Nigella Lawson

Nigella Lawson Nigella's thoughts on food

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Date Published:
11/10/2007
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Nigella has a unique outlook on cooking, her role and the audience. The following are juicy quotes from a variety of her books to give you a better idea of her philosophy.

On her role as a cook

"I am not a chef. I am not even a trained or professional cook. My qualification is as an eater." (How To Eat)

On being a domestic goddess

"The trouble with much modern cooking is not that the food it produces is not good, but that the mood it induces in the cook is one of skin-of-the-teeth efficiency, all briskness and little pleasure. Sometimes that's the best we can manage, but to others we want to feel not like a postmodern, post feminist, overstretched modern woman but, rather, a domestic goddess, trailing nutmeggy fumes of baking pie in our languorous wake. So what I'm talking about is not being a domestic goddess, exactly, but feeling like one." (Domestic Goddess)

On cooking

"Cooking is not about just joining the dots, following one recipe slavishly and then moving on to the next. It's about developing an understanding of food, a sense of assurance in the kitchen, about the simple desire to make yourself something to eat. And in cooking, as in writing, you must please yourself to please others. Strangely it can take enormous confidence to trust your own palate, follow your own instincts. Without habit, which itself is just trial and error, this can be harder than following the most elaborate of recipes. But it's what works, what's important." (How To Eat)

Following recipes

"I'm not interested in barking instructions: this isn?t meant to be a monologue. As I've said before, I want to be there in the kitchen with you; my words are merely my side of the conversation I imagine we might have." ( Nigella Bites)

Bringing your personality to cooking

"Cooking is not just about applying heat, procedure, method, but about transformation of a more intimate kind; none of us cooks without bringing our own character to bear on the food in front of us. Just as I've toyed with my recipes, fiddled with them to become my food, so I expect them to be remodelled in your own kitchen." (Forever Summer)

Nigella's Top Ten Recipe Books

Nigella's TV career

Year Title
2000 Nigella Bites: series one
2001 Nigella Bites: series two
2001 Nigella Bites: christmas special
2002 Forever Summer
2005 Nigella
2006 Nigella Feasts
2006 Nigella's Christmas Kitchen
2007 Nigella Express

Nigella's Awards

Year Awarding Body Category
1998 British Book Award Illustrated Book of the Year for How To Eat
2000 British Book Award Author of the Year for How to be a Domestic Goddess
2001 WH Smith Book Award How To Be A Domestic Goddess shortlisted for Lifestyle Book of the Year
2001 Guild of Food Writers Television Broadcast of the Year for Nigella Bites
2001 World Food Media Awards Gold Ladle best television food show for Nigella Bites
2002 WH Smith Book Awards Lifestyle Book of the Year for Nigella Bites

