Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles Read Along 2023 - Part Two

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

Continuing from Part 1

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 began on 1st November, however there is still time to fully appreciate Nigel in All His Splendour as it takes us to Christmas and beyond.

Most of us already have the book (or Audio 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 continue to make a post each day and we can share our thoughts and feelings on the days recipes, sentiments and indeed Dear Old Nige himself.

Pull up a chair and a cosy blanket and join in. Twinkly lights are optional, but candle light is definitely recommended. Regulars and newcomers are welcomed like old friends.

@StarryAnise I love your teacup Advent and your crib - just beautiful!

I've been starting every morning with a cup of M&S Christmas tea this December. It smells wonderful and tastes very festive. I really must acquire a special Christmas cup or mug for the occasion.

All the snow is gone here, but a couple of nights ago when the back lawn was still white and it was very, very cold, Mr Cardigans spotted a little mouse scampering across the snowy grass and under the bush where we sited our new hedgehog house a couple of months ago. We're pretty sure that no hedgehogs are hibernating in there, so Mr C thinks that mousie may be enjoying the warmth and shelter it provides. Merry Christmouse! 🐭

What a lovely little story, @ilovecardigans I love thinking of the wildlife and woodland type animals being snug at this time of year. My Mum and Dad have a dry stone wall in their back garden, with farmland behind. There are lots of mice living in it. It used to drive their cat bonkers as she was never quick enough (thankfully!)

Years ago, I used to rent a farmhouse in North Yorkshire. There were mice living in the chimney breast and they would run down, steal toast crumbs from your plate and run back up again (if you put your finished plate on the floor) Lightning quick, they were!

Greetings from Warsaw! We had such a lovely time, though I expected there to be 'more' Christmas stuff than there was. It felt like they were just getting started. But anyway, fascinating city and so much Hot Booze which I know is NVN but I didn't really care when I was slugging back hot cherry liqueur!

Gosh the idea of the cake with its spices is so lovely. @RainbowZebraWarrior hope you soon pick up. I’m a bit better today and after tomorrow’s client have a couple of office days so the pressure’s off a bit!
I posted some cards today, having written them a few weeks ago. The local through the door cards can wait a week or so!
I usually run out of time, so went with the urge to organise at least cards a few weeks ago.
as for gifts 😬…

@LillianGish I see why you wouldn’t want to run into him again!
@LaviniasBigBloomers wonderful tree and hot alcoholic drinks sound just the ticket. I’ve just come home from listening to the Messiah in a freezing church. If they had served hot spiced wine of some kind in the interval it would have gone down a treat.

6 December

A tale of two polenta

Our family tree contains centuries of blacksmiths, gunsmiths, silversmiths and metalworkers. In what sometimes reads like an episode of Peaky Blinders. My grandmother worked in a dairy, delivering milk by horse and cart. A single Mum, she brought up a daughter and four sons alone. (My grandfather died aged 32) I knew her only towards the end of her life, when she was bad tempered, contrary and exhausted. Visits to her house were memorable, if only for the tin bath hanging by the coal-fired kitchen range and my puzzlement at being in a house without an indoor bathroom.

DS just sent me this photo from outside his door this morning. He’s been having a few problems with plumbing and hot water (and a fire in the basement!!) but he says he doesn’t want to move because the other people in the building are so nice. It’s reminding me of our first year in Germany when our neighbours hung a huge bag of toys on the door for the kids - we had no idea where it had come from (and didn’t know about St Nicolaus) so it really felt like Santa had been.

How lovely @LillianGish to find such a gift. It reminds me of when the children went to a Junior school which had a German pedagogy. St Nicolas would distribute red paper napkins with a tangerine and chocolate coins to the complete bemusement of my British offspring who knew that Christmas Day was the proper day for such things. Apparently the younger children would tear round the school excitedly saying St Nicholas was on his way (I think he sent a golden letter to announce his arrival).

Just catching up on the thread. Lovely photos of the Warsaw Christmas tree, advent cups, candles and crib. Not so lovely photo of Krampus 😂

Anyway, I’d been telling my neighbour all about CC and she asked if she could borrow it as she reads newspapers for the blind but needed to read something for the Christmas magazine and thought a bit of CC might be just the ticket! So lovely. Unfortunately, she then went on holiday taking my copy of CC with her so glad of this thread to keep up a bit!

I’d forgotten St Nicholas Day. When we lived in Hungary it was Szent Miklaus Day. Children got chocolate in their shoes. If they were good. A stick if they weren’t! School got in on the act and they all got a chocolate Santa and an orange. I sometimes still remember to put chocolate in DS’s shoes. He’s 22 now though so a bit big really!

