Reading through a cookbook is very calming to me. I brew myself a cup of tea or pour a glass of wine (depending on the time of day) and I read the cookbook like a book. I review the chapter headings, read all of the notes, read the recipes and research any ingredient that I am not familiar with. Most of the time, my research includes calling my Brother to have him walk me through it. There are so many benefits of having a Brother who is Chef and research is definitely one of them. As a A-type personality, I look for ways to soothe my mind and slow it down, reading cookbooks is something that works for me!!
I have been a fan of Nigella Lawson for quite some time. I saw her on TV years ago and I was intrigued by her. She is a beautiful woman with curves, she was not afraid to spill a little while she cooked, she would eat with her hands and would pull the cold leftovers out of the fridge in her bathrobe! I thought it was fantastic!! I had never seen a show like it. She made cooking seem less intimidating and for a novice cook, that was extremely important. I started buying her cookbooks and setting time aside to watch her show.
While I was reading Simply Nigella, I could see myself setting the table for dinners where the dishes in her book would be the highlight, I smelled the ingredients cooking and I imagined how the dishes would taste. Nigella uses a flavor profile that I have begun to LOVE; ginger, chilies and lime. It brings such depth of flavor to a dish. It’s spicy, bright and savory at the same time. I also love being able to purchase a few ingredients and use them for multiple dishes in a way that taste different every time. I made two dishes from the Bowel Food chapter and one from the Beginning chapter. I loved all three dishes!!! The Banana Bread with Cacao Nibs and Cardamom was may absolute favorite. The Cardamom brought an exotic flavor to the bread. I have already received orders for Christmas, from my family, LOL.
If you have not already noticed, I LOVE this cookbook!!!! There are so many more recipes that I am going to try out and each time I am sure I will follow Nigella’s lead and pull the leftovers out of the fridge at night in my bathrobe and slippers, to relive the pleasure of an amazing dish.
Cheers!
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