365 Days of Nigella
374 recipes cooked; £6,100 (and rising) raised for FareShareUK; 1 Forever Family forged (2 dads, 3 kids, 2 dogs).
365 Days of Nigella has been devised, by me, to provide a much-needed escape from the worries of living with anxiety and the complexities they can bring to daily life. It’s a 365-day Nigella cookalong that will diversify our household palate and, at the same time, grant me the avenue to express my passion for food and write about the memories it can evoke. One of the best therapies for anxiety is to recall our feelings of love, positivity, serenity, and pleasure, and, for me, these are often - if not always – associated with food and cooking. And, of course, eating.
I define one day as one entry into this blog: it may comprise of multiple recipes, or a single recipe, but will feature my witterings of the day - at the time of posting. I aim to post every other day (3-4 times per week), so this journey will go on for considerably longer than a year - a realisation that makes me very happy indeed. The reason for not posting every day is that we do not waste food in this house and we will need the days between each cookalong to gladly enjoy leftovers.
A few pleasantries before we begin: I am not running for first place in a photo competition, and I am quite guilty of rather ignorantly throwing about punctuation, and for this (and my writing) I apologise. However, I don’t deny that there is great satisfaction to be had in capturing a dish in all its beauty. I don’t have any fancy equipment; just a phone, small windows, and a bread board and cheese board for a backdrop.
Above all, however, it’s a bit of fun and I would love for you to join me. Cooking is a joyous way to spread love and happiness and I hope you enjoy it as much as I am sure I will enjoy creating, writing and eating my way through this journey.
Day 168: fruit bowl rescue mission
A late-night fruit bowl rescue mission and a spot of midnight(ish) baking resulted in a very good thing indeed: Nigella’s Banana Bread, from How To Be A Domestic Goddess.
Day 167: fierce bitter crunch
Fierce bitterness, sharp saltiness, earthy sweetness and sweet-tangy fruitiness: Day 167 is Nigella’s Radicchio, Chestnut and Blue Cheese Salad.
Day 166: a gorgeous fusion
A gorgeous fusion of flavours from different cultures: Nigella's Cauliflower and Cashew Nut Curry.
Day 165: it’s my birthday
A damp, caramelly, maple sponge filled and dressed in a sticky, marshmallow maple and vanilla icing: Day 165 is Nigella’s Autumnal Birthday Cake.
Day 164: the autumn queen
A warmly-spiced damson purée folded through sweetened, soft-whipped double cream. Day 164 is Nigella’s Damson Fool.
Day 163: cosy comfort
As the nights draw in, this is the kind of comfort you want on your side: Nigella’s Supper Onion Pie.
Day 161: my first galette
My first time making - and eating! - a galette, and we fought through the last of summer’s brambles especially for it: Nigella’s Blackberry Galette.
Day 160: love a scone
So light and so fluffy; it really was hard to stop at just one. The best scones I’ve ever tasted, Day 160 is Nigella’s Lily’s Scones.
fundraising update
With the money I am saving through better meal planning, in this 365-day Nigella cookalong, I will donate a minimum of £20 every month to UK charity FareShare, to help fight hunger and tackle food waste in the UK.
Day 159: plumes of comfort
I could eat this daily and never tire of it: Nigella’s Spaghetti with Tuna, Lemon and Rocket.
Day 158: storecupboard comfort
A storecupboard comfort, and everything I needed to blast away yesterday’s grumps: Nigella’s Sausages with Beans and Peppers.
Day 157: chocolate and cheese
Delectably moist and gorgeously chocolatey - and that salty sour cream cheese layer makes these (without question) the best brownies I've ever eaten! Day 157 is Nigella’s Cream-Cheese Brownies.
Day 156: the new and comforting
New and exciting eating sensations; yet something so wonderfully familiar about the comfort you get from each mouthful. Day 156 is Nigella’s Roast Cauliflower with Apricot Harissa and Spinach.
Day 155: supper-saver
Boasting tender pieces of chicken and potatoes soused in orangey, piquant, paprika-red roasting juices: Day 155 is Nigella’s Spanish Chicken with Chorizo and Potatoes.
Day 154: something sweet
Continuing to bask in my new-found love of banana and chocolate, Day 154 is Nigella’s Chocolate Banana Muffins.
Day 153: every picnic needs a slaw
Gorgeous crunch and eatable by the bucketload, Day 153 is Nigella’s New Orleans Coleslaw.
Day 152: cold meat
Concluding our trio of meat-based Nigella-themed picnic foods: Mini Meatloaves.
Day 151: fried chicken for a picnic
Sprightly and slightly sour with lemon, pungent and gently heated with pepper and mustard: Day 151 is Nigella’s Picnic Fried Chicken.
Day 150: pie i love
So many foods I love encased in a short buttery pastry and baked. Truly wonderful. Day 150 is Nigella’s Pizza Rustica.