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.
Nigella’s Christmas Review
Naughty Nigella Does it Again!
This is just one of our 7 Super Christmas Cookbooks. To take a look at the other recipe books that made the cut, you can check out the full article here.
Open any Nigella book and you will be welcomed with the most wonderful backstory as to why these recipes were lovingly sewn together.
Nigella Christmas is definitely no exception, getting us right to the heart of the Christmas spirit and ready to roll up our snowflake-jumpered sleeves to attempt to create – or indeed find, in the case of that glorious Spruced-Up Vanilla Cake’s ‘Holiday Fir tin’; turn to page 199 when you do bag yourself a copy and you will let out a wondrous ‘ahhhhh‘ in recognition… It’s the imagery; it’s the gloss and shine and veneer, it’s the immediate transportation to our own dining tables, we’re there already.
We can practically smell, taste and touch the food Nigella writes about. Christmas Salad heightens our sensory perception, Sticky Gingerbread takes us to a German Christmas market without even leaving our armchair, as does the Festive Couscous lead us to a Moroccan souk, just the thought of the Cornish Champagne Cocktail brings the biggest smile to the stressed out and un-prepared among us, and Turkey and Glass Noodle Salad has us rather unusually looking forward to Boxing Day with the in-laws.
Then with the thoughtful inclusion of showstoppers such as Bourbon Glazed Ribs, Roast Squash and Sweet Potato Soup with Buttermilk Blue Cheese Swirl, Gleaming Maple Cheesecake and Wasabi Crab Cakes, we have the perfect book to dip in and out of all year round. Those of us looking for the traditional will not fall short of the mark either; from Aromatic Christmas Ham to Cranberry and Apple Chutney, Roast Goose with Pear and Cranberry Stuffing to Rum and Brandy Butters, every meal, nibble and eventuality has been addressed!
In fact, the only difficult thing about this book is how to choose which of these pictures of gorgeousness you’ll be serving up first. And for that, I suggest the ruby red Poinsettia. Perhaps with good reason, Nigella featured this fizzy cocktail as the very first recipe in her book…
