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)

@HannahDefoesTrenchcoat I used Mary's last year. It's still sitting in jars looking dark and delicious. It didn't even go cloudy (which is what she warns about when using butter) I seem to recall that I used a few generous glugs of triple sec to it as I'd been given a bottle and wasn't sure what to do with it.

Gosh, it's chilly this morning. 9 degrees, but beautifully sunny. It would be great if every day of Autumn was like this for me.

14 here but sunny, dew and lots of little wafts of low mist. I drive along a river valley to work and it can be stunning at this time of year with low sun behind the trees and mist sitting in the fields.

Cooler here on the north east coast this morning, but still waiting for that first delicious tang of autumn - woodsmoke and damp leaves - just love it!

I always use this one for Freezer Mincemeat-it's lighter than most mincemeats, as it has a base of pureed apple instead of them being grated or chopped. Here's the link, but you'll have to scroll down a bit for the recipe.https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiY6cHq5aiIAxU_aEEAHeHzDAgQFnoECBQQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.farmersgirlkitchen.co.uk%2Fhome-and-freezer-digest-enduring-legacy%2F&usg=AOvVaw18TthWGwVxRr-8vlZdxhlZ&opi=89978449

Christmas Chronicles starts on November 1 and there are dated entries every few days (or sometimes every day) to read along to. It goes up to Christmas and then takes you right through to February - with fewer and fewer entries towards the end. There's also a rather lovely (and more lengthy) introduction to read in the run up, but it's very much a book about winter - so autumn cooling into winter rather than summer fading into autumn. It's a book to see you through winter rather than a huge hullabaloo for months before with everything over by Boxing Day. Nigel celebrates 12th night, Candlemas and then takes himself off to Japan to extend the winter vibe. By the time we've finished there should be harbingers of spring so you are through the darkest days and out the other side.

Agree. I went for a walk through the village after the school run. The hedgerows are beautifully adorned with blackberries and elderberries, and full of the sound of Robins, Chiff Chaff, and Tits. It is still decidedly green, though. The woodsmoke is there in the evening, so a few folk are lighting their fires already. Haven't lit mine yet.

We went for a walk at lunchtime yesterday and it was so warm and beautifully sunny. But I could still detect the merest hint of autumn in the air. I'm ready now, I think. As pp said, I find autumn a really soothing, hopeful, restorative season and I'm looking forward to its approach.

I've got to do some (gentle) cleaning and organising in the house over the next couple of months and am gearing up (again, gently) by just doing a couple of those little 5-10 minute jobs per day, as and when I think of them. Today I'm going to dig out one of my notebooks and make a Chores Master List so I can garner some dopamine hits from ticking off jobs as I do them!

@Gatekeeper you have a wonderful way with words, thank you for putting into words things I have felt but couldn't find the words for.
I have put the book on my Christmas list (and pointed my mother at the list). She doesn't go out shopping much but still likes to do her own Christmas shopping

@GrannyWeatherwaxsBroomstick might be worth seeing if you can get it as an early Christmas present, as it's so nice to have it in the run-up to and throughout the season.

Place marking! How kind of Nige to release a new book in time for my birthday

@HappyDane, my birthday is before Christmas, might be worth mentioning to her

I have CC on audible and will be listening to it on my commute towards Christmas but I like a hard copy to pencil notes in. I’ve bought a second hand copy which was marked as fair condition but looks perfect.
This morning was misty and autumn like when I walked the dog. I could smell woodsmoke too.

I got a copy of the Christmas Chronicles in July from my local charity bookshop for £1.50 so I'm.just hopping on to join in. I didn't know it was a thing so I'm happy!!

fascinating didn’t know that- Medi is September in Welsh and also means harvest.

Hi all- I joined the threads last year and loved it but lost track December as my eldest son got pneumonia and struggled to make Christmas lovely for all the other kids. Hoping this year will be better, hardly did any cooking along last year.

I do love autumn, probably my favourite time of year- hot chocolate, blankets, pumpkins, candles, crunchy leaves, hot soup in flasks, misty mornings. Hate the driving rain though that starts here in mid October- anyone got any advice on how to love it (when you are out in it with wet grizzly kids)?

@LillianGish thank you. Sound lovely

Hi all. Well things have definitely started to tun here. It's raining, and I've noticed the leaves are all looking bronze around the edges.

I'm feeling a bit down today as I had a strip torn off me last night at the doctors. I knew my bloods had come back slightly raised in some areas (not enough to indicate meds) but I felt really patronised. "Do you eat a lot of animal fats, and by that I mean lard and butter" Good grief, I know what animal fats are!! I admitted I had issues with my weight and had made a start in tackling it as I'd seen the results online last week. (I have a disability and food intolerances, so it's a real uphill struggle)

So if anyone has a favourite low fat / heart healthy / adaptable recipe they would like to share, please do.

(I know there are diet threads etc, I just can't be bothered to keep up with them)

@Houseofsardines i hope this year is better.

Definitely turning now. I have picked up three tiny cut glass liqueur glasses in a charity shop for a bargainous £3! Envisaging a liqueur in front of a dancing fire.

I’ve been inhaling the lovely odour of the st Eval candles. Gorgeous!

I made damson jam and gin today. The house smells amazing

I have a roaring fire dvd that I must dig out. I live in a house without a chimney so this is my go to.

Autumn definitely here in Northern Scotland. Also getting darker.

Rainbow I always seem to get that sort of doctor. I'm working on my weight too so watching portions and eating more protein. I'm also learning to swim properly and doing swimming drills.

I like low-fat greek yoghurt which is high in protein (also Icelandic yoghurt). No recipes as such but greek yoghurt good for low fat dips and salad dressings

@RainbowZebraWarrior sorry you’re having health problems, the miserable weather today won’t have helped to make you feel better. It’s feeling more like the beginning of winter here today, grey, mizz, drizzly and cold. I’ve got the slow cooker out of its summer hibernation - thinking of soups, stews and casseroles, but hoping for a bit more autumn sunshine before settling into really cold weather cooking. I’ve got my St Eval Rosemary and Bay candle burning in the kitchen - gorgeous!

@RainbowZebraWarrior I feel for you I struggle with my weight to. I’m not sure what intolerances you have or what you like to eat but swopping out mince and replacing with lentils in chili, cottage pie etc can cut the saturated fat considerably

It’s arrived!!! Now I feel I can officially join the thread!

Yay!!