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 looked up his recommended candles. £80 for spiritus sancti !!!

I wonder what the nearest Aldi fragrance is to that one??

Good Morning 😊

Have read today’s entry whilst having a lovely cuppa in bed. It’s reminded me to find my old fountain pen out. I used to love using it but since my sci my hand writing is rather messy now, but hey ho I’ll still enjoy using it again. I totally agree about the lovely atmospheric light you get from candles although I don’t buy the ones Nigel mentioned as they are a bit pricey. I was experimenting only yesterday with fairy lights and candles for my festive table. Ignore the table cloth, it needs a press 😬

I will be making the roast cabbage and cheese sauce as an accompaniment to some grilled chicken fillets later. Will make amendments as needed due to being celiac.

That’s a lovely tea light holder @ExcessiveIyDisorganised. Gives a lovely ambience 🕯

Love your festive table @TheRealHousewife!

Thank you at @Dillidilly. When I get the trimmings out I’ll add some greenery 🌲 usually first week of December 🎄

I spent a lovely afternoon yesterday channelling my inner Nigel Slater.

I started making bay leaf oil, but that one is a month long process. I have huge bay bush just outside my kitchen door. I picked a big bunch of leaves, chopped them up, and they’re in a kilner jar with grapeseed oil for 2 weeks. At that point I’ll strain the liquid and put a fresh lot of leaves in and leave for another 2 weeks.

I made his mincemeat and it tastes absolutely amazing, much better than anything I’d buy from the supermarket. It tastes like Christmas pudding but looks like mincemeat.

I also chopped and soaked the fruit for my Christmas cake, but that’s an Ottollenghi recipe not a Nigel slater one. I’ll make the cake on Monday.

I am planning on making the cabbage recipe too, to go with a roast chicken. TheRealHousewife.

This is a lovely thread.

I'm just settling down to today's chapter, while the girls eat lunch (not sure Nigel would approve of super noodles but there we go 🤣🤷‍♀️).

I enjoyed yesterday's entry about the pantry stocktaking & cupboard clearing. I did mine over half term & did indeed have packets and jars strewn all about the kitchen. It's all neatly organised for now but I'm still likely to have another bash at it before the Christmas holidays.

Glad to see the soup is being enjoyed -dd1 wants to try making some so we may well try this one.

HOW MUCH FOR A CANDLE??? Fuck me! Ahem, my apologies. Back to enjoying the book.

@ApplesAreTheBaneOfMyLife I’m thinking of making a batch of mincemeat; I’m just exploring gluten free substitutes for suet.

I totally agree @Claudethecat this is a lovely thread 😊 Thanks to the lovely @Dillidilly!

@lucysmam my drawers and cupboards never seem to stay tidy for long. I do get a strange satisfaction from getting them in order though.

@TheRealHousewife all you lovely posters are making this thread, thank you!

[quote TheRealHousewife]@ApplesAreTheBaneOfMyLife I’m thinking of making a batch of mincemeat; I’m just exploring gluten free substitutes for suet.

I totally agree @Claudethecat this is a lovely thread 😊 Thanks to the lovely @Dillidilly!

@lucysmam my drawers and cupboards never seem to stay tidy for long. I do get a strange satisfaction from getting them in order though.[/quote]
www.amazon.co.uk/Feel-Free-Gluten-Vegetable-Suet/dp/B014WSQGPI?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

I see it's unavailable at present. You could buy it fresh from a butchers shop as Nigel does; but I think it would be messy to prepare.

I googled all today's candles too - I mean, WTF?

I then felt completely justified in spending £30 on a hand-made one from a local crafty-person though so I'm not sure who actually won there

Oh dear, I fear I would be a complete disappointment to Nigel.
My all time favourite candle (and reed diffuser) is Aldi's No.1, the Jo Malone dupe. I'm rather hoping the downstairs of our house permanently smells of this scent.

Wow, well, I won't be googling the candles then! I'll stick to my Home Bargains Gingerbread and Yankee Snowflake Cookie 🤣

Gingerbread's almost gone though & the girls normally get me that and Snowflake Cookie for Christmas so I'll have to look for something else that's not too pricey.

I do have a full Snowflake Cookie but it has no wick because it came in a broken jar & I can't get the wick to stay stuck down in the jar so I can pour the wax in & enjoy it so I keep opening it for a sniff every time I pass it 🤣 (the wick is currently sat with my glass and ivory elephants, in the kitchen window 🤷‍♀️)

For anyone with candle angst, I can thoroughly recommend St Eval (especially the Bay & Rosemary). Their standard ones are around £12, which I feel is a good compromise between Aldi and Nigel.

I did sniff those candles in F&M once to see what the fuss was about. Not convinced at all they are worth it. I’ve got Inspiritus by St Eval & Midnight Mass by The Bearded Candlemakers as my winter candies

I made up a batch of Nigel's mincemeat. I used some straight away to make us some mince pies (following the River Cottage recipe), which were delicious and ugly because I was too impatient to let the dough cool in the fridge, and the mincemeat was still warm too .

I’m another who googled the prices of his candle recommendations! 😂 I’ll be sticking with my St Eval ‘embers’ and my collection of Yankees (sorry Nigel).

Inspiritus by St Eval is absolutely the best for Xmas!

(I possibly ought to have clarified the ivory elephant in my post above before anyone tells me off - he was my mum's incense stick holder. He's about 1" tall & missing a leg. Not a recent acquisition. I do have his leg but not a clue where would be able to repair him so he lives with my little glass elephant from Whitby, and other assorted trinkets).

I occasionally go past the actual st Eval place. Did today in fact, I always mean to pop in but never do

Think the problem with scented candles is that nice ones need to be brought online nowhere local really sells them. But you can't smell before you buy which is part of the fun of candle buying

@sueelleker you’re my hero … thank you so much for the link. 🙏❤️. Just what I need! Marvellous. Can you tell it’s made me very happy, but I’m sad it’s out of stock. Will bookmark for future reference😬

@MarisPiper92 the candles you recommend seem a reasonable price. I’ll have look at those. TY 🙏

I got some orange scented Scentsicles Christmas tree sticks from Aldi a few years ago. Beautiful smell.
Haven’t found them since but Amazon have other fragrances. Has any one tried any they can recommend please?