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.

Yesterday's entry sent me to browse local theatre options - Brief Encounter or a very spendy Hamilton - but we will have adult sons at home, which doesn't happen so often these days, so tempting to splash out.

Nigel's comment about sucking the joy out of Christmas made me cringe a bit. It's a rare year when I can think of an excellent present for sons or siblings, even though I do actually know them quite well! Maybe I need to put a bit more effort in.

Stopped off at White Company tonight and they are all out of Winter Oil. I wonder if that coincided with all the candle discussion on here? Picked up the small pillar candle at £12, which felt quite restrained though I can see this thread could get quite costly if I don't rein it in. It has made me feel so warm and glowy about this shit weather though.

I went and got the Aldi dupe candles mentioned previously in this thread and I (cough) didn't like them much. They barely smell!

The Pomegranate candle from Aldi (I think it's a dupe of Jo Malone) on the other hand I like very much and will be stocking up.

@StarryAnise I also agree with the comment being arsey about sucking the joy. I love being asked what I want. No matter how much people know me, they still might get it wrong and there may be something I'd secretly love, but am too tight to buy myself. Similarly, I know my DD very well, but still ask for a list as I know she will have been looking at stuff / finding new things online that she's not yet mentioned. I had the same problem last November with the winter oil btw. All sold out.

@Waitwhat23 Yup, the latest Aldi dupes are utter rubbish. I've laboured with the tobacco and black tea one for four nights now. It's burning pathetically next to me now. Once I've finished this post, I'm scraping out the remaining 1/3rd and using the jar to make a new candle myself tomorrow (it's quite a pleasing green colour, so I'm going with Bay Laurel and Clary Sage essential oils)

I hate panto - it makes my teeth itch.

All together now....

Oh no you don't !

😆

10 November

A sweet preserve with a savoury past

"A glossy paste of currants and raisins, brown sugar and cinnamon, mixed spice and citrus zest. There is candied peel, and the comfort of Bramley apples and suet. A preserve, sweet, spicy, fruity, whose history goes back to the Middle Ages, and whose smell is redolent with the happiest memories of my childhood"

1.5C here this morning and frost! Had to de ice the car. Colours are gorgeous with the autumn leaves, frost and blue sky.

@RainbowZebraWarrior I am a day late in my reading so have just caught up with yesterday's entry. I was just about to post my NVN comment about asking people what they would like for Christmas and I see you have already done it 😂

Like you, I know my kids, dad and my husband very well but would always ask them what they would like as a gift. 🥰

But very much in the spirit of Nigel and the CC I've just watched a couple of pheasants strutting across our lawn. It's a beautiful, sunny day here but quite chilly, around 3 degrees. I have lots of bulbs to plant, tulips and alliums, as well as a discounted shrub.

And then today's diary entry to read 🥰❄️🎄

I'm back from a week with parents - dad out of hospital and on new medication, thank goodness.

Walking in the house last night, I was amazed that there is still a clear scent from the bay and rosemary tealight I burned for a few hours last Friday. Even DH commented that he could have sworn we had a Christmas tree in the house. So that was a lovely arrival home.

Speaking of trees, we always get a real tree - love the look and the smell. I think our local garden centre know me and dread me coming in each year to carefully inspect dozens of trees before finding the perfect one. I always go as soon as the first delivery arrives and then the tree sits in water in the shed until early December when I take a day off work to decorate house and tree. Like others on the thread we have a tradition of getting one new tree decoration every year - ideally from somewhere we've travelled that year. Haven't managed to pick anything up yet and I'll admit to feeling a little stressed about that.

I'll pick up with CC later - only got to 4th before travelling. I have some good fat m&s Italian sausages in the freezer though to make the leeks, beans and sausage dish this weekend. Also very tempted by the aubergine, which I haven't tried before- mainly due to the cream as I always baulk at that. Normally, where a recipe asks for cream, I substitute with creme fraiche or yoghurt. I'm guessing neither would work here though?

@PricklyBob pleased to hear your Dad is out of hospital.

Bay and Rosemary sounds like a lovely combo. I never thought of that, so think that might be my next candle blend. I forgot how much I love rosemary.

Thanks @RainbowZebraWarrior

These tealights were a very inexpensive amazon option but they smell divine. It's incredible how Christmassy this blend can be, without having the usual Christmas ingredients.

I'm utterly addicted to rosemary. Whenever I see it in a recipe, I know I'm going to love the dish. After reading Daisy Jones and the Six a couple of years ago, where the main character rubs her hands on rosemary bushes and then runs them through her hair, I started doing the same 😂. Aesop's rosemary handcream is one of my favourite indulgences in life.

