Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles Readalong 2024

1000 replies

RainbowZebraWarrior · 23/10/2024 09:34

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!

The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles Readalong 2024
The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles Readalong 2024
OP posts:
Thread gallery
247
AgathaMystery · 01/11/2024 21:33

They usually have some sort of framework or you can pop them in a roasting tin with water around them to dissipate the heat.

RainbowZebraWarrior · 01/11/2024 21:38

ThatRealFawn · 01/11/2024 21:22

So sorry that this is abit late, I’ve only just gotten into baking in the past year so I’m a novice! But how on earth does one use these molds? How do they balance in the oven? Upside down? I’m perplexed!

Haven't actually got the foggiest, which probably explains why I've had it for a year and not used it. I'm expecting I shall have to rig up some sort of scaffolding / complex cake tin balancing arrangement.

<makes note to search YouTube before commencing project>

OP posts:
NowLightOneThousandChristmasLights · 01/11/2024 21:41

I expect they're carefully balanced so that once filled they'll sit stable on a flat surface like a baking tray.

RainbowZebraWarrior · 01/11/2024 21:41

AgathaMystery · 01/11/2024 21:33

They usually have some sort of framework or you can pop them in a roasting tin with water around them to dissipate the heat.

I definitely don't have that shape or size roasting tin, so this mould is rapidly now being repurposed for mini-chocolate-house-fridge-cakes.

OP posts:
AgathaMystery · 01/11/2024 21:44

RainbowZebraWarrior · 01/11/2024 21:41

I definitely don't have that shape or size roasting tin, so this mould is rapidly now being repurposed for mini-chocolate-house-fridge-cakes.

if they are dark choc with candied peel then surely they are VVN

RainbowZebraWarrior · 01/11/2024 21:50

AgathaMystery · 01/11/2024 21:44

if they are dark choc with candied peel then surely they are VVN

Depending on what turns up on my Waitrose order tomorrow, I shall do a trial run. I've ordered Dark chocolate, pistachios, walnuts, mixed peel and glacé cherries.

Hopefully it won't be like last week where I got chutney instead of Membrillo paste!

OP posts:
lucysmam · 01/11/2024 21:50

I think they would balance on a baking sheet - I'll give a couple a whirl over the weekend & report back (I have the same mould RZW - or very similar!).

Xmasmusings · 01/11/2024 22:06

My book arrived today and I've read the intro and 1st Nov cuddled in a cosy Canadian blanket. I would never have purchased this book if I hadn't stumbled across this thread. I like my cookery books to be very practical, a picture of every recipe, info about how to freeze it, etc. I don't tend to slow down and savour anything but I'm looking forward to doing just that with this book.

I enjoyed Nigel's casual reference to his favourite restaurants in Helsinki, a Japanese onsen he visits and what you should sniff if you ever find yourself in Sorrento, Italy (answer = lemon tree).

The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles Readalong 2024
5foot5 · 01/11/2024 22:11

Oh, I got a day ahead and made the apricot brandy yesterday!

drspouse · 01/11/2024 22:15

I also fancy making the turkey stuffing balls but lardo? No I do not have an Italian butcher, we barely have an English butcher!

ThatRealFawn · 01/11/2024 22:19

lucysmam · 01/11/2024 21:50

I think they would balance on a baking sheet - I'll give a couple a whirl over the weekend & report back (I have the same mould RZW - or very similar!).

Please do! I’m very curious to see how they work before I invest in one myself!

RainbowZebraWarrior · 01/11/2024 22:23

drspouse · 01/11/2024 22:15

I also fancy making the turkey stuffing balls but lardo? No I do not have an Italian butcher, we barely have an English butcher!

I've just cooked some streaky bacon before bed and let it cool. I'll be snipping it up tomorrow as I'm making the stuffing balls this weekend. I don't like turkey mince, so I'm using my favourite waitrose nutmeg and pepper sausages (squished out from their casings), the bacon bits and the fennel seeds. I'm going to freeze some for Christmas.

OP posts:
RainbowZebraWarrior · 01/11/2024 22:26

lucysmam · 01/11/2024 21:50

I think they would balance on a baking sheet - I'll give a couple a whirl over the weekend & report back (I have the same mould RZW - or very similar!).

Be warned, I've googled and the mould is so flimsy that everyone says the sides buckle when baked. I'm definitely going with chocolate refrigerator cake. It will be interesting to compare notes, though I have to admit I mostly buy moulds with soap makingin mind.

OP posts:
NowLightOneThousandChristmasLights · 01/11/2024 22:32

Oh dear. I really dislike badly designed equipment. 😡 But it sounds perfect for the refrigerator cake.

JennySayQuoi · 02/11/2024 01:07

New to MN, and didn't know this was a thing... as it happens, I already have a copy, but have never read it cover to cover like this. Looking forward to joining in :)

NowLightOneThousandChristmasLights · 02/11/2024 04:09

It's a sleepless night for me, so I'm nicely snuggled in with The Chronicles and a cuppa.

The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles Readalong 2024
RainbowZebraWarrior · 02/11/2024 07:42

Good morning all. No entry in the CC today.

@NowLightOneThousandChristmasLights sorry to hear you had a sleepless night. That was me the night before. I was up at 4am yesterday, but at least I managed 6am today.

OP posts:
piscofrisco · 02/11/2024 08:42

Morning everyone.
A sleepless night here too, between various dogs and children with ailments/being late home from parties.
I've dispatched dd1 for the ingredients for the apricot brandy to give me something to do later on.

