Delia Smith - live webchat, Friday, 25 November 2011, 1-2pm

[RachelMumsnet]

We're delighted and honoured at MNHQ that Delia, the grande dame of British cookery, is joining us on 25 November, from 1-2pm for a live webchat. Delia's first Christmas book, Delia Smith's Christmas has been the cookery bible since it's publication in 1994 when the shops ran out of cranberries and Delia became known as the Cranberry Queen. In 2009, Delia's Happy Christmas hit the shelves with over 100 new recipes and an invaluable hour-by-hour countdown to the last 36 hours before Christmas dinner is served.

The party season is about to kick off and Delia's kindly allowed us to reproduce her own mulled wine recipe and her non-alcoholic version for designated drivers.

Delia's Classic Christmas Cake box is currently flying off Waitrose shelves. So ahead of Delia's webchat, we're having our very own bake-off: five MNHQ-ers are making the cake and Delia is going to sample a morsel of each. Find out what she thinks and send in your own questions on Christmas cookery to Delia on Friday 25 November at 1pm. If you're unable to join us on the day, send a question in advance to this thread.

[d0gsbody]

Am struggling to come up with a good way of asking this question, so apologies if it doesn't come out right...

Delia, you're here on Mumsnet but you're not a mum yourself. Yet, you have generations of daughters (and sons) who rely on your wisdom. Making a meal for your family isn't just throwing some ingredients together (ok, maybe sometimes it is) but, at its best, an act of love - I don't think I really 'got' that until I had children of my own. What has been the driving force for you to create all these amazing recipes?

PS - we'll be having your amazing Goose & Armagnac Prunes for Christmas dinner again (fourth year running now)! Best celebration roast ever. Thank you so much.

[JaxTellerIsMyFriend]

I adore Delia - your recipes never let me down unlike Nigella and everyone scoffs the lot.

There is nothing fancy schmancy, proper food/cake.

So excited about tomorrow.

[AlfalfaMum]

What would be your top recommendation for vegetarian Christmas dinner?

Also, I have to thank you for your gorgeous Spinach and Four Cheese Lasagne recipe - it's been one of our favourite dinners for years now :)

[grovel]

DELIA, you've fed my family for yonks. Thank you.

Please advise about "feeding" your Christmas cake. How much? How often? I'd like to do it lots. Can I overdo it? I suspect I overcooked the cake (marginally).

Thanks and happy Christmas!

[gazzalw]

Dear Delia
Could you come up with a new recipe for Christmas as a Mumsnet Christmas pressie....
Thank you! You are a star! Wife thinks so too ever since you spoke to her school about success many moons ago!

[mrsmortis]

Delia,

I'm another one who was given the Complete Cookery Course by her Grandma when she went to Uni and has never looked back. I particularly enjoy the preserves and make to Dowerhouse Chutney every year to give to people as Christmas presents.

My question is this: I'm in the middle of having my kitchen redone and after weeks of relying on the microwave and slow cooker I am really looking forward to having an oven to cook in again. However I know that until I get used to a new oven I am going to have a few unmitigated disasters. What do you recommend as the first things I try and cook in it (remembering that I'm only going to have a few weeks to learn how to use it before Christmas)?

Thanks,

Roz.

[MmeLindor.]

Delia,

much as I love cook books, I find I am increasingly searching the internet for recipes on blogs or websites where users can review the recipe. Often these recipes are based, however loosely, on those written by chefs like yourself.

When I use a recipe on my blog, I always credit the writer, or the inspiration (if I have altered the recipe) but some bloggers don't do this. I have sometimes read a recipe and thought, "hey, wait a minute. I know this recipe, it is from Delia/Jamie.

Does it bother you, or flatter you when someone posts your recipe on a blog?

And have you ever been tempted to write, "Oi. That is my recipe, at least link to my website" in the comments?

[milk]

Hello Delia :)

I would like to make a salad using roast chestnuts. What other ingredients would you recommend?

Thank you.

[smilesandsun]

Hi,

I've decided to make some of my christmas gifts this year and have settled on Chutney and Jam and will make up gift baskets.

I've never made either before and am wondering if you have some hints on getting good results? I'm particularly interested in bottling to last a while and have read about the wax discs but really can not get a clear idea of if they are needed or not.

