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.

Well spotted @RainbowZebraWarrior - and a well deserved treat for keeping this lovely thread going!

@RainbowZebraWarrior That book was a good find. @LillianGish That’s sounds lovely and festive.
What a marathon chapter today with wreaths, and mulled wine and decorating cakes. I do eat the icing unlike Nigel’s guests, but I do like a reasonable bit of cake with it - not an edge piece or worse, a corner with icing on all sides. It’s also better slightly fresh before it’s had a chance to go rock hard.
I used to hate mulled wine until I tried negus. It seems to be mulled wine with port, lemon and perhaps some sugar. I’m going to try tracking down a recipe for this Christmas.

22 December

A terrine or two

I make lists. Shopping lists, to-do lists, Christmas card and present lists. Lists long and short, urgent lists and pipe dreams. And never more so than in the days that bookend Christmas. The one I write today is unusually long and detailed. A stream of consciousness that may or may not be followed. Either way, it is an aide-memiore I feel I cannot live without. There is no point in reproducing it here, because a list is your own and pretty much useless to anyone else.

Good morning, all!

I do not like terrine of any sort. It's the textures. I do, however, love lists and can completely identify with the 'stream of consciousness' variety. I also like the look of the herb-flecked, sprout-studded custards on Page 12. It reminds me of my recent forays into 'vegetable cheese'. It started with an obsession for Cauliflower and broccoli cheese / mornay which I've had for years. Then gradually, these dishes of cheesy delightful-ness have had various other vegetables join them - green beans, sprouts, squash, potatoes! Once you start, it seems that you can't stop. Leftovers are invariably subjected to a blanket of cheese sauce and a sprinkling of cheddar and parmesan rather than, say, bubble and squeak. Cheesy vegetables. Mmm.

Nigel’s post reminds me of a dinner party I was invited to many years ago where the host served a huge terrine and plenty of fresh crusty bread. A few glasses of wine were drunk. It made a delicious and substantial meal.
You can guess what happened next.
He brought out the Coq au vin.
So if you decide to feed a homemade terrine to your guests, drop them a hint as to whether it’s just starter or not.
We were never asked again, which was a shame as he was a very good cook.

@RainbowZebraWarrior your cheesy vegetables sound fabulous and a great way of using leftovers. Will have to bear this in mind.

I can take or leave a terrine. I associate them with my mum, which isn't a bad thing at all. Terrines were one of her dinner party specialities. I wouldn't turn down a slice or two but wouldn't go out of my way to seek one out, or make one.

I'm with Nigel on lists. I always have a notebook on the go (and am very particular about my notebooks) and fill it with bullet pointed thoughts and plans. One of my current lists is recipes from CC which I haven't yet gotten around to trying!

Dinner tonight is the leftover brisket with porcini from a few weeks ago (it has been frozen, not sitting all this time). I've discovered over the years that, mixed with a tin of tomatoes, a glug of red wine and simmered with a parmesan rind, it makes a decent bolognese-style beef ragu and will be served with tagliatelle tonight.

23 December

Getting the blues

A wedge of blue, the veins running like a road map through the creamy curds, something soft and giving, it's tendency to roam held in place by a downy white robe; a firm textured cheese with a hard rind for eating with a comics pear or a crisp, chilled apple. Christmas in this house is unthinkable without cheese.

I remember my parents taking me to a lovely restaurant for my 16th birthday. My Dad asked to look at the cheese trolley after the main meal. The waiter explained that the laws had changed and they no longer had a trolley of ambient Cheeses in the restaurant, but now kept all cheese refrigerated, and you could get a small selection of (cold) cheese cut and brought to your table instead. My Dad genuinely groaned with his head in his hands saying "no more oozing Brie? no soft, pungent, melt-in-the-mouth Stilton?" The waiter replied "No, sir. Just cold, rock hard, tasteless cheese. We think it's shit, too"

That’s a great story!

I do like cheese but with two lactose intolerant people in the house I only need a tiny amount for me.

I love that story! I think I'd get on well with your dad. This is my favourite chapter - Christmas is very much about the cheese for me. I'm the only one here who will eat blue cheese so I rarely buy it other than at this time of year as a treat. Pleased that some of my own favourites get a shout out in this chapter- Cashel blue, lNark blue and picos, although, like Nigel, I try to ensure that my cheese (and my gin) is British.

I like the sound of the beenleigh and will try to seek it out.

Thank goodness that doesn’t happen too often @RainbowZebraWarrior I love a good cheese trolley, but they are few and far between.
I like my cheese to be full of flavour, but when it comes to Christmas a rich and creamy potted Stilton is my favourite. We are having Cropwell Bishop this year. I’d be happy to eat any of the blue cheeses though and I am still relishing two weeks later, the memory of an endive salad served with a great slab of Roquefort atop it. Yum.

