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)

Thanks for the new thread @RainbowZebraWarrior - looking forward to immersing myself in all things autumnal & Nigeleseque....

This is a lovely thread. I live overseas and it's still very hot so I love hearing about harvest festival, the smell of woodsmoke, leaves and conkers.
I bought CC earlier this year on kindle. We don't get books delivered here (thanks Brexit) so I don't have the hardback. So far I haven't even looked at it. It's downloaded and ready to go. Just waiting for the nod. Hopefully this year will be less stressed and I can enjoy the planning and preparations.

Good morning everyone! 🍁🌾🍂🍁🌾🍂🍁🌾🍂

I had an extremely irritating dream this morning so am having to work to come down from the stress (silly but dreams can affect my mood quite markedly). I thought I'd sit down with my coffee, in an autumn-coloured mug 🙂 and decompress a bit.

I don't know whether or not to get the 1000 feasts book...I also really want to get the Advent book this year (it's been on my wish list for at least a couple of years), and money is tighter in the last quarter as we have three birthdays in the lead-up to Christmas.

But it'd be so nice to have something new and gently contemplative to read throughout September and October.

I'll dig out my scented candle (a gift from SIL a couple of years ago) in the next couple of days. I think there's enough wax left to last through September. I need to re-order a bottle of Bay essential oil too as that's my favourite. I've got two rust coloured pillar candles for dining room and living room. I always buy out of season to take advantage of bargains, so I usually have something set aside for each new season. Then when it's over I put it away to use again next year.

I have plans for a ruthless clear-out this month, just working methodically through each section of the house. I'd like everything to be clear and organised in time for Christmas. We've lived in half house/half building site the past 4 years - DH is doing all the work himself - but finally things are coming together and I'm excited that everything will be a bit more settled. Touch wood!

We made a red sauerkraut the other day and also sweet pickled cucumber. This week we will make chilli jam and a hot sauce.

Good morning @HappyDane (and all)
I'd be tempted to wait till after the book comes out, and see if the price comes down. That said its currently £14.85 with free delivery on Awesome books.

https://www.awesomebooks.com/book/9780008670740/a-thousand-feasts?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw8rW2BhAgEiwAoRO5rJXnninAR0XSvdMqSrSCOUs3YhrAbZzwXwvpWsQM_VP2ftLzdijcDBoCUZQQAvD_BwE

Yesterday I baked bread, lemon madeira cakes and cheese scones. I also made a big pan of chilli, so that's tonight's dinner. In a week or two, I will also be making chilli jam from the last of our greenhouse tomatoes. I too am sick of the sight of courgettes (every flipping year!!)

@RainbowZebraWarrior yes that's what I've decided to do. It's not coming out 'til end of September anyway, so in the meantime I'll put a few things on eBay and earmark resultant pennies as my A/W book fund.

I’m so excited to have stumbled upon this cosy corner of MN and can’t wait to try to join in on the fun!

Setting out cosy sofas and scented candles for
old hands and new. Maybe a round of spiced drinks, too, mulled apple, mulled cider?

It’s no use! I’ve cracked and pre-ordered Nigel’s new book. I was resisting quite nicely until the launch of this new thread, though I must say it’s still very definitely summer where I am - I had lunch on a sunny cafe terrace today - so I’m not quite ready to embrace autumn just yet. Trusting I’ll be more in the mood when the book comes out on September 26 by which time the night’s will be drawing in, but until then I’ll be making the most of the last warm days of the year.

Thank you for the thread RainbowZebraWarrior

Worth noting for anyone with Spotify that CC is on audio as part of the Premium package.

I so, so enjoyed listening last year - hearing Nigel read it made it even better imo. Really difficult to restrict myself to one day at a time though.....!
I made the apple brandy drink which was delicious and I'm looking forward to recreating this year!

Bring it on!

Thank you @RainbowZebraWarrior

Just wanted to say to any new people or people lurking that you don't have to buy the book or any books to enjoy the threads. That sounds a bit contradictory I know. 😁

Some years I dust the book off and some I just enjoy the ramblings here (and the Poncetastic thread if you like seasonal cooking and making your decorations).

I really do enjoy Nige's observations. I'm vegetarian and there are a few veggie recipes in CC (polenta, butternut squash, sausages with a leek sauce and maybe lentils from memory) but there's a lot of meat understandably in a celebration of traditions.

