Sunday 27 April 2008

What Does Nigella Really Eat?

Maybe I have too much time on my hands, and far too many cookbooks in my cupboard, but what do these cooks really cook at home?
Nigella's first book (a hefty magnum opus) How To Eat surely should have been her defining vision. But no, she has churned out 4 or 5 more books (which guiltily I own a further 2 of them). I am in the middle of making the Norwegian Buns from How to be a Domestic Goddess, which, actually, I do accept as a valuable addition to How to Eat. I mean, a girl has got to have some fabulous baking books to rely upon to please family and friends. I think there is a truth in cakes tend to put a big smile on people's faces. And I am astounded by how many people can't or won't bake, for fear of.........well I don't really know. Anyway, what does Nigella really eat, is it from her bible of everyday eating or one of her later books where she bought some of the recipes in from other people?

But worse than Nigella, watching her credibility go from Queen Bee down to bottom of the compost bin is Delia, HOW COULD SHE????? For 35+ years she has been extolling the virtues of fresh this, fresh that, do it bit by bit, along with her, to get a meal you can be proud of. Now, either because she sees more people than not buying tins, jars, frozen boxes of ready made concoctions, she has decided if you can't beat them, you might as well join them, as her evangelism clearly hasn't worked. Or she's old and wanted yet another series on the BBC, and this was the only pitch they agreed to. Her last series was called How to Cook, a step by step guide in home cooking for beginners, and now it's How to CHEAT. This is the polar opposite of all that she has been teaching for decades. And what an excruciating programme to boot, with her "banter" with her husband and trips to the church and outings with Sister Wendy. I don't want to see Delia on the town, she's a grandma! She is not Jamie or Nigella, and trying to be just ruins all that is marvellous about her. Why why why? If it's for the cash, well was it really worth it???


Anyway back to my buns, they should be ready soon.


The proved dough What it should look like!


Cinammon Mixture , combined together with a fork

To roll out the dough to 50cm x 25cm, I did it across 2 boards!!! Works very well!


Mixture spread on and rolling it up into a long sausage shape


Once it's a long sausgae cut into 20 pieces, c 2-3cm thick. Pop into the tin.


Cook for suggested time and temperature (230C and 20mins , and you get this, over cooked on outside, and not cooked enough in middle) So NEXT TIME I wll try it on 200C for 30mins.



Serve with regulation pot of fresh coffee (for husband) and tea for the lady! Milk for children!
(I did pop it back in the oven for an extra 15mins on lower temp, 180C, with foil on top, to cook the middle that was still a bit doughy)
Overall, not bad!

3 comments:

TriGirl Thea said...

Come and do it with us then sweetpea!

Myself, Rhona and Rhona's sister Kirsty (who also has a one year old baby) have signed up for the Balerno Ladies Triathlon in October.

info here: http://www.pentlandtriathletes.co.uk/page6.htm

I am certain that they would love to have you on the 'team'. :)

And lets be honest, if a lardy mare like me can do it, you TOTALLY can my lovely. :

btw are you coming with us to the Peak in early June?

Penny said...

Delia and Sister Wendy out on the town together - I'm not sure I want to go any further down that set of images...

The buns look yummy.

Matt said...

I bet Nigella has a few Jamie Oliver books, that she works her way through!