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.

It's a Dior Ecrin Couture iconic eyeshadow palette. I used the dark brown shadow for my brows today. I must admit, I love it.

@RainbowZebraWarrior that is divine! Their packaging is particularly gorgeous at the moment. I must confess to treating myself to a silk scarf on my London trip - the in-store experience was lovely.
@LillianGish just yummy (don’t eat it!). The smell must be amazing now it’s out of the packet.

would love to go to Japan. My son is deeply into Japanese culture and tea. I’m planning to buy him a ceramic tea bowl from the ceramic place near to the British museum on my next trip down as he collects tea vessels. An upcoming birthday for him too!

@RainbowZebraWarrior and @LillianGish - gorgeous! Thanks for sharing your lovely treats!

15 January

Ribsticker bread pudding

For all the excitement of bringing home a freshly baked loaf, it's crust dark and crispy enough to shatter messily under the bread knife (a chewy piece of which is usually removed, buttered and devoured before I even have my coat off), there is inevitably some left after a day or two that is beyond toast.

Morning, all!

I'm definitely with Nigel in that I've buttered an end of a freshly baked loaf, buttered and scoffed it before my coat is even off. (Or just while you're waiting for soup to warm up!) I like to think I get more than a day or two out of a loaf before it's beyond toast though. I reckon that's day 4. My dad thickly slices his fresh loaves and freezes in twos as soon as he buys them.

I can't quite believe there are only 3 chapters left.

Mmmmmmm!!! Butter (proper butter) on a warm crust - delicious! We don’t live near a bakery so I often make a loaf in the bread maker and set the timer so it’s ready for breakfast; DH and I ‘share a crust’!

No-one in this house can get back from the boulangerie with the end of the baguette intact (and it is literally right outside our door!)
I can't believe there are only three more entries left @RainbowZebraWarrior. I like to think that we might briefly revisit this thread if anything particularly Nigel occurs to us between now and next October (your trip to Japan for instance if it comes off), though in some ways its nice save everything up for next Christmas so we can look forward to opening CC together all over again.

I’d love to keep the thread going, it’s been so enjoyable and I think it would be even without the backup of the book. Reading about your lovely soaps and scarves and palettes is a good start!

That Dior palette and the packaging is a thing of beauty indeed @RainbowZebraWarrior

I would be more than happy to keep the thread running and could use his Instagram posts and weekly Observer recipes as 'material'. It would likely work out as two or three entries a week.

The other option is picking another of his books and doing a different read along. Happy to do that if anyone has any suggestions. I recebtly got his newest book, which I posted about finding in a charity shop (A Cooks Book) so that could be an option?

Speaking of which, the recipe published yesterday for his fiery harissa style paste sounds awesome. I'm not so bothered on the overall recipe of the baked feta in vine leaves (although I love vine leaves and actually had stuffed vine leaves for supper this evening) But I feel I must make a pot of this spicy paste.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/food/2024/jan/14/nigel-slater-recipes-for-fiery-red-spice-paste-and-feta-in-vine-leaves

It would be lovely to keep the thread going, it’s been a little pocketful of loveliness.

I cut this out of the paper to make. Our local veggie supermarket sells a gorgeous, quite light Harissa, but a tiny jar is not cheap and you tend to chuck a tablespoon in at a time, so I've been thinking for a while I need to have a go at making my own.

If you're keeping the thread going, can I slink back please?! We were all ill over Christmas and I (literally) lost the plot with the Chronicles, and I know from previous readalongs that it's very hard to find the way back once you've

fallen by the wayside. But if you're in for the long haul, I'd love to re-join.

Hello @StarryAnise Great minds think alike with the Harissa paste! Sorry to hear you've all been unwell. Pleased to see you back, and if course you're welcome to slink back. The same goes for anyone else. It just seems rude to come to an abrupt stop in early February I think. I need a feel good thread in my life to get me through the rest if winter I feel.

I love the idea of keeping going then starting the Chronicles again in November! I think we all need a little bit of Nige in our lives. I may have to track down the kitchen diaries for a bit of ongoing seasonal inspiration, though I think there are a few of them?

Yes, there are three volumes of Kitchen Diaries @StarryAnise I've got the first two (I think)

Speaking of books, Nigel mentions one in his insta post today. Apparently he has an advance copy of Butter by Asako Yuzuki. It's an English translation of a Japanese novel set in Tokyo about a cook and serial killer. Sounds very intriguing. (Released end of Feb)

I'd love the thread to continue. I don't post on it much, but enjoy reading what everyone else is writing. I count it as one of the uplifting threads on mumsnet - reading about all things Nigel is a nice way to start my day.

I buy Harissa paste from a small supermarket near where I live. Inner City Birmingham can sometimes be grim, but one of the good things is the number of small shops run by people from our various ethnic communities - we have so much food culture here.

17 January

Toasting the trees, roast pork and apple cake

We have lots of harissa on offer here in inner city Manchester too - but I really like the Biona one, It's much lighter and less concentrated than the traditional ones, which made me think about having a go at making my own. Though lighter and less concentrated is also why I use a lot of it, I guess - maybe I should just buy at the local food shops and use less of it.

I too would love this thread to continue @RainbowZebraWarrior. During the past few weeks I’ve really enjoyed reading about other people’s preparations for Christmas, their thoughts, memories and personal treats and have looked forward every day to catching up on the posts. Today we’ve finished the last of the Christmas sweet treats, a lovely present of decorated. biscuits we were given which were almost too pretty to eat - but DH’s sweet tooth finally couldn’t resist!

Those look amazing, @Bubblesbythesea

Sorry for the brief entry today. I started writing then realised I had to head out for my hospital appt.

@Bubblesbythesea I saw those biscuits when I was looking for a special Christmas present for DM. They're lovely, aren't they.

Those biscuits look almost too good to eat @Bubblesbythesea. I’m coming on to share a sales purchase in anticipation of next year’s read along! Reduced to half price - not sure it’s entirely Nigel, but I thought a tea light a day might be quite fun. I just need to put it away somewhere so that I remember it when the time comes. I thought if I posted it on here someone might remind me when the time comes 🤣 I have A Cooks Book @RainbowZebraWarrior - gifted last Christmas, but which I have not yet properly got my teeth into. Would happily read along with that, but equally happy to just follow along on Insta or even just have some incidental Nigel chitchat with all the lovely people on here.

Ooh where did you find that half price please, @LillianGish ?

It was in my local Monoprix in Paris @SqueakyDinosaur - the last one on the shelf! I'm not usually one for buying things so far ahead of time and I rejected it on my first trip, but when I went back a few days later and it was still there it felt like it was waiting for me so I cracked.