Food for thought; NIGELLA'S CHRISTMAS KITCHEN WED, BBC2,8pm.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas, courtesy of the domestic goddess herself who has a sackful of bright ideas to ensure the festive season is full of fun and fabulous food.

Over the course of three tasty courses, Nigella serves up a cool Yule, which appears to be as simple as - eat, drink and be merry.

For this week's opener, she takes a trip to Salzburg to sample the delightful sights and sounds (as well as the scrumptious snacks) of the wonderful Christmas market.

But back home, it's all about stocking up. She's filling her larder with spices, fruit and alcohol and preparing for Xmas excitement by mulling, baking and hanging delicious treats on the tree.

Nigella's last-minute Christmas Cake could de-stress the season, particularly for those of us who tend to live in the last minute. No more cutting short summer holidays to infuse the cake in brandy. Another top tip is to have a selection of standby snacks in the fridge, to avoid the need to cook after exhausting shopping expeditions.

And Nigella even goes retro, reviving old favourite gravalax (something to do with cured salmon, we hear), but with a modern twist. So stop drooling, settle down and prepare to learn about Christmas the Nigella way.

CAPTION(S):

VERY TASTY... Nigella Lawson stirs it up