to be ashamed of the DM readers racist abuse of Nadiya Hussain?

No not really Gillybob and I think that's because we are more open to other faiths discussing how they celebrate Christmas, however, I just thinking hypothetically. I think my point is though you can look at any demographic and within their numbers will be those on the extreme end of the spectrum and the comments, which I haven't read, I imagine would not necessarily reflect the DM readership per se.

Exactly TerriBull

I had a look at some of the comments and was more heartened by the majority who tackled the racist nutjobs. A lot of comments just criticised her cooking. I'd agree that the royal birthday cake was pretty bad, but I'm more intrigued than appalled by the fact that she does so much Christmas cooking in advance, including the roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, parsnips, stuffing, sausages and Yorkshire pudding. Perhaps she has a Hostess trolley?

When Nadiya came on to Gransnet for a Q&A I asked if she feared over exposure given her rise to fame was so sudden and she had so many projects on the go at once.

My question wasn't answered even though I felt it was polite and reasonable.

This has happened to celebrities in the past. We build them up, we knock them down. I'm sure Nadiya is aware of this and who can blame her for taking the money and fame while it's there but given that she suffers at the hands of internet trolls it might not have been a good idea to be featured in an article about Christmas which might come across to some as jumping on any bandwagon.

Maybe she should tell her agent to be a bit more selective. She is surely popular enough now to be able to pick and choose?

Further to Gillybob's comment I'm just wondering how it would be perceived in the Muslim community if Mary Berry/Delia Smith/Jamie Oliver or Nigella Lawson were to write an article about how they would celebrate Eid
Isn't Nigella Jewish? Does she celebrate Christmas?

Just wondering

I would draw the line at reading something like Mein Kampf.
Why? Is it not best to read anything and everything and decide you dislike the content and its message rather than judge without knowing?

ps which is exactly what durhamjen is saying:
How can we direct our censure at the real perpetrators without going on the DM itself? In which case it's impossible to treat it with the contempt it deserves. except that in the instance of Mein Kampf the perpetrator is dead.

Maggiemaybe blanch and freeze! All set out in tinfoil trays ready to roast (potatoes blanched, dusted with flour and goose fat/olive oil whatever is your preference, the parsnips in whole grain mustard/honey/oil etc etc, stuffing mixed and in its dish, carrots blanched .
I would leave the sprouts until the night before as I don't like frozen sprouts.

Perhaps the DM should get in touch with me.

although some people would recommend putting the sprouts on about now

Tall Poppy Syndrome merlotgran

I will go now, you will be relieved to know; should have put all the posts into one

Oh I have only just discovered frozen sprouts Jalima and they are really very good. Much better quality (and tastier) than (so called) fresh ones.

This country houses many different religions, which all have their own customs,special days,eating habits, recepies etc, what is wrong with these people who have suggested that Nadiya has no right to put forward her ideas of how to cook a traditional Christmas dinner.(Bethlehem comes to mind!!) It's food ,she is a chef !! That's like saying only the indigenous Cornish have the right to comment on how to make pasties!! It's a dish, a receipe , for God ,( Allah, Buddiah ,whoevers) sake !!

Yes Jalima Nigella is Jewish but she definitely likes to celebrate Christmas, her tv cookery programme and and accompanying book dedicated to Christmas cooking, I have it on my kitchen shelf, is testament to that. Many people of other faiths celebrate it.

well, I have heard Devon folk lay claim to the pasty
metro.co.uk/2017/06/17/historians-reveal-the-cornish-pasty-was-invented-in-devon-and-now-theres-major-beef-6715434/
[ducks for cover]

I wouldn't be allowed to do anything with the sprouts - DH grows them in his allotment and prides himself on the fact that they go from ground to plate in half an hour. Needless to say, he's to cook them himself!

I bet they'll be delicious
(do you mean he goes to pick them on Christmas morning? Well done!)

Indeed he does - it's just behind our garden. He does tend to disappear for quite some time if we have a full house. I've noticed that this applies to a few other allotmenteers.

Merlot, maybe it wasn't anything to do with her agent.
Gransnet threads appear on the DMonline website.

The article was taken from Nadiya's new column writing for BBC Good Food so I'm sure her agent would have had a hand in that somewhere.

She probably thought, Uh Oh I'm going to have to write about Christmas and that will no doubt unleash the trolls.

Rock and a Hard Place I suppose.

People have been known to say on Gransnet words to the effect that racism is no longer an issue in this country, sometimes suggesting that non-white people are unreasonably quick to take offence or "play the race card".

In my view, that is why it is important to shine a light on any blatantly racist comments, whether online, in the mainstream media or in society generally.

One of the complaints about Muslims is that they are very stuck in their own culture and unwilling to participate in the wider culture. To some degree that might be true of some Muslims and some members of other minority groups. But it's interesting to see that when someone like Nadiya is seen to be paying attention to a British/Christian tradition, there are then remarks questioning whether she is the right person to represent a part of it.

I must admit that when I first watched her on the Bakeoff I was surprised that she was "allowed"" to take part in such a programme. Some of the foods and recipes might have infringed muslim dietary laws - don't know enough about that though.
She has a lovely personality and seems to get on with everyone.

I assume that Muslims can be practicing or non practice as with Christians i.e., born into & brought up in a certain faith but choosing as an adult to be practicing or not. Be interested to know what others opinions experiences are

maggiemaybe does your DH keep a hipflask in the garden shed? am envious of all the sprouts though, brought in with the frost on them. Yum.

Nadiha has done more for the image and general acceptance of British Muslims than anyone else. She comes across as a wonderful young lady that most of us grans would have loved to have as a daughter or daughter in law.

Well said Varian