Which nigella?

[toothbrushhead]

I’m hankering after reading an old nigella- I borrowed one from the library once and enjoyed reading it but the only one I own is “Simply Nigella”

Which one would you buy from her back catalogue?

Feast is her best imo. But also use domestic goddess a lot.

I love her Christmas one. I’ve made a lot of the recipes and they turn out very well.

How to eat is the best.

Kitchen has the most variety, but Feast is a gorgeous read with lovely family recipes.

Feast is the one I use most, followed by How to Eat.

The Christmas one is good too though I prefer Delia's.

How to Eat is my most used one,but I also like Feast.

Domestic Goddess is good for sweet things, Feast is good for everyday meals.

I really like her new one, At My Table, too. Got a few things earmarked to make this week already.

My money's on Feast.

How To Eat - her first and I think her best. I go back to it time and time again. I also like Nigella Express and Domestic Goddess.

I love the Christmas one and also use Domestic Goddess quite a bit too.

Have just borrowed Feast from the library and it looks good.

I don't recommend the Italian one.

I think Forever Summer is underrated. There's some lovely recipes in there - the Fattoush and zaatar chicken, the keralan curry, the chocolate and raspberry pavlova. I like reading the ice cream chapter and dreaming (I have no space for an ice cream maker).

Which recipes would you recommend from at my table? Also have kitchen on the way

I use how to eat a lot as my go to bible for basics and it’s massive, so it’s got loads in it. Also find it invaluable to plan a menu based on the feel I’m going for, using the weekend lunch and dinner sections.

I also have Feast (great for seasonal recipes, which I admittedly use out of season) and Domestic Goddess.

My DM really rates Feast but I like Kitchen and there are recipes in there I have cooked so often I know them off by heart. Like the jerk chicken and the Swedish Summer cake.

Feast

I also like Express

The Christmas one is my favourite.

The rest are great and I particularly like Nigellissima.

How to eat is my most used, closely followed by domestic goddess.

I like domestic goddess, kitchen and feast. Also use her nigella express lots.

I have every book Nigella has ever written (some of which have literally fallen apart and been replaced, I love them so much) and consider myself an expert. Plus once Nigella tweeted me so in my view that means we’re best friends.

Having established my credentials, here are my recommendations in order

1. Feast. My favourite cookbook of all time. Lots of options from huge set piece meals through to simple meals for two (and indeed one). Also lots of variants on the core recipes included which is great. Worth buying for the sake steak recipe alone which I must have made 100+ times. The Georgian feast is also awesome in its entirety (roast stuffed chicken, cheese bread, melon and relish)
2. Forever summer - absolutely beautiful food. Not just for summer but slightly lighter options (in quantity and richness rather than in calories!)
3. Nigella Christmas - also not just for Christmas IMO. Great choices here for entertaining including lots of very simple and delicious canapés
4. Domestic Goddess - baking and cake focused but also some great trifle recipes. I think this is the one that has the raspberry and lemongrass trifle which takes ages but which is honestly a magnificent pudding
5. Nigella Express - bit underrated, lovely ideas in here. All very quick. The ready pancake mix suggestion is genius and has made many a weekend breakfast easier
6. At My Table - I do like this although am still working through it. The lamb stew is immense
7. nigella Kitchen - I do like this and the Korean turkey mince recipe is a firm favourite. My only quibble with it is that I cannot work out the order of the recipes and the chapters are a bit random. This is such a minor criticism, I know!
8. nigellissimma - good recipes, maybe slightly simpler than most of her books. A bit carb heavy for me tbh although some of the recipes are sublime (pasta with marscapone and Marsala was a fantastic accompaniment to leftover roast pork)
9. nigella bites - it’s good but it is a tiny bit gimmicky. This is the book that’s heaviest with photos of Nigella flicking her hair and licking her fingers etc. I choose to believe Nigella’s editor added all these photos in without her knowledge

10. Simply Nigella - worth buying but for me, this is not really in keeping with the rest of her books ... it’s a little too restrained in its simplicity for my taste. Simply Nigella and Nigellissima represent the two extremes of Nigella’s cooking I think 11. How to eat - this is heretical but it’s definitely the one I cook from least. It might be though because my copy has no photos and I really prefer books with photos

Thank you Sylvia!

Between Christmas and some second hand buys I’ve now got at my table, kitchen and nigella bites (was doing the cola ham for Christmas so needed ...

Enjoying my meal planning this week!

How to Eat is her best book, in my opinion. I use Nigella Express a lot, though...