Nigella Lawson - live webchat - Tuesday 13th December 1 - 2pm

[RachelMumsnet]

It's time for our final Christmas cookery webchat, and you won't be disappointed.... We're thrilled that the domestic goddess herself, Nigella Lawson is joining us at MNHQ for a live webchat on Tuesday 13th december at 1pm.

Just as Cranberry-Queen-Delia caused a shortage of fresh cranberries, 1996 saw the sales of goose fat rocket after it was championed by Nigella as the essential Christmas cooking ingredient. So if you want to know how to make the perfect roast potato or discover the secret to a succulent turkey, join us next Tuesday or send a question in advance to this thread.

Ahead of the webchat, we've been given permission to share Nigella's recipes for cranberry sauce and chestnut stuffing, both from her book Nigella Christmas which is now out in e-book format.

[NigellaLawson]

@nursenic

Happy Christmas Nigella.

Like you,I am a collector of kitsch cookbooks. My first was 'Are You Hungry Tonight?', a collection of interviews of and recipes by, Elvis's nearest and dearest. My latest find is 'Biker Billy's Hog Wild On A Harley Cookbook' and The 'Little House On The Prairie' cookbook. I can also recommend NPR's 'Kitchen Sister's Hidden Kitchens food/recipe book.

What is your favourite kitsch cookbook?

Sneaky second question-Have you tried the NY Cheesecake recipe from the 'Juniors' cookbook? It surpasses Lindy's.

I have some of the books you mention, but not all and I want them ALL. I am about to investigate and to aright this wrong!

So hard to say what my favourite kitsch title is, but quite keen on the cookery book from the World Wrestling Foundation called 'Can You Feel the Heat?'

[down2earthwithabump]

Hi Nigella. I am a big fan of you and your cooking/cookery books. I can't tell you how many people ask for recipes of your chocolate guinness cake, so I could thank you for that alone... esp as the last one I made raised lots of money for Macmillan . And for teaching me how to do Christmas successfully for my family the first time I hosted 5 years ago, when I sat crosslegged on our bare floorboards in between decorating the room, to learn, learn, learn!

My question to you would be how you balance the wonderful bountiful recipes and cooking with not becoming obese? I love that you cook with "real" ingredients and don't shy away from butter etc... but I am also slightly concerned that I don't know the full story so how do you balance it all, because whilst being curvaceous (a good thing) you always look great! Do you spend all non-cooking time at the gym?

Many thanks.

[NigellaLawson]

@worldgonecrazy

If you're cooking for just yourself, what is your favourite meal for a comfort-eating-stuck-at-home evening?

Would you like to join my campaign for bringing champagne coupes back into vogue??

Sorry that's two questions - I got a bit carried away.

Easy: rye toast drizzled with Mellow Yellow cold-pressed rapeseed oil, with a peeled soft boiled egg squished on top with lots of coarsely ground white pepper and sea salt flakes. I know it's breakfast, but it is the most heavenly supper too. I feel safe and happy eating it any time of the day.

[NigellaLawson]

@MistressofPemberley

Nigella, I don't really have one single question for you, I just wanted to sycophantically fawn a little. You are my cooking and lifestyle idol.
I bought How to Eat as a treat for myself 11 years ago after my first 'proper job' interview. I love your style of writing; witty, erudite and so passionate. The book (now part of a huge collection) is still my most used and most read. Eleven years later, it has kept me company and held my hand through various slimming campaigns, dinner parties, evenings of eating on my own, Sunday lunches, baby weaning days and children's parties. It's an old friend- quite simply the best cookbook I've ever read. Thank you!

Thank YOU - and thank you to everyone who has written such lovely things

[lubeybaublely]

Hi Nigella, I have long been a follower of the website and TV programmes but only recently bought three of your books, Kitchen, Christmas and Express to keep and refer to more easily

What are your personal favourites from those three?

[NigellaLawson]

@Jux

Hi Nigella, how lovely to have you here.

Some time ago, I went to a butcher which I don't generally use and got a brace of grouse. They were really tough old birds and we didn't enjoy them much, which was a shame as I love game and wanted to convert my husband. Obviously it didn't work!

