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)

You can read the intro. but the first entry is November 1st.

@Greaterthanthesumoftheparts enjoy Denmark, and the drive! 🇩🇰🇩🇰🇩🇰

Usually we start to read the intro in the second half of October. Some people might start earlier, but I like to save it 'til then, and that's usually how the read-along works as well. Then the journal itself starts on Nov. 1st.

I love reading a proper glossy magazine but they have got very expensive so I now read them free on BorrowBox, where they are put on line as part of the library service by County Councils, like ebooks and audio books. There are hundreds of magazines covering everything - fashion, hobbies, crafts, interiors etc etc - as well as local and national and international newspapers, in English and many other languages. If you’re not already a member of your local library, join ( it’s free) and ask for a passcode, download the BorrowBox app and bingo! Lots of lovely reading matter at your fingertips! I really feel it’s a much underused resource, part of which is being paid for by our council tax. I used to read newspapers and magazines in the local library but with the cutbacks they’re no longer available (not only the magazines, but in many cases, the local libraries) so this is at least a replacement for some of the lost services.
Looking forward to A Thousand Feasts being delivered tomorrow - can’t decide whether to dive straight in or make myself wait and prolong the anticipation!

@HappyDane those cards are gorgeous and very useful. I had a go at making my own seeded gift tags with blotting paper and tissue a few years ago.

@UnimaginableWindBird yes, I reckon I can replicate that M&S pie for about £10, rather than paying the £45 they are charging.

I'm just home after delivering some of our honey to a lovely local lady. We chatted for ages about foraging, essential oils and travelling. She's made some winter tonic with our honey, and gave me a taste. I almost asked her if she was a Nigel fan!

It seemed to get dark really quickly here tonight. Sunset was at 6.59pm.

I've made the decision to sell my shotgun today. I used to absolutely love shooting clay pigeons, but my arthritis means it's just something else that causes me pain. My Dad mostly goes further afield with his shooting pals and makes a whole day of it, whereas I just enjoyed an hour then home for a cuppa.

On Christmas cakes, I've made them yearly since I was 21 years old (so 32 years!) Mostly because I love the process. My Grandad used to look forward to my cakes every year, and my Dad still loves them. I make two for him and they last him all year. He just eats a tiny slice once a week. I've always used the Good Housekeeping recipe.

I think I've told this story before, but my Mum used to say that I should sell my Christmas cakes. I asked her what I should charge and she said "I reckon you could get £12 for them". I laughed and told her they cost me £14 to make.

Yep my Thousand Feasts is coming from Amazon and I've just had an alert to say it will be delivered tomorrow! Eek.

@Bearsinmotion wish I'd thought to buy stuff bit by bit cos as it was I spent upwards of £50 on everything including a new tin 😂

In our house DH makes the cake and I make the pudding. I use a Delia recipe from before she was on the telly. The mincemeat is a different story, which I have told on other threads, so just scroll past if it starts to sound familiar. DH is most insistent that he doesn't like processed or ready made things. He reckons that he can always tell if something is from a jar or a packet. To be fair, he is a very good cook and always cooks from scratch. Me? Not so much! And he isn't that good at spotting jarred or packet foods, because he eats loads more of it than he realises! 🤣 It's not that I fib, I just put the packet in the bin pretty sharpish and don't correct him when assumes I made it! Anyway, he raves about my 'homemade' mincemeat, which actually Robertson's with extra orange zest, extra dried fruit and a good slug of whisky bunged in!

I might add, that in 39 years of marriage, he has never actually seen me make said mincemeat; 🤣

@Confusedmeanderings you inspired one of my favourite usernames of yesteryear...TangledWebOfMincemeatDeception. But alas, I de-registered and now it's locked forever.

Nice to read you again @HappyDane !

RainbowZebraWarrior what a lovely gift to Bimblesalong, hopefully healing happily.The bees here definitely choose us, we just provide habitat and get in their way a bit, but they're awfully tolerant, Still have both white and purple laburnum producing ever smaller flower clusters for them.
Bimblesalong, loving Ds2's pierogi. Very fine.
UnimaginableWindBird I love the wallpaper and suspect in moderation it could be VN. Happy Dane, another one here who's a big fan of seed cards. Some success making them.
Bubblesbythsea thank you for sharing the BorrowBox information.
I've been vegetarian a lifetime, and finding it great that there are now amazingly put together vegetarian and vegan Christmas cooking magazines available and have gone from sticking to tried and tested to being inspired to try new things, but they are fast becoming far too expensive. Confusedmeanderings 😮😂

Some fragile little brown Mottlegil mushrooms (inedible) growing on not so slowly deteriorating fence.
(Edible) Chicken in the Woods mushroom. (slightly less orange in reality) Chicken in the woods sauteed in white wine, a little tamari and mustard, onions and fresh sage, pressed into a lemon pepper surfaced potato galette.

