Here's How Nigella Lawson Has Spent Quarantine
While beloved chef and writer Nigella Lawson has won her household-name status through her warmth and relatability, the food-world celebrity is actually shy at heart (via the BBC), and after some hardships in her life played out publicly, she's also become a more private person (via the Irish Times). So perhaps it's no surprise that Lawson has been thriving in the slower-paced quiet of quarantine life. In an interview for The Guardian, the star said she has found the past year "wonderful, which I know sounds awful. But I'm very happy not having to fill up my life going to things. I very much like having no public life."
Presumably, part of Lawson's quarantine routine involved writing her latest book, Cook, Eat, Repeat. The collection of essays and recipes debuted in the United Kingdom in October and will be available in the United States on April 20 (via Twitter). Quarantine living necessitated some quick changes for Lawson to make for the book, like revising an essay about dinner parties to instead focus on the overall value of dinner.
Other than writing, Lawson relished little rituals, like a cocktail and snack to reward a day's hard work. Once again, the star proves her refreshing relatability. She told The Guardian she liked to end her writing sessions by relaxing with a Campari and soda, and "that fantastically retro thing of putting crisps in a bowl. It's so great! Taking pleasure in food is not just about cooking – it's about thinking, 'I've got myself something delicious'."
Lawson knows how to make solo dining special
One skill that undoubtedly came in handy for Lawson's quarantine lifestyle is her ability to make solo dining feel special. As The Guardian reports, the author's two children are in their 20s and live on their own, so Lawson had her home all to herself while sheltering in place. That doesn't mean she deprived herself of lovingly made meals or the importance of mindful cooking and eating.
Lawson has offered helpful advice for treating yourself with purposeful cooking in many of her books (via Starts at 60). Just this February, she tweeted, "I'm a great believer in the importance of cooking for oneself when eating alone. And #RecipeOfTheDay is one of my favoured solo suppers: Poached Chicken with Lentils and Lardons. It's easy to make, and sustaining physically and emotionally."
Lawson has also shared her belief that taking the time to cook yourself a lovely meal can be truly good for the soul (via Nigella Lawson's website). This could be a game-changer for many of us when it comes to healthier, happier quarantine living, and it explains a lot about how Lawson's past year has been a rejuvenating rest she valued.