The Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slater: Read Along Thread 2

[Dillidilly]

Here's our new thread!

I'm having such problems with the site, please could someone post a link to the old thread for me?

Those soups sound lovely. I like really tasty soups and "rough" granary type bread.

I've really enjoyed Nigel's description of the weather throughout the book & podcast. Last night I came across a wonderful sounding podcast. It's called "As the Season Turns" and it's by Lia Leendertz and her voice is very soft and soothing. She has also written The Almanac 2022 which I will look at. As Nigel's book finishes in February, I might use this podcast as a replacement as it covers the months of the year.
Has anyone come across this podcast?

Hi all, I’ve noticed that the Christmas Chronicles audiobook is part of the audible sale @ £3.
Does anyone know if this is the same as the podcast, or are they different?
Thanks.

IDontKnowWhatYouMean; Be careful-I think someone else wrote a book with the same title.

The one in the audible sale is the Nigel Slater one but no idea if it is the same as the podcast I’m afraid.

I think it's the same one.
Happy New Year Chroniclers.

I am still a week behind but after the frenzy of DD going off on first trip away with friends without us (eek) and surviving (phew) and NYE (fridge full of fishy things again) I've now got time to sit and read.

Just read the bit about cheese which made me smile as his childhood cheeseboard was mine. Danish Blue, Edam and Cracker Barrel. Though my mum would get a Brie from M&S as well. My Mum was well known among her friends for being the first to try "exotic" things, I was eating lasagne when my friends were having ham salads and apparently as a fairly small baby I'd sit in a high chair eating Danish Blue (I would put a lump in, shudder, then reach for more)
I've also heard the truism about what he says about Roquefort warding off colds. A family friend suffered badly with sinus problems and went to all kinds of herbalists and quacks- was told to eat as much Roquefort as possible and never had sinusitis again.
I buy a huge lump when I see it, which isn't often here. My supermarket currently has a wheel but looking at it I think apart from me, maybe only 2 other people have bought any. I might buy a whole kilo and freeze it before they take it off the shelves till next Christmas!

Happy New Year everyone. I’ve tried hard to reduce the ridiculous amount of cheese have in our fridge (at the expense of my healthier living resolution) this afternoon, yum.

Our Christmas decorations came down today, but we still have the greenery and candles, so haven’t lost all my winter spirit yet. I spent a good hour in the garden in the pouring rain clearing away the piles of leaves and clearing the gutters, felt very refreshed (and deserving of cheese!).

4 - 9 JANUARY

Sorry to interrupt the lovely flow but does anyone know if you can still pick this up on the previous great WH Smith offer? I bought my copy there but would love to get one for my SIL who is hosting a post-Christmas gathering this weekend. I know my local WHSmith definitely doesn't have it now.

@unfortunateevents I bought it for £9 from WH Smith not long before Christmas, I imagine it just depends if the store has stock leftover.

Hello again everyone! I've been off this thread since Christmas Eve as everything got a bit hectic but now all caught up. The soup and bread recipes sound wonderful I definitely want to try them.

We cleared our decorations away before NYE which is very un-Nigel but as much as I love them I prefer to start the new year with everything feeling clean and fresh. Now trying to embrace 2022 and look forward to a brand new year.

Hello all. Just read todays recipe with pear and pickled radishes. Does anyone know what coppa is and indeed what it tastes like?

Coppa; www.britishcharcuterie.live/what-is/coppa

[quote sueelleker]Coppa; www.britishcharcuterie.live/what-is/coppa[/quote]
Thank you 😊

I'm still here too. I am a bit behind with the book as all routines went out of the window with a couple of weeks off work, but now I'm back and catching up over breakfast again. I'm on the Christmas Day chapter at the moment. We are normally 12th Night for decorations down but did it on Monday before coming back to work, the house seems very bare and empty so it's nice to be a week or so behind on the book and still in Christmas mode.

Decorations down - I so agree with Nigel’s comment that it’s both unbearably sad and also something of a relief! I’ve just made a galette des rois - looking forward to tucking into that later.

Also agree with the relief/sadness about the decorations being taken down! Ours came down on Monday before going back to work. It looks so bare now but equally our house is small so nice not to have them in the way any more!

I’ve never had a galette des rois, will have to try and seek one out sometime. Sadly there are no posh patisseries where I live that might sell such a thing.

I was going to make a galette des rois for Christmas, but my husband's not well and my SIL has gone home, so there's only be me to eat it. I'll make it later in the year.

They do actually sell individual galletes in my local boulangerie, but there's no feve and no crown because obviously there's no element of surprise if one person eats it all. Hope your DH is feeling better soon @sueelleker.

Galettes

I made the lentil soup for lunch today and it was really good. I've made similar in the past but wouldn't have thought of adding the limes, which really made it. (I had no tamarind). Had the last of the Stilton with it, decs down a couple of days ago, food cupboard and fridge all cleared out... ready for a new year.

Have been enjoying the last few chapters and gloating over my candle haul from Christmas, while I can't quite run to Nige's candle pantry I do have them all on a shelf on the bookcase . Only one Yankee which has gone straight into the downstairs loo!

I totally agree about the yoghurt thing Nigel was saying. I was gutted when my usual yoghurt went soo sweet and changed the recipe. I almost cried. Everyone looked at Mel like but I totally get it. Wonder what yoghurt he eats at home. Maybe he makes it himself like my mum did. It wasn't that difficult but a bit of a faff iirc

I found the cranberry butterscotch pudding recipe today, which is convenient because I've got a leftover pack of cranberries in the freezer.

StormyCornishSeas I sometimes make yogurt in my Instant Pot. I don't really like the stuff, but it's magic to make!

Yes, I've done that in the past too with the instant pot, easy to make but it was a bit of a faff straining it to get it thick.

10, 15, 17, 18 JANUARY & 2 FEBRUARY

Our last 5 days...
Well done to everyone who has made it thus far!