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've had a very Nigel-esque day today. More out of necessity than desire; I think the stress of the week with parents, coupled with going back to work tomorrow really got to me. I've been feeling a bit run down all day so decided to listen to my body and after a short walk in the woods (it was lovely and crisp with a good amount of autumn colour still around, frost on the ground and a couple of grouse walking around - picture perfect) I curled up under a blanket for 4 hours, candles lit and caught up on CC before picking up an Agatha Christie novel (I've been working my way through her books this year).

Uncurled myself to make the sausages and beans for dinner which went down well but even though I reduced the water and stick considerably, was still very soupy.

I also wanted to share my thoughts on the latest CC diary entries on which I've caught up today. I'm totally with Nigel on notebooks and lists. I just bought some new notebooks a few weeks ago and chose one of them today for my Christmas planning lists. I love lists and have drawers full of filled notebooks which I can't bear to throw out. Each entry takes me back to a particular time.

I don't share Nigel's love of panto. I really hate it. Even as a child it made me cringe and my teeth itch. Unfortunately I've got myself roped in to going this year with DBro and niblings . Tbf, it will be lovely to bring the family together, which we don't do very often but I just wish it wasn't panto. Maybe I can channel my inner Nigel while I'm there and find the charm in it.

I'm not a dried fruit fan so won't be making mincemeat or some of the other recipes but do still adore his writing in these entries. I'll also bypass the ham - I do love a baked ham but I've always seen it as a January dish as that's the only time we ever ate it when I was a child- possibly because hams were always vastly reduced after Christmas so it was a good, cheap but luxurious dinner at a frugal time of year. I made the partridge recipe last year and really liked it but may pass this time around. I do recommend adding the black pudding as Nigel suggests though. The orange and poppy seed cake is a different story though and has been a winter staple in this house since CC came out. Not sure if I'll have the time this week but maybe next weekend.

I’ve been happily reading along. Not tried any recipes yet, but I think leeks are due in the veg box next week so might give the leek and sausage thing a go. Was also eyeing up the orange cake, looks delicious.

Have had to go away for work for tonight. 3 hour drive in the pouring rain wasn’t great. But now I’m tucked up with herbal tea, Christmas good housekeeping mag, and a Christmas choral mix on bbc sounds. It’s all rather lovely.

I saw a beautiful photo of a tray display further up thread and was inspired to buy a copper tray for this readalong and create something lovely to look at. Only problem is I need to clear a bunch of clutter away before I have somewhere to display it Am sure that's NVN.

13 November

Maple syrup and Fig terrine

The garden has skeletons - hydrangea, hornbeam and beech - holding their leaves even now. The pale walnut browns are smart and crisp against the green of the highyew hedges. Blue tits feast. Leaves, yellow, grey, black lie frozen to the garden table, silver with frost. The space is tidy, but beneath the neatness lie worries. Two much loved trees in the garden require major surgery, a third lost it's leaves in the summer.

Morning all. Today's chapter has really made me reflect on the time of year - which is galloping - and how different it feels. Nigel talks about skeletons in the garden. It's mid November (ish) yet the Hydrangea here is still in flower. My mother's garden is chock a block full of snap dragons. The blackcurrant sage is swathed in cerise blooms. This is the North East cost of England and we have already had frost. The skeletons are there - the tress almost bare - yet there are still signs of summer. Most weird. I always note each year when my first tulips appear. There can be as much as 6 weeks difference some years. Nature is a strange thing sometimes. We come to think of the seasons being set almost in stone here in the UK, but they are more fuzzy than ever.

Oh, I went to Sainsbury's yesterday for a box of (NVN) Atora suet. £3!! I'm sure it was only about £1.50 last year. I made a harrumphing noise and wandered off muttering to myself that I'd use a little bit of butter and some set honey instead. No idea if this will work, but I'm going to try it.

Cinnamon Rolls sounds perfect for a dismal autumnal afternoon. Baking with young kids is just one of my favourite things, just lovely.

Also NPN here, invited friends round for tea and scones. Lit the (slightly underwhelming) Winter candle and enjoyed relaxed chat and feeling snug and hospitable in the warmth while the rain beat down outside. Lovely!

We still have signs of summer with hydrangea blooms and plenty of leaves on trees.

the cinnamon rolls look excellent!

@StarryAnise if you made the scones, I would count that a Nigelesque.

@RainbowZebraWarrior is thatfor mincemeat? Mary uses butter in her mincemeat so it can't be wrong.

https://www.maryberry.co.uk/recipes/christmas/special-mincemeat

Yes, home made. A slightly experimental Ginger and Apricot (Added a bit too much milk so they spread a bit, but the flavour combo was excellent) and my dependable National Trust Cheese Scones with a bit of grain mustard. Thank you, I'll take that as a Nigelesque then!

Urgh, we're in for another full week of rain which is very definitely NVN. I hope everyone has a good week! Thinking I might clean out the fridge and Cupboard of Condiments later on today...

