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!

@AgathaMystery Puts me in mind of the artisanal bird fat balls that someone's DH ate waaayy back in the annals of MN lore. 😆😆

Yes!!!! He thought it was a protein ball 😆

Ha! The husband that ate the fat ball. That takes me back!

I've decided not to sleep this morning - had about a half hour's rest before making DH's breakfast and that seems to have been enough to stave off the intense exhaustion. Instead I will continue my quest to make my space ever so slightly more Nigel Adjacent by clearing out yet more things. I have four bags of miscellaneous things ready to go to the charity shop. Next I will tackle another cull of my cookery books - it will be the second major cull I have done this year and I'm looking forward to it; I still have too many and I'm ready to part with the ones I no longer use.

@RainbowZebraWarrior hopefully you've recovered from lack of sleep by now! I'm hoping to be able to have a proper good night tonight to make up for it.

@ExquisiteIyDecorated just reading back a bit and noticed your comment re: reading nook and have to say that a potting shed reading nook is Very Nigel.

Love the idea of an autumnal house cleanse. It seems VVN. 2 bags went to the charity shop today.

Tonight we are in a premier inn as going to a party. It is NVN.

@NowLightOneThousandChristmasLights That's exactly the info I was hoping for! Thank you.

@RainbowZebraWarrior
Thank you! With carving pumpkins by nature being the stringy spaghetti more watery varieties, I've found outside of pureed uses or soup, they need strong flavoring to use the flesh well, otherwise they just end up just bulking up casseroles and curries here. I also don't like vodka as a drink, and am partial to chilies so it was a natural to replace the tomatoes with sun-dried paste and pumpkin flesh.

I've also noticed all sorts making it's way onto supermarket shelves too, including seitan which I've also been making for forever. I knew I'd arrived though when I spotted Costco selling pricey bottles of saffron with Christmas display packaging!
I've been growing this for forever as we celebrate a festival similar to St Lucia's on the 13th (but with very different roots) and saffron didn't used to be available here, but is an essential part of it, (as is myrrh and frankincense, both for the 13th and for Christmas - something may stand in for gold in emergency, but not for the rest.)
I have old saffron bulbs that generate several flowers each. Looks at humble autumn crocus harvest with new eyes after seeing the prices! Red gold indeed.

@AgathaMystery 😂😂😂Though I'll admit the birds here might just get lovingly prepared vegetarian fat balls in December and January to supplement them.
I'm sure they'd prefer RZW's VN variety though.

@AgathaMystery that is absolutely hysterical and also made me think of the artisnal Scotch egg / fat ball thread.

Speaking of birds, I am just trying to thaw out in my car. I came down to check on our local seal population here on St Mary's island and bumped into Ann Cleeves on the causeway (Vera and Shetland author) I've chatted for so long that the North East wind has frozen my fingers. It is definitely time for the thermals up here!

It's grey and dull, so the view isn't particularly great. The seals were too far away to photograph, but I'm pleased with the birds I saw and heard. There were also tons of oyster catchers on the rocks.

Note to self: time to bring a flask now on my Saturday morning nature reserve jaunts.

Thanks @NowLightOneThousandChristmasLights it is also where I keep all the spare jam jars etc so it is ABN. I was also awake very early today (DH fell asleep on the sofa after a beery night out then came up at 5 waking me up). I didn't get up and calm down with Nigel but will catch up later.

@EphemeraleEudemonia fabulous descriptions. We had murky weather yesterday which was a shame as I drove about 200 miles in some very beautiful parts of the country (Gloucestershire/Berkshire/Hampshire). I did find myself in Tetbury which I think is quite a Nigel-adjacent town, pretty, lots of independent shops including artisan bakers etc, but also a filming location for Rivals which I greatly enjoyed but is DNVN (definitely NVN). These beautiful decorations in the HRH Highgrove gift shop were probably quite Nigel but somehow I can't see him being much of a Royalist.

I also stayed up yesterday till 10.30pm and didn't give in to a nap / early night even though I wanted to. It would just knock my body clock out even further. I do feel more alive for my windswept jaunt this morning, mind. Definitely blown the cobwebs away.

