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 kept our tree up till a couple of weeks ago by request of one of the DCs whose likes it to still be up for her birthday. We had packed all the other decorations away gradually, it seems to take far longer than I think it will if I do it properly. I also have a load of extra ones to take to the charity shop in my car boot.

I had got really behind with the book and decided to catch up on audio a couple of weeks ago (having only got to 21st Dec) and ended up accidentally finishing it as it has so few chapters for Jan. This is definitely a hazard of the audio version vs the hardcopy.

Have you bought a coffee machine @RainbowZebraWarrior ?

@EversoDisorganised I've been through the audio book about six times for precisely that reason. I pine for CC around June / July time, so I will probably listen again.

Coffee machine wise, I'm still deliberating, but I've been very, very close to ordering this:

Oooh nice!

I love the yellow! I use a very basic coffee plunger so no expertise to add other than that!

ive noticed lots of snowdrops now which is lovely and feels in keeping with this thread

will buy blood oranges at the weekend - to eat rather than to make marmalade tho I do love it

Buy it @RainbowZebraWarrior! I'm looking forward to seeing it in it's newly cleared space in the pantry à la Nigel. I've been having a bit of a clear out since the decs came down - trying to ring the changes with stuff I already have in my cupboards, rather than being seduced by sales purchases. Hosted a lunch for some ladies today so I now have a room full of flowers and bulbs. It's getting me through January. How is it that January seems to crawl by so slowly when December, which has exactly the same number of days, is gone in a flash?

I only took the decorations off mine yesterday. I fell off a step ladder a week before Christmas, and cracked a rib; so I'm not risking myself on it again until I have someone in the house to support me! My SIL may visit soon, so I'll take the (artificial) tree itself down then.

That blackcurrant sponge pudding looks delish.

In a fit of madness I tracked down and ordered second hand copies of all 3 kitchen diaries. Gosh, that man can write. January is a bit meaty for us - though I can see how comforting chicken noodle broth and boiled ham would be at this time of year.

I'm in a cake club that did a SuperSize me meeting this week - I made a giant sausage roll and a giant bourbon biscuit. This obviously required a lot of practice to the point where my health conscious cycling husband mildly remarked "more pastry?" the third night I served up a trial go. I discovered Nigel's Chick Pea mash which worked so well to counteract all the butter in the pastry - I used much less oil than he said and added a splash of milk instead. Very good.

The sausage roll went down very well and people couldn't believe it was veggie - 2 packs of cauldron veggie sausages mashed up with a sweated onion, chopped jarred peppers, a little veggie chorizo, a lot of smoked paprika and a good handful of grated cheddar. Bourbon biscuit with Chocolate Ganache was a bit rich but looked the part.

Wow! They both look amazing! Well done!

I've tried to start the year off de-cluttering and freshening up the house (only done my bedroom so far), I find it's good for the mind and soul. Plus Nigel's minimal living may have been a contributing factor.

Plus I've also this year made notes in my phone this year about what did and didn't work over the Christmas period. I find we put so much pressure on ourselves to do EVERYTHING, even though some things don't work, or aren't as welcomed by the family as the effort it takes us to do it. I'm just hoping I listen to my own notes by November 2024!

@StarryAnise Your SuperSize baking looks amazing, what a brilliant idea!

It was a fab theme. The giant Tunnocks Caramel wafer was awesome!

Those are amazing, that’s some serious baking talent!

@StarryAnise - just wow. Those photos are amazing. Thanks for sharing - I love the idea of being in a cake club (though I think it would be very bad for my waistline which needs no further expansion after Christmas - especially if you need to test things several times during the week!)

Every time I go I am so ambivalent - I love the challenge of coming up with an idea and making it, then talking about it, but it is such a lot of cake, even if you just have a taste of each one. I have got wise over the years and only have a small taste of each, never go back for seconds etc - but yes, so much cake!

Was interested to realise this month that many of the members are runners - so do burn off a lot of cake on a regular basis.

Hi all:) it’s such a long wait for the last couple of entries! Festive vibes long since departed here and we’re onto the hot cross buns in our house. Have considered skipping ahead and finishing off early, but it doesn’t feel right having been with it since November.

2 February

Candlemas, Japan and the best present of all

The feeling you have on Christmas morning. That there is something special about this day, even before you are awake enough to realise what day it is. Well, that.

The final pages read, and what a treat to read about the snowy morning in Japan.
Thankyou to @RainbowZebraWarrior for hosting such a lovely thread and for everyone for sharing their baking triumphs, trips abroad, scented candles and so much more. It’s been delightful.

Thank you to you too, Narnia. It has been delightful, indeed and I thoroughly enjoyed that last chapter. It's wonderful to think that Spring is on its way, and the clocks go forward next month. Its also lovely to think ahead to the Autumn time and the twinkling lights and candles that lie ahead.

I also just want to share Nigel's latest Instagram post. He's so right in what he says about favourite plates. I have some very evocative memories of a special plate I used at my Nanna's house. I've also built up an eclectic collection of plates which include some my Mum has gifted me recently from her own 'collection' I also still have the plates I used on Masterchef (they asked us to bring our own if we wanted a certain 'look')

I completely agree about the plates and I crave Nigel’s collection. I’m just rereading The Hare with the Amber Eyes by deWaal, who made some of Nigel’s ceramics.

@LillianGish have you visited the Ephrussi House? Can’t recall if that’s the actual name. 😳

I haven’t @Bimblesalong - though I’m a huge fan of the musée Nissim de Camondo which de Waal writes about.
A bit sad that this thread is coming to an end for another year - though happy that the days are getting longer and we are moving towards spring.

At long last, the days are getting longer and the spring flowers are coming up.

Thank for the thread - will see you again at the end of the year!

@LillianGish ah, that’s the one I meant! I did go to an amazing little treasure house one time, with a private tour booked months ahead. Tremendous collection of netsuke - Musee d’Ennery. Fascinating place and worth a visit just to admire all the netsuke.

I’d like to see the Rothko exhibition but don’t think I’m going to get the chance to pop over.

I'm really sad that so much of Odessa, where the Ephrussi empire started, has been destroyed - I always wanted to see it. I work with some people from Odessa who don't know what's still standing.

My thanks too to @RainbowZebraWarrior for keeping such a lovely thread going, I’ve really enjoyed a peep into other people’s Christmas preparations, traditions, memories, treats and cooking. I’ve looked forward every day to catching up and If there’s an ongoing ‘Nigel’ thread now the CC is finishing I’d be happy to join in. If not, hope to meet up again in November!

This has all been so lovely. I've really enjoyed spending time with you all and, of course, Nigel. It has been a lovely place of slightly slower, peaceful things and I enjoyed that in the run up to Christmas enormously. Thanks so much. Xx