I often slide back to Delia's mincemeat and Nigella's rocky road and pudding. 😳

So buy the book, borrow the book, listen to the audio or just hang out with us and enjoy the vibe.

Also I went through a phase of yearning for Nigel's crisp minimalist look, the crockery, the wrapped cheeses... DH said kindly, "You don't have Nigel time." (Plus live with too much clutter.)

So now I just do what I can/want to and feel pleased as punch when I manage a bowl of little quinces on a tray in front of the wood burner or a bit of greenery on my bannister.

@HannahDefoesTrenchcoat the Christmas specials of Good housekeeping 2022 and country living 2023 had particularly good veggie recipes that are Quite Nigel .
Filo topped mushroom bourgignon is on my list to try this year.

@HannahDefoesTrenchcoat I'm glad you touched on that - I was going to yesterday but ran out of energy (still getting back to full health after cold/flu).

Yes Nigel does have expensive tastes, and the budget to match, and also benefits from the advantages of Nigel Time. Yes, a part of me ends up wanting very expensive candles - and a trip to Vienna, just because! It's part of the fun of the book, appreciating beautiful things and the sort of lifestyle our Nige leads.

But for me what I really appreciate about the book, and especially the thread, is how much it helps me to just relax - to step away from any stress I might be feeling, and find peaceful happy moments in every day. It's not actually about hankering for more things, and there shouldn't be any pressure whatsoever to keep up with doing/buying/cooking things unless we actually want to and only if it works for us.

This year I'm unlikely to do much cooking from the book. I'm going to take it very gently.

Nvn but I’ve ordered a fake oodie with heat pads in so I can wrap up cosily 🤣.

Haha wouldn't it be funny if Nige secretly has a whole stash of those?

(He probably does have a collection of some very, very expensive Japanese equivalent)

Well put @HappyDane That’s why I loved the read along last year. Christmas had become,to mean a rush of buying presents and food at great expense for guests whose company I didn’t have time to really enjoy. I had Christmas burn out 🤣
Nigel helped me try to love it again.

@HappyDane that’s given me a smile!

He probably has underfloor heating and wood fires, with a collection of beautifully minimalist antique kimono. That also makes me smile.

There’s a lovely short film on Nigel’s insta today, talking about his garden. Sheer loveliness.

I saw that too 😊 I adore his Instagram account with all the little peeks into his beautiful garden, and oh my goodness I envy his tastefully curated home too. In my head that's exactly how my home would be, whereas IRL I'm not quite so austere.

I don’t think I’ve actually ever cooked anything from the book but I love the threads, so here I am and thanks.

I think the great joy of the Nigel Christmas thread is that unlike other Christmas threads it’s not about making lists of things to buy and shopping unless you feel the need to emulate his eye-wateringly expensive tastes (and I have to say I am now a firm convert to Santa Maria Novella soap, lasts for ages, smells divine - well that’s my excuse anyway 😳). We can only look on in wonder at his wall of Edmund de Waal bowls, but might emulate the spirit with a favourite bowl from a charity shop (someone last year posted a photo of a beautiful assortment vintage tea cups). We might not run to Cire Trudon, but a few tea lights and a drop of Bay oil on the radiator can be Nigel adjacent. We can all create a space - if not a room, then a corner of a room or even just a special chair with a lovely throw where we can take a moment and imagine how life could be in a universe ordered by Nigel. There’s no need to spend anything - just take inspiration and use what you’ve got in a more Nigel way.

Absolutely. Everyone can Be More Nigel in one way or another!

Hello everyone.

Thank you for the thread @RainbowZebraWarrior . I generally lurk and name change frequently but have CC'ed for a couple of years now.

Today I had a couple of child-free hours and decided to do the fun activity first (because if I do the chores first the fun will never happen). So, Not Very Nigel at all but I've painted some fir cones gold and bronze (while listening to a Henning Mankell read by the insuperable Sean Barrett). The big ones are from the Greek Islands we visited this summer, the smaller ones are from the Cragside estate, all collected by DD. And now they're off to be stored in the loft for 3 months! Can't wait to get them out again.

Gettingannoyednow
They are gorgeous! May I ask where you bought your bronze paint, please?
I have bleached some, but decided the driftwood look is not 'me'.

Placemarking!

I like the idea of being 'Nigel Adjacent.' I think that would make a great autumnal t-shirt slogan. 'I'm not getting Christmassy - I'm just Nigel adjacent.'