Your Dad sounds awesome, @RainbowZebraWarrior !

We both love cheese, but there's been none in this house since September, when Mr Cardigans embarked on a mission to reduce his cholesterol. No butter either... 😬 There will be a couple of days of unclenching over Christmas though, when cheese, butter and crispy chicken skin will be permitted! 🎉

Made Nigella's (sorry, Nigel - but I'm sure you'll forgive me) clementine cake this afternoon and the kitchen smells divine. Having a quick sit down with a big glass of mulled wine and Casablanca before heading out for my daily walk in the dark to admire the bonny Christmas lights in the windows along the prom, listening to the sound of the waves crashing onto the beach. Bliss.

Have a lovely weekend everyone. 😘

Crikey - I have just remembered I bought an Inspiritus candle - have been saving it until Christmas properly started - which I think it has, so I've just lit it - and it really is a wonderful scent! I boiled our ham today, will refrigerate and glaze it tomorrow, then bake. Fillet of beef is mostly defrosted, ready for our Beef Wellington on Monday. Tomorrow I take the turkey breast out of the freezer (not having it until the 26th), also the sausages for stuffing. Tesco do black pudding and pork sausages which work really well in stuffing - tried them out a few weeks ago with a chicken, to make sure :)

Fridge has an unreasonable amount of cheese in it, as it should, and various patés, charcuterie and fishy things. We're having a nibble night tomorrow - a change from our usual kedgeree - which is totally stress-free, and therefore A Good Thing.

In case I don't get back to post here again until after The Day - Merry Christmas to all - hope you all have a wonderful time - it's been lovely sharing our appreciation for all things Nigel in the run-up. Already looking forward to next year. when we can do it all again!

Lol @Inextremis that's a great find, mine is pretty much down to a stump now!

I very much approve of cheesy veg. A shop-bought cheesy veg with overdone frozen chips to dunk in the sauce is my favourite solitary completely effortless tea.

24 December. Christmas Eve

Evergreens and a new fish pie

Christmas eve, and I am bringing in the evergreens. I do this early in the day, so they have time to dry if they are, somewhat inevitably, dripping with rain. My ritual, but one that dates back to Roman times. Yew from the garden to adorn the mantlepieces, Holly and ivy to drape over the oak table.

DD is poorly in my bed. She is in her 4th week of the horrible cough. (Seen the doctor, thought she ws getting better, will need to ring them straight after Christmas as I think she needs steroids) She's hardly slept all night. Fingers and toes crossed that she feels a bit better for tomorrow. She's been so excited for Christmas.

My Dad traditionally brings Yew home on Christmas eve. My Mum told him not to bother any more, after he brought a branch the size of a Christmas tree a few year ago. To be fair, she stood it in a bucket and put lights and baubles on it, and it was the nicest 'Christmas tree' ever.

I hope she manages a decent rest at least. Coughs are relentless at the moment. Spent too long on children’s ward with mine when they were small.

mmmm cheese! Also on a cholesterol reducing mission here but I have a weekend pass!

@RainbowZebraWarrior I hope she feels much better soon. If you think she needs steroids then out of hours will be open today and every day?

I often think it's a rubbish time of year to have a huge festival as there are so many bugs about.

half the house is ill here too - it’s rubbish. I do feel the need to go out and collect holly though - I wonder if there will be any berries left

Can anyone remember what the website is our Nigel recommends for listening to church bells? I can't remember which day in the book he talks about how much he liked it.

It's tomorrow's entry (P.345 Christmas Day) and the online reference is 'Bells on Sunday'

ETA - its a link to Radio 4 archive

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006sgsh

Thankfully, she's just woke up and has perked up a bit. Peak flow not too bad, but I was thinking if it's definitely not gone in a few days she needs the steroids

Due to DD being unwell, and the mad crazy wind, I've not really done much today. I am just pondering the order of service as it were - cooking wise - for tomorrow. Due to the fact that I can't find where I've put the goose fat (was feeling so smug, buying it six weeks ago) I will be trialling roast potatoes cooked in ghee. I have also now decided that I do not care if it is OTT, I am having mash, roast potatoes, potato Dauphinoise and Cauliflower cheese with my Christmas Dinner.

Thank you Rainbow and sorry for the accidental spoiler for those reading the book for the first time.

Just made traditional mince pies to the accompaniment of Nine Lessons and Carols (plus all the trimmings for tomorrow’s feast!), ham glazed and ready to go in the oven for this evening - finally taking a quiet moment for myself to catch up with Nigel and everyone on here. Hope your DD feels better soon @RainbowZebraWarrior. Thanks to everyone on here for being here for moments of calm 🕯️

I’m all behind again, just listening to the 17th now. About to make some mince pies and then go and watch a bit of TV (NVN). Happy Christmas everyone