A review by hannahmayreads
Simply Nigella by Nigella Lawson
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
Before I begin I must confess I will always be a Nigella fan, even after discovering at a recent talk she gave that we disagree on the proper way to eat a scone (jam first obviously), so there is little chance of me disliking this book though it is not my favourite of hers.
There are some real standouts - the lemon pav is perfect, the sweet potato mac and cheese a real crowd-pleaser, make-ahead mash has me intrigued and I'm impatiently waiting for the cold weather to make the spiced lamb stew with goats cheese and thyme cobbler topping and the Indian spiced shepherd's pie. The section with quick pickles is excellent, and I too understand the strange need to pickle - I think it plays on my inner preservation instincts. There are many more recipes to discover, and I know many of them will become favourites I return to over and over again.
In true Nigella style, the writing is almost poetic and will have you salivating. As always, I recommend you read this book and not just cook from it. It's half the beauty of it really. You can tell that this book comes from a different place - her children are older and so the recipes are more adult, with greater emphasis on recipes to entertain, and interestingly, more recipes to eat alone. This is no health food book, but it does feel fresher and brighter. Even the photography is light and bright.
There are some real standouts - the lemon pav is perfect, the sweet potato mac and cheese a real crowd-pleaser, make-ahead mash has me intrigued and I'm impatiently waiting for the cold weather to make the spiced lamb stew with goats cheese and thyme cobbler topping and the Indian spiced shepherd's pie. The section with quick pickles is excellent, and I too understand the strange need to pickle - I think it plays on my inner preservation instincts. There are many more recipes to discover, and I know many of them will become favourites I return to over and over again.
In true Nigella style, the writing is almost poetic and will have you salivating. As always, I recommend you read this book and not just cook from it. It's half the beauty of it really. You can tell that this book comes from a different place - her children are older and so the recipes are more adult, with greater emphasis on recipes to entertain, and interestingly, more recipes to eat alone. This is no health food book, but it does feel fresher and brighter. Even the photography is light and bright.