Nigellissima

[Alison Wright Profile]

I guess most people already know Nigella is back with a new six-parter Italian series.
An attractive picture of her with rather thin shoulders on the front of the Radio Times - they have denied air-brushing it.
http://www.nigella.com/news/view/nigell ... n-bbc-2-82

Matthew Fort in the Grauniad reviews the book which accompanies the series.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/ ... sfeed=true

[hungryhousewife Profile]

My husband showed me that picture and asked me if I knew who it was! I guessed it was Edwina Curry!! Sorry Nigella!

I expect she'll be releasing a diet book next!!

HH

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Well, I do like Nigella.
But there wasn't a single thing I wanted to make - as per usual.

The meat-zza looked particularly awful.

And her use of raw herbs, like oregano, (did she use raw thyme?) were a put off.


After reading M Fort's review, I'm very tempted to try Locatelli's version of the busiati al pesto trapanese if I can run down a recipe. It's not in his Tony & Giorgio book

[Lou Profile]

I have to say. If that image is not photoshopped I will be sucking spaghetti in all my photos, she looked much more voluptuous on the TV last night.

I was not keen on the mesat-zza either, it looked like a heart attack waiting to happen.

My delightful boyfriend, who can cook nothing above a bacon sandwich, decided that the cheesecake was not classed as cooking (goodness knows how he thinks I make mine!), and that “pasta with a sauce thrown on” is not worthy of being presented on a TV show.

I think his judgements were a tad harsh, I would be interested in giving the eggs in purgatory a go, it looks great for a rain sodden Saturday afternoon hiding indoors.

And yes Gill, I think she did use raw herbs to strewn on her steak.

[Joanbunting Profile]

I watched for ten minutes or so and was very underwhelmed. I finally gave up when M came in and wondered who the gruesome woman was . When told he said he hoped I would never use any of her recipes. I have in the past actually

[OneMoreCheekyOne Profile Website]

I like Nigella but wasn't too impressed with last night's recipes. I also agree that the meatza sounded odd.

Did anyone else think her voice sounded odd too? Like she had aged about 20 years? If anyone watches Friends and knows what Joey’s agent ‘Estelle’ sounds like... she reminded me of her!

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

I always think her accent is odd OMCO - as though she's slightly sloshed.

It's beyond a clipped polished voice. Can't quite put my finger on it.

[dennispc Profile]

I was interested in the way she did chips but then fell asleep. OH said there was nothing she wanted to cook and we do use Nigella's recipes from time to time. Hey ho, just another excuse for a book.

[mismatched Profile]

I was not impressed by any of this weeks recipes but I will probably continue to watch the series.
Liked the new kitchen ( where ever it is)

[kari49 Profile]

i found her very ott, and looking to smug with herself for my liking which is unusual as i normally dont mind her, will persevere for next couple of weeks see how it goes karen

[Alison Wright Profile]

I was underwhelmed too - there was nothing she made which interested me. But I'll probably watch other eps in the hope she comes up with something inspiring.

Glad she's cut back on the smiley, pouty posturing & come-hither eyes - it might work in the states - but not here! I just can't take her seriously.

[mark111757 Profile]

watched the first epi....the jury is still out......maybe after the next one or two.....

the last series (nigells kitchen, i think) was shown on food network here in the states and was throughly (or however you spell it) hacked to bits for commercials and what not......the one time i saw it on FN i was SOOOO disappointed....the only good thing was that the FN website was really good about putting up the recipes from the show.....

[Dena Profile]

Oh dear, poor Nigella. OK so she, with Sophie Dahl and a few others aren't really chefs and I don't often want to cook their recipes but (imho) both of them look good and I would watch them (whiling away the odd half hour) rather than Marco Pierre White, JO, Gordon Ramsay and other chefs of that ilk.

I watched it today after S.K. and even though I don't like or cook unbaked cheesecake I was quite taken with the hazelnut one I saw this morning and thought I might try it.

[Alison Wright Profile]

Did anyone see Points of View today? I've just watched the recording & lesleylove got her POV messageboard comment mentioned on the programme.

Except ....... not in it's entirety! They missed out "Though not the pouting" & "I fell asleep towards the end, it was that riveting"

(message No 13 on the link)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbpointsofview ... ad=8383213

[cooksalot Profile]

Oh dear - not many folks like Nigella, it seems!
I don't mind her at all. She doesn't claim to be a chef, just someone who loves to cook (and eat!). I don't like ALL her recipes but do use her books often and find she comes up with a lot of useful and sometimes inspriational ideas. When I watch her programmes I feel as though I've been invited into her kitchen while she cooks the dinner.

[Happy Violas Profile]

I'm a fan of Nigella's books and have quite a few which I regularly use (last night it was storecupboard orange and chocolate cake using a jar of my home made marmalade .... delicious!). Having said that I was entirely underwhelmed by the 'Italian' programme. Not tempted to buy the book at all. Maybe I'll try again ... but it would be hard to better her previous books .. Feast is excellent.

[hungryhousewife Profile]

Yes, I agree, I quite like Nigella generally, and I like her approach to cookery, but I feel this is a bit of a 'desperate' book, and not one for me - like JO 15 mins!

Funnily enough, I bought Nigella Bites ages ago, as a friend gave me the most incredible orange ice-cream from it. It is one of my most splattered and dog eared books! Great for simple family food - Also, if looking for a good baking recipe, Domestic Goddess (Charity shop £2.50!!) is always pretty good, and gets used quite a lot.

However, I have to say, I rather liked the look of her coffee ice-cream this evening, so sitting here eating my words!

HH

[Dena Profile]

I can't see anything wrong with the way she looks, in fact I expect there are a great many women who would like to look like her. I think she looks great for someone in her 50's.

I have been watching the episode shown after S.K. and she had the spelt spaghetti, - which I am going to try, and I am definitely going to try the uncooked sauce, olives, anchovy, pine nuts, garlic, parsley, lemon zest and juice, oil, what's not to like? I have some squid ink pasta, I think it would go well with that too.

I quite often pick leaves from my herbs and chew on them, also use them to sprinkle uncooked on food. Not sure I would like that amount of uncooked thyme or oregano, though, but then I haven't tried it. Have just seen the mock mash talked about on the food board, can't quite see why it was used.

I'd love to be invited to one of her suppers.

[Lavoisier Profile]

Just made the youghurt 'ciambella'...


The proportions did sound a bit bizarre, but I thought I'd give it a go.
In the oven, it looked OK at first, but then it fell back miserably into a greasy, heavy, weird stodge.
I tried a little piece just to know what it tasted like... just revolting, over-sweet, and with an unpleasant sour aftertaste.

Never again!