I have to say, living in the UK, as I do, I am slighty envious of the American frontcover of this book since it features the lovely Ms Lawson (she is stunningly beautiful afterall!)
The British version has a very artistic photograph of an aluminium steamer pot, in a very rustic setting, no Nigella!
I guess now that Nigella is married to the most prolific British art collector, it's little wonder.
That is is one of my few complaints about his book. It is beautifully structured, expertly researched and the recipes are not only catatonia inducingly yummy but Nigella's dialogue about them is as sintilating and seductive as ever she is.
What I liked so much also was that she had tried to include a wide denomination of festivals and feasts. Not all are featured, obvoiusly, the book would take eons to produce otherwise. For my own part I was a little dissapointed that Diwali was overlooked (the Hindu festival of lights) largely becuase I live in a part of Britain which has a huge Diwali festival and I have always wanted to make some of those lovely savoury and sweet nibbles (I'll research what actress and cook Madhur Jaffrey has on this and report back!) Nonetheless I was enthralled with the reach of her knowledge and it was every bit as intriging to find out about feasts I have never been to as it was to salivate on food ideas. Even slime soup is georgous and Children will love the gorily named menu!
Feast is a great cook book and won't gather dust in your Kitchen. Nigella's food is always sumptious and utterly delicious, check out her ham cooked in Coca Cola - sublime!
Just for the record, to my American cousins who may not be able to figure the lumping together of Thanksgiving and Christmas, I suspect it is because the traditional British Christmas Lunch is incredibly similair to the US Thanksgiving Dinner. Another hit from Nigella and I don't think it will spend anytime in the shadow of her other works.

I have to say, living in the UK, as I do, I am slighty envious of the American frontcover of this book since it features the lovely Ms Lawson (she is stunningly beautiful afterall!)
The British version has a very artistic photograph of an aluminium steamer pot, in a very rustic setting, no Nigella!
I guess now that Nigella is married to the most prolific British art collector, it's little wonder.
That is is one of my few complaints about his book. It is beautifully structured, expertly researched and the recipes are not only catatonia inducingly yummy but Nigella's dialogue about them is as sintilating and seductive as ever she is.
What I liked so much also was that she had tried to include a wide denomination of festivals and feasts. Not all are featured, obvoiusly, the book would take eons to produce otherwise. For my own part I was a little dissapointed that Diwali was overlooked (the Hindu festival of lights) largely becuase I live in a part of Britain which has a huge Diwali festival and I have always wanted to make some of those lovely savoury and sweet nibbles (I'll research what actress and cook Madhur Jaffrey has on this and report back!) Nonetheless I was enthralled with the reach of her knowledge and it was every bit as intriging to find out about feasts I have never been to as it was to salivate on food ideas. Even slime soup is georgous and Children will love the gorily named menu!
Feast is a great cook book and won't gather dust in your Kitchen. Nigella's food is always sumptious and utterly delicious, check out her ham cooked in Coca Cola - sublime!
Just for the record, to my American cousins who may not be able to figure the lumping together of Thanksgiving and Christmas, I suspect it is because the traditional British Christmas Lunch is incredibly similair to the US Thanksgiving Dinner. Another hit from Nigella and I don't think it will spend anytime in the shadow of her other works.

I have to say, living in the UK, as I do, I am slighty envious of the American frontcover of this book since it features the lovely Ms Lawson (she is stunningly beautiful afterall!)
The British version has a very artistic photograph of an aluminium steamer pot, in a very rustic setting, no Nigella!
I guess now that Nigella is married to the most prolific British art collector, it's little wonder.
That is is one of my few complaints about his book. It is beautifully structured, expertly researched and the recipes are not only catatonia inducingly yummy but Nigella's dialogue about them is as sintilating and seductive as ever she is.
What I liked so much also was that she had tried to include a wide denomination of festivals and feasts. Not all are featured, obvoiusly, the book would take eons to produce otherwise. For my own part I was a little dissapointed that Diwali was overlooked (the Hindu festival of lights) largely becuase I live in a part of Britain which has a huge Diwali festival and I have always wanted to make some of those lovely savoury and sweet nibbles (I'll research what actress and cook Madhur Jaffrey has on this and report back!) Nonetheless I was enthralled with the reach of her knowledge and it was every bit as intriging to find out about feasts I have never been to as it was to salivate on food ideas. Even slime soup is georgous and Children will love the gorily named menu!
Feast is a great cook book and won't gather dust in your Kitchen. Nigella's food is always sumptious and utterly delicious, check out her ham cooked in Coca Cola - sublime!
Just for the record, to my American cousins who may not be able to figure the lumping together of Thanksgiving and Christmas, I suspect it is because the traditional British Christmas Lunch is incredibly similair to the US Thanksgiving Dinner. Another hit from Nigella and I don't think it will spend anytime in the shadow of her other works.

