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!

I really love that you’ve kept up this tradition for 49 years! If I manage to find a copy before then I might join you and start my own tradition! 🎄

Is the book pictured one of the British Library Crime Classics? I love that series - it's lovely to discover authors who were best sellers/at the top of their game at the time and who, for whatever reason, have been forgotten or fallen out of public favour in the intervening years. The front covers are quite distinctive and I look out for them at the library.

I’m @NiqueNique by another name. Not fangry tonight, thank goodness!

On future historians/archivists: Yes - so much will be lost. I also want to write more so that my children will have something of me on paper when I’m gone.

Re: mince pie challenge, did he manage it??

Eyemouth tart sounds very nice. There’s something really lovely about being reminded of details like that, buried in the mists of time. I hope you can recreate it!

I’ve loved the last few days - beautifully misty, it finally feels like autumn. Things are happening as they should; I find it reassuring.

I used to have an audible subscription but didn’t stick with it as I much prefer to read a physical book so it ended up being a waste of money, but I imagine I would find it meditative too. God knows I need it!

(Sorry for all the quotes in one go. Hope you all don’t mind - I was trying to write out comments directed to each individual but I find it hard to keep track and get so easily muddled)

@TangledWebofMincemeatDeception you certainly have been busy. It all looks delicious!

Decided not to keep quoting (too cluttered) and instead painstakingly wrote out a comment of about 25 individual replies going through the last few pages. Just lost it all. 😭😭 Clearly the universe decided to spare you all my wittering on! And I’ve learnt my lesson. Don’t try to catch up on a few days of chat!

Ah well. Time for bed!

@Confusedmeanderings that's all from last year! The only things I’ve made this year are the sausages and beans from earlier in the thread, the braised brisket, and a jar of sauerkraut (not from CC).

It still all looked delicious @TangledWebofMincemeatDeception !

Ah thank you. I’m looking forward to making some more of the recipes coming up!

I am planning to do the aubergine and pay lentils tonight. I was going to do it last night but was missing half the ingredients and while I would normally just fudge the recipe I thought that wasn’t VN so made a saag aloo instead.
I am really enjoying the read along I didn’t manage it last year but now I have it next to my bed and am r loving it.

Apologies, I'm stuck in hospital...could someone put up today's chapter please?

Ah @Dillidilly hope everything is ok. There is no chapter for today, next one is tomorrow.

@Dillidilly I hope everything is okay!

@picklemewalnuts Hope you’re feeling better and getting some rest in your Nigel Nook.

@ImNotOnTwitterButMySupportGoldfinchTweets I do hope you're on the mend and hopefully the soup will have soothed your throat from all the coughing. Get well soon!

@Waitwhat23 yes I think so. That’s exactly what appealed to me, too! There are always loads of Christmas ‘chick lit’ novels in the charity shops at this time of year but I’m not keen, so I was chuffed to find these.

@lbnblbnb Oh yes there’s a short story of his in a Christmas Anthology I’ve got (need to dig that one out and add it to the Christmas pile). Would love to have a small Christmas library to bring out every year...I guess I’ve got the modest beginnings now. 🙂 Might have a look for one or two more books on secondhand sites. But it’s so easy to get carried away.

Will get back to you on the recipe document collab - it’s a brilliant idea (and would be a great resource for next year’s thread!) but as silly as it sounds I have to be so careful now about taking on any extra commitments. I was thinking just to scribble down some rough notes. 😁 I’d really like to do it but I can’t promise - could we park it til January and see how it’s going/I’m feeling?

@GlomOfNit Thank you for the recommendation, I’ll keep a look out. Love a spooky, atmospheric story.

@lucysmam the lamb leg will be absolutely fine to eat. Flavour/texture may have deteriorated slightly but I’m sure it will still be delicious. The linked recipe from @sueelleker sounds gorgeous and I totally think you should go for it! I’ve got lamb shanks in the freezer, am thinking I might do them in the next couple of weeks or so - I love a boulangère and there’s a recipe coming up IIRC so I might do that.

Hello @Trumpton nice to see you here! 🎄🎄🎄I’m trying to get up the courage to attempt a little bit of poncing soon. I know what I want to do and it’s really not hard, just need to get on and do it!

Hope you are OK @Dillidilly Today is a No Nigel day I think. Next entry is tomorrow.

Sorry, someone else already pointed that out!

@ClaudineClare Love your calendar - very pretty, and Niederegger! A lovely treat.

I wonder if that’s the same as Ecclefechan tart which is the local south of Scotland one?

Oops sorry wrong quote.

@MaxandMeg if it's @Dillidilly's comment you wanted to quote (about the Eyemouth tart) then that's there in the quote history too! 😊

Mincemeat underway. Don’t tell Nige I’m using Delia’s oven method (and not following anybody’s recipe because I don’t eat nuts and dislike peel). I feel like he probably quite likes a bit of Delia himself