Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles Annual Read along 2023

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

Hello all, it's nearly that time!

For anyone who has not already had the pleasure, the annual Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles read along is a real time annual MN tradition.

The book begins on 1st November, however there are a couple of chapters of preamble. That's why I thought I would start thread one now, so that we have time to prepare and fully appreciate Nigel in All His Splendour come 1st November.

Some of us already have the book. For anyone who doesn't, it's a challenge to see of you can pick up a bargain. WH Smith has come up trumps in the past, as has ebay. A rare and precious charity shop find is the holy grail and adds a certain special-ness that simply extends that warm, fizzy Nigel feeling (and some well earned smugness)

I shall make a post each day and we can share our thoughts and feelings on the days recipes, sentiments and indeed Dear Old Nige himself.

Note: Reading by candle light can be particularly enjoyable. Cire Trudon may be one of Nige's candle of choice, but it's somewhat pricey. We don't discriminate against other less expensive brands - even if they are NVN (Not Very Nigel)

Pull up a chair and a cosy blanket and join in.

I was on last year's thread but it only just occured to me to come and find it this year!
I've got my little reading nook all ready and caught up last night. I definitely didn't make it all the way through last year, I found the bookmark where I had stalled so am hoping to get to the end this year!

If anyone is interested, Nigel Slaters 12 Tastes of Christmas is on Food Network at 4pm and 9pm today. Channel 140 on Sky.

And now I’m drooling.......

KrazyboutKillian

I’ve just ordered the glass wreath, it looks beautiful.
I’m going to put it round the wine bottle neck at the Christmas table.

20% off voucher code is WELCOME

Finally found an hour today to curl up under my fleece blanket and read the introduction and 1 November entries. Instantly, I am transported into Nigel's world and I can feel my stress melt away.

I love his descriptions of naked trees and how you don't know a tree until you have seen it without its leaves. And the way he writes about the scents of winter (my tealights haven't arrived yet). I am reminded why I love this time of year and like Nigel, I get frustrated by the negative way people say "it's cold" and always like to reply by saying "yes, it's lovely and fresh".

I’ve come home from work early, been battling a rotten cold all week and am now sat by the fire with Nigel… trying not to race ahead like I do every year!

Felt like a bit of a waste to light the posh candle when I can’t smell anything but NVN to not light it. For those of a cloistered bent (and I’d guess most on this thread lean that way), it’s Frederic Malle’s Notre Dame. How they manage to make wax smell EXACTLY like an ancient church is a wonderful mystery.

@LMBoston Your candle sounds wonderful.

There are rotten viruses about just now. Light the candle and do something nice for yourself.

I have just come home from town with a jar of malt extract for the maltloaf and a box of St Eval Orange and Cinnamon tealights which smell amazing even without lighting them.

@BaconAndAvocado ohhh lovely
I think nige would approve 😉

Feeling ridiculously excited at the news that DH has just booked us a little trip to Berlin at the start of December so we can visit the Christmas markets. We lived in Berlin when the kids were small and now DS is at uni there for a year on his year abroad so we can combine visiting him with a nostalgic re-exploration of our old haunts and a VN Christmas market wander.
@LMBoston that candle sounds amazing - I’m going to see if I can track one down and sniff it. From your description it sounds quite similar to Carmelite.

Thank you for this thread. Just switched on NIge's Christmas on Food Channel, downloaded my KIndle book and am raring to go.

I've given myself a full-on Nigel/hygge/me-time afternoon. After curling up with my blanket and CC, I decided to have a long candle-lit bath. I found a playlist on Spotify - Festive Feels; very wintery/christmassy music without actually being christmas music. Quite a few breathy John Lewis type songls but also some lovely stuff and just right for today.

Tomorrow, I'll be dealing with my parents' stress but for now I have one more hour in the house alone and making the most of it.

A question for those of you who have made the apricot, orange and star anise drink: did you leave the orange peel in?

@narniabusiness @NollaigChridheil @LillianGish I'm not generally a fan of scented anything — usually find them a bit sick-headachey — but this really is amazing. I keep it next to my bed when not lit, the smell is so calming and comforting… if you like the smell of damp stone and dusty books (a niche taste, I admit) 😂

Lovely photos and descriptions. I recorded Nige and am having a sit down with a gnt whilst a quick supper roasts. I have a sleeping dog and a lovely fire too. VN

@catwithflowers ta v. They are from John Lewis (Solihull) but it was part of an ‘introducing Brands’ activity. So I think it was a local entrepreneur that they allocated some floor space to!

I am not sure if I will make any of the fruit liqueurs. It would only be me that would drink them. I might try and make some homemade Drambuie as I love that and could drink it everyday if I wasn’t worried about my weight or my liver.

I have ordered myself a heated throw as an early Christmas present as our house is old and draughty. I still need to go shopping for rugs, blinds and side tables for the sitting room. The decorating is almost complete (well that room anyway) thank goodness. It will be nice to hunker down with the woodburner and candles in a fairly clean and tidy room. Lots of dusting and sorting to be done first though. Hopefully once these tasks are out of the way I can fully submerge myself into the season.

I've been coveting the Anja Dunk, Advent, book for a couple of years now but have so far talked myself out of buying it every time I look...is it as lovely irl as it looks to be? This may be the year I give in and buy it 🤔

@Belindabelle Do you have a recipe for homemade drambuie? DH is obsessed with the stuff and it would be great to do this.

I'm also bypassing the fruity drinks. I'd be intrigued to try them but nobody else would show an interest. I need Nigel's friends as well.as his lifestyle.

I make homemade Baileys. It's ridiculously easy.

@lucysmam Advent is a nice read like CC with some beautiful photos. It's mainly biscuits and cakes as you'd expect.

I can post some pages tomorrow with recipe lists if that would help you decide?

Argh. I can't stop looking at the Dojo candles, but they are still around £50 with postage, and I don't think I can fritter than much away on candles just now (I'm in the middle of redecorating my house) so I will indulge my nigelness for the time being by getting some buckwheat tea and bay oil.

4 November

The Joy of Stuffing

"Goose-fat roast potatoes aside, I consider stuffing to be the most delicious of all accompaniments to the Sunday Roast. A sausage meat stuffing made with browned onions, bacon, thyme and dried apricots; a cousin cousin version with red onion, rosemary and raisins; another with minced turkey, lardo - the currd, herbed strips oofpork fat from Italy - fennel seed and cranberries. I like my stuffing rough edged, generously seasoned and deeply savoury. A little sweetness from dried fruits perhaps, but onions qnd herbs, much lemon zest and black pepper are essential"

Photo: Turkey, lardo and fennel seed stuffing, cranberry orange sauce

I also keep looking at the Advent book but have so far resisted so some piccies would be good. I love the look of that stuffing but I suspect if I tried to serve anything other than my usual the family would disown me!