Yum, just got this for Christmas. Only two quibbles so far. One, unlike my edition of How to Eat and How to be a Domestic Goddess this one is all in weights. Bother. I wish they would either be bilingual so to speak, or be in volumes for the North American market. I lived in England for years and never could get to grips with weights. No. 2 gripe is that I wish she wasn't so dismissive of vegetarian food. I don't eat meat, and don't begrudge her her beast. I'd like to see her give it a go.

Other than that, her writing is great as always, comfy, yet to the point. Nigella is always relateable, and I like that. The recipes mostly look great, though a few more hmms than usual (sweet potatoes with marshmallow - eeewwww). Hopefully deep fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches are not forthcoming. Finally, it was good to see her have a few more Jewish recipes. She always seems deeply (and puzzlingly) closeted about this.

Yum, just got this for Christmas. Only two quibbles so far. One, unlike my edition of How to Eat and How to be a Domestic Goddess this one is all in weights. Bother. I wish they would either be bilingual so to speak, or be in volumes for the North American market. I lived in England for years and never could get to grips with weights. No. 2 gripe is that I wish she wasn't so dismissive of vegetarian food. I don't eat meat, and don't begrudge her her beast. I'd like to see her give it a go.

Other than that, her writing is great as always, comfy, yet to the point. Nigella is always relateable, and I like that. The recipes mostly look great, though a few more hmms than usual (sweet potatoes with marshmallow - eeewwww). Hopefully deep fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches are not forthcoming. Finally, it was good to see her have a few more Jewish recipes. She always seems deeply (and puzzlingly) closeted about this.

Yum, just got this for Christmas. Only two quibbles so far. One, unlike my edition of How to Eat and How to be a Domestic Goddess this one is all in weights. Bother. I wish they would either be bilingual so to speak, or be in volumes for the North American market. I lived in England for years and never could get to grips with weights. No. 2 gripe is that I wish she wasn't so dismissive of vegetarian food. I don't eat meat, and don't begrudge her her beast. I'd like to see her give it a go.

Other than that, her writing is great as always, comfy, yet to the point. Nigella is always relateable, and I like that. The recipes mostly look great, though a few more hmms than usual (sweet potatoes with marshmallow - eeewwww). Hopefully deep fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches are not forthcoming. Finally, it was good to see her have a few more Jewish recipes. She always seems deeply (and puzzlingly) closeted about this.

I love Nigella.
I love her books.
I love her style, and her heart.
She writes like an angel.
She's brave and she's good.
Her recipes work!

Of course, I bought this book. And there is plenty that is good in it. But I think it's important to at least be able to say that there are some things which are not so good - specifically, the layout is gratingly difficult to follow, there are not enough pictures ... and there's a really noticeable amount of recycling from her other books. (She identifies each repeat - so my issue isn't with Nigella's integrity. It's just that I'd rather have a somewhat smaller book with all new material.)

If you're buying your first Nigella book or looking for one to give as a gift, I would recommend her classic "Baking & The Art Of Comfort Cooking," - not "Feast."

I love Nigella.
I love her books.
I love her style, and her heart.
She writes like an angel.
She's brave and she's good.
Her recipes work!

Of course, I bought this book. And there is plenty that is good in it. But I think it's important to at least be able to say that there are some things which are not so good - specifically, the layout is gratingly difficult to follow, there are not enough pictures ... and there's a really noticeable amount of recycling from her other books. (She identifies each repeat - so my issue isn't with Nigella's integrity. It's just that I'd rather have a somewhat smaller book with all new material.)

If you're buying your first Nigella book or looking for one to give as a gift, I would recommend her classic "Baking & The Art Of Comfort Cooking," - not "Feast."

I love Nigella.
I love her books.
I love her style, and her heart.
She writes like an angel.
She's brave and she's good.
Her recipes work!