Those turkey stuffing balls do look good. We never have a good stuffing game going on in this house as dh does the roast dinners as a rule, and he doesn't like it much. But we do. So I'm on a stuffing drive this year.

EphemeraleEudemonia · 02/11/2024 08:58

@MerryMidwinter Thank you very much for linking. I chuckled at the juxtaposition of content and lighting, while also appreciating it.

@RainbowZebraWarrior Those are just magical! Interested to know if you have come across Aldi's Aperini and if so what you think.
I have to be boringly financially sensible and wait for wine to turn up, before considering going for it, but 'thank you bottles' of spirits are in abundance here.
I have a 'cooks nips' jar which is raisins, sultanas, glace cherries, and candied fruit, just covered in brandy or whisky into which any last dregs of any spirits from standing bottles upside down for 24 hours before washing, go. The years contents mainly go into the Christmas cake and pudding and it's always surprising how much there always is and how much it mounts up.

@StrungWithSilverBellsAndFlowers

"Funny how steeping things in alcohol increases their appeal……" This has been my excuse for years.

@Gettingannoyednow Peaceful breakfast. and blackberry gin both sound good.Thank you for the reminder of Louis Grimshaw.

@Shakeyourbaublesandsmile Thank you for introducing The Lost Cauldron, it looks like fun, but also the name sparked of some ideas...

@FiveGoMadInDorset That's stunning, I'd love to be there watching that sky.

@piscofrisco Sorry about Marrakesh, but it will come again, you wont regret seizing the moments with them whatever the outcome. Look forward to seeing your apricot brandy.

@IngenTing Apart from the sickness bug that sounds very atmospheric and a lovely place to be hunkering down.

@NowLightOneThousandChristmasLights I was also awake half the night, read and reread CC's 1st November, thinking about why do these flavors work together and what I could do with them. Hope you got some sleep in the end, or at least the pleasure of seeing a good dawn breaking.

Lot of work going on here trying to prepare soil mixes ready for winter. The robin is very happy about it all. Also it's now ridiculously cheap pumpkin season, so lots of thought about how to get the best out of them.
The contents of the carved one went into a chilli and vodka pumpkin pasta sauce for last night, and some pumpkin hummus for today, and the seeds put aside to be roasted in cinnamon, chilli, and salt with those from the inevitable annual influx about to happen.

I so wish I could have taken a picture for everyone of yesterday's weather.
I was driving down the motorway with autumnal trees rising on both sides in ridges up the fields, split by clumps of silver birches,and illuminated by low sunlight against a backdrop of dark slate blue grey skys and threatening storms.
Visually dramatic and felt like being within a Van Gogh painting.

NowLightOneThousandChristmasLights · 02/11/2024 09:15

Thank you @EphemeraleEudemonia I haven't slept yet. Am making DH his French toast just now and then I'll go back to bed and hopefully get a couple of hours of good sleep.

We use the ALDI Aperini and it suits us just fine, unless we're using particularly naice spirits or liqueurs in which case we'll sometimes splurge on the branded version - I think especially for fruity concoctions like this it really doesn't matter too much as it's just adding a hint of another layer of flavours.

MerryMidwinter · 02/11/2024 09:30

I do love the degrees of Nigel-ness that are used to describe things on here - I find myself thinking about it as I’m going about my life and categorising everything, I mostly only hit ABN (a bit Nigel) but it’s a start!

RainbowZebraWarrior · 02/11/2024 09:32

@EphemeraleEudemonia a beautifully descriptive post as always.

I've not tried Aldi's version as I've only bought one bottle of Aperol ever and that was back in June. I still have half a litre left as I think I like things then I don't (see also Baileys and Di Sarono) I just don't like sweet liquers.

Tomato, chilli and vodka sauce is a big favourite here. We've been making it for years, but I've noticed it's been making its way on to the supermarket shelves recently. I tried Waitrose' offering and it's quite good. I have another tub in the fridge, but only cos it was on offer.

It's this one. Bit pricey at full price (£3 50)

The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles Readalong 2024
OP posts:
NowLightOneThousandChristmasLights · 02/11/2024 09:50

drspouse · 01/11/2024 22:15

I also fancy making the turkey stuffing balls but lardo? No I do not have an Italian butcher, we barely have an English butcher!

I've used either pancetta (prefer it to lardons) or guanciale in the past, both of which worked well. If I were making it this year I might have rendered it down in extra lard with the relevant herbs and left it for a couple of days for the flavours to meld. But again this is one I'm going to leave this year. Instead I will probably make frikadeller (Danish pork meatballs) at some point.

I ordered the guanciale online.

AgathaMystery · 02/11/2024 09:55

RainbowZebraWarrior · 01/11/2024 22:23

I've just cooked some streaky bacon before bed and let it cool. I'll be snipping it up tomorrow as I'm making the stuffing balls this weekend. I don't like turkey mince, so I'm using my favourite waitrose nutmeg and pepper sausages (squished out from their casings), the bacon bits and the fennel seeds. I'm going to freeze some for Christmas.

I’ve read this and thought gosh this is really very posh and so much effort - should I do the same? looking out at the dozens of tiny birds that come into our garden to be fed each morning.

stuffing balls. Not fat balls for birds. Stuffing balls for humans to eat. I need to read each post, properly.

piscofrisco · 02/11/2024 10:06

It would be peak Nigel to fed the birds very high end stuffing balls and revel in how delighted they were.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is not accepting new messages.
Swipe left for the next trending thread