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!

My return home, post run!

I had a lovely autumnal walk yesterday around a reservoir. I'm tempted to dig out my knitting, maybe I'll finish the scarf I started 3 years ago!

My copy is in the post, hoping it arrives tomorrow.

Good morning everyone, happy Sunday!

I was up early too this morning @RainbowZebraWarrior.

I pottered a bit: replaced the candle in my new-ish, and Quite Nigel, candle holder and tidied away a few bits to make a restful nook on my side of the sitting room - still have a few boxes out on the other side but I'm making progress and should be done by this evening. Had a cup of tea and some lebkuchen, and made a list of things to get done today. All very gentle, no pressure.

I've only got the tiniest bit of Bay Laurel oil left so I'll be ordering some more of that - it's a firm favourite for autumn. Essential oils are such good value for fragrance, and DH doesn't really like scented candles too much so it's better for us. Will use it throughout November and then might make up a more festive blend, or order a ready-made one.

I'm looking forward to starting a small craft project today. Just a little one that I can complete without too much perfectionist angst.

Dinner will hopefully be a Korean pork stew, but that depends on whether or not the gochujang arrives in time. If not we'll come up with something else and do the stew tomorrow instead.

I'm very excited for the delivery of my new Scrub Daddy sponges. Haven't tried them before; being able to wash them in the dishwasher swung me to giving them a go. This is the middle aged life! 😉😁

@RainbowZebraWarrior I’ve enjoyed listening to Monty Don’s My Garden World this year, it’s split into months and he talks about nature, creatures and all sorts, not just gardening. I love Monty - his voice is so soothing, I wonder if he and Nigel know each other - I think they’d get on!

NC ready for the new readalong.

Beautiful, crisp day here, too. I wish I could say that I'm going for a woodland walk, but unfortunately my meanderings will be taking me to Claire's accessories in the City centre today. Definitely Not At All Nigel) DD wants Halloween stuff. The joys of half term! We often go on a Sunday morning though as it's quieter. I've just jinxed that now, right?

Monty is a great shout, @MerryMidwinter My best friend adores him and goes to see him whenever he's doing a tour.

@NowLightOneThousandChristmasLights You have reminded me that I bought some Christmas tree shaped scrub daddy sponges last winter. Heaven knows where they are as I didn't use them. <scuttles off to look under the sink>

Have a lovely day, all.

Here's the after photo of the overnight stewed apples. When i got them out of the oven they still looked uncooked but with a little pile of singed sugar and cinnamon on top but as soon as a fork touched them they collapsed into perfect clouds of stewed apple, they've had another hour to caramelise more and are back in with the lid off to thicken up a bit now

@RainbowZebraWarrior thanks for your comment last night. You're right, of course. It was all just a bit meh in the moment, even though it was what I had planned to do.

@Bimblesalong I don't know if this would be any help to you. It can cut through 'medication mouth' but can also be continuously adjusted from very strong to very light, by adding water or lemonade, and makes a good base for many things.

Unfermented ginger juice, drink hot or cold.
1 lb fresh ginger
2 sticks of cinnamon
6 cloves
1 lime juiced
1 tsp extracted vanilla (optional)
maple syrup to taste (sugar if not)
lemon juice to taste (optional)
rum if wanted

Peel and grate ginger mix with approx half a cup of water. Put in pan with
ginger, cloves, cinnamon stick and more water. Simmer gently for 5 mins. Remove from heat, allow to cool (if using granulated sugar stir in now) add lime juice. Cover and cool for several hours minimum. It will get stronger each day in the fridge.
When ready, strain with cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer
Stir in maple syrup, rum if wanted, and vanilla if you have. Add water to adjust to taste

My current craft is Halloween costumes - DD is being Sally from NBC and needs it for a skateboard thing tomorrow and DS is Loki. Wig has been crocheted for DD and the rest is just sticking on felt and using fabric paint.

So much amazing stuff on here! I can't keep up at the moment but will keep reading back as time permits. Much thanks to everyone posting it, it's a lovely place to come to, especially when other bits of life aren't working.

@Gummibärchen Lovely sounding books! I may have to harras a librarian...

@ExquisiteIyDecorated Beautiful pictures. That looks like Crimson Waxcap, edible, but only if there are large quantities, and leave plenty to spore as it's becoming rarer. Usually indicates earth that hasn't been fertilized or ploughed in a time, which is probably why we see less of it and Scarlet waxcaps (smaller and thinner stem) nowadays, though Wales, Scotland and moorland with sheep and ponies still have plenty, along with the rarer Splendid Waxcap (twisted folded stems and dryer cap - smells and tastes of honey when dried) and Blackening Waxcap (small, turns black if touched- used to prove my 'don't touch me I have dark magic prowess' as a bad child!😂)
There are loads of different types of waxcap in many colors, these four are just the most likely to come across in open spaces.

@RainbowZebraWarrior I'd be so happy with distant crows and Mr Darcy purring. Here it was three very bright clamorous parakeets looking for hops, (stealth hunters they are not!) setting off the neighbors dogs while I was trying to quietly turn over compost. I was trying to resist those mushrooms as very pretty but not quite right for my tree and I have far too many ornaments already, but they'd go so well on a wreath...

