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!

@picklemewalnuts really? Now that is a fantastic hack! I keep meaning to make garlic confit...does it turn out just as delicious as if it’s roasted?

It was in a chef's microwave tips article I read. I found it delicious! I've not made it in the oven though.

Neither have I so I won’t know either way! I was just idly curious.

Not at all in the spirit really... I've just joined a food waste club. Today's bag included Macdonalds Christmas apple pies and fries, that yogurt probiotic, chicken soup, butter beans, and frozen grilled courgette along with various fresh veg!

It was good value, and I have a some to eat the processed stuff for me, but it's very random!

Oh I think it’s in the spirit of...even if there aren’t any lovingly wrapped parcels of yak cheese straight from the Himalayas*! 😆

*every time I go rummaging in my fridge for ‘random’ leftovers I think of Nigel’s tv shows as pp mentioned.

The food waste bit is great. The maccyds not so much! He might be concerned about the semi defrosted grilled courgette, too! But the rest was good stuff.

Heh yes, I did mean to say the concept of using leftovers is in the spirit...maybe not the fast food, though!

I could very happily eat fries today, tbh.

Oh would you let me know what general quantity/timings you use for the microwave garlic confit, please? I’m eager to try it!

Yak cheese from my the Himalaya is pretty bland stuff. Their cheese industry was set up by the Swiss. So Swiss cheese minus the holes. Just saying…..,

Oh yes I what you mean - Cheese is only ever cheese tbf...it was an entirely made-up reference to the various ‘random’, lovingly wrapped and perfectly tied up ‘leftovers’ Nigel always seems to have waiting in his fridge (Although I don’t doubt at all that he actually does wrap things up in attractive parcels)!

Last time I put the last few cloves (5 or so? Along with the teeny useless ones) in a glass ramekin. Barely Covered them in oil.
Put them in for a minute.
Probably turned the heat to medium for another minute, and kept repeating that til they were really soft.

Good thing about the microwave is that experimenting is very fast!

Thank you 😊 I bought a couple of extra big, fat heads today so that I could try it.

How long would you say they last? As long as they’re fully submerged I think I’d be quite happy to leave them in the fridge for a month or two (possibly longer)...

Phew, all caught up with the book and the thread. I absolutely love the last couple of chapters with the German markets and the gifts of the Three Kings. Sadly with two very young DDs I don't think I'll be visiting any continental Christmas markets anytime soon so I'll have to make do with reading about them.

The German markets chapter made me nostalgic for all the years we went to visit my brother-in-law in Munich during the run up to Christmas. Sadly, he passed away 8 years ago and going to Munich just wouldn't be the same.

Yes, they have been the most nostalgic for me too, so far. Christmas markets back home in Denmark. Tivoli Gardens with all the lights and the rides and the festive food/drink. Gløgg and æbleskiver.

@Confusedmeanderings so sorry about your BIL. 💐 Perhaps one day it’ll be the right time to visit and re-live the memories. 🕯

Hmm. I wish I had nostalgic memories of Christmas markets. Never been able to persuade DH to go. I've tried to explain it's a holiday, not a prolonged, inefficient, overpriced shopping trip.

I am on a promise for future years, though.

*25 November

The cake*

This is a big chapter of useful information. I'm going to need to research candied fruits. I make candied peel every year, to eat as a sweet. I wonder if candied fruit is a possibility?

Oh yes I’m sure it is! If you already do it with peel I don’t see why you couldn’t do the full fruit.

You must work on DH - maybe show him some YouTube travelogues of the good overseas markets, especially where there’s snow to make it feel properly Christmassy. The food & drink, the atmosphere, everything about it is so magical imo! He’s probably thinking they’re all a bit shit like British ones but many of them are really lovely. Plus you get to experience Christmas in a different country which is always nice. 🎄

I was in Stockholm one year in mid-December and it started snowing. The shops all had clusters of pillar candles in big lanterns on the pavement outside, or hanging on outside brackets - it was absolutely magical. It was so cold though that I had to go and buy a warmer coat - no shortage of huge H&Ms luckily.
I also love Vienna and the area outside the Kunsthistorische Museum (great topiary) but I've never been to a Christmas market there. I'd love to - it's a favourite city.

Nostalgiafest going on here....

Bideshi wow, that sounds amazing. What a lovely memory to cherish.

I have some totally opposite memories to offer!! Don't read on if you want to keep Christmas unsullied and magical...

We did a Christmas in Singapore- the completely lacking in seasons, Singapore. The shops were full of Santa on his fur trimmed suit and sleigh. One shop ran a snow machine outside the entrance for a couple of hours each evening. Flurries of ice crystals pumped into the sky for a moment or two, before vanishing into the general humidity!

Florida similar, though they had a Christmas street decked out in Dickensian glory, and ran a foam snow machine which at least preserved the fantasy for a little longer! The sleigh pulled up by the swimming pool for bathing suit clad children to have a photo with Santa ... not so traditional. Santa was black though, which was nice. The very best 'HoHoHo' I've ever heard. Really bassy and genial. Lovely chap. Singapore santas are best forgotten.

Cauliflower and hummus. My way! Didn't have pomegranate so used pumpkin seeds.

I really enjoyed the chapter today, going to tend my cakes once DD is asleep. They’ll be drinking Chambord tonight.
Next year I think I will try to veganize Nigel’s recipe as I like the sound of the figs and apricots

I made my Christmas gravy today. Distinctly NVN, being a Jamie Oliver recipe so probably a bit common, and I don’t think TSN goes in for making ahead and freezing. But he also doesn’t appear to have three children, a job (apart from cooking lovely things) and ageing relatives coming for a week over Christmas, so I like to think he would forgive me. Back on form tomorrow as I plan to make my cake.