The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles Readalong 2024

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

Hello all, it's nearly that time!

For anyone who has not already had the pleasure, the annual Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles read along is a real time annual MN tradition.

The book begins on 1st November, however there are a good few pages by way of introduction. This is why I start the thread now; so that we have time to prepare and settle in.

A lot of us already have the book. For anyone who doesn't, it's a challenge to see of you can pick up a bargain. WH Smith has come up trumps in the past, as has ebay. A rare and precious charity shop find is the holy grail and adds a certain special-ness that simply extends that warm, fizzy Nigel feeling.

I shall post each day and we can share our thoughts and feelings on the day's recipes and sentiments. It's particularly lovely to share any memories and personal traditions (as Nigel himself does)

Note: Reading by candle light can be particularly enjoyable. Cire Trudon may be one of Nigel's favourites but they are somewhat pricey. Share your festive finds here, even if they are at the cheaper end of the scale and possibly NVN (Not Very Nigel)

Pull up a chair, grab a cosy blanket, and light your candle of choice. It's that most wonderful time of the year!

@IngenTing i always thing a genuine health worry is such a shock isn’t it? I never worry about my health and when something does happen I’m genuinely stunned. Sending you love and calm.

@FiveGoMadInDorset your sweet cat. What a beauty. I hope you get a basket of kittens when the time is right. I did that for my husband one year after threatening it for years. He went bonkers. Doesn’t seem to mind now though.

it’s a really crisp misty morning here. A friend is hosting a hallow’een drinks party later. I’m going to take a hot buffalo chicken dip in the slow cooker. It sounds horrific but is always devoured.

Just catching up.
Sorry to hear your news @IngenTing . It’s always a worry when you are put on the two week pathway. Just remember, the majority of women who go on it, don’t have anything nasty. I agree, that the waiting is the worse part.

I've finally go through the introduction and am looking forward to the 1st chapter tomorrow. It still feels too warm for autumn and the trees are only just starting to lose their leaves. The dog will be happy. He loves chucking them up in the air. 😀

@Confusedmeanderings Those doors have seen some use. The words 'Tithebarn' sends a hard echo through the bone.

A line from an old song that's come down the line: "Two shiny shillings of each cruel won pound, for wit filled living on filbird ground, but still hearth silver 'n' pannage must be found, and thruppence for yer horses on the parsons round"

@Carriemac Between you and@FiveGoMadInDorset "ancient barrows, mist on the hills and the sound of stags calling in the distance" I'm yearning old big open spaces.
Sorry to hear about Notmycat coming to end of days but it sounds like she lived life well and on on her own terms.

@RainbowZebraWarrior Enjoyed your 'how DD came to be' story.

@IngenTing late to wish you all the best, and what superbly worrying cookies!

@MerryMidwinter that sounds like a lovely present. I struggle to keep up here, if you care to share the NS Instagram post that tickled you?

@Gummibärchen you might like 'the rule of thirds' from John Smith and Joshua Reynolds for an easy instant progression.
You can apply it to basic placement, color, light and shade etc. It's much more an understanding than a 'rule' but can be used in many ways.

Massive cook up yesterday to provide food for a performance audience and tonight's shenanigans, (I imagine Nigel will dim the lights and firmly close his shutters, though I may be wrong) but also took advantage to create some bits for us from the quinces.

Squash and quince gnocchi, quince sweets to go with the sugar plum fairy's that dance in heads here and will go into stockings, and a quince and raspberry jelly, made from the leftover pulp and unexpected raspberries in a good to go, for tonight when it may acquire googly eyeballs if I can find where I put them!

@Gummibärchen Sorry I meant to put this link as a starting point: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds

Happy All Hallows Eve, all.

@EphemeraleEudemonia your quince related offerings look superb.

Pumpkin carving needs to be done here. I'll then make a spicy pumpkin soup for my Dad (it is the annual deal that he grows our pumpkins, we provide him with soup and pumpkin pie) I can't stand pumpkin unfortunately, so I'll do a pan of lentil soup for me.

