If you’re eating your Christmas dessert with just a cup of tea for company, you’re doing it wrong — that is, according to the culinary queen herself, Nigella Lawson.

While there’s nothing quite like tucking into a huge slice of Christmas cake or a homemade mince pie a couple of hours after Christmas dinner, Nigella believes that half the country is going wrong by not pairing these traditional puddings with a certain side dish: a slice of cheese.

Speaking on The One Show, she told host Jermaine Jenas that there is a ‘bit of a north-south divide’ when it comes to eating Christmas cake with cheese, which is a long held tradition up in Yorkshire.

‘Even though I am a soft southerner, I am very much with the north on this,’ she said.

Over on X (formerly Twitter), Nigella confirmed that the same “absolutely” goes for mince pies too.

On which cheese is the best accompaniment, Nigella told The One Show that ‘tangy’ cheeses like Wensleydale or Lancashire made for the best pairings.

‘You want something sharp and crumbly,’ she said.

And Yorkshire folk online have confirmed that this is indeed a winning combination and in fact, not much of a revelation, with user Ruth Maxwell-Hudson saying it’s been ‘normal forever’.

‘The people of Yorkshire are responsible for many great things, but none greater than this,’ added Doulgas Hardie.

‘Christmas cake and Wensleydale,’ said Sarah Tyler. ‘A compulsory combination for me, it’s gorgeous.’

But, not everyone is on board. ‘Not convinced,’ wrote Gareth Douce.

‘Nope why ruin a nice Christmas cake with cheese,’ wrote Elaine James.

So whether you’re from the North, South – or the Midlands – which side are you on?

Source:
courtesy of METRO

by Ella Glover

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