Nigella Lawson may be the queen of the kitchen, but even she is shunning Christmas dinner tradition this year.
The Cook, Eat, Repeat presenter is not cooking a turkey this week ‘for the first time ever’ as she isn’t having a family Christmas.
The 60-year-old has decided to make pork instead as she feels making the full turkey with all the trimmings would make her ‘feel what’s missing’.
Speaking to BBC’s Newsbeat podcast, the domestic goddess said: ‘I actually – and I only made the decision a couple of days ago – for the first time ever, I am not going to do a turkey – and I always do. I’m doing pork.
‘It’s not going to be a normal family Christmas, therefore I think I will feel less sad doing something that is just a lovely lunch, that takes in a few Christmas traditions from elsewhere that interest me, but (does) not… make me feel what’s missing.’
Nigella is mum to Cosima, 26, and Paul, 24, with her late husband John Diamond, but coronavirus restrictions across the UK mean that the star won’t be having the big family gathering she usually has.
She lives in a townhouse in central London, which has been hit with tier four restrictions, meaning Nigella is unable to mix with other households indoors or travel outside of London.
While she is ditching the turkey this year, Nigella suggested that others hold onto their annual traditions.
The chef said: ‘I would have thought, for many people, the strange conditions under which we live will make them want to cleave to the traditions, and not add new and different things.’
Last night, Nigella wrapped up her latest series Cook, Eat, Repeat – the accompaniment to her latest cookbook of the same name – with a Christmas special, and instead of whipping up turkey, ham and Brussel sprouts, she took inspiration from European traditions.
The show saw Nigella make a delicious centrepiece of Norwegian pork ribs, the Swedish potato dish Jansson’s temptation, and smoked salmon on black bread.
For those with a sweet tooth – at Christmas, that’s basically everyone – Nigella also whipped up Linzer cookies, pomegranate cocktails, vegan gingerbread and sugared doughnuts called appelflappen.
Sadly, nothing that could be made in the meecro-wah-vey…
Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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