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.

Occasionally I feel that as a vegetarian I’m missing out on Nigel’s tasty food. Not today. Oxtail - with that lovely flavour of “connective tissue” - blee. (Clearly scared for life by many a Sunday tea of Heinz oxtail soup as a child)

I'm not a vegetarian, but I also thought that description is bleugh. I'm a big lover of vegetable soups. My Mam and my Nanna always made Broth with ham hocks. The scumminess on the top which had to be skimmed off, and the over saltiness meant I wouldn't touch it. Ditto soups with chicken carcasses in. I hate chicken soup in general, and in particular chicken and sweetcorn (that might be because I have a huge aversion to textures involving msg or cornflour)

When I had my café, I cycled through various different 'soups of the day' but all the locals and regulars loved my lentil soup. We ended up making lentil soup every day for four years! (Occasionally, I'd have a second option available to a couple of folk who would say "lentil again??")

Mmm. Now I want lentil soup.

I always choose lentil soup if I see it. I think cafe soup should have pulses in it so we get our plant protein. And then also feel virtuous so can have cake after

Turkish lentil soup is my absolute favourite version- mecimek çorba. Has to have lemon juice in it, though. Tastes a bit muddy without it.

A bit late as catching up but for the recipe on 8th December - Lebkuchen Cream - does Nigel mean the crisp hard biscuits or the soft little domes covered in icing sugar which we always refer to as Pfeffernusse in my house? Either way, I'm definitely going to try it.

Re: chutney, I never bother to make it as I tend to get random jars from neighbours but I do do a Onion Marmalade from the River Kitchen Preserves cookbook which is glorious. Takes ages but infinitely worth it.

(Edits for spelling)

I love lentil soup too. Equally happy with a fancy cafe one or a definitely-not-Nigel tin of Heinz 😁

14 December

Pickled quinces and a Christmas stocking

The story behind the orange / satsuma in the bottom of your stocking..

After yesterday's chutney talk, I've realised I have issues with certain pickles. I love jalapeños, pickled cabbage and pickled onions. I can't stand the idea of a pickled pear or a pickled quince, though. (Maybe it comes from the same place as my 'cooked fruit' aversion) I bought some pickled walnuts last Christmas, but never opened them. I need to fish them out of the pantry and use them whilst they are still presumably in date.

I loved the satsuma story - I had no idea! I always do it for mine though have never wrapped in foil. A grocer near us does sell oranges wrapped in tissue paper which now makes sense.

a pickled walnut with some creamy cheese on a cracker might be delicious?

Fortnums had pickled sprouts which I wanted to get as a novelty gift and then thought no one would eat them

@RainbowZebraWarrior it was lovely to read about St Mary's lighthouse - as a child I have fond memories of watching tourists getting caught unawares by the incoming tide :)

Today I am being very Nigel - I ordered two bottles of Marsala - one dry, one sweet, because he seems to use it so much. I've already tried the dry (yum) and am now sampling the sweet (also yum). Have never had Marsala before!

Earlier, I made shortbread in a suitably Christmassy shape. Venison burgers for dinner - which, I feel, are more Nigel than your average burger.

Listening to Carols from Kings, and really feeling the season, at last (that could be down to the Marsala!).

Pleased you enjoyed hearing about St Mary's @Inextremis

Those shortbread look thoroughly delicious and I bet they go down a treat with a glass of Marsala.

Evening all, I feel as though I am living up to my name at the moment. I am keeping up with the book on audible in the car but although I love Nigel’s voice, it’s not the same as reading the book slowly with a warm drink and a candle or two.

We got our tree on Saturday, I found myself nodding along to Nigel’s words, we go to a farm and cut our own, which we have been doing for many years. Always a Nordman type so that it won’t drop needles, the ideal height is the same height as me (it goes on a table in a corner because a full height one would be too wide for our tiny house and cost a lot more). Needles checked for spikiness, some are quite ouchy. DS really wanted the runty one this year and I did feel sorry for it (I get attached to Christmas trees) but it really was a mess. The one we ended up with was perfectly shaped and symmetrical.

