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!

Placemarking
First time reading this book as I got it for Christmas last year so saved it to start this Novemeber. I’m loving Nigel’s writing and the way he is describing welcoming warm homes with nourishing food, fires and hot cider (never had hot cider but it’s on my list to make!)

I’m still on the Intro but have today off work thankfully so planning a cosy day of reading under a blanket with a candle and twinkly lights to catch up.

There's been a bit of chat about orzo recently, and after not being able to sleep last night and going down a rabbit hole.. (Nigella's Christmas Greggs advert etc) I came across this. Nigella's 'Gochu' Pasta. Apparently she makes it for herself when home alone.

www.hellomagazine.com/cuisine/718703/nigella-lawsons-new-go-to-gochu-pasta-recipe-for-the-perfect-solo-supper/?authId=1dqwxr4_aQ2JFdGtwT2ZlbEdKc21vSG5MYnBkQWxSNVZfV3RSa1Q2VTVNbXJPVUhZZnV4eGpkakNHSjZEWGdOZlg2NHpQVg..&_gl=11rsvidp*_gaQkZkdmpNTGllNktVVWpWeFBSRzA4NEdCWlljdDBKeFF6eW5xeWRqVlhkZE96cUNMeWJHbkx0d212OEVMZnA2Yg.._ga_CG5KZJ0XNF*MTczMDc1NTk3Mi41LjEuMTczMDc1NTk3Mi4wLjAuMA..

Forgot to add image. Looks delicious. It should go down well with DD too as she loves pasta and loves Japanese food.

@WeMeetInFairIthilien Thank you for typing out those. (Unsure of the ethics around reproducing book contents, but the general thing with reproducing copyright images is to credit the photographer and the source it's taken from.)

@andIsaid That's really lovely.

I'm running a day behind reading in bed in the evenings, or the middle of the night, so will have to catch up CC's tonight.

We finally have temperature drops and autumn mist.
A warning to get a move on with everything but also pleased to see it, as while the trees are doing the right things it's been otherwise disquietingly un-seasonal here. I have all sorts that should be done rambling all over the place and Iris and similar are shooting up early.

Yesterday an entirely unexpected small group of Redwings arrived, happily darting around a large berry laden holly tree and the rowans. Beautiful brown backs, wings and heads with long 'eyebrow' stripes in fawn, and a matching curved facial line picking out under their 'cheeks,' and creamy chests speckled brown and tiny blush marks at the sides on the wing line. When they raise their wings there's a sudden full flash of red, slightly more scarlet than the robin's breast.
I've already cropped what I need from very full rowans so they're welcome.
My adventurous little robin is unbothered by them in the trees but is seeing off any coming to investigate me working on compost heaps. What's dug up is his!
They've turned up here previously but I've only ever seen them around Christmas before.

As a veggie with vegan family members, am going to see if I can tinker with NS's stuffing recipe when I have time. (sorry NS)
I'm unsure what turkey or lardo would taste like, but they sound like a bland thing cooked in a rich thing, and I gather lardo is a hydrogenated fat.
So wondering about seitan and mild onions sauteed in a white port stock, possibly with a little vegan 'bacon' and chilli oil... as turky and lardo alternatives...

@RainbowZebraWarrior Be warned, Gochujang is addictive. (have access to a Langdons)

Oh I would’ve never have thought to put it in pasta! I’ll have to give this one a go, I’ve got a huge tub sitting in the fridge from the Korean supermarket but I only know of a few tried and tested recipes that I use it in.

We love Korean food and gochujang/gochugaru/doenjang are staples here. We've never tried Nigella's recipe although it's been on our radar for a good while.

Korean food tends to be spicier than Japanese, which I like, but from what we've seen tends to have a narrower flavour profile. But the gentle hum of Japanese cuisine is also delicious in a subtler way.

I've done Nigel's stuffing meatballs a few times. They're ok, maybe even quite good, but I wouldn't rush to make them again and I don't think I would serve them with a turkey dinner as turkey on turkey is a bit too much IMO.

DH and I are both on the same page when it comes to stuffing - we've tried labour intensive recipes with lots of ingredients and we've never been wowed by the end result, taking into account the time and money spent on them, so we decided some years ago to go back to boxed stuffings and we just get a naice one to have on feast days. The 'united in stuffing' family recipe above is really lovely, though. If there was a family recipe like that I'm sure we would make it too for the romance behind it.

@EphemeraleEudemonia I loved reading about your bird visitors. Wonderful.

** meant to say Korean cuisine has a narrower focus compared to Chinese, but then that's completely understandable given the size of China! It's like comparing apples and oranges, really.

A really nice show if anyone wants something gentle and food related to watch:

A Japanese series called Samurai Gourmet. It was on Netflix when we last had it which admittedly was quite a few years ago now.