Been watching it since late spring growing on an old oak. Left the main center to continue, and cropped all the way around.
I'd like to say it was with amazingly curved mushroom cultivating scissors (things of beauty in themselves, and gathered into a loosely woven sea grass basket under the waning moon, but the reality was a trusty pocket knife and a handy shoe box on the first cool almost dry afternoon.

The recent rains caused it to peak, and I think it is about to turn a corner and cease to be as flavorsome, so t'was now or never.

Not sure why the pics have come out so small or if this will fix it.
Evidently not, sorry!

last try.

Ha! What an uplifting wake up this is with tales of mincemeat deception and comradely support from our friends on t’interweb.

@EphemeraleEudemonia i love this VN writing of yours, on the dawn of new Nigel day heralding the knock on the door from the delivery person for many of us (I hope - mine is from an independent bookshop, a signed copy I —made— encouraged dh to preorder way back).

I shall venture further into @RainbowZebraWarrior ‘s gift today. Yesterday I was mostly on horizontal hold with my knitting as I had had vivid dreams about Columbian tribesmen breaking in through the letterbox and woke the household up shouting for ds1 to come help whilst I was pointing their poisonndart tubes away from me. It’s either later withdrawal from the opioids they used in my long op or a flashback to when I taught nursery children.

@EphemeraleEudemonia like you, I am a lifelong vegetarian. I don’t do too well with eggy dishes so can’t manage omelettes etc but am good with cakes and other hidden egg dishes.

Good morning all and I am pleased to find this thread.
I bought my Mum the book 3 or 4 years ago and she loves jt. She loaned it to me 2 years ago but I had a 3 year old, was studying for a new qualification and working full time so just didn't have the time or energy to do it justice.
I've bought it for myself this year and will be joining you and enjoying every moment of the more clam and rested place I find myself in now.

Good morning all and welcome @MissSmith80

Has anyone had Swiss Läderach chocolate before? I have just happened across it, and what they do seems wonderful. I'm very tempted by a beautiful chocolate basket for DD including cute chocolate foxes, and also the FrischSchoggi.

Hope everyone is safe and warm. The weather is atrocious here today.

Also, meant to say @EphemeraleEudemonia There is no more wondrous thing to find from a Foragers point of view than Chicken in the Wood. (Except perhaps truffles, but that's never going to happen in my region) We've been scratched to ribbons by thorns and fallen in ditches before in order to reach the chickenny prize of the woods, and it's been worth it every time!

Adore mushrooms, for eating but also just for appreciating their sometimes deadly beauty, and those photos. The dish sounds divine.

I'm hiding in my bedroom from DH's continued hallway demolishment efforts...I find this building malarky quite stressful in a way I can't even explain and have bought lots of things this month because buying lovely things makes me feel calm. 😳

I'll need to rein it in now - planning a Very Low Spend October, so I need to find other ways of relieving the stress. A Thousand Feasts will help, I'm sure. As will getting a handle on all the little chores I've been putting off forever. I did a bit yesterday and felt so much better for it.

I have a warming brew, candle and have greatly relished @RainbowZebraWarrior ’s support package.

can we have another round of gentle appreciative murmuring and applause for RZW, as we cup our mulled wine in handmade artisan mugs, nodding at one another in our imaginary artisan kitchen, low lit and warm with spices and conviviality.

every knock on the door brings excitement today!

Hear hear! <clink of NVN autumn mug>

I wish I had thought to buy apple juice yesterday - it's pouring with rain and I am ready for a mulled apple drink!

DH has just nicked a power cable. 😭😭 I'm really not cut out for this.

Am hoping my book turns up sooner rather than later. Haven't had a notification yet.

And as if by magic...just had my notification email! 🍁🌾🍂🍁🌾🍂🍁🌾🍂

Mine's out for delivery 🚚 😁🍁🍂 I'm at home - gorgeous autumnal day here.

Am particularly looking forward to warming spiced apple drinks in the coming weeks.

Nigel does seem really pleased with this book.