Wednesday, June 5th

Jubilee Celebration

In honor of the fiftieth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's ascension to the throne, I thought I'd pen a column about the most recent British invasion. No, it's not music this time; no Mick or Paul or Dusty. It's food.

I know that sounds unbelievable given the eons-old perception of British food: heavy. Stodgy. Tasteless. In fact, when I went to England only six years ago, I thought the following items, in order, were the greatest contributions of the English people to the worldwide food scene:

1. Cheese, particularly super-sharp Neal's Yard Dairy Cheddar.
2. Bass Ale.
3. Smarties.

(My trip did not change that list in any way.)

Recently, I have become aware that there are more and more British tastemakers in the food arena. Jamie Oliver burst onto the Food Network a couple years ago when he seemed to be only twelve; now he is married with a child, and on his second show, called "Oliver's Twist." Pret a Manger, the Conran-inspired sandwich-takeaway shop, is poised to take Manhattan by opening no fewer than ten stores there in the next year. London, home of bangers and mash and the deep-fried Mars bar, is now a hot restaurant city, with many rising-star chefs and its own Conde Nast-sponsored buzz.

For my money, the number-one arbiter of the new British food sensibility is without a doubt Nigella Lawson. Ms. Lawson is everything that the royal family is not, despite the fact that her father was Chancellor of the Exchequer (no, I don't know what that is) under Winston Churchill. She is beautiful, witty, modern and a hell of a cook. Thanks to E! Entertainment's diligent advertising efforts, I was well ready to tune into "Nigella Bites" from the very first episode, and I was absolutely entranced. For the first time in my life, I WANTED to buy a cookbook by a British author. I WANTED to be the kind of hostess Ms. Lawson seems to be; effortless and graceful, she can make a three-course meal in time to have her friends over after work!

Needless to say, I am not the only one who has seen her. The New York Times' Amanda Hesser saw her too. Ms. Hesser reported that the footage that runs during the credits of each show, during which Ms. Lawson sneaks into the kitchen in her p.j.s and stealthily eats leftovers in the light of the fridge, was unappealing because it smacked of gluttony. For me, it smacks of realism. (I probably weigh more than Ms. Hesser, I must admit.)

To me, Ms. Lawson's attitude towards food is refreshing because it is so very un-American; to her, the pleasure and sensuality of cooking and eating is enough reason to cook, and eat, what she wants, when she wants, size six be damned. She is not interested in the idea of deprivation. Her books are full of ideas for food with texture and contrast, and many of the recipes are not written with moderation in mind. She embodies the new ideas about British lifestyle and cooking that are beginning to emigrate from across the pond. Ms. Lawson celebrates her talents, her family and her friends every time she goes into her kitchen, which I think is the healthiest and best attitude one could have.

Because this is a piece about celebration, you will see that the recipe to the right of your screen is not for food at all, but for one of my very favorite drinks. A variation on this drink was featured on the "Trashy" episode of Ms. Lawson's television series — she prefers the daiquiri version — but I wouldn't call it trashy. It's pink and icy and fresh and perfect for a summer party in your backyard, or for a fiftieth-anniversary party for a Queen in a newly spicy country.