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 love stuffing but I am veggie. Our Christmas dinner is a nut roast based on sage and onion stuffing.

I like his idea of the stuffing balls as the main part of a dinner but it requires some sort of vegetable roasted or something else? Any ideas?

The pears sound nice too, but don't like how they could be unpredictable to cook. And it's a dish which could be done any time of year

@StormyCornishSeas

I like his idea of the stuffing balls as the main part of a dinner but it requires some sort of vegetable roasted or something else? Any ideas?

The pears sound nice too, but don't like how they could be unpredictable to cook. And it's a dish which could be done any time of year

I’d probably do a medley of whatever green veg I have to hand on the day, sautéed - sprouts, leeks, spring onion, Savoy cabbage, petit pois. Usually have all of those. Served with crushed garlic potatoes and gravy. I might plan this for weekend after next, actually. Although we don’t have any turkey mince and we’ve recently done our meat run so I’m not sure I can justify picking it up for the sake of it. Might do a minced pork and smoked bacon version instead.

Huh. Didn’t actually mean to quote that!

@Taytocrisps I’m Danish but there is a lot of crossover with traditions and customs in Scandinavia so everyone is sort of aware of what most people in the other countries/regions do, and there will be many of the same or very similar customs too, regardless of which country you’re from.

My grandparents also lived in Sweden for many years and my mum and her siblings grew up there. Our Christmases when I was a child were Danish though.

I don’t know if you read about it but here is a beautiful video of a typical Saint Lucy procession of lights in a church, and a choral performance to mark the day. 🕯🕯🕯

m.youtube.com/watch?v=vl6o4mG25Ec

I hope the link works!

I will write something up about Christmas back home but I’ll have to wait until the mood hits me and it feels right - it might sound very silly but it’s extremely nostalgic for me and I want to properly do it justice. Sounds mad when I write it down...


I’d probably do a medley of whatever green veg I have to hand on the day, sautéed - sprouts, leeks, spring onion, Savoy cabbage, petit pois. Usually have all of those. Served with crushed garlic potatoes and gravy.

That sounds lovely especially garlic spuds

I was all set to make the apricot brandy tonight, bit even my largest pan was too shallow to sterilise my 1.5L kilner jar. I've ordered some 1L ones, hopefully those fit.

5 NOVEMBER
Fire and baked pears

@GlumyGloomer

I was all set to make the apricot brandy tonight, bit even my largest pan was too shallow to sterilise my 1.5L kilner jar. I've ordered some 1L ones, hopefully those fit.

You could sterilise it in a dishwasher.

Just read the 5th November chapter. That marmalade pear recipe sounds right up my street, I may have to try it.

I love bonfire night and disagree with him on fireworks as I love them but I haven't been to a display for years as my DDs are too young.

I just sterilised by filling it with boiling water and swooshing it around. I don't have a dishwasher.
@HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule, I know exactly what you mean- I remember writing on here on a thread years ago about one of my Christmas Eve memories, (I was about 6) and it was so personal and nostalgic. Not sure I'd write it on MN now, tbh. Though maybe on this lovely safe thread.

I have put your book in my Amazon basket. Am incorrigible.

I probably won't be doing anything with pears. Weird things. I remember reading, can't remember who, that pears are nice for a window of about 24 seconds, before which they'll knock your teeth out and after which they've turned into gritty mush that you eat with a spoon.

I like pear juice oddly.

I love pears but that is so true . When I get a glut of overripe ones I make a pear upside down cake which the whole family love.

Just read today's. I do like fireworks but we aren't going to any this year. One DC isn't keen (autistic), the other would go but our local display isn't on this year.

Nigel says he can't remember the last time Fireworks Night coincided with frost, it has been mild here the last few years but we have had three frosts this week with a beautiful one this morning.

I sterilise jars by washing and rinsing in hot water then drying in a low oven.

Beautiful frost! That photo would make a lovely Christmas card.

Well this looks a bit pathetic - a huge jar less than half full! Realised too late that what I thought was a second, full bottle of brandy in the cupboard left over from last Xmas was actually some other random spirit and no good, so I have halved quantities and will top it up later.

