to think that Nigella has lost the plot?

[Lottapianos]

I love her - she is a terrific cook, she's completely gorgeous and has a real zest for life. Up until now I had always thought she was a bit bonkers in a campy fun sort of way. But I have just watched her cook chocolate fusilli with butterscotch sauce because 'sometimes you come in from work and just can't decide whether to have chocolate or pasta for dinner - so why not have both!'



I can handle a lot of wankery and pretentiousness and off the wall stuff around food but even I have my limits. In fact, this whole Nigellissima series has been mad - hardly any of the dishes had anything Italian about them. Will stick with her 'Kitchen' book which I adore and read for fun

[ScarahScreams]

I thought she was looking much slimmer and she is beautiful facially you can't dispute that.
But the food? No. The posturing. No. It's cringe cringe.

[wordfactory]

There's a peculiarly moden idea that anyone is the public sphere is a legitimate target for vile abuse.

It's not enough, it seems, to say 'I don't much like her shows or recipes'...

It's now not only acceptable but it appears necessary to debase everything about a person. Nothing is off limits. Even a person's child!

[MamaMary]

Sweet pasta is not new. When pasta was first introducted to Britain in Victorian times it was treated as a pudding dish. Mrs Beeton has recipes for macaroni with jam or marmalade, I seem to recall - like a type of milk pudding.

[Oblomov]

But she doesn't speak properly.
She never says normal things, like "cut the spring onions as thinly as you can"
she says pretentious things like " cut the little beauties into tantalising escalones of lovely-woverlyness". Its just ridiculous.

[SHRIIIEEEKPoolingBearBlood]

Well I'm going to try my chocolate pasta tomorrow then. Probably won't have the arriabiata sauce as they recommend.

[DinosaursOnASpaceship]

I can't stand Nigella. Honestly, she sets off my morning sickness.

[MamaMary]

And can I put in a word for her chocolate orange loaf cake - it is gorgeous and even DH can make it and it works. Mmmnnn....

[dylanthedragon]

I don't normally watch Nigella, as I find her so annoying. My inlaws bought me the Nigellissima book for my birthday and its been quickly resigned to the back of the cupboard - four pages on what is basically chocolate tiffin tied up with string and children "whooping with pleasure" at the sight of broccoli with a bit of lemon and parmesan on the top.

Only problem is, I'll need to find something in it to cook next time they come round for dinner.....

[GetOrfAKAMrsUsainBolt]

I agree with lotta and wordfactory.

[pierpressure]

Oh Lottapianos, I do agree with you. Nasty spitefullness is not necessary re her children etc. ANd if I were making a TV programme, and had any control of course I wouldnt let them film my bum OBVIOUSLY.
Get orf you are so right. Making youru first programme froma nice but not grand house in Shepherds Bush and now being a billionaires wife would make your perspective a bit different.

[pierpressure]

I have made loads of stuff from how to eat, her lamb with hoummous and pomegranates is wonderful. I dont think I would have ever used pomegranate molasses without that recipe and it is fab.

[Alliwantisaroomsomewhere]

It must be the name. Nigel Slater's wankery rivals only Nigella's.

The way

he talks and then

takes a break

after every

few words is

just so annoying

and

completely

unnecessary

especially

when he is

describing a

piece of

cake with a

fucking flower

on top of

it.

[NigellaPleaseComeDineWithMe]

dylan - the minestrone pasta worked well - makes a load and actually quite cheap - way to use up lots of excess veg from veg box - my DS scoffed it up. The Coffee ice cream looks fab - but if you don't like the idea of the brioche buns then serve in sundae dishes or in posh cones.

If you don't like her just don't watch it - it's not as if anyone is forced to watch it and she comes around people's houses checking up on what you do and making comments about your children or cooking / eating habits!!

She can come around here whenever she wants - but oddly enough she said no-one actually cooks her recipes when she gets invited around - I asked her!!

[squoosh]

Yes! And it was only boring old lemon drizzle cake too

[Chandon]

I like the slightly awkward (which is endearing IMO) kids.

Would never put my own kids on TV though!

I think she has had bad advice, and has turned into a caricature of herself. All that finger licking stuff, and weird night time fridge raiding (who does that, really?!)

But I like her recipes a lot. And am in awe of her beauty, but her voice has strangely aged, which is distracting.

I sort of love-hate her.

[ButternutSquish]

I started to watch the new series but it seems to be all about pasta and italians eat an awful lot more than that.

I lost interest when she did Nigella Express. I couldn't really understand the concept of a cooking show that didn't really show any cooking [hconfused] and she constantly kept saying that she 'couldn't be asked' to chop/cook/season something so she bought it pre-made in the supermarket. Well, I could do that..I can't be asked to make a lasagne so I'll just buy a ready meal from Tescos!

[squoosh]

I like Nigella even though, yes, she has become a parody of herself.

I like the way she writes, I like her intelligence, I like lots of her recipes, I like her sense of humour. Admittedly I haven't liked any of the recipes I've seen from her recent series but so what How to Eat is still great.

[akaemmafrost]

If you want recipes that actually work (and don't we all?) Jamie Oliver is the one, yes he's a bit irritating but his recipes WORK and they come out lovely every time.

I've always found Nigella really irritating. Grasshopper pie switched me off and that was ages ago.

[pierpressure]

asked?

[NigellaPleaseComeDineWithMe]

Yes, asked her when she did the book signing at Cheltenham a week or two ago.

[GetOrfAKAMrsUsainBolt]

The Grasshopper pie thing looked revolting.

There are always a few recipes in each book (those gnocchi roast potatoes were distinctly strange) but in the main her books are so lovely to just sit and read that I forgive her anything.

I like the kids teenage awkwardness as well.

[GetOrfAKAMrsUsainBolt]

You shouldn't have answered that comedine.

You should have just been enigmatic and made out that you and Nige were friends.

[pierpressure]

Nigellaplease, sorry I meant Butternutsquish, "couldnt be asked"

[GetOrfAKAMrsUsainBolt]

Somehow I don't think Nige ever said that she couldn't be arsed to chop something. That I would like to watch.

[aquavit]

ooh, was the meat pizza thing a sfinciuna? It sounds like it (sorry, haven't seen the programme). They are the MOST DELICIOUS THINGS EVER and were my absolutely top meal when I was a kid. The recipe my mum used (and I now use) is from Marcella Hazan, apparently it originated with some nuns from San Vito, I've never seen it anywhere else.