Of course, I bought this book. And there is plenty that is good in it. But I think it's important to at least be able to say that there are some things which are not so good - specifically, the layout is gratingly difficult to follow, there are not enough pictures ... and there's a really noticeable amount of recycling from her other books. (She identifies each repeat - so my issue isn't with Nigella's integrity. It's just that I'd rather have a somewhat smaller book with all new material.)

If you're buying your first Nigella book or looking for one to give as a gift, I would recommend her classic "Baking & The Art Of Comfort Cooking," - not "Feast."

I have read all Nigella's books (with the exception of Forever Summer) and have found them both helpful reference books and fascinating reading.
Feast is a book about celebration, abundance, and communion in the literal sense of the word, after all, what is a feast without people? Nigella amply displays her giving nature, her fixation with giving to others the thing which gives her so much pleasure...food. At the same time she clearly demonstrates her selfish and culinary dark side by admiting to solitary feasts (or indeed a deux) in the bedroom and one can only be amused at such an admission.
This book is about the richness of life, decadence, indulgence almost epicurianism, evocative of bygone traditions, it isn't for the health concious nor for vegetarians as previously pointed out. I agree with Nigella on this one...given the abundance of wonderful vegetables and diversity of their flavours and textures, why try and make them into "meat substitutes" by fiddling and sprauncing? Nigella is by no means "anti-vegetarian" and evidently understands that some of her guests will not want to eat meat, so, let them eat vegetables since her groaningly overfilled table will clearly contain an abundance of these.
Nigella is obviously about richness and not for the low fat cook, however, I have never known anyone not to be able to make a lower fat version of anything, unless they are trying to be difficult. Personally (and I shall probably be shot down in flames by some for this) I have never yet seen a low fat vegetarian FEAST.
I love this book and recommend it as both a helpful kitchen aid and wonderful bedside reading.

I have read all Nigella's books (with the exception of Forever Summer) and have found them both helpful reference books and fascinating reading.
Feast is a book about celebration, abundance, and communion in the literal sense of the word, after all, what is a feast without people? Nigella amply displays her giving nature, her fixation with giving to others the thing which gives her so much pleasure...food. At the same time she clearly demonstrates her selfish and culinary dark side by admiting to solitary feasts (or indeed a deux) in the bedroom and one can only be amused at such an admission.
This book is about the richness of life, decadence, indulgence almost epicurianism, evocative of bygone traditions, it isn't for the health concious nor for vegetarians as previously pointed out. I agree with Nigella on this one...given the abundance of wonderful vegetables and diversity of their flavours and textures, why try and make them into "meat substitutes" by fiddling and sprauncing? Nigella is by no means "anti-vegetarian" and evidently understands that some of her guests will not want to eat meat, so, let them eat vegetables since her groaningly overfilled table will clearly contain an abundance of these.
Nigella is obviously about richness and not for the low fat cook, however, I have never known anyone not to be able to make a lower fat version of anything, unless they are trying to be difficult. Personally (and I shall probably be shot down in flames by some for this) I have never yet seen a low fat vegetarian FEAST.
I love this book and recommend it as both a helpful kitchen aid and wonderful bedside reading.

I have read all Nigella's books (with the exception of Forever Summer) and have found them both helpful reference books and fascinating reading.
Feast is a book about celebration, abundance, and communion in the literal sense of the word, after all, what is a feast without people? Nigella amply displays her giving nature, her fixation with giving to others the thing which gives her so much pleasure...food. At the same time she clearly demonstrates her selfish and culinary dark side by admiting to solitary feasts (or indeed a deux) in the bedroom and one can only be amused at such an admission.
This book is about the richness of life, decadence, indulgence almost epicurianism, evocative of bygone traditions, it isn't for the health concious nor for vegetarians as previously pointed out. I agree with Nigella on this one...given the abundance of wonderful vegetables and diversity of their flavours and textures, why try and make them into "meat substitutes" by fiddling and sprauncing? Nigella is by no means "anti-vegetarian" and evidently understands that some of her guests will not want to eat meat, so, let them eat vegetables since her groaningly overfilled table will clearly contain an abundance of these.
Nigella is obviously about richness and not for the low fat cook, however, I have never known anyone not to be able to make a lower fat version of anything, unless they are trying to be difficult. Personally (and I shall probably be shot down in flames by some for this) I have never yet seen a low fat vegetarian FEAST.
I love this book and recommend it as both a helpful kitchen aid and wonderful bedside reading.