Haven't decided what we are dressing as, yet I'm lazy so it will likely be an old ripped band t shirt and some Alice Cooper style make up DD likes to get around the neighbours and home for 6pm as it's the dishing out sweets bit that she loves. Pumpkin will be blown out by 7.30pm, though, as by then we are done.

Also, I agree that Nigel will probably light a candle at the rear of the house and quietly close the shutters. Although I'd love to imagine that he partakes in Halloween in some way.

It's a glorious Autumn morning here. I don't know how I feel about Hallowe'en being a bright sunny day!

My children are still little, so we will be spending the day making green slime soup (pea and spinach) and cobweb cakes (little banana cupcakes with a white chocolate web).

We'll put out a few statues my DH printed, and some lanterns. He's working from home today, so will take a lunch break to help carve the pumpkins.

I think I might even risk putting the washing on the line as well.

I have finished the introduction, with a glass of red wine last night. Tonight will be busy, as along with trick or treating, I do a weekly Olio collection (it's a anti-food waste app).

I'm not sure how VN it is, but each week I usually end up with three or four big bag sized bags full of food that would be thrown away from just one small supermarket. I'll share it in the app, and locals can come and collect what they can use, for free. I get to keep 10% of the food, if I wish, and it has been so interesting, trying new recipes. Means we usually have one meal a week that isn't planned.

I'm so sorry to hear of the challenges and worries that so many here have. May better times be on the horizon.

And a happy salmain to all.
I'm sorry to hear of everyone's troubles and send love to all.
Our own dear dog was taken suddenly very ill on Tuesday. The vet has referred to a surgeon and we are waiting to hear but honestly I'm not sure we want to put him through it. He quite literally saved my life when I got him, a month or so after discovering my then husbands long affair with my best friend. I trusted no one and nothing at that point and I was at a very low ebb. Those awful weekends when my DD's were with their dad, so hard at first and when they were tiny, were only made bearable by him. I am utterly heartbroken. But so grateful to have had him at all.

The price of love, is grief.

@piscofrisco sending you a massive hug. I really feel for you. Pets are so special. Especially during really tough times in our lives.

@MerryMidwinter giving your DD family recipes is a lovely thing to do. I made a loose leaf folder of recipes of her favourite things to eat for my DD when she left home, and she said it was one of the nicest presents ever, she enjoyed cooking and making these family meals was a reminder of home. She’s added more of her favourites over the years.
@piscofrisco and @FiveGoMadInDorset - sending warm thoughts to help you cope.

I have lurked on these threads for the last few years, planning to join in each time but difficult life stuff got in the way again and again. But not this year! Our troublesome roof leak was finally fixed yesterday (though I suppose we'll only know for sure next time it rains!) so I'm joining in and hoping for a smoother run of things this winter than the last few!

This morning I've been to our allotment and picked our pumpkins - the biggest is an absolute beast, weighing in at 16kg - ready for us to carve this afternoon! We used to love decorating and giving out sweets to trick or treaters, but had to stop since covid (I'm severely immunosuppressed and can't risk an infection) but we still have our own traditions so will be making gingerbread this afternoon, watching a spooky film and making pizza for dinner!

Welcome @TheFestivePrickleBackedUrchin we had a whopper like that a few years ago from our allotment.

DD has just announced she's done with Trick or Treating. Tbh, she's 12 but very tall and looks about 16. Absolutely her choice, I was happy to go along either way. She's Autistic so I wasn't too sure which way it would go. We will visit our neighbour across the road and my Mum and Dad 200 metres away, then come home to dish sweets out to the other kids.

Looks like I might get some time with a candle and my feet up tonight!

Happy Halloween 🎃 Just been for a spooky stroll around Père Lachaise cemetery then home to await the arrival of the concierge’s kids in their costumes. Have made pumpkin soup for tonight. Sorry to hear about your dog @piscofrisco and delighted to see some actual allotment pumpkins @TheFestivePrickleBackedUrchin V Nigel indeed!

