The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles Readalong 2025

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

Hello all, it's that time of year again!

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 Christmas Chronicles (Notes, stories and 100 essential recipes for midwinter) book begins on 1st November, however there are 25 pages of Introduction. That's why I start the thread one now; to allow time to prepare and fully appreciate Nigel in All His Splendour come 1st November.

Some regulars to the thread already have the book. For anyone new, it's a challenge to see of you can pick up a bargain. Vinted has come up trumps in the past, as has ebay. A rare and precious charity shop find is always a bonus. Don't forget, you can also listen along to Nigel's dulcet tones via Audible.

I shall post daily and we can share our thoughts and feelings on the days recipes, sentiments and indeed Dear Nigel himself. Observations of nature and the seasons are also very welcome.

So welcome to old friends and new, and don't forget that reading by candle light is particularly enjoyable. Cire Trudon may be one of Nige's candles of choice, but it's somewhat pricey. We don't discriminate against other less expensive brands - even if they are NVN (Not Very Nigel)

Pull up a chair, light a candle, grab a cosy blanket and join in!

I appear to have misplaced my copy. To say I'm devastated is an understatement.
It also means I am going to have to explore the loft in the vague hope I've put it with the Christmas decs!

@IlovetoKnitandRead I don’t source the tricky stuff, I substitute something that makes sense. I have some dripping from a previous roast that should do the job. We’ll see!
I generally prefer my drinks and fruit living separately. I don’t like alcohol in food as a broad rule. Tiramisu, trifle, better without the alcohol for me. I also disliked the way the marinated fruits go soggy and pulpy.

However, fruit that can’t be eaten just as it is flavouring gin or vodka is a different beast. Ginger and rhubarb steeping in gin or vodka for months, then strained out and binned leaving the lovely infused spirit to sip over ice at Christmas. This year I’m trying quince. We’ll see!

I’ve only started the intro today 🤦‍♀️ I’m loving everyone pictures and what they’ve made. There is o lot me and dd at home so a lot of them would be wasted. I love Christmas cake but I would have to eat it all which isn’t a problem apart from not fitting in my clothes 😃
I remember fuzzy felts I have a Christmas themed one which I’ll post a pic when I get all the decs out.

I’m late to the party, starting today! This is my third year following this thread and I love to see what everyone has done 😊 it’s become part of my own little Christmas tradition!

Did my sauna and wild swim. There was some screaming. All by me.

Not bad for Yorkshire in November.

There's only me and 13 yo DD here. Virtually everything I make is given away. I have an inbuilt crazy Italian heritage that makes me cook and make for hoardes of people. I don't even have hoardes of friends never mind family. I need to try and reign it in.

Oh no! I hope you find it. If not, give me a tag. I'm sure I have a spare.

It often happens in the latter stages of a container candle to to the inbalance of oxygen (as the wax is now at the bottom of the vessel) obviously with there being more wicks, it increases the chances of it happening which is why soot often clings to the sides when you get near the bottom of a container candle. It's called incomplete combustion. It can also be that the fragrance oils have pooled at the bottom of the wax upon the candle curing. Another factor is not keeping the wicked trimmed nice and short each time the candle is lit.

N.B. Some of the above I knew already, and some I looked up, which is always handy to remind myself.

Thank you @RainbowZebraWarrior - these lasted about 10 mins from when they came out the oven last night!

@bibliomania that looks incredibly beautiful and also very cold! Super impressed and a tiny bit jealous!!

@PrizedPickledPopcorn figs in brandy is the recipe from Nigella’s (as opposed to Nigel…sorry!) Domestic Goddess book. I’ll try to find a link for you if you don’t have it? The sweet pickled figs were from a random internet blog - they’re incredible (although a bit of a faff!) but do require ripe fruit I don’t have the link to hand, will find it later. And the fig chutney tends to vary year on year as I have a habit of throwing in whatever else is on hand 😂. I’ve yet to find anything worthwhile do with the small green fruit that haven’t ripened by the end of summer…

Ooh, I really fancy cheese scones. We are due to have chilli for tea. I may rename it spicy beef casserole and serve it with scones instead of rice…. Yes. I think I will 🤣

Ahh just caught up with the mornings posts. That image is gorgeous @bibliomania

Must get some dinner prepped. I'm terrible as DD eats the same thing at the same time every day and if I don't prep something for myself later in the evening, I'm out of Spoons and end up with toast.

Must put Wash Cashmere on my going to do list.

Here's our lovely priory in the sunshine from this morning.

That's just glorious♥️

Thank you @RainbowZebraWarrior , it looks awful now after burning it again. I googled it following your post and I think I may have overloaded the fragrance too. I only thought about that because my new fragrance oils recommend a 7-9% load and it made me wonder if my scent % was a factor. Lesson learned.

Lovely photos. 😍.

See my post! Were you the lady who left it somewhere and I bought it???

I love your chicken block @LatteLady that is a very fun piece of sewing!

Well the weather has been unpleasant today, raining but not very cold, just annoying. The forecast for tomorrow morning is 5⁰ so I had to bring my plants in, the veranda now looks like a jungle. I usually prune my chili trees plants right back before bringing them in but there are so many green ones on them that I'm going to leave them for another week or two.

Sorry for a third post. (esp after having committed to lurking), but had to come back to share this with the group:

I received some absolutely heartbreaking news this afternoon, which really knocked me for six. And then I looked out at the garden, thought about Nigel’s intro and the various pps commitments to getting outside every day, and decided to use the last hour of sunshine to tackle pruning my plum trees (which I’ve been putting off for weeks).

It was definitely better for me than sitting and staring into space for an hour, and now I’ve made a start on the long list of garden jobs I’ve been ignoring for a while, I can imagine carrying on over the next few weeks. Now I’m going to light the fire, and a candle, and curl up with a large mug of something, my copy of CC and the dog. And a box of tissues. Still feeling wobbly, but a bit better. Thank you all. I think (hope!) Nigel would approve.

Hoping I can join for the first time please after having lurked for the past couple of years. I have my copy and shall be catching up this evening by candlelight and the Netflix Fire for Your Home - NVN but I’ll work with what I have.

I’m hoping to lean in to the change of season and find comfort in slowing down, nourishing myself both physically and emotionally, and getting outdoors as much as possible.

This thread and Nigel bring me joy, thank you all.

So sorry to hear about your heartbreaking news @Fillybuster Sending you a warm and gentle hug and hoping you can find some solace and peace here on the thread and, as you say, in the garden and outdoors in general

A very warm welcome back @VelvetWinter

We still have lots of chillies here too @AlicePottery as well as mini yellow plum tomatoes. We've stripped half of the chillies today, and will have to strip the tomatoes ASAP as the frost will get them otherwise. I say we, I mean my Dad. I've just filled myself a bag full of each.

Wishing you comfort, @Fillybuster .

Top the chilli with cheese scones like a cobbler. I've done it before.

I bought a Christmas Rose after coffee with friends this morning and spotted my Christmas Cactus has come on apace… I also made cheese scones, with the last knockings of some parmesan, cheddar and heathy dose of smoked paprika but should have pulled out the large bowl… but they made a tasty mid afternoon snack.

• I am hoping that this posts as I tried earlier today… am now clearing the kitchen for Roger the plasterer to paint the ceiling tomorrow. My scan & cut and sewing machine are currently sat in the bath!