Thanks

[ComradeJing]

Hello Delia, Your recipe for macaroni cheese was the first thing I ever learnt to cook by heart and I still use an approximation of the cheese sauce every week for cauliflower cheese. Thank you :)

My question. I often find that I can't make good gravy because I'm left with horrible, completely burned sticky stuff at the bottom of my pan instead of lovely pan juices. Is this because my oven is too hot? Should I just turn off the fan and use it as a non fan force oven? I grew up with an aga so these fan thingies are a mystery to me in some ways. :o

Thank you

[ComradeJing]

Oh dear... I'm about to ask a second question. Sorry MNHQ. Delia, is there anything that you find difficult to cook? Omelet is my blind spot. Do you have one?

[Ifancyanewname]

Hi Delia, I am a keen cook but do occasionally lose inspiration when staring at my meal planner trying to think of meals for the family. What do you do when you dont know what you fancy cooking, is there a fall back recipe or do you have some way of stimulating your creative juices?

[Jdub]

Hello Delia,
You are the next most important figure at Christmas in my house after Santa! I have followed the 6 week countdown you did in a Sainsbury's magazine (circa 2004/2005?) and absolutely adore your Christmas book.

I made the mincemeat two weekends ago, and was wondering whether this would be something I could make in a slow cooker?

Thank you for adding such lovely family Christmas magic to my house.

[VikingBlood]

I have been living in France for the past 14 years and have just started making my own xmas puddings and mince pies using your recipes as guidelines. As a teacher I really want to get my pupils to try some but as soon as I mention suet (and am asked to explain what it is) not a single child (or colleague) will touch it!

Question: can I use butter next year instead of suet?

[SexyDomesticatedDab]

Hello Delia I have stupidly agreed to cook the Xmas lunch at Church and the list is now about 45 people!!! Some will be veggie but I assume majority will want the turkey option. So if I need to cater for about 30 / 35 people (mix adults / children) I'm planning on getting a couple of turkeys boned out so I can stuff them (easier to carve) - how big would they need to be?

What did you think of the sketch a while ago where you had to 'sex' up your image alla Nigella stylee??

[TheSkiingGardener]

Hello Delia,

How important do you think it is to get kids cooking nowadays? I get my 17 month old cooking cakes with me but what non-cake/biscuit recipes would be good for small children to cook with their parents?

[MirrorballMoon]

Hello Delia!

Am so excited I can barely type... You have always been a HUGE inspiration to me, especially in cake baking ( I have a small cake business run from home)

Would love to know what is your favourite cake? Mine is Battenburg. I could live on marzipan

Thank you for all your fab recipes over the years :0)

[downbutnotout]

Hello Delia!

I'm ecstatic to be here - I was almost exclusively raised on your recipes by my mum and grandfather and I have a much-loved collection of your books, some new, some inherited, that are well-thumbed.

I make your Christmas cake every year but have never felt equal to having a go at the poinsettia design topping that I remeber from my original version of the Complete Cookery Course. I had to replace that book this year as it had fallen apart (yes, another one!) and the revised edition doesn't seem to show the design. Can I get hold of it anywhere else? (I don't have Happy Christmas yet - must get that!)

And I just wanted to say you're marvellous!

[gem1979]

Hi Delia,

As we are coming to that time of year again, I need your advice on something topically festive! Last year, I tried to make mince pies using a recipe which suggested not to add liquid to the pastry. So it was extremely dry, crumbled and I couldn't roll it. Does this sound right? Should you add liquid? (it was meant to be like a shortbread dough).
Thanks, Gem.

[Merrythulu]

Hello Delia,
(sorry, not read whole thread yet, as my mum came to pick up DS for his weekly outing, but will in due course,)

What do you think of this 5 by 25 thing? Do you think it should be more recipes, a younger age? Is it too little, too late? A futile attempt at getting people cooking, or just plain unnecessary? Would love to know!

[RachelMumsnet]

Delia has just arrived at Mumsnet Towers and is going to be answering as many of your questions as humanly possible over the next hour. We're also very excited at MNHQ as she's going to be inspecting our very own cakes; Over the last few days certain members of MNHQ have been beavering away late into the night and baking-up Christmas Cakes using Delia's Classic Christmas Cake Prepared ingredients box. Let's get started, welcome to Mumsnet, Delia...

[DeliaSmith]

Hello everyone, I'm absolutely here! Very excited, and raring to go.

[downbutnotout]

[DeliaSmith]

@gem1979

Hi Delia,

As we are coming to that time of year again, I need your advice on something topically festive! Last year, I tried to make mince pies using a recipe which suggested not to add liquid to the pastry. So it was extremely dry, crumbled and I couldn't roll it. Does this sound right? Should you add liquid? (it was meant to be like a shortbread dough).
Thanks, Gem.

Hi Gem, the only real problem you have here is that you're not using the right recipe. Please beg, steal or borrow one of my books, or go online and have the best mince pies ever.