Wednesday 9 September 2009

IT'S AROUND ABOUT THIS TIME OF YEAR I LIKE TO GET MYSELF A CHRISTMAS COOKBOOK


People with a long-term affectionate relationship with this blog will know that this time last year I was piffling on about my genuine excitement that both Sarah Raven (MD) and Nigella Lawson (lush) had an Xmas themed cookbook out. 

This year it goes one better!!!

The veritable Queen of Christmas Delia Smith relaunches the big green christmas cookbook with A HUNDRED new recipes. 

What could these POSSIBLY be I ask you?

How can she POSSIBLY make Christmas any BETTER??

On a completely different note, I have worked out a brilliant way of pruning my wisteria using the kitchen broom. I'm telling you, it's incredible, and I will be revealing the trade secret within the next few days, so I expect at least 1000 extra hits. 


24 comments:

HappyMouffetard said...

Christmas cookbooks. Bah humbug. Every year get several Christmas editions of magazines along the lines of 'good housekeeping' in the hope that I will magically be able to make beautiful baubles and become a witty and glamorous hostess.

Victoria Summerley said...

I think I have to have it. Having sneered at the very concept of her How To Cheat book, I find I now possess one, because it's just so useful for quick ideas.

easygardener said...

I'm a fan of hers but not a fan of Christmas cook books. They make me feel tired. Perhaps they are meant to be read and not acted on!

Mark D said...

Sazza Razzas is ace isnt it and im really not a fan of christmas books as a concept, and im a scruff.

Mark D said...

can you bring out a Christmas Darwin one? Maybe recipes Darwin might have had made for him while in his lab shouting (in true horror film stylee) through the door at the person telling him his lunch was ready " I havent got time for Christmas lunch.....I'm too busy with my RESEARCH!"

emmat said...

In a spot of hilarious timing, I have just had a cross email from my boyfriend's sister saying "the Lakeland Christmas Catalogue has just arrived! I refuse to open it."

Arabella Sock said...

Fantastic! The Lakeland catalogue now your talking. I may have to order myself more klippets because you just can't have too many of them!

VP said...

Klippets? What's wrong with clothes pegs for goodness* sake?

We have this conversation with my BIL every time we see them.

I'm refusing to say the C word until December.

* = I'm thinking a much ruder word at this point, but don't want to lower the tone of this blog. Also I went to see Raymond Evison at my local garden centre last night and his gentlemanly ways are still influencing me somewhat.

emmat said...

I'm afraid I'm with Arabella on the klippets. Clothes pegs can't really go in the washing up. And klippets do just get open packets slightly more tightly shut. Sorry!

Arabella Sock said...

Plus you can freeze klippets. We never go on holiday without several of each size. They are so useful.. when your sandals get particularly stinky and sweaty you can put them in a plastic bag and seal the smell in with them with a quick klippet and then the stench doesn't get all over the rest of your suitcase! Simples.

Lia Leendertz said...

There is something cosy about a Christmas cookbook, but i hate all that count-down stuff that Delia in particular goes in for. it makes me feel a bit panicky, plus, i'm sure it's unnecessary. It is just a roast dinner, after all.
i have no idea what klippets are.

Ms B said...

A small simple christmas cookbook is acceptable, I have a perfect BBC Good Food one. What drives me into a frenzy are the magazines which show a million different ways to decorate the house, 'dress' the table, cook for all the cocktail parties that you have on either side of christmas, what to serve on the day to that huge extended family coming over which will contain a vegetarian, a vegan & possibly a couple of people allergic to nuts, what little delectable dress you must buy to attend all those office do's, ................ need I go on? Does anyone actually live like that?

All I want is a bag of klippets* wrapped up in christmas paper & a mince pie.

*other makes do exist - I have some from Ikea!

emmat said...

I LIVE LIKE THAT! I LIVE LIKE THAT! I SPEND MY WHOLE YEAR WAITING FOR CHRISTMAS!

emmat said...

PS Ms B, by a weird synchronicitous coincidence of Derren Brown-ish proportions, I was admiring a bag of IKEA own brand Klippets (TM) ONLY THIS MORNING>>.....

