I think either you like Nigella or you don't. I'll confess straight up, I do. I like her writing, her "if I can do it, so can you" attitude, and how she is steadfastly unapologetic about her love of kitsch and use of "store-bought". There is plenty of both in this cookbook, but there are also some surprises, such as the Pumpkin and goat cheese Lasagne. With a collection of festive cocktails, lots of easy canapés, and even a schedule for your Christmas Day lunch countdown, Nigella offers all sorts of tips to get you through holiday entertaining without losing your mind.
Having been a fan since the days of How to Eat, which didn't even have a little author photo on the back cover, these more recent cookbooks with Nigella smiling at you from every other page do seem a little excessive (although they must also contribute to her excessive sales), but if you are looking for a Christmas kitchen bible (with a confession on the first page that she is, "simply put", a heathen), then this one will not disappoint.
Published by Knopf Canada, 2008.
