This weekend, The Observer crowned domestic goddess Nigella Lawson their “Queen of the Kitchen” in Observer Food Monthly. In an interview with her royal highness, Nigella was asked if she considers herself a feminist. “I feel the answer to be so self-evidently a 'yes,' I am almost baffled by the question,” she replied. The straight-talking TV icon went on to explain that her bestselling book How To Be A Domestic Goddess was not intended to imply that a woman’s place is in the kitchen — as many critics suggested — but, rather, to show that “feeling comfortable in the kitchen is essential for everyone, male or female.” Nigella is concerned that women feel a sense of "dread" in the kitchen that comes from a desire not to be seen as stuck behind the stove. “How can this be good for anyone?” she asked. “To denigrate any activity because it has traditionally been associated with the female sphere is in itself anti-feminist.”
So, how are we to maintain our self-respect in the kitchen? Journalist Rosamund Urwin has come to the rescue with
The Five Rules For Feminist Cooking.
“It’s easy to understand why some opt for the ready meal over the ready-in-an-hour meal,” Urwin sympathizes. “But it’s perfectly possible to have Delia sitting on your shelf next to Dworkin, the Domestic Goddess beside the Female Eunuch.” Wondering how? We'll give you a hint: Stop. Baking. Cupcakes. (
The London Evening Standard
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Photo: Via The London Evening Standard.