Two weeks ago I wandered into Sam Weller’s and checked out the cookbooks, where I discovered Nigel Slater’s The Kitchen Diaries, and discovered that Nigel is fantastic!
Nigel’s recipes are delicious, Nigel’s photographer is excellent (check out the site for an idea), Nigel’s life sounds interesting in diary form, and Nigel’s prose is delightful. Also, he’s named Nigel. Really, what’s not to like about him?
I like that there’s a diary entry titled, “An altogether different ham.” I like that he goes to the Chinese market and says, “Today I brought a duck home with me. I mean a dead one rather than one as a pet.” I like that he directs one to fold in egg whites “firmly yet tenderly.” I like his recipe for roast tomatoes, and the fact that he’s named Nigel.
In fact, I’m so inspired I had to photograph the produce I got at the People’s Market a la Nigel.(The tomatoes are going to be a Nigel recipe, and maybe the peaches, too.)
I’m sure Nigel would approve.