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.

Keen for a mulled wine now and a wander round a market. Don’t even mind if it’s outdoor jazz (sorry Nigel)

What a lovely chapter. I’m longing to go to Cologne now. Not right now, obviously, but Id like to see the cathedral sometime as it sounds fascinating from Nigel’s description.
I tried the perfume ‘Portrait of a Lady’ in Liberty and I said to the lady that it smelt of rose, and she said it had frankincense too. It smelt interesting anyway.

Those are some impressive carpentry skills @StarryAnise. What a lovely idea and I’m looking forward to seeing the completed display.

Love the idea of carrying round a little fragment of
frankincense for a little fragrant hit. The rest of us will probably have to make do with our candles. I had an idle google @StarryAnise and it appears frankincense resin is much cheaper than any of Nigel’s candle options. Might have a little scout round for some in the shops - see if I can sniff some out.

Welcome on board @LovethewonderofChristmas I must confess this thread is making me realise that I actually love the build up almost more than the event itself. Embracing the dark nights, lighting the candles and stringing up fairy lights, all the delicious winter smells of fire and baking, bay and now (possibly) frankincense and coming on here an reading about what everyone else is doing. DH has been coming in and saying everything’s so cosy he’s actually taking some time off in the run up to Christmas. It feels far less pressured than the actual holiday - so lovely to spread the enjoyment and really savour every moment 🍷 ☕️ 🕯️

Good morning all and welcome @LovethewonderofChristmas

No chapters for the next couple of days so a chance to catch up for those that need it.

I bought some little Frankincense nuggets after reading about Nigel's last year. As mentioned, they are pretty cheap. I've also ground some up and used them in soap making to good effect. Funny that the Liberty perfume has been mentioned. Rose and Frankincense is my blend today as I'm making some more scented Ingots for my stall at the weekend.

Hope everyone has fruitful and gentle days. We have mad wind here, which is typical as I'm having my hair done later.

Today I am baking simple jam tarts.....using ready roll pastry (not nigel at all) and home made jam (very very nigel).

I also have a scented wax melt on in the living room (nvn) called Cuddle Up (from asda) which is lovely and cosy.

I hope you're all having a lovely day xxxx

Plumber installing radiator in new bathroom knocked something and a leak came into our kitchen via ceiling light. Not very Nigel.

We can't use the kitchen lights til they've dried out and an area of the ceiling in the kitchen has bowed slightly.

So using fairy lights and candles which are more Nigel.

Could do with a festive drink 😭

Oh dingdong - what a dingdong! Hopefully you’re making the most of a tricky experience.
loving the thoughts of Christmas markets. When the ds’s were smaller, we were in Prague for the Christmas markets and it snowed. It was magical!

Indeed! Pressing on with Christmas cards

I'm very behind, both with reading this thread and the book - been away so not made any of the recipes yet, but I'm hoping to remedy that soon.

Just a thought for anyone making Christmas puddings, you don't have to steam them all in one go. When I worked full time, if I made a pudding one evening I couldn't then steam it without sitting up till a ridiculous hour waiting for it to be done. You can steam for 2 hours one night and another 2 hours the next night and it works fine.

I'm not making any this year - turns out only two of us actually like it, so I might as well buy one. But it HAS to be served with hot white sauce.

Morning all,

No chapter again today. Hope everyone is good this Black Friday. I'm having a foray into the local shopping park this morning. NVN at all really, but I'll be in and out of M&S before the other stores even open.

@MerelyPlaying great tip about puddings. Waiting hours on end for puddings to steam can be a right PITA

@YuletideSolace Hope everything is OK with you my lovely.

Go gently in your day, everyone.

And you Rainbow 🌈

My mum used to make the most beautiful Christmas puddings. The mixing and steaming was one of the Christmas rituals when I was a child. I remember them steaming for what seemed like hours and hours.

When DM and DF divorced she stopped making them and the recipe has been lost in the intervening 50 years.

I buy mine now, but if I had her recipe I'd make one for old times sake.

Oh @MissMarplesNiece that's sad that your Mum's recipe has been lost. It's a lovely memory to have, though. I feel like I should ask DD what recipes of mine she would like me to write down for her. She's only 12, but time seems to go so quickly.

I've been to M&S and was a bit 'Meh' To be honest, I need to be sensible as I am doing a Mystery Shop tomorrow so will have a fridge full of food from that. I've also just chosen a Sainsbury's Taste The Difference Mature Stilton Centrepiece to test. It looks Very Nigel and I'm sure I'll get my use out of it.

I'm also trying not to skip ahead to the next chapter, but I'm getting rather excited about what's to come. One of my favourite ones is the chapter about Krampus.

Had a catch up this morning, I usually wait until the evening but DH and I are off to see the Castle of Lights at Edinburgh Castle tonight. Hoping that will put a bit more pep in my step ( though IS a light show Nigel-Adjacent? I fear it is NVN?). Feeling very low this week, I've lost my mum and sibling over the past two years and both their birthdays are next week. It's all a bit bleak.

However, I have a Tesco order coming on Monday and have ordered all the bits for Heaven and Earth. DH loves black pudding and I'll put some sausages in for DS. And I'll have both!

Christmas cake is in the oven! Smells heavenly!

Ha - found you all (had lost thread 2!) and catching up now!

@LaviniasBigBloomers Here's hoping the Castle of Lights lifts your spirits - it sounds absolutely wonderful. Let's all light a candle for your mum and sibling.

@RainbowZebraWarrior Good luck with your stall at the weekend. Your scented ingots look lovely and am sure smell VN. Hope you’re going to post a picture of your stall when it’s all set up.

Placemarking - I don’t have the book but I adore this thread! (I do have a bunch of Nigel’s other books but not this one).

A Nigelesque corner of La Samaritaine where I popped in for a browse this afternoon in the absence of a CC chapter. Everything looking so Christmassy and there’s now a decided nip in the air which I am positively relishing. Looking forward to seeing your stand @RainbowZebraWarrior.

Lost you all for a minute there but I found the new thread

So vVN!

25 November

The cake

I have beeb looking forward to this day for weeks. The one where I get ro make 'the Cake'. It is, and must always be, a day when I have little else on my plate. Baking a fruit cake that will feed twenty people is not something to shoehorn in between fifteen other errands. I usually put on some calming music, or listen to the gentle babble of the radio, and today is no different. (Mitsuko Uchida, Mozart piano concerto, because it will help me concentrate on the lengthy ingredient list.)