I’m another one who gets out the fountain pen and mutters about recycled cards being too absorbent.

I also love making chutneys and pickles, this is a jar of pickled onions I made last month.

I love using Marsala too @Inextremis It’s very good in mushroom soup and makes it taste all woodsy and autumnal.

I usually make chutney, just love it at this time of year. But it’s still in a deconstructed form (ie fruit in bags in freezer!) due to lack of organization this year. I can eat half a jar at a time if left unsupervised with a cold sausage or slice of strong cheese.

No chapter today.

I'm rushing about trying to get everything ready for our school faur tonight.

Wishing everyone a gentle day and hoping the sun is shining wherever you are.

Hello everyone 🎄🎄🎄

Just popping in to say hi and hope you're each well/contented and able to enjoy the lead-up to the big day.

I'm almost done with all Christmas related tasks and admin, and once DH and I have cleaned and tidied this building site/home, I'm planning a proper hygge session and much needed catch-up with this thread! ❤️

Have a lovely day everyone and thank you @RainbowZebraWarrior for the thread.

Partially inspired by Nigel’s example, and partially by this thread, I made spiced Danish biscuits yesterday. They are very, very thin (they’re a ‘slice and bake’ cookie, so you chill the dough then shave off the slices for baking) and extremely crisp. I’ve still got plenty of dough on hand to make more.

Later I’m going to make a batch of really delicious cookies I once saw on a long-ago blog, and now the recipe is a Christmas favourite (and a nice hostess-gift). They’re like very short shortbreads studded with green pistachios and ruby cranberries, and flavored with orange zest. You form them into a log and roll in Demerara sugar before cutting and baking, so the edges are crunchy and lacy.

Oooh recipes please@Octothorpe !!

Of course, @SqueakyDinosaur! Just went looking for my tattered old recipe for the cranberry-pistachio biscuits and it’s from Epicurious magazine - I found this link which is in American measurements, but it should be quite easy to convert.

The Danish ones are called 'brunkager' - there are several recipes around but I used this one.

They look very festive and delicious @Octothorpe.
I’ve just caught up on the oranges in silver foil explanation. I did not know that. I’d stopped doing it when my youngest DC explained to me in a serious manner that whilst he had loved the contents of his stocking, in future there was no need for me to put in the orange. This year they will make a reappearance.
As a child I liked finding them there. They were a refreshing palette cleanser after eating too much chocolate.

Waves to everyone

Oof what a week. I've been battling a lurgy, cancelled two Christmas nights out (unheard of!). Did manage to have two nights away up north with a dear friend which was a complete tonic, but then had to catch up with work while not sleeping because of a hacking cough. Have realised its the 15th and there's not a clout in the hoose as my DGM would say... am in complete overwhelm.

16 December

Pickles, pruning and a baked apple

I crave sharp, piquant flavours. That snap of acidity, that spike of lemon or vinegar. A spoonful of fruit chutney, a curl of soused fish or a little pile of pickles on my plate. It is these bright, clean acidic side notes that keep me interested in what I am eating.

Morning all!

9 days till Christmas. I'm sorry to hear you've been poorly @LaviniasBigBloomers

Those pistachio biscuits look amazing, but I'm not putting anything else on myself like commiting to making anything extra like I did for years I'm shattered after our Winter Wonderland Christmas fair yesterday at school. Waitrose is bringing my shopping today - half of the Christmas stuff and the fresh stuff next Saturday.

I do feel like making cheese scones, today though. That's possibly an antidote to everything sweet and cloying that I saw and smelled last night.

Somehow I never realised that oranges in stockings were a tradition until a few years ago when the DCs were a bit old to start new traditions. DS doesn’t like them in any case. My parents used to put a chocolate orange in ours but I thought that was just because it was a nice thing and it fitted. Doh.

@RainbowZebraWarrior I watched Mary Berry making cheese and chive scones the other day. I usually just make cheese ones, but these looked good; so I've bought some chives to give it a try. The recipe is on YouTube..