Sorry - pics didn’t post first time for some reason.

Please may I join you?
I bought the book since seeing your thread at the weekend.
Today I enjoyed listening to the introduction on Spotify whilst walking through our rural, coastal piece of Suffolk in the sunshine. Thanks to whoever it was suggested the audiobook.
I have used nearly all of the recipes in the first Kitchen Diaries, a lot from the second and hardly any from the third but have enjoyed reading it all the same! I hope to cook along with the Christmas Chronicles as far as time lets me and have enjoyed your post and photos
Happy Halloween 🎃

@IngenTing so sorry to hear about your health troubles. PP may well be right and it will turn out to be nothing major. If it does turn out to be something, I can tell you from personal experience that you will be cared for and helped along the way and that membership of the club no one wants to join isn't all bad! By the way, those cookies look suitably horrifying!

@EphemeraleEudemonia I didn't know that song, it does send a bit of a chill doesn't it. Dunster was very much an estate village I can imagine that life probably was very tough for the less affluent villagers.

@FiveGoMadInDorset sorry to hear about Notmycat. I've owned cats all my life. It's such a wrench when they go. Last time, we said no more, then 18 months later got a kitten. He is the most spoiled cat ever and is allowed to do all sorts of things our previous cats were not allowed! @piscofrisco I'm sorry about your dog too. He sounds a very caring kind of dog.

@LillianGish I have never been to Pere Lachaise, it's on my to do list though.

Well we have a child-free house. Ds1 has moved down the road and is having a Halloween themed house party tomorrow for grown up friends - it’s great to see him enjoying his new home. Ds2 has just left for at least a week on work and socialising. Just me and dh to chill together.

I was allowed my weekly hair wash this morning (due to cold capping) and made it an indulgent spa experience with candles, music and a gentle facial. It was lovely!!

I can hear happy voices outside but can’t join in this year bc immunity stuff.

My friend lives next to Pere Lachaise, @LillianGish I haven’t had a chance to visit her yet but she loves the area - quiet neighbours! Lovely pictures. I rather like a stroll amongst those gone before when overseas as the ways of commemorating people are fascinating.

Can’t believe it’s November tomorrow - must get my dahlias up!!

Yet another coincidence @Bimblesalong - we are right by the cemetery too, on the Gambetta side. I thought of you today as I was at the Palais Garnier which is completely under wraps at the moment and reflected you had picked a good year to miss your visit. I liked to think they were renovating it in time for your triumphant return.

@Bimblesalong your hair wash spa sounds lovely 😊 I like a self care Sunday scrubby everything shower - it'd be a bath but half the time I'm too tired to clean it first, and the other half, one of the girls has left a wodge of hair in the plug hole which then puts me off 🙄

Evening all… hallow’een shenanigans here and a hot buffalo chicken dip. V V non Nigel ingredients but absolutely addictive.

Agatha that looks gorgeous. We are having baked squash and feta pasta. It smells super!

I've lurked in previous years but struggled to keep up with the reading, but life has changed a lot in the last few months and I have a feeling that a bit of Nigel Therapy is just what I need. I'd enjoy having people to share it with, if there's space for one more?

I've dusted off my copy and re-read the introduction.......I had forgotten the lovely 'All is well with the world' feeling N manages to evoke (although as my OH likes to remind me, 'other fey chefs are available' 😆)

My dear dad sadly died earlier this year and I've squeezed his favourite armchair into a corner of our rather full sitting room. I'm making it my reading chair, it's nice to have the link with him, especially at this time of year - autumn always feels like the season of loss to me.

Small world Confusedmeanderings - I live just round the corner from those doors!

Thank you for posting this, @NowLightOneThousandChristmasLights ; I'm tempted to try making the gnudi as my first gnocchi-making attempt earlier this year went well.
Does anyone know if Nigel has a recipe for panforte?