in her media appearances. Nigella Christmas, published late last year, is a prime example.
Lawson’s approach to Christmas is a secular one that revels in hospitality, gift-giving, celebration, and sharing food with others. There are recipes for old standards and menu plans for groups of six to sixteen. There are lots of make-ahead tips, suggestions for leftovers, and edible presents to make and give. This is not a cookbook with nutritional information after each recipe, but when the dish is called Girdlebuster Pie, do you really need the numbers?
The chapter on desserts (titled “Joy to the World”–if I wasn’t hooked already, this would have done it) includes recipes for a yule log, fruitcakes, and mini minced pies. Three pages are devoted to her Christmas pudding alone.
What I liked best about the book was her commentary about the special joys and burdens of entertaining at holiday time. For instance, she makes a pitch for inviting new friends to Christmas dinner because of “the stabilizing effect of the stranger factor: someone with whom your family doesn’t quite feel at home enough to behave badly.” Lawson does a good job of suggesting ways to mitigate the stress of entertaining at Christmas–a holiday that seems to come with heightened expectations and traditions that cannot be forfeited. I know I’ll never pull off the “Main Event” Christmas dinner she describes, but her book definitely puts me in the mood for celebrating the holiday with food, friends and family. (The recipe for Girdlebuster Pie is on page 87.) --Heidi
From ICPL Staff Picks Blog -
Ik denk dat dit mijn absoluut favoriete kookboek is (alhoewel, dat natuurlijk kan variëren ;-)). Sinds ik het heb gekocht, kook ik eigenlijk elk jaar uit dit geweldige boek. Maar waarom kocht ik het eigenlijk? Nou... Er was eens een extreem drukke decembermaand waarin het keihard werken was op kantoor. Maar dankzij vriendin Marleen keek ik elke avond in de week voor kerst naar het geweldige kerst-kookprogramma van Nigella waarin de recepten uit dit boek aan de orde kwamen. Wat een rustpunt in alle hectiek, wat een gezelligheid, wat een lekkere dingen en wat een subtiele humor (Nigella begrijpt mij volkomen met haar chocolaatjes verstopt in een boek voor die momenten dat je het even nodig hebt :-))! Ik heb meteen het boek aangeschaft en sinds die tijd erg veel uit het boek gemaakt. Absoluut hoogtepunt: het Engelse kerstdiner dat ik afgelopen jaar (2011) maakte voor mijn familie op 1e Kerstdag met de gevulde varkensrollade met robijnjus, de Italiaans gebakken aardappelen met knoflook en tijm, de kerstspruitjes, de kerst-coleslaw en de panettone-pudding. Andere absolute aanraders zijn: de chocochipchili, de tajine met lamsvlees en dadels, de potjes met kastanje en chocola, de christmas rocky road en de opgedofte vanille cake. Mmmm...ik krijg trek...
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One of the best cookbooks I have ever read, and definitely the best Christmas one. Easy to use and fantastic results.