@HannahDefoesTrenchcoat yeah, my mother said I could use butter, so I thought it must be a thing. If it's good enough for Mary, it's definitely good enough for me.

@StarryAnise the scones look delicious. I love scones too much!

Wish the horrid weather would go away. It is not in keeping with our lovely visions of crisp Autumn / Winter days and collecting greenery from the woods. Speaking of greenery from the woods, has anyone ever collected a yule log. I have it on my list of New Traditions this year after watching Hugh F-W again. DD is well up for it, but I think we need to do this now as it's meant to be burned on NYE to welcome in the New Year (I think) so I need to A. Find a dryish log in the first instance and B. Allow it some time to dry out further.

@RainbowZebraWarrior I’m interested in your Yule log plans. I picture a good four foot of sturdy tree trunk blazing in the inglenook of a Saxon hall, which is not something I could replicate at home.
I loved the description of his garden today with its yew hedges and the soup recipe sounds just my thing.
I love the sound of your scones @StarryAnise
We had courgette and Feta scones (Jamie Oliver) for lunch which had been in the freezer, which is possibly NVN.

Just popping in to tell you about my Nigelling fail. At the weekend I listened to the bit where he says he sits writing by candlelight every morning. I was doing a bit of paperwork and thought I'd move my tealight from the mantelpiece to the kitchen table. Next thing I know I have set fire to my paperwork by accidentally turning a stapled sheet up and over too close the tealight. Not Very Nigel!

Lol I am sure between us all we could start an alternative diary

I did look at my carefully placed candle in the hall and think "I wonder if that's a fire risk". And the answer is...yes, probably! Hope you didn't lose anything important. Think of it as taking one for the team, we can all learn from your cautionary tale.

I was inspired by the Asti Spumante comments to ask my mum about booze in the 70s. I first came across it as an M&S Saturday girl. Own brand Asti Spumante was always served at the (frequent and lovely) staff socials, and I thought it was the height of sophistication. I didn't remember any bubbly from childhood Christmases, and mum confirmed it was strictly sherry, with a bottle of wine on Christmas day. No bubbles until much later in the 80s for them.

The "birds pepper my winter like a garibaldi" chapter passed me by a bit as we are a mostly veggie household. But mum (nearly vegan since the early 90s and now enjoying a non mumsnet CC readalong with me) pointed out that even if you are veggie (her) or don't drink (me), it's still remarkably soothing to read his lovely prose. I have bought the leeks for the Bonfire Night sausages recipe, and will definitely make today's Cauliflower and Leek Soup at some point. Still tempted by those marmalade pears as well...

We were sometimes allowed Babycham or Port and Lemon which was actually Port and lemonade, a snowball or bizarrely a sip of sherry! Hic

@Nothingbuttheglory your cinnamon rolls do look lovely 🥰 I enjoy baking with my two still - even though they're very nearly 14, and nearly 17 now! Dd1 has made this year's Christmas cakes for us and my dad, and has another still to make. Plus she's planning pastry for mince pies at some point this week. I seem to have taken on a more supervisory role this year 🤔

I'm still under the weather so may not pick up Nigel today - this thread is enjoyable in itself though & Nigel will be waiting on my table for me.

I forgot to say @StarryAnise I recommend the soup! Although dd1 tends to take over making that too. It's gone down well the couple of times we've made it.

Bloody love this, that's exactly the sort of thing that happens to me when I try to be wafty.

I’ve been out in my mum’s garden today - filling her green bin for her and planting up some pots for winter colour close to the house. I didn’t even have my coat on - lots of autumn colours, but definitely no frost. The only wintery aspect was all the rooks circling and coming in to roost as it started to go dark at 4.30pm.

Ok, so we've had the two 5th November recipes for tonight's tea - Leeks, Beans and (Veggie) Sausage, and Marmalade Pears with Vanilla Ice Cream.

I took on board the feedback about the leeks being runny, reduced the water to the minimum and (NVN) stirred bouillon powder in instead of adding stock. It was blooming delicious. For such simple ingredients - a huge hit. But used far less liquid than specified.

Then the marmalade pears. 200ml apple juice and 150g marmalade. He advises that it will not look like much after 20 minutes and he was right. But it looked exactly the same after another 20 minutes. Swimming in juice. I drained off the liquid, reduced it on the stove top, then poured it back on. It was still a long way from his "glossy apple and marmalade sauce" - but it was, again delicious.

So I forgive him but am now deeply sceptical about using the recipes in the book. Anyone cooked along before and know if this is a regular thing?

We are replete and well fed tonight though, great autumnal dishes.

In London today to see one of the mini-sherberts and nipped into Fortnum and Mason to look at Nigel's "candle of choice". Mr RS had to be revived with smelling salts once he had looked at the price tag. Needless to say we looked, admired … and didn't buy!

Made the leek and cauli soup too - so easy and delicious, had it with Nige's v tasty white loaf from Appetite, in a double Nige coup.

Apropos of nothing, I read that Nige answers all his Instagram comments, has anyone interacted online with St Nige?