@MerryMidwinter I believe Monty Don helped design Nigel's garden, and a well respected landscape gardener Tony Collinson did the labor. I'm so rarely jealous of anything anyone else has, but for that trio I will make an exception as I attempt to do it ]by hand without finances from a wheelchair, and dream of them as an ultimate advice team.

I spent yesterday morning helping DS carve pumpkins and then made the insides into a spicy pumpkin soup, which turned out a lot nicer than I expected!

Then an autumn walk around one of the most beautiful villages in the Cotswolds which my fellow Cotswolders will probably recognise!

Just read this in Waitrose Weekend and thought of this thread.

Snerdling. Great word.

Can I sneak into a corner? I won't be making a lot of Nigel's stuff as I have sensory issues with a lot of food so am not very adventurous. But I love reading about seasonal food and imagining a different life where I'm able to enjoy them. Occasionally I spot something that I can manage and try and push my boundaries a bit more.

I do love the rhythms of the season though and in particular the cosying in for autumn and winter. I've got a dresser in my kitchen that gets decorated with the seasons, the latest addition being a twig star that I've twisted little lights through. I'm quite chuffed how it turned out.

My hedgehogs are still snuffling around and I'm topping up their forages with some food as they are still quite small. They now hear me coming each evening and watch me rather than curling up or trying to hide. My mother's hedgehog actually scratches at the back door if she's late with the food!

A book recommendation from me is A walkers guide to outdoor clues and signs by Tristan Gooley. It's made me much more aware of the environment around me.

Oh wow that Winter Dictionary is a find, @RainbowZebraWarrior . This is very timely, as I was just reading The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig, and wallowing nostalgically in my peculiarly Gen X way over times past (this time of year sees me particularly reflective) and then I found a word to capture that sense of a life lived through memories of trends and fads:

Affogatia
n.
the weird loneliness of antiquated fads and memes and one-hit wonders, which tried so hard to capture their own era that they inadvertently became embedded in it.
Italian affogato, drowned. Pronounced “ah-fuh-gat-yuh.”

Also seconding @BobBobBobbing 's Tristan Gooley recommendation!

Your little star is lovely @BobBobBobbing. ✨

I’ve been VN this morning - took advantage of the extra hour and got up early, lit a couple of candles and read a couple of the intro pages (about super harsh winters). I then managed to get out for a quick cycle and it was beautiful and quiet. Unfortunately I’ve now got to write an essay so I’ve kicked everyone else out to the park and swimming. At least I can write with silence and my diffuser going

Morning! @Goodbyemrfrenchfry I really like the sound of that wilderness cure book - will download. I have recently read “wintering” by Katherine May, “the power of rest and retreat in difficult times” and it chimes perfectly with my circumstances in finding comfort in creating a safe and nurturing place to winter through things. It is so lovely to share other book and podcast ideas. What a nurturing thread.

@RainbowZebraWarrior another sky lover here. I am obsessed and fortunately ds2 shares this and we have had many happy evening walks lately trying to see the northern lights, meteors and failing to see the comet. I also love military air shows - nvn but I do marvel at the science!

I am nodding at everything and would love to respond to every post as they are wonderful.

thanks so much for the recipe @EphemeraleEudemonia , I’ll give that a try. I steep chopped ginger and turmeric in hot water every night and have it in a flask by the bed for first thing - this helps. Tea tastes like it has salt in rather than sugar, and I’m just having the odd cup as I don’t fancy caffeine withdrawal alongside everything else! I am LOVING descriptions of flavours and textures and will go vicariously through these until I’m done with this in the spring (by Easter I hope).

I’ve found a teeny candle holder and have popped a St Eval sandalwood taper in for a VN CC moment. I am saving my super special @RainbowZebraWarrior candle - possibly for our first open fire reading as I want to make an occasion of lighting and enjoying it.

@Bimblesalong I read Wintering last year and thought it was brilliant. I loved how she talked about wintering as both a physical thing as in how you get through the cold and dark, with the idea of wintering in life when you are going through a difficult period and need to retreat and replenish and you re-emerge into ‘spring’ ready to move forward.

Good morning. May I join you all please? I have Nigel on Kindle which I appreciate is not really VN, but I am on a mission to reduce clutter and therefore give myself more me time for reading and crafting.
I have never managed to complete a whole season of Nigel and am inspired by the Nigel altars. I may have to set one up myself. Our snug faces the rising sun and I have a heater that I can pop on timer to come down early morning , snuggle on the sofa with tea and candle and read. Off to find an attractive plate and some seasonal decor.

So many lovely pictures and lovely candles!

I'm just on my way back from the city. I was made to go and stand away from DD while she made a number of Christmas purchases for me. She is carrying a large Diptique bag from Fenwick and grinning. The sales lady came over to me to tell me that I have a wonderful daughter. Aww.

Here's my autumnal photo offering of leaves on the metro station.

What a glorious day it is today! I am standing at an antiques fair at Dunster. It's in a fabulous building, a medieval Tithe Barn. The doors are amazing!

Stop it with the book recommendations - my tbr pile is already big enough 🤣

Some lovely pictures and messages, I’ve enjoyed reading them all. A beautiful sunny day on the north east coast; DH and I had a walk through the cliff side gardens this morning, lots of colourful autumn leaves to scrunch through, squirrels darting around looking for titbits, and then a fabulous view of the sea. So much blue sea and sky - a wonderful treat.

Beautiful view.