(there should definitely be an emoticon for 'spooky', I'm prepared to find a prize for the best one to be invented)

emmat said...

How about this?? It's a bat...

^oo^

emmat said...

I've just realised that Lia called Christmas "only a roast dinner"...

[shocked silence]

Lia Leendertz said...

And usually a slightly tepid one at that.
Mind you, this could be a sign that i'm not doing it right and really do need Delia's '28 day Christmas Countdown' in my life.

emmat said...

Yes exactly! I think (being more serious) that it probably does depend on what kind of person you are, but I find it strangely calming to be able to make quite a lot of stuff in advance so that it does end up being just a roast dinner to cook. Otherwise it's just too stressful.

The thing I love about Delia and would defend her for fiercely (though probably not go as far as sacrificing my life in jihad for her after making a suitable video extolling her virtues) is that the recipes she writes really taste like they have been in your family for generations. They won't be the most exciting thing ever, but they will make a good, delicious, reliable Christmas cake, red cabbage,....

And some of the stuff I've only tried once like Port Jelly is just amazing, 17th century bliss

Rob said...

Axe through skull: |<(:0)-K

Frankenstein: [ :-#]+[==|

Ghost: (8 O)~S~

Dawn said...

Didn't one of those annoyingly perky young chefs call Delia the Volvo of the cookery world. I love Volvos!

I might also like Klippets but the sheer enthusiasm displayed by yourself, Arabella and Ms B makes me worry it is in fact the name of a cult which will brainwash me and drain my bank account so I may steer clear.

I also LOVE Christmas. However, I let the chap do all the messy cooking stuff whilst I flounce around with pine cones, silver spray and wreaths.

Ms B said...

Ah Emma, I knew there had to be someone somewhere with the christmas mugs, napkins, tablecoth, tea towels & other sundry goods.

Now don't get me wrong, I do actually love christmas, but I have a christmas nazi in the household (I have mentioned her elsewhere). Everything, & I mean everything, has to be the same every year so realistically I don't need any added fripperies even if I wanted some.

I should really get some giant klippets - do Ikea do those?

emmat said...

Ha ha ha

okay firstly, Rob, your inventiveness definitely deserves a prize and I'm going to find you a suitably subtropical one. Frankentstein is particularly good.

Secondly, Dawn, don't be afraid, there's no commitment required to Klippets. In fact what I'd like to do is invite you, absolutely free of charge, to just come along and join in one of our "Lakeland Thankfulness Meetings". There's such a good atmosphere, lots of friendly faces, where we just take the opportunity to share what we're thankful to Lakeland for! And then Wendy, our Customer Ambassador, chooses one lucky person out of the audience to have a detailed Lakeland audit. It's so great! You can find out so much about yourself and really become a better person! And then she draws your kitchengram, to show you where you can achieve personal growth. It's such an honour to be picked by Wendy, I'm still hoping one day she'll choose me!

Thirdly Ms B I like the sound of your Christmas Nazi i know one of very similar description only she is 23. She sent me a message on Facebook only today saying "I love you like I love goosefat roast potatoes". Needless to say, her Christmas potatoes must be roasted in goose fat or Terrible Trouble Results.

colleen said...

Crikey. I've only been away for a few days and the world has gone crazy. Klippets from Lakeland? I thought they made coloured pencils.

I'm with Veep on the glory of clothes pegs.

Zoë said...

Hmmm so much and so interesting, and that's just the comments.

Love Delia's Xmas cookbook, shall definitely look the new one out and see if its worth the investment. Got Sarah Raven's tome last year, and Delia is still streets ahead.

Ordinary clothes pegs can be found all over my house, in the freezer, keeping bags of pasta or rice closed so that clumsy students and clumsier husbands don't spill them everywhere.

Volvos: better in pairs - we have 2.

Christmas: I'd happily live without it, usually have around 12 for lunch, although last year we didn't invite anyone and caused uproar - best Xmas I had in years, just me , him and the kids - no getting up at stupid o'clock to start cooking, no having to cater for faddy eaters, just do as WE pleased for a change - BLISS!

---<+++++++++]===={ a syringe

/X\(ºº)/X\ a spider

>^..^< a cat