@piscofrisco loving the idea of artisanal fat balls. Peak Nigel.

Also loving the tipsy fruit with the bottle ends - sheer genius!

Sympathies with other sleepless wonders, life is much easier if we can get a decent night.

The dahlias are coming up this weekend. This is Nigel adjacent Montyness. I’ve cut them all and DH will lift them tomorrow for me to trim. I can work in short bursts at present followed by a nice sit down. The survivors look amazing in a handmade vase.

It’s here! Just had a quick flick through and it seems I have until the 4th to catch up. I’m so looking forward to the cosy nights in, reading by candlelight and snuggling the little rascal you see in the picture.

Oh my, you’ve just reminded me I also have dahlias that need lifting!

What an adorable little rascal he is!

@Bimblesalong those dahlias are stunning. Especially the peaches and cream coloured one.

Ah the good old days of Yore.

Thank you! He’s very well behaved for the most part but he’s only a pup and he’s teething currently, so he’s going through the inevitable chewing everything phase. I’ll have to make sure he doesn’t get his chops around the book!

gaw, I’m behind already how is that even possible! @RainbowZebraWarrior love how you casually bumped into a world famous author and had a chat, so very Nigel!

I normally only use brandy for Christmas cake feedings so am going to swerve that, but will be making the stuffing balls. Happy November everyone

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). it’s the casual refs that are the best bit imo @Xmasmusings. Love the way your copy is radiating light in the photo.

@Cactuscuddles don't worry, you're only a day behind. This is one of the good things for me; the occasional gaps in the 'diary' that enable us to catch a breath.

Ann is a local here, and I often see her. We chatted about how many different accents we could hear around us. She said many people were relocating here from the south once they discovered the beautiful NE coast of England and how it isn't our little secret any more. (and that you get a lot more bang for your buck house price wise) I nearly said that the success of the Vera TV shows had probably contributed! Mostly though, we were just bemoaning that the island café hasn't reopened yet after refurbishment.

I adore Nigel's description of Japanese onsens and woule love to know there wherabouts of his favourite. I've mentioned it before, but I'm planning to take DD to Japan. She wouldn't be able to partake in an onsen (my phone keeps trying to correct that to nonsense) as she's only 12 and they have a strict naked code. We would have to book a private one and they cost a fortune. It's not an easy trip to try and plan when there's so much unknown. Years ago, I'd have just slung my backpack on and booked a flight!

I do rather feel that Nigel's life as a childless man must be delightfully stress free in many ways (although I wouldn't envy getting recognised all the time)

Afternoon- park walk done earlier. I’m spending the afternoon in the garden and cooking later. CC is new to me so I’ve ordered the glassware for the drinks for later in the week.

@ExquisiteIyDecorated your just reminded me that I haven't watched Rivals yet. Nigel has an MBE doesn't he? I can actually imagine him getting along with the King quite well. Charles has always loved his garden and also likes good food.

Very impressed by all the activity going on here, and fired with enthusiasm decided yesterday to make the ‘hot apple drink for a cold night’. Unfortunately I didn’t have an apple or a clementine in the house, dislike the smell and taste of cinnamon and allspice berries were nowhere to be found; however, apple juice went in the pan with a lemon instead of the clementine, cloves and lots of grated nutmeg, the brandy added after taking the pan off the heat so the alcohol wasn’t boiled away. It was delicious, and DH gave it a definite thumbs up (but to be fair that could have been partly because of the effects of the brandy!). So all in all NVN, but could it perhaps be classed as Nigel Adjacent as his recipe was the inspiration?

Using what you happen to have in to make something delicious is Very Nigel.

We don't follow the recipe exactly - it's a starting point, that's all. We don't usually put the apple in because I prefer it without. I sometimes add ginger beer; brandy or cognac, or calvados when we have it. Clementine, orange, citrus zest...all will do quite nicely. None is also perfectly good.

Do you just cut it up and include it, meat, fat and all? Or just the fat? Or melt it?