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  1. Nigella, why is your cooking show on so early Saturday mornings in the Boston Mass. area.? Its too early for a Saturday. And when will be your next Christmas cooking special. U are a favorite of mine to watch cooking, u are the best. Bob Gouveia
    Posted by Robert Gouveia on 07/06/2009 15:19:36
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  2. Nigella cooks fantastic. It seems every recipe she has cooked, I love it.Her taste buds must be like mine.And I must say that my wife is a great cook. I enjoy Saturday mornings watching the Nigella Lawson cooking show.My taste buds water. And Nigella is very nice to the eye, she is a beautiful full women.Who would not want to marry her, she has it all beauty, brains, dresses like a lady, and shes a great cook.
    Posted by Serry on 09/04/2009 00:23:04
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  3. I adore Nigella. She just gives you an appetite with her attitude towards food, and she makes you feel like it is OK for a woman to indulge!
    Posted by Sumedha Mane on 16/03/2009 14:02:49
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  4. At last we have a real woman in the kitchen walm, calm and with pratical advice we can all follow. You have also inspired my 27 year old daughter she rang me up this Christmas to remind me the show was on and agian to discuss it later, what a joy it is to cook and give something of yourself lets hope the brits now can share the joy of food they have in Italy and France were eating is for friends and family Nigella you bring this feeling with every show thank you Lindy
    Posted by Lindy on 30/12/2008 10:34:49
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  5. I love Nigella - I think I have all or most of her books. When I read the books and watch the shows I love to hear her talk like a normal person. She is struggling with time, family, career, and tries to make nice, nutritious meals for her family. Quickly, like the rest of us. Although I get a real kick out of watching her sneak down to the kitchen to get a midnight snack, so funny. Though I don't think I would have the energy to pull out a pan in the middle of the night For me, I love everything about cooking. Buying the food, learning about different foods, reading cookbooks, and of course cooking. It allows me to escape a bit and forget about my stresses, make a good meal for the family, and I actually enjoy the bragging rights whenever I make something particularly good. This season has been all about desserts for me.
    Posted by Renee on 21/12/2008 18:25:05
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  6. hello can anybody tell me what nigella put in her spiced vodka i think there was cinamon and cloves but what else id love to make it so help please
    Posted by willy on 20/12/2008 10:14:33
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  7. I would love the Nigella recipe I saw on TV a few nights ago of the little miniature Xmas puddings with the Christmas Holly and icing on top. These were more a decadent after dinner treat with chocolate included in the recipe? They looked so inviting and scrummy!
    Posted by Sheila Kent on 19/12/2008 17:47:12
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  8. Hi Mell Nigella used semolina to sprinkle over her potatoes before roasting them i am goin to try them too
    Posted by gina on 19/12/2008 16:38:18
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  9. what did you pour over your big peice of ham be four it went in oven helen
    Posted by helen punshon on 19/12/2008 15:50:52
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  10. Please, please, please can we have the recipe for last night's (18 Dec) Last Minute Christmas Cake. I'd love to make one that looked so luscious. Thank you.
    Posted by Ann Berry on 19/12/2008 10:57:24
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  11. i saw nigella on bbc 2 this evening magic ,her roast potatoes sound like a dream can someone tell me what nigella sprinkle on the pots to sweeten them please help
    Posted by mal keegan on 18/12/2008 22:32:46
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  12. Can you please advise details of Christmas Turkey preparation in Spiced brine on todays (18.12.08)TV show
    Posted by Margaret Flanagan on 18/12/2008 21:26:14
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  13. could i have a recipe for a cake that Nigella made on the last show. It had a biscuit base and was filled with coffee ice cream and caramel. It looked delicous. Thank you. x
    Posted by geri on 17/12/2008 13:13:36
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  14. Im sat at home watching Nigella Christmas Show from last night, and I cant find the recipe for the gorgeous cake she made last night. It was made from digestives, ice cream, and caramel! Please help IVE GOT HUUUUUGE CRAVINGS! :) xx
    Posted by Kim on 16/12/2008 18:30:15
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  15. I was watching Nigella's Christmas cooking show on Sat. AM here in the US..and she had a glorious Jazz CD playing in the backgound. Can you tell me the name of the CD and who did it? Thanks! And the show was fab!
    Posted by robyn on 16/12/2008 13:28:58
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  16. I was watching TV on Saturday. Nigella was making brownies that you don't have to bake. Can you send me how to make them?
    Posted by sandy on 24/11/2008 21:45:58
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  17. I think it was equal parts of golden syrup and brown sugar with a teaspoon or so of bicarbonate of soda. She added the sugar and syrup to a pan and heated it till it fused together but said it was important not to let it boil as that formed crystals in the mixture. Once both ingredients had fused together remove from heat and add a teaspoon or so of the bicarbonate, mix together and it will froth up. The empty the mixture on to baking paper and leave to cool until hard. Not exactly sure about quantities. Hope that helps :-)
    Posted by slb85 on 14/10/2008 14:56:00
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  18. I am trying to find a recipe that was on the tv tonight HOKEY POKEY. I have tried all of Nigellas sites & the result is no find for Hokey Pokey? Any chance you could tell me whre to find it? Many Thanks Gina. PS LOVE YOU COOKING SHOWS.
    Posted by Gina Carr on 30/09/2008 19:59:29
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