In the spirit of Nigel, I've just de-cluttered my food cupboards; chucking out some ancient stuff. (Including some dried beans that must be at least ten years old!) I did my freezers a couple of weeks ago, as they needed defrosting anyway.

For those of you interested in Nigel’s discourse on meat in mincemeat, I own a book of bound copies of ‘The Young Englishwoman’ from 1864 which has a mincemeat recipe containing beef. Although the mincemeat recipe for the following year leaves it out.
i attach a photo for those that are interested.
Full disclosure- I have no intention of making this or any other mincemeat recipe 😁

I watched that historian food guy make a version of these the other day. He made them with minced tongue. It just reminds me of Rachel in Friends when she puts mince in the trifle!

Tongue in mincemeat 🤮

I'm just watching Nigel making Melting Stilton Parcels and I'm salivating. I don't have any Stilton in, but I feel the need to make something cheesy and pastry based this evening. At this time of year, I estimate at least 50% of my calories are coming from pastry products!

<puts Stilton on shopping list>

So about asking people what they want and that being NVN...
When I watch Nige on telly and get upset about my crockery, or mixing bowl or worktop, DH says, "You don't have Nigel time."

So I think this being mumsnet we can be kind to ourselves if we are trying to shop for gifts with toddlers, teens or parents requiring attention, lifts, food, clean clothes, headspace.

Anyway, enough of reality. 😁
As you were with the crisp mornings, wintery fragrances and mincemeat spices 🎄

Hear hear! I am currently trying to support a teenager with a bad head cold or possibly flu symptoms who has spent the past two days agonising over whether she should go to college (no) or work (yes - it's a shop and they don't take kindly to staff taking sick leave). And debates at length and out loud before she eats anything in case it might upset her stomach further.

Work is crazy busy as we are very short-staffed.

I have thought about Christmas but haven't got much further than thinking about it, so I need to get my skates on.

I for one won't be losing any sleep over whether Nigel would approve of my Yankee candle (he wouldn't) or whether asking people what they want is sucking the joy out of Christmas. From an environmental point of view, it's better to get people gifts of things they want and will actually use, rather than unwanted gifts that will clog up the charity shops in the new year. I see his book as escapism. If I had all the time in the world and the skills of a chef, I too could make these delicious festive meals and drinks. I really enjoy his writing and the illustrations in his book. I may not agree with everything he writes but that's ok - it's his book and his version of a perfect Christmas. My version would be different.

Just to add that I'm really enjoying the company of some kindred spirits on this thread. It's a lovely, contemplative space as we gear up for the crazy season .

This is such a lovely thread, I’m not having a great time atm but reading this and the book are so comforting.

Im desperate to escape to London and see that tree ☺️

When I watch Nige on telly and get upset about my crockery, or mixing bowl or worktop, DH says, "You don't have Nigel time."

You know this is excellent advice - especially when applied to other areas of life. It's the curse of Instagram too when you see a sparkly lifestyle/new kitchen and think -oooh I'd like that and then look around at your own circumstance. Fine to be inspired but not disheartened.

I think I'm going to be Nigel adjacent this Christmas 😁

I watched 'A Victorian Christmas' on catch-up TV. They filmed a family of five putting traditional recipes and games through their paces. One such thing was for the teens and their Mum to make mince pies with ox tongue. Their faces when the cooked tongue was uncovered. One teen refused to eat the resulting mince pies but the other said you couldn't taste the meat at all.

I'm going through a Victorian history jag at the moment. It's all Cranford and Bonnet TV for me just now.

This has been so timely! My first time of reading and I was definitely getting a bit carried away with it all. Small purchases, but obviously had to buy the book, then thought it would be lovely to buy the book for my sister, then thought Advent book sounded lovely, then was just passing The White Company so nipped in for the Winter fragrance oil...

I need to get into the frugal/reusing/decluttering mindset and put the debit card away! Particularly as Advent turned out to be not my thing (beautifully done but definitely style over substance) and the Winter candle I bought because they were out of oil is a bit underwhelming.

Loved the chapter on mincemeat and very tempted by the Quince and Cardamom version if I can track down quinces. He's uber-Nigelling again with his views on suet though: "My feeling is that if you use the packet stuff, creamy white specks in a nostalgic blue, red and yellow box, you might as well buy your mincemeat ready made" Hmm, I think a good home made mincemeat with Atora will be miles better than a jar of Robinsons.

11 November

Martinmas, a ham dinner and a citrus cake

For centuries this has been a feast day. The date marked the end of the agricultural year, the harvest was well and truly in, the livestock were ready for slaughter, wine was ready for drinking. It is officially the beginning of winter. In medieval times, such an important feast was celebrated by eating a goose for those who could afford it, duck or chicken for those who couldn't.