I had never heard of Krampus. I think I’m glad!

I also quite liked the simplicity of Nigel’s mince pies. Very similar to what my Nana made. She made them year round as a way to use up leftover pastry.

Went to the lighting of the fishmas tree on Filey coble landing at the weekend . The tree is made up every year from crab pots and has a leaping salmon on the top (hence the reason for its name). A big crowd turned out to watch, and there was a beautiful firework display afterwards.

@Bubblesbythesea That looks so pretty. I’m so enjoying reading about all these different Christmas celebrations.

That tree @Bubblesbythesea ❤️ And very Nigel with the use of only white lights! Sounds like a lovely occasion. I love the Warsaw tree too @LaviniasBigBloomers - in fact all trees. Went to get ours today with DH - prompted by our trip to Christmas central in Germany and also because we have a guest arriving on Saturday. It’s in position, with white lights on awaiting DD for full blown decorating to begin (though I’m having the Nigel thought that it looks rather beautiful threaded with white lights).

@Retrievemysanity CC is currently 99p on kindle, if you have any device on which to read it....

7 December

A cracker, a quacker and a Danish charm

Roast duck, and the invariable ensuing fug of smoke, is just the thing for a winter's night. In fact, there is no other time of year I eat it. The juices and fat that come from the bird are too full of promise to sit in the bottom of a roasting tin. By stuffing the bird with potatoes, breadcrumbs or grains you can sponge up and exploit much of that goodness.

Good morning all. Hope everyone is well.

I'm utterly exhausted. 3 hour 18 minute PIP assessment yesterday has left me wrung out. I've treated myself to a small Diptyque bag and ordered some Quince Cheddar from Waitrose.

Awfully cold and windy, here, but the cat is enjoying being on the heated throw, so that's OK 😁

That krampus is terrifying! Love the fishing tree. I made it to Fortnams at the weekend and it was busy but joyful. Full of colour especially upstairs in the Xmas shop. Some very bright and zingy decorations which I didn’t need but enjoyed looking at. Bought biscuits though.

That tree is beautiful @Bubblesbythesea.

Sounds like a stressful day yesterday @RainbowZebraWarrior. Enjoy your Diptyque bag!

We are in full blown Christmas decoration mode here although I am not feeling it as much this year as normal. Almost done now though thankfully.

We went to a Christmas dinner last night at a local five star hotel. It was so beautifully decorated. Made me want to re do my tree. Or more to the point have their decorator do my tree!

Just read today’s entry and have surprised myself by quite liking the sound of the duck dish. I’m not a big fan of duck normally. But that sounds really nice.

@Newgirls - I’m hoping to get up to London in the next couple of weeks and really want to go to Fortnums. Have never been there at Christmas.

@RainbowZebraWarrior what a lovely cat and also yes, such a good treat after PIP. A fellow PiP warrior although for my son when younger, I salute you.

My lovely dentist came through with a cancellation as I had badly chipped a tooth - there were otherwise no appt until the new year 😬. Hopefully I’ll be able to eat more than soup for Christmas now - Guinness from the bottle prevents dribbling!

Hello all. Lovely to see all the Christmassy activities taking place. I’ve been following along with the book and thread. Been poorly since last weekend but today finally managed to find some energy and made malt loaf (not tried any yet, it’s in maturation phase) and also printed a few cards. Need a new burst of energy to write them now!

Those cards are lovely, @ritathecheetah.

I was looking through my camera roll the other day and found some shots of Christmassy Florence, from a trip in December a few years ago. It seems I was most impressed by the confectionery shops, though we did also visit the gorgeous Santa Maria Novelli, where Nigel buys soap. It’s so beautiful and very ancient (and, of course, smells delicious).

8 December

Spice, crumbs and cream

There has been a golden tin by the coffee machine for some time now. Each year I fill it with Lebkuchen that I bring back from late Autumn trips to Cologne, Oslo, Gothenburg or Vienna. The best I have ever had hail from Nurenberg. You can buy them in Britain of course, but I like to hunt these out nearer their spiritual home.

Those Florence photos @Octothorpe and your cards @ritathecheetah and your cat @RainbowZebraWarrior - I'm enjoying the thread even more than the book (sorry Nigel). I iced my cake today as we have visitors this weekend so I thought we might cut into it. Currently (or should that be currantly) deciding whether or not to take a picture - it's quite basic (definitely not Bake Off standard!)

Lovely cards and Florence pictures. Considering another Italian Odessy next year as my bestie really wants to go to Florence