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.

I've not got Frugal Food, but the souffle sounds really good. I'll be off to Amazon after the webchat ...

Bucharest, me too :(

Hello Delia (no no mumsnet, I haven't already asked a question, it must be your imagination) so, I am just wondering if next year I can use butter instead of suet when making Xmas pudding, or will it explode or something go off or taste odd by Christmas?

K'off Viking, she hasn't answered me and milk yet.

Who won the bake off at MNHQ?

I like Delia, I like Nigella - but who would win in a BAKE OFF???

Thanks for answering

I got one of your Sainsbury's calendars years ago and kept the shortbread recipe from it, and make it all the time. It's foolproof and delicious, so thanks.

thereinmadnesslies- www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Frugal-Food-Coronet-Books-Delia-Smith-Good-/220840402535?pt=Non_Fiction&hash=item336b1d1e67#ht_953wt_856

SDD What a question!!!

@VikingBlood

Hello Delia (no no mumsnet, I haven't already asked a question, it must be your imagination) so, I am just wondering if next year I can use butter instead of suet when making Xmas pudding, or will it explode or something go off or taste odd by Christmas?

The good thing about suet or vegetarian suet is that it comes in little globules and in the home made mincemeat recipe the very, very slow cooking means those little globules melt, coating all the fruits and peels so that when the mincemeat cools down, they're all completely prevserved in it. Without this happening, mincemeat can start to ferment in storage. So, I wouldn't recommend butter but as I've never tried it, maybe you could try it and let us all know!!

I've had another question on this, from theressomethingaboutmarie - I hope this answers that question too.

Hi Delia,

Can I sneak in at the end? I wanted to say thank you for your all-in-one white sauce recipe. I make it at least once a week and it never fails!

Do you have any ingredients that scare you off a recipe? For me it's gelatine, don't know why but it puts me right off!

Thanks milk

The MNHQ bake off or or question on what size turkey(s) to get??

Hi Delia,

Can you tell me whether I could cook a home-made Xmas pudding the day before and microwave it on the day itself, but keep it all in one piece, so we could do the brandy pouring thing onto a lovely-looking whole pud?

Thanks

read the thread Venetia! :) :o

VL think Delia said further up not to microwave the pud but steam it. If you scroll up you should find it?

How much did you pay her Viking? huh?

Thank you! I will try and see what happens.

@Bucharest

I get my Christmas book down in September (more or less when Fellatio's poncetastic thread starts) and you and Nigella sit side by side with me on the sofa till Christmas itself.......

Fawning over.....we read (and discussed at length on here) that when you have the film crew around yours, you won't let them use your toilet but insist they wee in your garden (I presume in a portaloo unless film crew wee is good for the veggies?) Is this true, and if so was it because you didn't trust them not to go rootling round in your drawers?

My Mum wants to know how you manage to make pastry and stuff without rolling your long sleeves up and taking your rings off. It drives her a bit mad when we watch you.

We are making your cake this year. We made Nigella's last year and it was a bit blowsy and nouveau.

For some reason, sleeves don't seem to matter but rings is another thing altogether! When I first started cooking for the BBC, they asked me to remove my engagement ring with the blue stone and promptly lost it. My husband spent five years trying to replace it, and finally we found the right stone, in Australia! For this reason, I will not remove my engagement ring.

Over all the years, we've had many film crews, and it's mayhem for a few weeks, but everybody really enjoys working as a team, and yes - of course they use the loo! What else would they do?

although I have a suspicion that as it's not directly recipe related, and is actually probably about politics, it might be steered clear of!

Thanks for coming in Delia and trying to answer as many questions as possible. Hopefully next time you come I'll get on sooner?

I think Delia should get some kind of MN award for answering the most questions in an hour!! Thanks Delia :)

Yes, but Venetia was asking about actually cooking the pudding the day before (where would you find the time?!). The microwave q was secondary and probably not so important.

true - she's done brilliantly! :)