Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread Part 2

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

Hello, all and welcome to this lovely space for our continued chats.

A bit of background for anyone not familiar with this topic:

The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles readalong usually takes place here between November and February each year (the Christmas Chronicles being a book written by Nigel Slater full of winter recipes and anecdotes) It's been running for a few years, and the contributors have collectively decided it would be nice to have it running all year round.

So here it is. It is a place to appreciate all things Nigel-esque. Think seasonal food and recipes, enjoyment of nature, gardening, appreciation of the weather, and sharing of news and small moments of joy. It's a calm, cosy space for gentle chat and merriment so pull up a deckchair, grab a drink and relax.

A very hearty welcome to friends new and old!

I often use it with a Mediterranean tray bake.

Congratulations on the work happiness @CrushingOnRubies 😀

Still up a Spanish mountainside here. Being with friends means little local tapas bars, which has been lovely. Also, a pool. Dreamy. Taking the good days as they come - covered in mosquito bites but we won’t talk about that! White soup in a bowl is my friend’s veggie bread, almond and garlic soup. Gorgeous.

This link is now a family favourite, Corsican pie:

thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/corsican-pie-with-courgette-flowers/

Thank you! Sounds like you’re having a wonderful time in Spain. The food looks delicious

I’m sure it’s hotter in Spain but it was 35 degrees that day! It was 9ish so the sun was no longer out. The stifling heat is what led him to pose for me - it was too hot to move 😆

Throwing in an Ottolenghi staple “zesty bread salad” which again features sumac strangely… Basically a Greek salad with croutons instead of feta. Very quick, very flavourful.

For me, the barbecue salad rules are: a couple of carb salads (pasta, potato, couscous), a slaw of some kind, a leafy salad and a wild card.

Congrats on the work opportunity!

That looks idyllic @Bimblesalong I keep dreaming of a sunny break with a pool but it's not an option sadly.

I've booked my table at this year's Scarecrow Festival so I have 9 weeks to plan and make. I'm doing rolled beeswax candles, natural beeswax melts and goats milk and honey soap (as well as honey) Should keep me very busy in the coming weeks. I actually love selecting packaging and designing labels more than anything. It feeds the inner child in me that loved to play shops. It's daft really as we make about £500 (which is brilliant) but in no way reflects the hundreds of hours that are involved. We certainly never got into beekeeping to get rich!

This weekend sees the arrival of our village funfair. It's called The Treat and is a huge tradition that's been going on since the early 1900's. DD doesn't want to go this year, so we shall be skipping out of the village before the road through closes for the marching bands early tomorrow morning. We are having a day in the city instead.

Just a final note. I walked into Hobbycraft last night and they had their Halloween stock in already! So of course I bought a pumpkin to add to my collection 🎃

Hi everyone! Sorry for radio silence.

I GOT THR DREAM JOB!! And it is freaking mental.

How is everyone please?!

Do you mean they extended the job you were doing / made it permanent? Either way, congrats!

I'm knackered and feel like I never get a break. DDs issues are never ending and we are now at 40+ weeks of an EHCP assessment...

Apart from that, all good. The wind is crazy tonight though and I have a few smashed pots and everything is dried out.

Sorry for radio silence here too, it has been busy at work, busy at home, DS came home from uni a month ago and we have been practising for his driving test every night in my car (unfortunately he failed this week, one major and one minor, gutted for him especially because it’s so hard booking them).

Huge congratulations @AgathaMystery

Sorry things are so much on top of you @RainbowZebraWarrior , bloody EHCP process.

I don’t think I’ll manage to catch up with the whole thread (it keeps jumping about all over the place) but I am still trying to Be More Nigel when I can. Spending as much time in the garden as possible in the early mornings and evenings and skulking inside during the day.

That’s amazing congratulations!!! 🥂 🥂🥂

Big cwtch from the mountains for @RainbowZebraWarrior and Yaaaaaay to @AgathaMystery bloomin marvellous.

I’ll catch up once I’m back home and less full of veggie tapas.

Yaayy @AgathaMystery, congratulations!

Congratulations @AgathaMystery
@RainbowZebraWarrior we’re going to be in Northumberland in six weeks but too early for your festival sadly as I love goats milk soap - currently buy Cyril’s goat milk soap online.

Yes the job that messed me about and cost me my sanity. Almost. I mean I was definitely bonkers for a few weeks.

@RainbowZebraWarrior sorry to hear things are bleak at the moment. Is your garden keeping you sane? Mine is. I’ve traded in Nigel for Monty for a bit x

Oh, hello. I was on the Autumn and Christmas threads last year, but Christmas got in the way of posting and I have only just realized that the loveliest thread was ongoing, so I'm stepping back in!

Hello @UnimaginableWindBird , welcome back!

Been for a lovely walk today. Mumsnet worst nightmare though. A walk in a heatwave with 15 work colleagues. It was in aid of charity and it’s so lovely to see people out of work and just chat and get to know them more.

then we all had a lovely lunch at a beautiful pub on the coast.

shattered now though

I hope you are cooling down now, @CrushingOnRubies.

I booked last week off work to do a massive declutter, so I've spent today hauling bags of rubbish (on foot) to the tip, and am now recovering with a drink and an ice cream.

Dog and I have both cooled down with ice cream.

yes I know it’s warm and people will
jump down my throat but we set off at a sensible time, she had her cool jacket,
plenty of water. And the walk was shaded for the most part with lots of rivers and a beach too paddle in

The walk sounds lovely @CrushingOnRubies . I spent today sweltering in the antiques shop! Made some decent sales though, so I can't complain! We've got a rare day tomorrow with no commitments or work, so we've been toying with the idea of going to Watchet for lunch by the harbour, but decided in the end to stay at home - our house has thick walls and small windows so it tends to stay cool!

Hope everyone is getting through the heatwave and those with school-age children are styling out the last few days of term.

it’s a year since all my nonsense started happening so I’ve decamped to the south of France for a few days’ distraction. A few months ago, this kept me going when leaving the sofa was very tricky. There’s a breeze, sea and pastries. I’ll have a couple for you guys.

No heatwave here @Bimblesalong Yesterday was chilly and foggy and today has been dark skies and thunderstorms. Enjoy South of France, you deserve it.

Took the dog out on local farmland last night as it was nice and cool. My Dad had taken her to the beach the day before and she had a lovely swim, but came back in from the sea clenching a glass vape bottle full of oil(?) with a skull and crossbones on it. The sooner those things are banned, the better!

Hope everyone else is well. Nice to see you back @UnimaginableWindBird

The south of France sounds perfect @Bimblesalong ! We are glued to the Tour de France on the TV at the moment, not because of the cycling, but because we like looking at the scenery!

@Bimblesalong France looks wonderful but I have come on especially to ask an important question as I know you live close to me. Any signs of flowers on your dahlias yet? Mine are not looking good but I don’t know if I just need to be more patient (I’m on edge because of all-round poor service from Sarah Raven this year)

We came across many cyclists today on our bus tour. It is, apparently, the tdf route. The scenery is jaw dropping and I spent the whole time “wow”ing at each turn. The Verdon river is as green as its name suggests!

now to the very important question. I have a couple of flowers and lots of buds. However, I do not know which are Sarah raven and which are Farmer Gracey, although I can compare orders when they bloom. I have added the expensive SR dahlia feed, which was reduced about a week after I had ordered it 😬. I hear it’s cold and rainy so at least they’ll be getting some water. Not sure our plants are too happy with the weather’s mood swings.