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.

...And if you join in the webchat, you will be entered into a draw to win one of four signed copies of Delia's book Delia's Happy Christmas or one of five Delia's Christmas Cake boxes... will announce the winners at the end of the webchat...

@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!

The old Christmas book is still available on Amazon, but I've just done a new, step-by-step how to decorate online, for Waitrose. So have a look!

Hi Delia

So glad to see you here!

I really really really don't like fruit cake or Christmas Pudding perhaps because I am American and didn't grow up with it? Anyway, some of my family will be here for Christmas from American and I was wondering if there was some other very British sweet I could make instead?

(psst, Rachel, does that mean if we join from now, or do the earlier posted questions count as joining?)

@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)

My favourite cake is preserved ginger cake, in a book I did in 1972, but it's also in the Complete How to Cook.

Delia,

My first buy when I moved to the UK from France was your How To Cook books...

at your answer to Gem1979. I'd like to make some Christmassy cupcake-type cakes for someone who is allergic to wheat. Could you suggest anything?

Hi Delia - your books are my bibles.

Is there anything you really don't like to or can't cook. And what is your favourite recipe?

@southlundon

Hi Delia!!

I shan't ask a footy-related question as much as I want to (having watched them play really well at Old Trafford earlier this season - I was in the Stretford End!), so this is my question:

Is it too late to start on a Christmas cake?

No, it isn't too late to make a Christmas cake, and you really do need to get the cake pack from Waitrose because everything is measured out and ready to go, you just need to add a few more things. Good luck, I know you'll like it!

@flakemum

So pleased its Delia my most used book is also complete cookery course. Shortbread and scones are my downfall I would love advice on those pls.

Try my shortbread, made with semolina. You?ll love it. I think it?s on Delia Online, if not drop me a line. Scones are dead easy, with one big rule: don?t roll the dough too thin, it must be at least ¾ inch thick before you cut them out. And of course, you must use the right recipe?

Hi Delia

I love your books and the accompanying tv series. Do you plan to bring out any new books and tv series anytime soon.

Your christmas recipes are the best ever and are religiously used every year in our household.

Thank you

What is your must have food for Christmas? Mine is pigs in blanket as it is the only time we have them, but I would like it to be a more sophisticated food type

@fluffyanimal

Hello Delia,

My mum and I are great fans! Please can I ask: if I make a Christmas pudding according to a regular recipe, must it be boiled again on the day, or can it be microwaved? In other words, are microwavable Christmas puddings made any differently from traditional ones? I'd love to make my own pudding, but on the day itself I don't usually have enough rings on the hob left to boil the pud, so I usually buy one that can be microwaved. Hence, can I make my own and still microwave it, without needing a special recipe?

Thank you so much!

Afraid so! Microwave is death to a real proper pud, maybe okay for factory version, but after all thyat slow steaming, producing all those wonderful flavours, the answer is no. As far as the hob is concerned, I would ditch one vegetable in favour of steaming the pud. We only have roast potatoes, parsnips and brussel sprouts.

@Scritchy

Hello Delia ,

For some unknown reason, I make the world's worst gravy. It either ends up lumpy, seperated or so thick you could slice it up and eat it on a cream cracker. It's my turn to make Christmas Dinner this year and I really don't want to cop out and buy a fresh gravy the day before so are you able to shed any light or pearls of wisdom on how to make the perfect home-made gravy?

[curtsey]

:)

If I could achieve one big ambition, I would like to give the whole world some gravy training. I have done it on TV, and I have written extensively about it in my books, but it still comes up over and over.
So, here goes! When you've removed the turkey, or whatever you're roasting from its baking tin, you're left with fat and juices. When you tip the tin, they separate, with the fat at the top and the juices underneath.
Spoon off the juices into a bowl, until you're left with about two tablespoons of fat. Now add a rounded tablespoon of plain flour, and work the flour into the fat with the back of the tablespoon, until you get a smooth paste. After that, add a little stock from time to time, whisking now with a balloon whisk after each addition of stock. All you need to do is be quite vigorous with your whisking, and when all the liquid is in, you'll need one, to one-and-a-half pints for a large turkey!

Then, bring it up to simmering point, and watch it thicken. Then, strain it into a serving jug. If you have any lumps, which you shouldn't, remember that's what sieves are for. Do try and look at it properly in one of the books.

