The Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slater: Read Along Thread

[Dillidilly]

Here we go people!

I thought we could start reading the Introduction from October 15th at a gentle pace to allow people to join the thread. Then all set for Chapter 1 on November 1st.

The Christmas Chronicles is currently just over £20 on Amazon. Maybe people could share all the options for those who are just joining us, who still want to get a copy.

I'm hoping this thread will be a lovely, gentle, uplifting transition into the Christmas period where we can share our thoughts, recipe attempts and inspiration from Nigel x

I've made my own cranberry sauce for years too but the problem is the quantity, with a standard pack of cranberries you end up with a couple of biggish jars of it. Then only two of us eat it on Christmas Day and it sits in the fridge for months till I end up chucking it out. Last year I did a half quantity and still had far too much. So not sure whether to give up and just buy a small jar this year.

I've had a break from the book for a few days, eking out the intro. I need to think about diffuser oils too. I normally get a Christmas spice reed diffuser from a garden centre - I have to be really careful with candles because of the cats, they climb everywhere. Last year I kept a tea light holder on the kitchen table to light when I was reading the book but even then a cat jumped up and came close to scorched fur. I like Absolute Aromas oils, might try the laurel bay.

Can I join you on this lovely thread. I have a copy but don’t think I’ve ever read it properly.

@ApplesAreTheBaneOfMyLife welcome!

@EerilyDisembodied you could make cranberry gin with the rest of the cranberries and use it for cocktails on the day!🍸🍸

Marking my place!

I got a copy out of the library the other week. Will keep my eye out in the charity shops for my own copy though.

@flowersmakeitbetter 🤞that the universe provides you with a copy!

@HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule

That was exactly my thinking!

These things have a habit of turning up if you stay patient....

I've read the intro (which I loved) and am ready for Nov 1st! I was looking up bay essential oil but read it's toxic to cats and we've just got a kitten. Now having to rethink all my Christmas scents as I was going to buy the Neom ones to go in my new diffuser to try this year. Sigh

Hello! I just finished the introduction. Dropped off the thread for a while as the whole family came down with covid. Feeling better but still no sense of smell or taste. Hope they come back soon or the recipes will be rather lost on me...

Just caught up on the thread and started reading the Intro. I remember so well the snow in 1963, showing my age now.

If feels a little strange as I am sat on the patio reading about snow in 25C. I must admit to being in Hawke's Bay NZ and not in my place of birth in Lancashire. Christmas is definitely not the same here but I do love the sun.

@FiveShelties

Just caught up on the thread and started reading the Intro. I remember so well the snow in 1963, showing my age now.

If feels a little strange as I am sat on the patio reading about snow in 25C. I must admit to being in Hawke's Bay NZ and not in my place of birth in Lancashire. Christmas is definitely not the same here but I do love the sun.

I'm in the south of Italy and know what you mean! They are (sssssh) rubbish at Christmas here and only slightly less rubbish at winter. Chuh! Winter is treated as an illness (dp is already chuntering that he's caught a "hit of cold" (it's about 24 degrees)) I think it's why I go OTT on recreating proper Christmasses. Someone on Nigel's Insta commented to him the other day that he didn't probably realize what a friend his readers feel he is, with his calm gentle writing. I think that sums him up. @HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule, looking forward to hearing about Scandi Christmas.

Speaking of Scandi, I'm about to finish The Bridge on iPlayer after which I dedicate my limited TV viewing (dp sits and watches Italian politics 24/7 zzzzzzz so I watch online and cba most of the time) to Christmas specials and cookery shows. Something about Christmas gets me all nostalgic and needing utter crap 1970s sitcoms.

Waves to people sat in sun and seriously planning Christmas 🎄
I’ve finished introduction. Hope it’s not a spoiler to say I liked the bit about his 2 mile walk to school in all weathers and the changing hedgerows. I was a bit jealous and then I remembered that I did walk through a patch of established woodland that some inspired planner had left in the middle of a housing development and loved seeing the hawthorns and leaves and the spring flowers before it felt like spring.

One day I want to travel for Christmas, and try out both the proper cold with snow type and a hot one.

@GlumyGloomer we did Florida one year, I loved it although I thought I'd hate it. The massive Christmas trees splattered about helped! And the Hallmark channel

@Geamhradh I loved The Bridge. I wish I could watch it for the first time again.

[quote longtompot]@Geamhradh I loved The Bridge. I wish I could watch it for the first time again.[/quote]
I'm on the penultimate episode and I don't want it to end. DON'T TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS (I'll have to save last episode till tomorrow)
I thought I loved Martin but I love Henrik too. I love them all. The lampshades! The kitchens! All of it.

I wouldn't dare spoil it! I wasn't sure when Henrik joined but really grew to like him.
Enjoy it tomorrow

@longtompot

I wouldn't dare spoil it! I wasn't sure when Henrik joined but really grew to like him. Enjoy it tomorrow

Finished! Oh my. 💕 So good. Am downloading all of them so can watch again and make DD watch.

Now onto genteel Christmas shows. Don't think my blood pressure could take any more Saga stress.

Hi CC book club!

It finally felt like the right weather to start so I've read the intro (he'd hate my Christmas candle). Sorry Nigel.

I'm going to make the hot spiced apple drink a day early as we have friends round for Halloween on Sunday. Looking forward to that. I also loved the sausage recipe on the 5th last year so will be planning that sometime next week.

@NigelSlatersXmasTaters hahaaa yes, he wouldn't approve of my seasonal candles either!

It smells like Christmas to me anyway and I don't like the really strong chemical smells so I do know what he means.

The best winter scents for me have got to be fire, treacle toffee, Christmas cake and sausage meat cooking smells.

[quote HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule]@EerilyDisembodied you could make cranberry gin with the rest of the cranberries and use it for cocktails on the day!🍸🍸[/quote]
I did do that once a couple of years ago but I'm the only person in the family that drinks gin and I hardly drink at all so it didn't all get used, I found it in the back of a cupboard this summer smelling funny and threw it away.

My favourite winter scents are pine, cinnamon and cloves. I found myself passing a Neal's Yard shop the other day so I went in and had a sniff of the Bay essential oil but I wasn't sure enough if I liked it to spend £15 on it. However this morning I read somewhere that burning a bay leaf gives off a lovely aroma so I stuck one on the hotplate of my range cooker. It just smelt burned TBH.

I did pick up some cheaper Christmas oil from John Lewis though, orange and cinnamon, which is nice.

I currently have a maison margeila replica by the fireplace candle lit...beautiful mellow woods

I also have their whispers in the Library one

I've just ordered a whiskey/smoke one too

Not sure NS would approve! 😀

Looking forward to the 1st

I read the introduction last night. It really is such a wonderful comfort read. I love his perspective on winter, how he embraces it and sees the positives.

I’m not a fan of warm fruit drinks, but I enjoyed reading about them.

I wonder if I could make my own bay oil?! I have a huge bay tree just outside my kitchen window. One Christmas I bought myrrh oil, thinking it would smell lovely and Christmassy. I put a tiny drop in my steam mop. The smell was horrendous and gave us all headaches.