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)

My book is coming today!

Did anyone watch Nadiya Hussein's new show last night? She had a lovely collection of mismatched jars for herbs, spices etc all labelled with a Dymo - very tempted to revamp my cupboards now!

@SunshineonLeaves I've had a despatch notification today about my book (the one I ordered yesterday, as opposed to the original one from WHSmith)

I do like Nadiya, so I shall look that out on catch up tonight. DD labels my jars for me with an old Dymo I've had for years.

Just had to drop my Dad off to pick his truck up after servicing, so took the opportunity to dive into the Greengrocers. Russet Apples all four kilos of them that I have bought are mine at last!

My book arrived today! Yay! I haven't had chance to have more than a quick glance but looking forward to having a perusal through this evening. 😀

@Confusedmeanderings those soup bowls are rather nice.

We made cauliflower and broccoli cheese soup last night 😋 I fancy carrott and fennel at some point too but am not very good at winging soup 🤷‍♀️

I've just written my shopping list for tomorrow, with the help of Advent...it features many baking ingredients that I only use around this time of year.

So sorry to hear about your cat. ❤️

I am back with a question - my dad's given me 4 cans of cider. Would you use the same spices for mulling, as for wine? 🍷

That bit about stirring the chocolate is VN. Reminds me of his description of making marmalade, with it bubbling in the pan.

@IClaudine so sorry to hear about your cat. It’s horrible to lose a beloved companion.

@RainbowZebraWarrior I love that background info! Also enjoying the routines and seasons of the cooking and husbandry year.

I’ve been to have my eyebrows tattooed ahead of chemo and am on fleek! Will be spending most of the day at hospital tomorrow as they’ve lost one of the little ports they inserted under my skin so I’m having a load of scans 🙄 I’ll take Nigel along in audiobook form.

tonight is butternut squash, feta and gluten free pasta. It’s a warm evening and we might just be home before the sun goes down. 😁

Oh, bless you @Bimblesalong I'm pleased to hear about your lovely new eyebrows, but not about the hospital losing a port. That's a complication you could absolutely do without. I hope that with Nigel by your side, it will give some distraction from the tough road ahead. Wishing you all the best for your treatment, and please know that we are here to support you in any small way we can. Very gentle hugs to you, my lovely.

@lucysmam

I've used this for Mulled cider with apple juice for teens or rum for adults

https://www.nigella.com/recipes/mulled-cider

@Bimblesalong I hope you and Nigel's day goes as smoothly as possible tomorrow.

@@Midlifeshenanigans Hoping pain and parents are both calmer situations, something quite similar here but not parent, and the wet and cold's exacerbating both situations. Thinking of you.

@RainbowZebraWarrior Mr Darcy is fabulous.

@Greaterthanthesumoftheparts What a fabulous view and visitors.

@LillianGish Lovely! Also known colloquially as Hotchywitchies here.

@IClaudine I'm so very sorry, they do take a piece of our hearts with them.

@Bimblesalong On fleek made me chuckle. Good luck with tomorrow.

Cold, wet, and blowing a hooley the last couple of days.

@Bimblesalong good luck today, hopefully Nigel will be splendid company

Thinking of you today @Bimblesalong and hope ATF is providing distraction. To my mind this is the most quintessentially Nigel publication yet. If you were looking for a book on how to be more Nigel, this would be it - yet it only serves to emphasise how utterly unattainable this state is to anyone but Nigel himself! His other books ostensibly have some other premise - Christmas, or cooking throughout the year for instance - this is entirely personal. And I love it! My favourite parts of CC are him waxing lyrical (pun intended!) on choosing a candle, or his rules for Christmas cards (and fountain pen use) and I will happily rush through the recipes to reach his next pronouncement. ATF is Ultimate Nigel - and all in lovely bite-size bits. Thanks to all who encouraged me to place an order.

I'm on holiday at the moment, enjoying Autumn sunshine in Dorset. Just about to order ATF with a recently remembered bookshop gift card. I'm feeling ready to plunge into Autumn. I've planned the next few weeks menus with lots of slow cooker feasts and soups. Sadly I left my copy of Nigel's CC at home so I was unable to look ahead and stock up on necessary autumnal ingredients but I am determined to do more of a cook along this year.

Currently looking for a low sugar cordial that I can drink hot. I've rather gone off coffee (menopause taste change maybe?) But still crave a warm drink. Not particularly ever been a tea lover. If anyone has any suggestions...?

@NotALightPacker try Mr Fitzpatricks cordials. You can order them online and they are lush. The spiced pear is fabulous.
@Bimblesalong thinking of you today

I've started running ginger and lemon in hot water with a bit of honey. Started when I had a cold but found I liked the taste of it so I've carried on, as I was drinking far too much tea.

Mr Fitzpatricks does have a lovely sugar free range

@NotALightPacker you'll find recipes/ingredients lists on this thread, if it helps:

Christmas Chronicles Recipe Thread

It's not quite the whole book but everything up to 16 December is there (I'll hopefully add the rest before end Nov.) so it'll take you well into the book!

Not particularly ever been a tea lover you are in good company @NotALightPacker - I would refer you to p46 of ATF That second cup of tea for some ideas. Your user name however renders you NVN - p99 Travelling Lightly (though you would need deep pockets to aspire to the dedication to hotel laundry services that enables N to travel light!) This chapter also includes the uniquely Nigel statement I know Helsinki airport better than any other - just brilliant.

Ohhh @LillianGish that's Peak Nigel (which I suppose it would be), I'm so looking forward to reading it; sounds absolutely wonderful. Evening hygge sessions don't seem to be working out too well - I get distracted easily, plus DH and I like to sit together and make gentle conversation - so I think I'll wake up early instead. That way I can enjoy the sunrise too.

@Bimblesalong hope you're well looked after today and sending you positive vibes/NVN hugs (can't imagine our Nige being a big hugger...but maybe I'm wrong?). 💐

I've only read a bit of A Thousand Feasts but I like the way the entries are short and clearly extracts from writings of the time so have the lovely crisp little details that might be missing from looking back without the diaries.

He is a hugger (which surprised me) The link I shared at the weekend in The Irish Times entitled 'I'm happy, but I've only just realised it' starts off with the interviewer holding out a hand to greet nigel in handshake and apparently Nigel says "actually, could I have a hug?" The interviewer was pleasantly surprised by this.

Who knew, eh? It made me like him even more.

Ah lovely that's nice; I'm not a natural hugger, really, except with DH/family/very good friends but sometimes it is nice to have that human connection with people.

I am going to take the time to go back and read all linked articles as I'm sure there are lovely little gems waiting.