Today is my 200th blog post and I have two teaser announcements to make…
She may not have featured that much on my blog thus far, but if you were to take one look at my cookery book shelf you would be in no doubt who my favourite cookery book writer is; Nigella Lawson.
Maybe ten kilos of eight books, probably two thousand pages of work. That’s a lot of recipes, I haven’t counted them but assuming each book includes at least 80 recipes (and several of her books feature well over a hundred), she’s published WAY over 600 recipes.
It’s high time Nigella was celebrated a bit more in the food blogosphere so I’ve come up with my very own Maison Cupcake event to pay tribute to her. I hope that lots of Nigella loving food bloggers out there will want to join in.
I’m being a terrible tease but you’ll have to come back here on December 8th to read what you need to do to take part.
There will be a few easy rules (boo!) and there will be prizes (hurrah!)
In fact, there are going to be a lot of prizes around here this month. Christmas is coming early to Maison Cupcake!
That’s right, twelve days of Christmas giveaways right here. I have some very exciting prizes lined up and it’s all going to kick off here on Monday 6 December.
But today we’re taking it easy, in denial about Christmas for a bit longer with these Nigella pumpkin scones.
Like Christmas, the snow is something that Ted is really starting to understand this year.
Two days ago he ran to the window saying “It’s raining!” and then “It’s white rain!”
“What is it Ted?” I asked… then smiling when he replied very innocently, “I’m not sure…!”
Mercifully for me at least, Ted’s playing in the snow has been confined to the preschool garden… I am not a fan of the white stuff and being the daughter of a ski instructor, this has been a source of despair to my father as I might have spent years swooshing around the slopes of Courcheval rather than hovering around department store displays of kitchenware.
Taking after his mother, it seems Ted likes looking at snow more than playing with it. (He also loves shopping.)
Far more up my street is to warm my hands by the fire, or preferably the oven with some nice cakes or scones baking away.
These pumpkin scones were the first outing of my copy of Nigella’s new book “Kitchen” and probably my third or fourth item which I managed to glean out of a single can of Libby’s pumpkin puree.
I’ve not made scones for years and it was even easier than I remembered. These took under 45 minutes from start to finish and in this weather, you’ll want to eat them whilst they’re warm.
Scones are best on the day they are made but if kept in an airtight tin, a quick 15 seconds in the microwave will send them back to that just out of the oven softness.
So consider these little pumpkin beauties a little teaser for the forthcoming Forever Nigella event. Since they are so perfect for these snow days this week and to spread the Nigella love I am submitting them to Julia Parsons’ Snow Day Bake Off at A Slice of Cherry Pie.
These pumpkin scones are featured in Nigella Lawson’s “Kitchen: Recipes from the heart of the home” and a version of them appears on Nigella.com here.
Prizes? Did someone mention prizes? What do you think this is? Christmas?
I love Nigella! A great event. Those scones look terrific.
Cheers,
Rosa
Congrats on you 200th post! Cant wait to see all the delicious Nigella recipes you come up with.
*kisses* HH
GORGEOUS photos. The lighting is lovely.
Thank you! I used a tripod and lots of tin foil!
i hit 200 in another 5 posts and my motto is 2 do tht before the end of this year..hopefully il get 2 do it..
and isnt the snow such a bummer..i am so glad i go on vacation in another 3 days..well if the flight takes off that is 🙂
look fwd 2 all those prizes and the event too:)
I shall watch out for your 200th soon then. Hope you managed to get away on your holiday.
Ooh Sarah you are a tease! I love Nigella and Christmas so I cannot wait for all of the treats you have in store for blogland!
Ahh Ted looks so precious in the snow, bless his little mittens!
Morwenna xo
How lovely to hear from you and naturally I know how much of a Nigella fan you were as it was she that brought us together in the first place!
A big contrats on your 200th post! What a milestone! Those pumpkin scones look delicious! I LOVE anything pumpkin, so I will have to give these a try as I’ve still got a few cans of pumpkin in my pantry. Out of curiosity, does Nigella tell people to use canned pumpkin? Just wondering since it can be hard to find in the UK. Perhaps if us bloggers keep on posting all these delicious pumpkin recipes we can force more stores to carry it – and year round!
Nigella most certainly advocates cans of Libby’s though I recall she probably gives instructions for making your own if you can’t get it.
I seriously need to get my scone on. I wouldn’t mind some pumpkin scones with sage butter and cheese, but pumpkin puree has yet to make its’ way to my neck of the woods.
Look forward to learning more about the Nigella challenge!
Ocado do it!
Ocado do it! Hope to see you taking part in Forever Nigella!
Pumpkin scones, yum, they sound and look delicious. Baking has been one of the few things that’s kept me warm this week and these might be my just the thing for lunch tomorrow! Really hope I can get hold of pumpkin puree though as it will save quite a lot of ‘faff’!
Congratulations on your 200th post. I am a Nigella fan too. Glad to follow you.
Thank you!
Congrats on your 200th post and am looking forward to your reading about your fabulous new challenge!
I love Nigella books but have to confess I’m not too fond of her shows!
The scones look, and sound delicious. I’m glad getting pumpkin is quite easy these days thanks to Ocado!
I know what you mean about the shows but I’d sooner watch Nigella than Nigel Slater any day of the week.
That is the cutest picture ever. He looks like he has a secret. Congrats on 200 fabulous posts!
It is his cheeky face – I have an even better one of him on his scooter.
I adore Nigella….I have one of her books on every birthday and Christmas list since I got my Domestic Goddess bible one year a looooong time ago. I shall be back to participate 😉
Welcome! And I hope you are able to join in with Forever Nigella!
Congrats on your double century! Looking forward to some Domestic Goddess action the next few weeks. I dont have any of her cookbooks here as didnt get time to scan them before I left Oz, so if I could only buy 1, which one would it be?
Ah we’ve discussed this on Twitter now but my personal favourites are Nigella Express, Nigella Bites and How to Eat but there are things I really love in all of them.
I stocked up on my libby’s pumpkin puree as soon as I saw it in Waitrose! I am glad you are a convert. Usually English people look at me aghast when I say something sweet has got pumpkin it in (but usually change their minds when they eat it!). I have this Nigella book too and must try these scones. They look delicious. Can’t wait to read about your event.