Monday, October 25, 2010

A favorite cookbook

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I love cookbooks that not only inspire you to get into the kitchen but also entertain you at the same time.  How often I have gotten a beautiful cookbook only to let it languish on my shelf unloved and unused.  It's a really outstanding book that entices me to try new recipes. 

One of my favorites is Nigella Lawson's "How To Be a Domestic Goddess".  With a title like that how can you resist?  I think every women longs to be a domestic goddess at some point in her life.  I find Nigellas writing style to be funny and down to earth.  It's like you and her are chatting in her kitchen.  At the same time she gives you a hunger to bake something!  Amazingly (for me) I not only tried several of her recipes, but now they have become family standbys.

I also watch her cooking show whenever I can, she's just so much fun to listen too. Her passion really is evident and the food she cooks is not that painfully perfect dish that may sound good but looks impossible to recreate at home. Something else that I  like about her is that she is unafraid to embrace being a mom not only in her cookbook (theres a whole section on cooking for children) but on her show as well.  She talks about them all the time and even cooks with them on her show.  Her love for them is evident in the way she describes cooking for them.   I have noticed that many women in the media avoid mentioning their children because it may make them seem less sexy or attractive.  Nigella is  totally unconcerned with this and instead reminds me why I'm cooking at all.  To bring joy to my family!  My husband even likes her show which, if you have ever seen a picture of her is totally understandable!

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Some of my family's favorites are

Lily's Scones- the best scone recipe ever, my kids love having these with jam and tea after school

Lemon Raspberry Plate Trifle-  just writing about this makes me want to make it again.  A lemony syrup drenched cake sliced and then topped with fresh raspberries and then piled  with rich whipped cream and toasted almonds.  Its so easy to make and looks very fancy when put on a plate.  I make it in the summer when we have friends over or on Sunday after church.

Dense Chocolate Loaf Cake- rich and perfect with a cup of coffee

Lemon Syrup loaf cake- I'm not overly fond of lemon but this moist cake changed my thinking.

Looking through the book again I am finding so many recipes that I want to try or bake again.  Especially with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming.

1 comment:

  1. I've recently become a Nigella Lawson fan and this weekend I fixed two of her breakfasts. The cheese"cakelets" - cheesecake tasting pancakes, and the french toast which really does taste like a donut. I enjoy her - and your blog!

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