Thankyou @RainbowZebraWarrior that orzo recipe looks just the ticket, and as it happens I've got all the ingredients already.

A quiet few days here, still mostly sitting with the doggy before his appointment tomorrow. I did manage to get out in the garden yesterday whilst he was asleep in the afternoon and pop 100 tulip bulbs in, and clear a bramble filled bed, long neglected, at the end of our garden. I will add some mulch and top soil and then it will be ready to go for planting next year. There was some comfort in doing something physical for a while, and planting bulbs always feels sort of hopeful to me. (In more ways than one as we have a lively squirrel in our garden who will no doubt be out there now having a little dig)

At least we will have something nice to look at in Spring.

But the gentle hum of Japanese cuisine is also delicious in a subtler way. That phrase sounds VN.

@sueelleker ☺️☺️

@piscofrisco I'm glad you are able to sit with your doggy. 💐 and fingers crossed for tomorrow. Yes, gardening is wonderful because it underlines so well the concept of hope.

I can categorically say this is NOT a dupe. It’s really cloying and sickly. 100% do not recommend!!

For cost-cutting with the White Company Winter I have bought a bottle of the perfume oil and use that in my essential oil diffuser. It cost £10 so much cheaper than the candles.

Ohhh this was doomed from the beginning - I think we all can infer what Nigel would think of a plugin! 😆😆

Essential oils, on the other hand, are approved of and can easily be mixed to create a festive scent.

I am sooooooo tempted by some pretty candles. Either St.Eval or, a bit more pricey, Pott Candles. But it's really mainly for the holder, so I'm going to hold off for now.

I need to be very sensible from now on until the New Year begins.

My most favourite oil mix is the Frankincense and Myrrh one that M&S used to do. Don't know if they still do it as I haven't shopped with them for at least 5, maybe even 6, years for boycotting reasons. 😡😡😡

But I still have an almost empty matching fragrance spray (NVN) of the same scent and I'm going to use the ingredients list to approximate the mix. I don't want to use the spray itself as I'm not a fan of breathing in extra chemicals these days.

The leeks, beans and sausages recipe today is a lovely one which we've had many times but I'm not going to make it as I'm supposed to be making another beans-based dish soon. We've got Borscht with beef on the menu tonight.

I agree re- doom but I did hold out a faint hope! Anyway, it’s dashed now and I’m thinking what on earth will I do with this bloody plug in?

I make a dupe of Winter (called Winter!) Google boxxed up to buy! X

I'm just catching up. I was also going to say that the mulled wine airwick definitely isn't a dupe for winter by WC, but the M&S one is delightful and yes they still sell it. In oil form, in cabdle form and in a spray (yes I have them all) I buy them every year religiously and have done for about 30 years. Very sentimental as my Grandma used to get the oil for me every year as she knew I loved it (along with a big bar of galaxy chocolate and satsuma bubbles from the body shop. Ahhh they were the days!)

@AgathaMystery I'm sure someone in your circle will love it? Hopefully, anyway!

@RainbowZebraWarrior those sentimental memories attached to scents and simple gifts are the best, aren't they. I used to get the oil, candles and spray too. I also liked the clove and cinnamon one or whatever it is...the red one. They used to do beautiful glittery red scented tea lights to match which I also loved.

Oh the clove and cinnamon one from M&S was excellent. I can see now on White Company that the winter pillar candle is only available in store which is a bit of a pain

Love the WC winter candle. I have the oil too and pop a bit on a cotton ball then lodge it on a radiator.

It’s been so grey outdoors- lovely to have warming conversations on the go here.

@LillianGish this popped up as this morning’s phone screensaver 😀. Such a beautiful building.

If you really love that scent @AgathaMystery then if you can't get to a shop to buy the candle the oil is a great buy - good value for money and will last ages. You can either use a diffuser, wipe some onto the radiator as above or what I do is add a few drops to the pinecones we have in a bowl all year round. If you have a wax melt burner you could also add a few drops to plain wax.

I'm getting very nostalgic about bonfire night here (where it is obviously not a thing) and missing the pop of fireworks going off from late afternoon, the smell of bonfires and the faint smell of gunpowder in the air. I too have memories of freezing cold, foggy nights at this time of year and it is so very far from that at the moment - though getting chillier, I wore a coat to leave the house for the first time yesterday. I haven't made any of Nigel's recipes yet, but I did make @Bimblesalong pasta with with feta, pumpkin and sage and it was huge hit with DH and DD so many thanks for that.

I've got a very disappointing candle on the go. It was a very expensive one from Lakeland candle company-it smells of literally nothing at all.
If the dog goes to sleep later I will venture to the (NVN) local homesense and see if there is any treasure to be had in the candle aisle.
I will definitely pop into M and S (next door) if there is nothing to be had, Thankyou for the tip off. I've had some lovely room sprays from there this year but have never sniffed their festive offerings.