Women I want to be like: Nigella Lawson

occupation: cook, author

her wiki (here)

her website (here)

one reason she rocks: she's worth about $220 million and isn't leaving any of it to her kids, stating ""I am determined that my children should have no financial security. It ruins people not having to earn money." (Daily Mail)

another reason: check out this BBC interview.  She's brilliant.  "In How to Eat you said, "Cooking is not so different to literature: what you have read previously shapes how you read now". Of all the literature, gastronomic or not, what has had the most lasting effect on your style of cooking?

What I meant by that was that when you read a contemporary novel you bring to bear sensibility honed from years of reading, an understanding of the shape of the novel, much like the way you develop as a cook."

I first came across Nigella when I was cooking for one of the workers at L'Abri and had to wait for something to simmer or something.  The worker had one of Nigella's cookbooks in her kitchen so I took it down and started reading.  Her writing is fabulous.  I bought How to Eat and just enjoy sitting and reading it.  Sadly, her recipes are a little too English for me (odd tastes thrown together) and I don't end up loveing many of the recipes.  But, oh, the writing!

I DVR her shows on Food Network and gain lessons in femininity.  She is unabashedly passionate about food and her descriptive words are deliciously x-rated.  My counselor told me awhile back that I should find a group of women that I want to be like.  Nigella is near the top of the list.  She's brilliant, passionate, talented, and hot.  

One recipe I'm looking forward to trying: Pollo alla Cacciatora