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

Opal I am pleased somebody else remembers that program. I really like watching Nigel on TV he has a lovely calm persona in contrast to a lot of presenters.

I am sorry for jumping ahead I am on day 8. I will post more when it is the right day.

Yes I remember that programme too. Very interesting way to do an interview.

I couldn’t watch Nigel last night - I’d forgotten that the signal in this house is absolutely awful. I haven’t watched television at all since we moved here so I’d forgotten. Oh well. I’ll see if I can find it on YouTube/elsewhere.

[quote HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule]@Geamhradh just saw you live in Italy. How wonderful! I lived there for a year when I was young(er) and absolutely loved it.

If I had EB Christmas mugs I’d definitely want to use them all year round too! 🥰🥰 They’re on my ‘someday’ wish list...

I’m sorry btw if I don’t always reply straightaway, or at all, when people have directed a comment at me - I have processing issues (likely undiagnosed inattentive ADHD) and my mind is always half elsewhere. So I don’t ever mean to seemingly ignore but i might inadvertently do so...I also have a habit of flipping threads for ease and only reading the last few comments each time I check a thread so that I can half keep up until I have a chance up to properly read through, so I don’t always see all comments in order. Then by the time I see that someone’s said something to me I feel too embarrassed at the delay so I don’t know whether to reply or not.🙄🙄[/quote]
Snap @HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule ! My brain is a crazy, jumping, flashing nightmare most of the time. That's why I like nice, relaxing threads & Christmas books 🎄

Looking forward to reading today's chapter. Going to wait until it gets dark.

I love the pears, clove and orange granita pudding in today's chapter..that would be a beautiful option on Christmas Day, so light and refreshing after the heavy meal

I've put the turkey stuffing recipe on the menu for next week. I'll generally be running a week behind on making stuff. Frozen cranberries were out of stock, would I be completely mad to sub redcurrants? Otherwise I can try to get out to a big shop but it's not super simple with a two year old and no car.

@Dillidilly

4 NOVEMBER The Joy of Stuffing

MUST RESIST TEMPTATION TO LOWER THE TONE

@VikingNorthUtsire I did have a private snigger tbh...

Oh I went there too...😉😆

Saving today’s chapter for this evening. Will use the last of the apple juice to make another hot drink, using rum and amaretto this time as we’re out of brandy!🎄

Feels rather sacrilegious on this thread but I’m watching Gordon’s Christmas today and am quite keen on his pork, sage and apricot stuffing roll...might do that one!

Nigels 12 tastes of Christmas is on now! Settling in with a mince pie 🎄

Ooh, thanks, just switched it on. I have to say I didn't fancy that sausage dish (I'm not a fan of fruit with meat) but spice biscuits are a favourite in our house.

Made my Christmas cake and read today's chapter earlier.

@ExcessiveIyDisorganised I love a spiced biscuit! Well done I making your Xmas cake, haven't done mine yet☹️ I have the dreaded Covid and my taste and smell is still very faint. I refuse to make it until I can smell all the Xmas smells properly!

Really sad at not being able to watch Nigel! 😔

We’re still unsure as to what cake to make this year. At this rate I’ll be making it on Nigel’s schedule! We had decided on the Creole Cake but now we’re not sure if we even want to have a fruit cake this year at all...

We’ll see I guess!

@Geamhradh this is my Scandinavian Christmas book, and here is the first recipe I’m going to make from it this year: St Lucia buns (Lusekatter). It’s traditional in Sweden to have these delicious spiced saffron buns on St Lucia’s day (13 Dec). I made them last year for the first time since I was a child and ended up having to eat all 20 by myself as DH can’t stand the taste of yeast in baked goods and it was way too strong following the recipe. So this year I’m doing a trial run this month to see if I can eliminate that element, using a good dry yeast that we’ve not had any flavour problems with and taking the amount right down as well with a much longer proving stage instead. I’m hoping they turn out well as I love them and I love the story and customs attached to the story of St Lucia, so I really want to make them in December.

Photo didn’t attach.

I think I’ll do these at the weekend.