What do you think would be the best way to cook grouse, partridge or pheasant of unknown provenance to ensure it is successful.

(We have a brilliant butcher we use every day, but on the above occasion he was in hospital and the shop was closed. The butcher I used instead assured me that the birds were young and tender. I've never used them again, surprisingly!)

Lucky you if you don't like grouse, as they are expensive and rare! I don't know if I can lump all those game birds together as they don't necessarily need to be cooked the same way. I am not mad about pheasant but like it enough when casseroled with apples and cider; grouse and partridge I think are best roasted. I sometimes like to put a little mascarpone, red wine and chopped rosemary or thyme in a grouse before it goes into the oven, although for me, just smeared with butter or goose fat and 20 mins or so in a very hot oven is perfection.

[bagelmonkey]

Hi Nigella

What would be your desert island ingredient or meal? Mine would be bagels. :)

[dolceebanana]

Nigella, I must say, Christmas really starts with you and your festive programmes...am also a great fan of your books, and those little cashmere cardi's you wear...We do your Turkey, and gingerbread stuffing, and Buche de Noel...all very scrummy indeed.

[NigellaLawson]

@AgentProvocateur

Nigella, I love your books. I don't often cook from them, but I love reading them in bed and imagining what I would cook if I had more time.

I'd like to make some sort of savoury nibble/biscuit in advance, so that I can offer it to any guests who drop by for a wee sherry! I once made very thin biscuits with, I think, Parmesan and carraway seeds, but I can't find the recipe anywhere. What would you recommend?

PS Nothing with dried fruit, please!

Well, my cheese stars always go down well (and there should be a recipe on www.stylist.co.uk) but I do also have a slightly more grown up and truly delicious blue cheese biscuit in Domestic Goddess (I think)

[NigellaLawson]

@BlackSwan

Hi Nigella, there's a gaping hole in my roast dinner repertoire... I cannot make a palatable gravy. If there is a foolproof method I would certainly appreciate you sharing it!

Yes, gravy is a difficult thing and I have had to apply myself, though along the coffee, it is not something I feel very confident about (I conclude brown liquids not my thing) but what I have found is that gravy is very much better if you don't concentrate too much on the oven dish method, but work hard at the broth making bit. So for turkey, I make a spiced stock with aromatics plus giblets etc, and then can make the gravy in advance (very important for my state of mind on the day) but I often make onion gravy which is a good way to go, and delicious when made with a bit of cider.

[NigellaLawson]

@BelleEnd

Now look, Nigella. All these other posters, they say they're fans. They say your recipes are the nicest, you have nice jumpers, their husbands like your hair etc etc. But let me tell you. D'you remember about a decade ago, there was a craze of wearing t-shirts with 'Kylie' or 'Madonna' or 'Britney' in big sparkly letters across the front? Well I had one specially made with 'Nigella' in huge purple 50s writing. And I wore it for three years until it fell apart in the wash. Thus, I am your biggest fan. (Please don't worry. I'm not as weird as I sound. And lots of women nodded knowingly at my boobs when I wore that shirt.) :o

My question- The reason I, and a lot of people, love your recipes is that they're often easy, without a list of obscure ingredients, and a lot of them have a kitsch quality that really appeals. But I was wondering if you'd come across much snobbery about kitsch, easy food in cheffy circles?

Thank you for your recipes, your inspirations, and your melt-in-the-middle chocolate puddings x

Thank you! And funnily, when I went on Have I Got News For You, I went on with a t-shirt with Delia written in glittery cursive!
Yes, I think I am much looked down on in cheffy circles. But I am unapologetic about being a home cook rather than a chef, so all is fine!

[LizLemon]

My goodness, but I think you have saved my life in the kitchen more times than I care to remember. It's been a joy to pull out How to Eat lately and visit the pages for a children's party, which were so irrelevant to me when I bought the book :) Also my 2 yr old son has a habit of saying "there's mummy on the picture" whenever he sees your books, so I am delighted with that too!

My question is with regard to reluctant husband cooks - is there a good, solid recipe that you know can tempt a male to providing food? Once a week would do me...

