Delia's Happy Christmas [Hardcover]

Joy to the World. I was really looking forward to my new Delia Happy Christmas book and it doesnt disappoint. I have the original Christmas book too so was probably wondering at first, like others, would this be much different? Well Delia has really managed to ring the changes with this one, and it has brought us right up to date. It looks very elegant, very cool, calm and collected. This is one book to have with you before, during and probably after Christmas too, so many excellent entertaining recipes and ideas. New and old recipes, classic favourites and new twists all in one place. Lots of hints and preparation tips which will be particularly handy for the generation that Delia refers to, who havent cooked Christmas dinner before (and still a good reminder to those of us who have, many times!). I love the armchair shopping section too - if like me, you like to shop online, lots of great sites for your Christmas essentials.
Christmas just isnt Christmas without some of Delia's mums sausage rolls, hot from the oven, so do yourself a favour and make up a batch soon, grab a pad and pen and relax and plan your festivities. Cheers!

Delia Smith's first Christmas book (published 1990) is the King of Christmas Cookbooks. Now she has brought out a new cookbook, containing some recipes from the old, and a hundred new ones too. Does this short-change her readers?

I think this book is a great acquisition. Unlike some of the other humbug-ish reviewers here, I relish the chance to try some new Delia Christmas recipes, and I think they are totally characteristic of her excellent style. (One reviewer complains many of the recipes here appeared in a WHSmith Xmas special Delia did in 2003 and 2004 but for those of us who don't have copies handy, most of what's in this book will be new.)

Plenty of things have changed in the two decades since the first book was published and the hundred new recipes in this book reflect that. For example, people eat a lot less meat. Out of eleven recipes in the vegetarian section, only three come from the 1990 book. A new watercress soup, a vegetable pie, a different cheese terrine, a macadamia and pistachio nutroast. These are just one example.

The sections with the most duplication are the classic sections like Christmas cakes and puddings and the preserves, which is sort of understandable as it is difficult to think up innovation there. But even in cakes modern life has arrived - the Dundee cake recipe has disappeared, and there are two delicious sounding recipes using Panettone, the Italian Christmas cake now widely available in supermarkets.

Lists of suppliers have been updated, as have menu suggestions now stretching to every meal from Christmas Eve to New Year's Day. There's also a lot more party food, and more choices of main course for those whose palates are too posh for turkey - including a slow braised belly pork recipe which should also please credit crunchers. And for those Scots who had been feeling a bit neglected, a new Hogmanay section gives a Scots trifle, a crab soup and a Haggis pie recipe for Hogmanay.

If I have any criticisms of this book its that in such a lush book, with high production values, there isn't a picture of every dish! Which is especially mental when it comes to puddings, which you NEED to see pictures of! No photo of the Chocolate Chestnut log so you can work out how to create the bark effect?? Come on!

But apart from that, the more time I've spent flicking through the book the more I'm surprised at the negative reactions of some Amazon readers. I will not be able to get rid of the old Christmas book as how would I manage without its recipes, the ones not reprinted here, such as Roast Ham with mustard and demerara crust, and Port Wine Jelly?? But this new book is great, really inspiring, and makes me look forward to Christmas even more than I already was.

I, like another reviewer, was waiting for the release of this book with anticipation. Although it does have many recipes that are in the original book and some from the WH Smith specials, there are some new vegetarian recipes which are useful. ( I only wish she had included some vegan ones) New seafood and Hogmany dishes.

It is useful to have all of the recipes together in one book and for a generation new to Delia and perhaps cooking at Christmas for the first time it is an excellent book.

The book looks very appealling and although could have done with more photographs, it is still a good book for dipping into and reading in the run up and planning stages of Christmas.

I had perhaps expected more, but overall a nice and useful book to have at this time of year.