I read the chapter too. We don't celebrate Bonfire Night here in Ireland but Hallowe'en is huge. Fireworks are illegal but you'd never know it judging by the quantity of fireworks going off during the month of October. I'm kind of torn on the subject. The patterns are really pretty and I used to love the colourful displays and excitement when I was a child. But I know they're very upsetting for pets and I heard a guy on the radio during the week saying that his pregnant mare aborted a foal because of the trauma.

Sorry, not very Christmassy. On a happier note, I got the right size Kilner jar for the apricot brandy and also picked up some really cute Christmassy sugarcraft sets for sticking on fairy cakes. And I'm going to order the Advent book tonight. I'm planning some new bookshelves soon and at the rate I'm going, I'll have to devote one whole shelf to Christmas books. Which is no bad thing .

I put mine away every year, I like getting them out again. I keep my Christmas recipe folder out though, had it for at least 10 years.

We get our turkey from Riverford, delivered on Christmas Eve with a veg box, my traditional way of spending the evening is to make dough for cinnamon buns for breakfast, then while it's rising sit down with a glass of something nice and work out timings for the next day based on the weight of the turkey. I've got the timetables all saved in my folder going back to 2012.

Easy and reliable way to sterilise jars for preserving is first to wash with soapy water and then clean jars and lids put in cold oven, turn in up to 150 degrees. Once the oven reaches temperature sterilise for 15 minutes. The jars won’t break because they heat up gradually and any bacteria will be killed.

I did 7.30am trip to Tesco before work this morning to get brandy and turkey mince. Apricot brandy now stewing happily, planning to make stuffing over weekend. We don’t even drink brandy here, but Nigel has managed to sell it to me!, 😂

Excessivelydisorganised that is a beautiful frosty garden. We have frost here too.

Does anyone do any Christmas crafts? I am considering making a Christmas wreath. We have a lovely florist that has some beautiful wreaths but it would be nice to have a go at making one.

That photo is wild strawberries at my allotment, I paid an early visit today as if's much less muddy when the ground is frozen.

I am quite crafty but haven't done much Christmas stuff in recent years, a few crochet bits. I am going to a wreath making workshop at the end of November.

I have a shelf of Christmas books. Mainly cookbooks, but also nice fact books as well.
@ExcessivelyDisorganised. I want that kind of Christmas Eve! Tradition here is that we all go to MILs and THEY DON'T EAT ANYTHING! Except the local traditional Christmas Eve delicacy for which cousins, nieces and nephews, grandchildren and uncle Tom Cobbley and all arrive for. Fried lumps of pastry.
Then all the women go for a walk and a coffee out. As in out of the kitchen and out of their pinnies. I basically live in 1951. As we (women) walk through the streets, we have to climb over drunken teenagers and listen to my SIL (clearly uncomfortable without her rubber gloves on) complaining about the youth of today.
We all have a big meal about 9pm (by which time I've fainted with hunger) except it's never as big as it's supposed to be as dp will ring his mum and go "shall we bring anything" and she goes "no" and then we find 23 people and 8 prawns.
I need to write my own book I think. Christmas- the Dark (and hungry) side in southern Italy.

@strawberryfield12- as I say every year, why am I making bloody chutney? I don't like it (except for Branston on bubble and squeak) nobody likes it. Yet I have the urge to make it.

I made the apricot brandy last year and still have the apricots in my fridge.
They seem to still be fine but maybe I should eat them and not make anymore.

I like making some of this stuff more than actually eating it. ( I did drink some of the brandy)

Did anyone make Nigel’s sausage recipe? I did and they were delicious with the leek and bean base

I've always fancied making it, but wasn't sure about the bean and leek combo. I do love leeks though.

@Felldownabackdonhole I made an autumnal wreath for my porch that will go through December until I replace it nearer Christmas with a more festive wreath.
(Ignore twine tied round the tassle to train it straight lol)

@Geamhradh don't answer if it's outing but whereabouts are you? We stayed in Turin a few years ago and had deep-fried dough bits from the market; they were bloody delicious and still talked about in wistful tones.

For those interested in Christmas crafting, head over to the Poncetastic thread.