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.

We had a northerly wind here today. It froze my ears under my woolly hat. I think perhaps I don’t share Nigel’s love of cold weather.

Easterly wind here yesterday @narniabusiness which always seems the coldest for us being on the NE coast. I actually used to work at a restaurant on the beach, and we dreaded those Easterlies.

10 January

Jars of joy and the marmalade dragons

A winter afternoon, just getting dark, the scent of hot citrus and sugar climb the stone steps that lead up from the kitchen. Marmalade Day - it's actually two days - will always be up there with Stir-up Sunday as the best of kitchen days.

A shout out for those lovers of marmalade making (like Nigel) that the World marmalade championships 2024 at Dalmain are open!

I've bought my oranges and lemons and will be spending a lovely hour or two in the kitchen this afternoon preparing a new batch so that I can submit a jar 🍋🍊

https://www.dalemain.com/about-the-festival

I made marmalade a couple of years ago and despite the fact that the kitchen smelled gloriously of oranges, I'm not doing it again. It was SO sticky. Everything was sticky!

And, used as I am to jam making, I got frustrated that the bloody stuff wouldn't set. But then I was reading Christie or Mitford or someone similar and there was a remark that in country houses, homemade marmalade was served and the way that you knew it was homemade rather than shop bought was that it wasn't set!

DH makes marmalade (he's the only one that likes it). The rest of us give him a very wide berth during the process as there is usually a lot of mess and swearing. NVN.

I found the secret with marmalade making is to use 50:50 jam sugar and preserving sugar with pectin.
That way there's less bad language (unless you cut your finger chopping the peel) and it sets beautifully 😉

I made some beautiful blood orange marmalade last year. I was annoyed that it wasn't quite set, so put it all back in the pan, added more sugar and boiled it a but more. Overly sugary and far too solid was the result. I really should have left well alone!

Confession - I make marmalade, using Mamade, the orange pulp and peel stuff you buy in a tin - definitely NVN, but the kitchen smells lovely and it sets every time!

I love all your marmalade anecdotes. I’ve never made it, but I do love it - Fortnums or Frank Coopers for preference. My problem is getting proper bread for toasting -since Brexit did for M&S. Baguette doesn’t really cut it! What would Nigel do (probably make his own, but that would be ridiculous in France).

Bubblesbythesea; I used to make marmalade for my late husband using that. Did you know they have a lemon one as well?

No, sueelleker , didnt know you could get lemon, only thin or thick cut orange. I’m sure it’s nothing like as good as the home-made marmalade others on this thread make, but it’s much less messy and, as I said, sets every time!

Nipped out for a browse in the sales and found nothing so treated myself to a little bar of Nigel’s Santa Maria Novella soap having come across a concession in Le Bon Marché. I spent a fragrant 15 minutes having a good sniff round - soaps, candles, colognes with lots of glass domes to lift. Easing into January…

Ooh, that's a nice little treat, @LillianGish I'd love to get a SMN Freesia soap or candle for my Mum. I'm going to Italy later this year so may see what I can pick up there.

I may indulge in a little soap making tomorrow as I've almost used up the Christmas soap (Frankincense). I usually make a simple honey and goats milk soap, and I keep a few 'in stock' as my neighbours often knock to buy some. I used to sell it with the honey, but just make very small batches these days.

I love beautiful soaps but I’ve never tried that one. The packaging looks so pretty.
I used to love the Roger & Gallet boxes of 3 soaps, but that packaging seems to have gone now.

@narniabusiness A box of Roget & Gallet soaps used to be my little treat to myself, but then I stopped for some unknown reason. Time I started again, I think.

Ah, @LillianGish , that’s the concession I visited in October. Happy memories. I’m in London again in a few weeks and plan to visit the Burlington Arcade shop.

I saw Nigel’s bulb post. My ruddy chicken has been at the pots in the garden so I’ll have to find a way to protect them before she is allowed to roam free again 🙄. Spent a fortune on tulips and alliums so hopefully will have caught it before the main growing season.

Nigel would have conniptions if LLB did his house. Shuddering!

I have unwrapped my soap @Bimblesalong, but almost can’t bring myself to use it as it looks so lovely with all its embossed lettering. Please tell me I am being ridiculous - I almost feel I need permission to use it 🤣DH is already rolling his eyes at a) my being persuaded to buy it in the first place on Nigel’s say-so and b) my reluctance to now use it for its intended purpose (“Are we only allowed to sniff it?!”)

@LillianGish Take a photograph to remind yourself what your soap looked like before you used it, then enjoy it!

This reminds me of when I used to buy a beautiful lime scented soap from a local artisan soap maker. I was at Harrogate flower show with my Mum, and we happened across the soap makers stall. My Mum said to the lady "oh we love your soaps, but we don't use them, we just sniff them!" The lady was aghast and said we must use them. Pleased we aren't the only ones.

I'm actually terrible for doing this with expensive toiletries and cosmetics. I want them to stay perfect. I was lusting after a Dior palette in early December, so I took the plunge and treated myself. Not only have I not used it, I can't even bear to take it out of its beautiful beribboned Dior bag.

I'll use my palette today, if you use your soap, Lillian.

@LillianGish oh that is gorgeous. I’m taking mum for a London weekend for her 80th and she wants afternoon tea at fortnums. I have a dive into Smn planned as it’s very near (& a trip to Dior for perfume which is store only).

my preference is the Pot Pourri - I also have a soap waiting …

use the soap. Love the smell on yourself and get another when it’s gone. Will the wrapper perfume a drawer?

Great idea!

Hands washed! Thanks all. Now it’s your turn @RainbowZebraWarrior. Your mum’s birthday treat sounds wonderful @Bimblesalong. It’s something my own mum would have loved - sadly at 87 she’s no longer up to a trip to Fortnums. She could manage the shop no problem - it’s the train in and tube that would defeat her. Many happy memories of such trips together - a favourite corner of London with the RA and Burlington Arcade.

I used the palette. It was a brief swipe of some dark brown eyeshadow as I was running late, but it's been used and is now out of the packaging.

We left at about 1pm to go into the city. By the time we were heading home at 5pm it was snowing. I'd left the car at the metro station and the snow was frozen solid on the windscreen, so I've been out and gritted the drive.

We went into town to price up a holiday to Japan next Easter. DD has been longing to go for a while, and I must admit I've drooled over Nigel's Instagram pics and descriptions. We were quoted £10,000 for a 12 night break for the two of us!! Admittedly that included 2 nights in a ryokan with a private onsen, but flipping heck. I think I need to get writing some best selling cookery books.

Pic of said Dior palette now out of the bag.

@RainbowZebraWarrior your Dior palette packaging looks gorgeous - but I’m curious to know what the palette contains?????