[NigellaLawson]

@NigellaLawson

[quote worldgonecrazy]


If you're cooking for just yourself, what is your favourite meal for a comfort-eating-stuck-at-home evening?

Would you like to join my campaign for bringing champagne coupes back into vogue??

Sorry that's two questions - I got a bit carried away.

Easy: rye toast drizzled with Mellow Yellow cold-pressed rapeseed oil, with a peeled soft boiled egg squished on top with lots of coarsely ground white pepper and sea salt flakes. I know it's breakfast, but it is the most heavenly supper too. I feel safe and happy eating it any time of the day.[/quote]

PS I am v anti-flute and actually working on some fab designs for champagne saucers, ie coupes, right now; they are lovely as glasses for spoony type desserts

[BigEmma]

Can I squeeze a quickie in? Just wondered, do you agree with your Dad on Climate Change or are you worried about it?

[NigellaLawson]

@LizLemon

My goodness, but I think you have saved my life in the kitchen more times than I care to remember. It's been a joy to pull out How to Eat lately and visit the pages for a children's party, which were so irrelevant to me when I bought the book :) Also my 2 yr old son has a habit of saying "there's mummy on the picture" whenever he sees your books, so I am delighted with that too!

My question is with regard to reluctant husband cooks - is there a good, solid recipe that you know can tempt a male to providing food? Once a week would do me...

My sound man was converted to the kitchen instantly by my linguine with raw sliced mushrooms with garlic, lemon and thyme (it's in Express, but also on nigella.com) so why not start with that?

[RachelMumsnet]

Thanks so much to Nigella and for all those who sent in questions

[NigellaLawson]

Thanks for so many great questions, not all of which I've been able to answer. But wanted to say thanks and bye!

[HoHoOpotomus]

love you Nigella for the coke ham, union square nuts and clementine cake. It's so good to have these basics I can make at drop of a hat, without a recipe book to hand. no question - just hello, you're lovely

[Jux]

Thanks for answering my question. We can get grouse relatively easily here and it's not that expensive (cheaper than goose certainly! but that's mainly because it's a lot smaller).

I'm going to chat to my butcher about what to have for Xmas, though he suggested duck last week, but I'm quite keen to capitalise on DH's liking for the pheasant we had on Sunday (I agree, pheasant isn't anything like so good, but it's a start).

Partridge is harder to get here than anything else, but I might ask my uncle if he's going out shooting.....!

[worldgonecrazy]

Think I am going to faint - I can now say that Nigella is backing the "Bring back the Champagne Coupe" campaign! :)

[IReallyHateMyCat]

Nigella didn't answer my question. I have died a little inside

[midnightexpress]

Ahem. I believe that champagne coupes are regarded as 'not so good' by Those Who Know because the bubbles dissipate much more quickly than in a flute.

Depends how fast you're drinking it I guess.

Your waiter won't be able to carry as many coupes either though, so it's swings and roundabouts.

[BIWIshYouAMerryChristmas]

I'm so sorry that I missed this. Drat that Real Life! But thanks to Nigella for answering loads of questions, and thanks for answering mine too.

But we still don't know if she's a MNetter ...

[worldgonecrazy]

midnight I know, but they are a lot more fun than flutes, and to be quite honest, the champagne doesn't hang around long enough for a notable loss of bubbles. It does affect the flavour somewhat, and seems to suit demi-sec champagnes better than the very dry ones. I am having a lot of fun experimenting with the different champagnes.

You can't wave your hand around quite as much with a coupe but the overall aesthetic is a lot more pleasing, and that is half the pleasure of champagne.

At the risk of outing myself, I started experimenting with the different glasses last year, really struggled to find anywhere that sold them. I a happy to note that Harvey Nichs have started using them in their champagne bar too, so I think there may be a trend back towards the coupe in the not too distant future.

The ideal glass for a champagne, from a taste view, is supposed to be a fat tulip shape, slightly narrower at the top than in the body of the glass. Given how most people quaff it down, I don't think it matters.

Bringing back the coupe is about bringing out the fun side of champagne, not getting all serious about the glass shape.

[JaxTellerIsMyFriend]

She didnt answer my question either ihatemycat so we can sulk together.

But its ok, Delia did and suggested a recipe.