A 365-day Nigella-cookalong challenge
Just so you know who you will be listening to ramble on for the next, approximately, 365 days - let’s start with me. I’m Nathan, I live with my husband and two mischievous beagles in England. Anyone who knows me knows I love to cook, and anyone who doesn’t, well, now you know too. I’m sure we’ll become better acquainted over the next year, or however long it takes for me to complete my 365-day Nigella cookalong, but for now, I think that is all you really need to know.
Why Nigella?
Firstly, I am not obsessed - well certainly not in a stalkery, attention-grabbing ‘me me me’ kind of way - but, I do find myself never endingly inspired by Nigella Lawson and all of the wonders (in both words and pictures) throughout her books, and indeed on TV. I am simply captivated by Nigella’s literary style and passion for food and, I won't sugar-coat this, am beyond jealous of the sheer diversity of Nigella’s palate; to have tried so many of this world's edible wonders is a feat I aspire to achieve, too. The only problem is: I can be a little squeamish when it comes to certain foods, and this is a flaw I very much desire to overcome in this cookalong. We all have our icons, and Nigella is unquestionably mine.
Why now?
I think it was a recent re-watch of Julie & Julia that inspired me to do something with my passion for cooking and writing. This is not a ‘lockdown project’, I am - in fact - now more busy than ever; working nine, ten, sometimes eleven hours every day running my own business. But, the knowledge of knowing that at some time throughout the day I will be trying something new, brings comfort and determination to power through and balance work with doing what I love. In the end of the day, we still need to eat, and whether I chaotically flutter about the kitchen improvising after an already stressful day at work, or I walk my way serenely through a Nigella recipe, may make little difference to the sustenance I receive - but it makes a big difference to my emotional wellbeing come bedtime! I tend to cook to the full quantities stated in the recipe (unless they are written to feed small gathering, which currently aren’t happening), and that means I get repeated satisfaction on leftover-days, plus the added comfort of the low-effort required to simply re-heat them (if even necessary!). Therefore feeding two birds, with one scone.
The cookalong
I consider myself to be a cook of moderate proficiency, but I am increasingly noticing the excessive repetition of many of the dishes that grace our table and the ingredients that fill my trolley each week. I believe the daily stresses of life and my anxiety cause me to stick with what's familiar, as I know it's easy and won’t cause unease. Now, I am more than grateful for the food we have on our table, but the undeniable urge to widen the choice of ingredients I use in the kitchen is at bursting point.
So, here, I embark on a journey of culinary discovery and will cook my through a whole bunch of Nigella recipes. Now, there's nothing original about this concept I am fully aware. It very much echoes the works of blogger Julie Powell and her emulation of recipes from the great Julia Child, but - this, this is my journey. Each dish I make may not follow script precisely if I have to do a little subbing here and there, but they will very much be based on a Nigella original. 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 or 3-4 times per week, so this blog will go on for considerably longer than a year; a realisation that makes me quite happy I must say.
I am not doing this in an attempt to better a recipe or presume I know better. By sharing on here, I am gladly accepting my #365daysofnigella challenge to add some organisation to my daily life and to give me something to look forward to each day when I clock off work. And for me, having worked at home for three years now for myself and by myself, clocking off can well and truly be a challenge. I would like to say that this will add some discipline to my daily routine, but how can channelling Nigella be considered disciplinary?
This is a self-set challenge to encourage us, as a household, to add diversity to our palate, and for me to escape to the kitchen each day for my moment of tranquillity in doing what makes me most happy. And, I would love for you to join us.
Note, I do not say consecutive days. I will, on occasion be away, and we will have a lot of leftovers to gladly devour between each cookalong.