Those buns look delicious @HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule !

I get the Jacquie Lawson advent calendar every year, and those buns were behind one of the windows. Yum.

Just found a quiet moment, and read the chapter. Very tempted by both recipes - think I'll be having a go at both of them.

Bit too busy for my liking this week, but making sure I take a bit of time to slow down, inspired by this thread.

Have a cosy evening, everyone.

I've just looked up the Lucia bun traditions, and am now picturing you in a white frock with a red sash, and crown of candles, serving the buns to an old lady. Love it.

I've just read the stuffing chapter, I have to agree with him that I prefer stuffing to the actual meat on a roast dinner!

Oooh lovely @HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule. I'm the opposite to your husband and love the smell, taste and feel of proper yeast. I have a vague and possibly mistaken recollection of eating it raw as a child.
I have just read the 4th. Spotted I have highlighted the bit about baking stuffing separately but pouring the meat fat over it.
My British Corner Shop order came today and along with it my Paxo sage and onion. I don't like fruit in my stuffing, or meat tbh, just crunchy stuffing.
I'm also envious of those watching Nigel. I have a VPN for iPlayer etc but can't get FN. Mind you- I must confess again, Nigel on the telly isn't nearly as attractive as Nigel on paper.
He breathes in the wrong place. Look out for it! He'll pause mid-sentence where he shouldn't.

You should try the Lucia buns then, they are really lovely!

We’ve had bog standard sage and onion mix for Christmas dinner for at least the past 5-6 years, maybe longer - we’ve discovered through the years that it’s our favourite by far and we just don’t find it worthwhile to spend the effort and the extra money on fancy versions. However this year I’m going to make an extra one. Not sure yet if it’ll be Gordon or Nigel...

Just finished the stuffing chapter. The turkey stuffing sounds nice but I'm not sure where I'd get turkey mince. I could ask my butcher - he's a craft butcher but mainly sells chicken, pork, lamb and beef. I'm just not sure he'd have turkey other than at Christmas itself. And I'd prefer to try it out in advance of the big day, in case I don't like it. I definitely wouldn't get lardo anywhere so I'd have to replace that with something else. I may have raised my eyebrows when I read, "It's not difficult to track down".

@HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule your book (and the buns) look lovely. I'm assuming you grew up in Sweden? Do you live in the UK now? What's a Swedish Christmas like and how does it compare with Christmas where you live now?

I have all the ingredients for the apricot brandy but (annoyingly) they'd no large Kilner jars. I tried three different shops. They had loads a few weeks ago. I guess everyone is preserving or making Christmas goodies. I'll try one more shop tomorrow and failing that, I can order some online. For those of you who have made it already, what size jar did you use?

@Taytocrisps I also raised an eyebrow at the lardo comment! I have just got my 2l kilner jar £5 from Amazon (I know they are bad) - same price as Wilkos. Looking forward to apricot brandy :)

I liked the descriptions of the stuffings that aren't in the recipe - not sure about the turkey mince TBH as I am not a turkey fan. I want to try the other ones he describes instead!

I'm with him on stuffing being one of the best bits of the dinner though. My absolute favourite is buttery bubble and squeak, all blackened at the edges, with fried up stuffing on Boxing Day.

@Taytocrisps you can usually get turkey mince from the supermarket, I get it sometimes to do turkey chilli from our local Morrison's

Made the stuffing balls for dinner and served with kale - so good!!!

@HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule

You should try the Lucia buns then, they are really lovely!

We’ve had bog standard sage and onion mix for Christmas dinner for at least the past 5-6 years, maybe longer - we’ve discovered through the years that it’s our favourite by far and we just don’t find it worthwhile to spend the effort and the extra money on fancy versions. However this year I’m going to make an extra one. Not sure yet if it’ll be Gordon or Nigel...

We always come back to sage and onion too, you just can't beat it. Although the recipeI use is a Nigel one, from The Guardian about 10 years ago, it has pork sausagemeat in it. I can't be doing with apricots in it, I like my Christmas dinner completely savoury apart from a smidge of tart cranberry sauce.