Earlier this year, I dragged myself into the twenty-first century and began work on my first – Random House’s first – iPhone app. It wasn’t that long ago that I had no idea what an app was (I had been on maternity leave: I thought everyone was saying ‘a nap’ not ‘an app’) and so I had to throw myself in blindly and learn fast. Unfortunately, I am not blessed with technical know-how or aptitude and this – our first foray into the brave new world of all things Apple – was a terrifyingly crash schedule. Fortunately, we were working with the best, for this app was also to be a first for Nigella – her Quick Collection.

And – I can say this now that all those hours of hard work are a fading memory – it was pretty exciting stuff. I’ve worked as a book editor for several years so this was all new to me, and working with both our digital colleagues in-house and a hot digital agency taught me a lot (including a whole new vocabulary). I was involved in everything from the selection and editing of the recipes – familiar territory – to scrutinizing the wireframes (yes, I can now use that word in a meaningful sentence), discussing the design and functionality, planning video and audio content, and writing copy. We wanted a cookery app that would look clean and beautiful, that could be an indispensable tool bringing easy and inspiring recipes into people’s pockets, and that might be fun to play with too. As Random House UK’s first app it was a big deal, not least because we were also coordinating a global launch, with the app being made available simultaneously in the US and countless countries across the world (the Aussies love it). A huge project and a huge learning curve with, thankfully, a happy ending: we launched Nigella Quick Collection in April to fantastic reviews, an impressive event with Nigella at Regent Street’s Apple store and a chart-topping position. I have to say it’s a relief to be back on safe ground working with the books that I love, but what a thrill and a privilege to be a key part of such an exciting venture… maybe I’ll survive our digital future after all.

www.nigellaquickcollection.com