Nigella was worshipped in our house while we were growing up, by the whole family (although not all for exactly the same reasons), and her ‘How to’ books are still the first place that I search for simple and delicious recipes. So when my sister and I heard that she was going to be chatting to Alain de Botton about the meaning of food at an event run by The School of Life, we were pretty bloody excited.
Here are my 10 favourite (paraphrased) snippets of Nigella from that evening:
1) People think of cooks as nurturing souls, when in reality we’re usually quite controlling.
2) There’s something wrong if food is the most important part of your dinner party.
3) on Alain de Botton – if you were a vegetable, you’d be a green bean. And shortly after – there’s nothing wrong with green beans, I like green beans.. these are the kind of questions the Sunday supplements ask.
4) On staying with friends – I always take my own food in case I get hungry, I can’t stand to be at the mercy of others when it comes to eating.
5) On the 22 minute lunch break – it’s not necessarily about how long you take, it’s about sitting down together and experiencing each other as people, not just colleagues.
6) Even if you’re not the most distinguished cook, remember that at the most basic level by feeding others you’re keeping them alive.. try not to give them food poisoning.
7) Quoting her mother – I don’t know why you’re so shy, no-one’s interested in you anyway.
8) On being healthy – our understanding of healthy is always changing, a few years ago we thought margarine was healthy.
9) Quoting Oscar Wilde – everything in moderation, including moderation.
10) The older I get, the more I feel that memories are so much more important than things.
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