The Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slater. Read Along Thread 2022

[Dillidilly]

INTRODUCTION

Nigel begins his Chronicles proper on 1st November, but there is a lovely, quite lengthy introduction we can dip into during the second half of October.

Last year, posters were also kind enough to share where they had found cut price copies of CC, so hopefully anyone late to the party still has time to find a copy before we start the first chapter.

I had forgotten the lovely introduction. Together with the beautiful photograph at the very beginning of the book, flipping through it and seeing his headings reminded me of why I loved it so much last year!

If the bush is in the UK my guess is Chaenomeles. Lots of people call this Japanese quince, but real quince is cydonia. The leaves don't look like cydonia (which is a small tree) but they do look like chaenomeles.

I was just going to say the same thing. I had one in an old garden. Beautiful red flowers. Mine only occasionally bore fruit, but I remember the tag saying the fruit were ornamental.

@ChessieFL that looks scrumptious. I’m really feeling the pears this year (I don’t always).

Nigel's 12 Tastes of Christmas is on the Food Network tonight!! (Channel 43 ?? on Freeview)

Ooh, thanks. Have set to record it.

Well you have all made me feel great about my quinces.
even better as they are ornamental I don’t have to follow any recipes to grind them into paste 😉

The most fitting part for the thread is that this is the first year, after living here 8 years, that I’ve really noticed them. Instead of me leaving them to rot on the ground they have been brought inside to enjoy and celebrate the turning of the season ❤️

Not wanting to pull people away from all things Nige but you might want to check out this thread if you fancy a bit of Nigella, Delia, Mary, Hugh.

There is also crafty stuff (some excellent some, like mine, very beginner and homespun) and general decorating and faffing.

Its fine to lurk and plan for future years, just do one poncetastic thing or go full on.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/christmas/4640556-the-2022-poncetastic-christmas-thread?page=1

@HannahDefoesTrenchcoat Love the poncetastic threads 🎄🎄🎄I think a few of us straddle both (har har). @Dillidilly @lucysmam and maybe one or two more? As I said, I’m so awful with names...

I decided a couple of years ago to put absolutely no pressure on myself as far as doing things goes. I lurk if I feel like it, chat if I feel like it, make things (or don’t) if I feel like it. Most of my poncing has been food based for several years now. I look in awe, and with envy, at some of the wonderful things others make. The crochet wreaths! And @lucysmam’s crochet village. 😍

Year before last my one handmade poncing effort was a little light-up gingerbread house. Last year, I finally did Trumpton’s paperwhites. This year? Might crochet one little snowflake (it’s a start, right?); might not. Or I might make little clay hearts for the tree; Or, you guessed it, I also might not.

It’s a lovely thread, in any case.

The most fitting part for the thread is that this is the first year, after living here 8 years, that I’ve really noticed them. Instead of me leaving them to rot on the ground they have been brought inside to enjoy and celebrate the turning of the season ❤️

Lovely.

This looks gorgeous. So cosy!

Oops sorry that was to the pic!

@TangledWebofMincemeatDeception I accidentally dyed my village pink ish when I washed it with the girls' white school shirts 🙄 Ideally I want to re-block it but not sure how to return it to bright white 🤦‍♀️

I've been half watching Nigel with my NVN candle, and my crochet. His voice is very soothing on the ears.

I'm going to browse for alcohol shelf inspiration next, I think. Not sure JD & Lidl's Baileys equivalent will look very jewel-like but they can look better than they do, I'm sure!

@RainbowZebraWarrior can I just say that the labels on your jars of stuff are very Nigel?

@ChessieFL mmm ... That pear crumble cake looks delish!

Ah I'm so behind already. Got free time this evening to curl up and have a good read 📖

I had just sat down to read yesterday, had to get up for something or other and never got back to it. I am going to catchup now otherwise things will slip and then stand the risk of being abandoned.

8 NOVEMBER
A seat at the pantomime

A lovely chapter!
Beautiful illustrations, interesting details about the history of panto, and a delicious sounding recipe for aubergine. I think I'm right that this recipe was a hit last year?

Definitely a hit, I've made it a couple of times now and it's always lovely. I love the illustration on page 53, although fighting a strong NVN urge to colour it in.

The aubergine and lentil recipe is right up my street (veganised), although DH will not eat aubergine. I am sure he can have something else instead of aubergine, or I can just have the lentils for a lunch.

Crikey you are right! I printed my labels for years, but last couple of yrs I've hand written. Ive obviously subliminally absorbed Nigel's handwriting style 😁

That looks yummy 😋

I like the sound of the aubergine and lentils recipe, though I suspect it would have to be meal when I am on my own. I agree with Nigel about the slapstick.

I got into bed with the book last night and read from the Introduction up to today. It was lovely, tucked up in the duvet with the lamp on, listening to the wind howl outside. I feel fully ready for wintering now, and the aubergine recipe looks delicious. I think I'll make it later this week (there would be a riot in my house if I swapped it for the gammon, egg, and chips on the meal plan for tonight).

Read 7 and 8 today.

This morning I went into the living room to read and was greeted by the bay scent which was a lovely surprise (I’d forgotten that I’d . I think I love it more this year!

Reading about Norway is nostalgic - the three Scandinavian countries are very alike culturally, although they are also quite different in some ways. But they all broadly feel like home to me, at least when I am here (which also feels like home, funnily enough, as I’ve lived here much longer than I’ve lived anywhere else)..My family are Danish but my grandparents lived in Sweden for many years; that’s where my mum grew up and I was born there.

I lived in Norway for a year when I was a young teenager. There was so much snow...I learnt to love Norwegian brunost (a very sweet ‘cheese’ made by boiling and reducing whey until it caramelises). My friend and I decided to bring a couple of blocks back with us when we visited home and were questioned at the airport as to what exactly the two big blocks in our suitcases were...😳😆

I don’t have any nostalgic appreciation for panto as it wasn’t a thing growing up, and I quite agree with Nigel that slapstick isn’t funny...I would rather be comfortable at home and watch a ballet on television (in lieu of the real thing) which is more familiar to me.

@MarisPiper92 I know what you mean! That would make a lovely colouring page.

@lucysmam I loved reading about your tree. Even if it’s no longer at its best, it’s still lovely and it’s got all your family memories tied up in it.❤️

The aubergine and lentils recipe was one of my favourites last year. Delicious. Sadly DH doesn’t share my enthusiasm so I won’t be making it this year.

I made the sausages, beans and leeks recipe, adapted slightly to make it non-soupy. I also added cavolo nero as I had some to use up. Here it is, served up quite haphazardly and not at all Nigel in any way, complete with a from-frozen bread roll for DH! We had mustard with it and a glass of wine for some acidity. As I’d suspected would be the case, DH wasn’t all that keen as he prefers beans and legumes to be strongly spiced/herbed.

Oh, lost a bit of a sentence there...

I’d forgotten that I’d added the oil to my bowl of pine cones last night.