The Autumnal Christmas Chronicles Preamble thread

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

Hi, and welcome to the Nigel Slater appreciation society Christmas Chronicles Premable thread.

The thread will start proper in late October where we begin our annual journey of reading the Christmas Chronicles in real time. It is a cosy, heartwarming event that one can dip in and out of as life allows. Think flickering candles, woodsmoke, delicious recipes, the odd home made tipple, and bucket loads of touching Nigel-esque anecdotes. It is a veritable Hyyge of a thread.

This thread is to see us through until that time. You will find me, like a squirell, checking on my store of candles at the back of the cupboard.

It's also worth noting that Nigel's new book; A Thousand Feasts is out on 26th September. (with a deliciously Autumnal cover)

Neom always say that they use a whole bottle of essential oil in each candle (I assume that's a 10ml bottle in a 190g candle) Some people say Soy was gives the best scent throw, but a lot of people say paraffin wax gives the best throw.

I always add my oils whilst the wax is hot - 190 - and that helps bind the scent apparently. I also cure them for a few months if I can (i keep them in shoe boxes in a cupboard) I made some dupe Neom ones last winter and I'm about to try one of them out now, so I'll let you know what the throw is like.

I have an over abundance of produce taking over my kitchen benches, so today's makings will include Blueberry and Orange jam, Chilli Jam (late / final tomato glut) and Rhubarb syrup which makes delicious Rhubarb Presse.

@RainbowZebraWarrior sounds a lovely day.
I still have a lot of unripe tomatoes so that will be a job for the end of the week.

Let me know how your Neom turns out!

Checking in for my first year of Nigel! I am not a natural winter person but I am hoping this will help me embrace the colder seasons and also just slow down and take more time over life. I have just been making the most of the tomato harvest with my first soup of the autumn, just disappointed that the slugs got to my pumpkin plants, was hoping to grow our own this year 🎃 😔

Well, I opened my front door to get the milk in this morning and a crispy golden leaf blew in, it is officially declared autumn. We are forecast possible frost on Thurs night (SE England).

Yes, it's 5 degrees here this morning so definitely the definition of a crisp Autimn day. Also forecast for possible frost tomorrow. I've already filled the grit bin by the front door.

I burned this for 3 hours yesterday, and I've just lit it again now. I can smell the scent instantly, and I'm very pleased with it. (It scented the whole room yesterday) I made it as a Neom Complete Bliss 'dupe' last winter. It's mostly lime and black pepper essential oils with some rose essential oil. I will definitely make more.

First time join the chronicles journey. I am loving Autumn so far, lunch time walks in a country park with a flask of hot tea. I will have a browse in the library for some Nigel books.

15 degrees when I got in my car at 630am Monday, 10 degrees yesterday and 7 degrees today. Raining here now and sat under my blanket watching some Gilmore Girls before heading back out for work.

Cold in bed the last two nights but not ready to swap quilts yet!

I've got some neoprene gloves and socks as my lake swimming is about to move from refreshing summer relaxing to bracing child water dips! It will be my first winter of outdoor swimming and I'm quite excited.

Ooh @RainbowZebraWarrior you're candle looks great. Where did you get your dupe oil from?

Sorry I meant to make that clearer. I blended the oils myself based on what I know they use in my favourite candles (in this casez lime, black pepper and rose). I do also have some of Neom's own oils which I got for bargain prices in the sale, so I'm going to use those next.

I buy all my basic essential oils online from a company called Nikura.

@RainbowZebraWarrior I was only looking at that oil supplier the other day! Off I go to have another peruse!

Amazon’s dupe of The White Company’s lit fir garland is finally back in stock. I’ve been waiting since March!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07K6NMPKP?psc=1&smid=A22JVYVY4XOEPA&ref_=chk_typ_quicklook_titleToDp

I already have one and it’s lovely. I’ve added pine cones and foliage to bulk mine out before. Photo from last year’s crafting hopefully attached!

@Champere your additions look great! We have a little garland we bought years ago that we hang along a beam in the ceiling at Christmas. For the last few years I've looked at it and thought it was beginning to look a little threadbare and that I really should ponce it up a little. I'm on a mission now!

@Champere your table and arrangement are both beautiful. I'm just about to order a similar table today. I have been pondering for weeks about how I shall dress it, but I simply cannot see my cat allowing many things. A garland would be far too tempting for him to pull at gently from the side... I've given up on the idea of a table runner for the same reason. I am, however going to treat myself to some beautiful vintage napkins I've got my eye on.

It actually feels bitterly cold here this morning (4 degrees) but there is something also rather delicious about it. I got up at six, put the heating on and made DDs packed lunch while watching the sun rise and the birds begin to appear in the garden. I then snuck back to bed for 20 minutes to wait for the heating to properly kick in. The sky is now a beautiful blue, and I have noted this in my diary.

Love the garland @Champere .

here in Switzerland they’ve forecast the first snowfall in the mountains this weekend so it’s definitely starting to feel autumnal! It will actually fall in a large area and down to 1600 m above sea level, so no snow for us at home but it does mean we’re considering taking a sledge on our planned hike on Sunday.

6º here this morning and the heating has come on. Beautiful blue skies and the trees are starting to turn. We don’t tend to change to a winter duvet, but I will be putting the electric underblanket back on the bed at the weekend, then when it gets properly cold we have a crochet blanket that goes over the duvet and that makes it much cosier.

I was also up very early this morning outside with our very young puppy. What a pleasure to watch the sky chance colour from dark to the palest blue as the sun came up. Very chilly though so came in and promptly ordered down long pyjamas and some sheepskin slippers, as otherwise it will be a long and cold winter outside with pisco pup whilst we train him.

In a break with Nigel, who I feel would be more minimalist I took the fancy to do a bjt of autumn trimming yesterday. (I always trim up for autumn -for most things actually-I enjoy a trim), plus I am bored being stuck in with my bad back for a bit longer and it gave me something to do between lying flat and doing my physio ordered stretches .
Anyway quite pleased with how it came out.

That is very lovely @piscofrisco

A gorgeous crisp bright day in Yorkshire - my favourite. Don't mind the cold but I hate wet & damp! Resisting putting on the heating but may light the wood burner at the weekend & get out blankets & throws. Dipped into the Kitchen Diaries again, & will make a plum cake or crumble at the weekend.

Cold here in the Norwegian mountains now. We are going up to our tiny cabin today which will be koselig.
The kids are in their merino underlayers now and the cosy wool socks are out too.
Over the weekend we plan to be in the forest collecting more mushrooms and the last of the blueberries. Maybe a few more tyttebær too.
I'm really looking forward to sitting out with my firepit and my coffee.

Oh! And it was extra autumny yesterday so I made a sticky toffee pudding! Trying to keep the English heritage alive in our home!

I'm preparing for my first winter in Scotland and I'm freezing already! Dug out the electric blanket, and will be cracking the heating on tonight. Need to buy a nice warm coat too.

I love reading all your Autumnal observations and preparations. Our first sign of Autumn was two days ago. We saw a hedgehog walk past the window with a leaf in its mouth. I see it had already made a large pile ready to hibernate in. I didn’t realise that they made them so early or perhaps it knows that Winter will arrive early this year.