Nigella Lawson says we're eating mince pies wrong and missing unusual topper

17 December 2023 , 11:30

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How do you eat your mince pies? (Image: istock/Getty Images plus)

Nothing says Christmas quite like a mince pie or a slice of Christmas cake. But it seems we have been eating them incorrectly by missing out one key addition, according to Nigella Lawson.

Us Brits love our mince pies; It's estimated that we eat more than 800 million of them every single year. Some people like theirs with brandy or rum butter, while others plump for cream or custard. And a number prefer theirs without any accompaniments, perhaps washed down by a glass of mulled wine.

But that's all wrong, Nigella says - and she points to a north-south divide when it comes to eating both mince pies and Christmas cake.

Nigella made her revelation during an appearance on The One Show (BBC)

The revelation came about during her recent appearance on The One Show, when host Jermaine Jenas took the opportunity to get Nigella's advice on festive food for December.

He said to Nigella: "At the top of the show we teased the fact that you say that Christmas cake, that everyone loves on Christmas Day, should be eaten with cheese.

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"We were on board with it, and our socials and inboxes have gone crazy in agreement with you."

Nigella quickly replied, saying: "Quite right. There is a bit of north-south divide, and even though I am a soft southerner, I am very much with the north on this."

She also confirmed that the same rule applies to mince pies, responding to a comment on X which said "Cheese works well with mince pies too", replying, "Absolutely."

Fellow host Alex Jones further asked Nigella what type of cheese works best, to which the foodie replied: "Tangy, you want something sharp and crumbly." She recommended a Lancashire or Wensleydale cheese as top pairings.

While Nigella is clearly a fan of Christmas cake herself, she advised that many families ditch it completely this holiday season.

Speaking to , she said: "Much as I love a slice of dense, damp Christmas cake, especially when eaten with a slice of strong, sharp cheese, I am surrounded by those who abominate dried fruit in all its seasonal manifestations.

"If no one in your family likes dried fruit, there's no point having a Christmas cake gathering dust or just being eaten on sufferance. If chocolate cake appeals more, go for it."

According to a survey from Ocado, the popularity of Christmas cake has dropped in recent years, with one in five people who either buy or bake a Christmas cake admitting they do not enjoy it when they eat it.

Will you be giving Nigella's suggestion a go? Let us know in the comments.

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