@AtYourCervix

Oh. My. Goodness!

Hello Delia.

When I first moved out my mother bought me Delia's complete cookery course. It has been so much used it has fallen apart! I still can't cook but that has more to do with my goldfish-like attention span than the book !

Anyway........What to ask Delia?

When making cakes do you lick the bowl?

Thanks very much.

When I was a child, I always licked the bowl, and the spoon! When I got a bit older, and was watching my weight, I trained myself into not doing so. But I still quite like the taste of raw cake.

@JaxTellerIsMyFriend

Hello Delia

I made your Christmas Cake last year and it went down a storm in this house with everyone except my daughter who just doesnt like rich fruit cake.

Could you please suggest a recipe for a non fruity but long lasting cake that can be decorated with marzipan and icing so that DD doesnt miss out?

Thank you, oh and if you would like to come and 'do' Christmas dinner at my house I will happily supply the alcohol Turkey.

Thanks.

In my Christmas book, I have an Italian recipe by Anna Del Conte for chocolate Christmas cake ? and it?s brilliant.

hello delia

how can you get the perfect roast potato for christmas lunch and which type of potato works best?

thank you!

@reastie

I'd like to know if you always cook christmas lunch yourself for your family and if you enjoy it or find it all quite stressful like us plebs ? Any tips on how to make it less stressful gratefully received

Yes, I do always cook the Christmas lunch, because I have this thing about wanting it to be how I want it to be. I do enjoy it, but as the years go by, it gets more stressful - because it is, after all, you know, the biggest feast of the year!

The only advice I can give you is my own step-by-step instructions called The Last 36 Hours, because these really do help enormously and even I have to follow it.

Hi Delia,

Lovely to "see" you here... are you going to have time to answer some of the earlier questions? I was probably a bit over eager and got my question in right at the top of the thread Pretty please :)

I'm going to try the semolina thing in shortbread. I want to make some for ds's teacher and my first attempt was woefully inadequate.

Hello Delia
Do you eat anything with your Christmas cake or just have it as it is? My mum says she always used to eat it with cheese as a child, but I can't get my head around that.
What's your favorite thing to go with Christmas pudding?

Hello Delia, we found out recently that my youngest has a nut allergy, now my Christmas cake is made (your recipe of course) but I can't marzipan it but I want to still ice it, can I just pop ready to roll icing on top?

@ohmygoshandgolly

Delia, you are a huge inspiration and I know that your recipes are always reliable. As a result, your books are the ones I use most frequently.

So, what do you cook when you have a 'I can't be bothered to cook' day? Or does that never happen?

If I really don?t want to cook, one of the best treats I know is a pork pie, fresh as possible. So always take it from the very back of the shelf. At home, all it needs is crusty bread and homemade piccalilli.

Delia, have you ever thought about doing a meal planner book for busy families, so that you don't end up buying odd things to use for one recipe ?

@shouldnotbehere

Delia,

I have your How to Cheat book, but I don't use your recipes for everyday meals, as the ingredients are too expensive, I'd rather just peel my potatoes. However, to make life easier when entertaining, I do use the beef bourguignon, goulash, and eton mess recipes. They are all delicious, and nobody has ever wised up to this. They work and are delicious, nothing can really go wrong, and I don't mind spending a bit more on ingredients, as it's a one off.

Thank you for your Christmas Cake recipe, I used this recipe to make my wedding cake.

What is your favourite easy to cook, and cheap recipe? We have been affected by the recession, and I am always economising, and don't like to spend long cooking, in the week. I currently do a lot of bulk cooking at weekend (lasagnes, meatballs, ragu sauce, caseroles etc), and then defrost and heat as our ready meals in the week.

Thank you

Jane

P.S. I loved your lets me havin you. I thought it showed that you are a spirited lady, and not the sweet mellow 1950s housewife, you are sometimes portrayed as. Good on you.

Our own favourite easy to cook and cheap recipe at home is to make a really delicious omelette. Mostly with cheese. But it's the easiest thing to do after a hard day, and I like to serve it with a salad and some good bread.

I am noting that you're finding it difficult having been affected by the recession, so I want to say that next week on Delia Online, linked with Mumsnet, we're doing recipes for Christmas in a Crisis, and I'm very excited about how much money we've been able to save, and still get a really good Christmas.