As someone who has a lot of cookbooks, I must admit that I really do love this particular one. I especially love the fact that she gives 2 recipes for roasted turkey, 2 recipes for ham's and many other wonderful culinary treasures destined to be traditional fair for many people. The only reason why I did not give it a full 5 stars, is that in all honesty, Nigella Lawson did include recipes from her previous books. Too many for my own liking, but on the other hand it did not deter from all the new recipes given. Some of those recipes, like the Ham cooked in Coca cola included in book 1 and 3, did appear in this new installement, but it was modified enough to make it almost a brand new addition. Other recipes, for example, I have compared the chocolate cake recipe given in book 3, and the new one of "Feast" and I have concluded that they are different. So all in all, you are getting value in the pages. I would deffinitly recommend it for people as gifts, or for themselves.

In response to the first review, I would like to quote the author of this book as saying "My view on vegeterianism is much like my view on excercise, that it's all well enough and good just as long as someone else is doing it." (Please bear with me, as I'm relying on memory for this quote, so your more than welcome to look it up, I believe it was written in the first chapter of Christmas and Thanksgiving). I think that line does a very good job in telling us why there are simply not that many vegeterian recipes (or so many meat recipes) in this particular book.

Again, it's all about personal tastes. I am looking foreward to trying to Super Juicy Turkey, gingerbread stuffing, chocolate gingerbread, etc. Reading "Feast" really makes me enthusiastic about cooking, and really, isn't that one of the purposes of a good cookbook?

As someone who has a lot of cookbooks, I must admit that I really do love this particular one. I especially love the fact that she gives 2 recipes for roasted turkey, 2 recipes for ham's and many other wonderful culinary treasures destined to be traditional fair for many people. The only reason why I did not give it a full 5 stars, is that in all honesty, Nigella Lawson did include recipes from her previous books. Too many for my own liking, but on the other hand it did not deter from all the new recipes given. Some of those recipes, like the Ham cooked in Coca cola included in book 1 and 3, did appear in this new installement, but it was modified enough to make it almost a brand new addition. Other recipes, for example, I have compared the chocolate cake recipe given in book 3, and the new one of "Feast" and I have concluded that they are different. So all in all, you are getting value in the pages. I would deffinitly recommend it for people as gifts, or for themselves.

In response to the first review, I would like to quote the author of this book as saying "My view on vegeterianism is much like my view on excercise, that it's all well enough and good just as long as someone else is doing it." (Please bear with me, as I'm relying on memory for this quote, so your more than welcome to look it up, I believe it was written in the first chapter of Christmas and Thanksgiving). I think that line does a very good job in telling us why there are simply not that many vegeterian recipes (or so many meat recipes) in this particular book.

Again, it's all about personal tastes. I am looking foreward to trying to Super Juicy Turkey, gingerbread stuffing, chocolate gingerbread, etc. Reading "Feast" really makes me enthusiastic about cooking, and really, isn't that one of the purposes of a good cookbook?

As someone who has a lot of cookbooks, I must admit that I really do love this particular one. I especially love the fact that she gives 2 recipes for roasted turkey, 2 recipes for ham's and many other wonderful culinary treasures destined to be traditional fair for many people. The only reason why I did not give it a full 5 stars, is that in all honesty, Nigella Lawson did include recipes from her previous books. Too many for my own liking, but on the other hand it did not deter from all the new recipes given. Some of those recipes, like the Ham cooked in Coca cola included in book 1 and 3, did appear in this new installement, but it was modified enough to make it almost a brand new addition. Other recipes, for example, I have compared the chocolate cake recipe given in book 3, and the new one of "Feast" and I have concluded that they are different. So all in all, you are getting value in the pages. I would deffinitly recommend it for people as gifts, or for themselves.

In response to the first review, I would like to quote the author of this book as saying "My view on vegeterianism is much like my view on excercise, that it's all well enough and good just as long as someone else is doing it." (Please bear with me, as I'm relying on memory for this quote, so your more than welcome to look it up, I believe it was written in the first chapter of Christmas and Thanksgiving). I think that line does a very good job in telling us why there are simply not that many vegeterian recipes (or so many meat recipes) in this particular book.

Again, it's all about personal tastes. I am looking foreward to trying to Super Juicy Turkey, gingerbread stuffing, chocolate gingerbread, etc. Reading "Feast" really makes me enthusiastic about cooking, and really, isn't that one of the purposes of a good cookbook?