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!

@martha79 that sounds lovely, I have been stocking up on festive handwashes and scents for the winter. I note that Nigel hates these fake spice smells but for me it reminds me Christmas.

I had a late night minuting a meeting for a group of churches, and a chat with a chap from General Synod. So perhaps a bit niche, but not exciting! I love this @PrizedPickledPopcorn - I think it's safe to say you would not read this sentence anywhere else on Mumsnet and it perfectly embodies what I like about this thread. I love to think of us all coming in from a wild swim in Yorkshire, an impromptu stroll on Exmoor, picking quinces, melting beeswax or trawling TK Max or Søstrene Grene to snuggle up with Nigel and read a chapter. If you say you have a short attention span, I definitely wouldn't rule out A Thousand Feasts which is really just a collection of random musings by the man himself. It is, imo, peak Nigel and therefore quite often unintentionally funny, but can be opened on any page at random for an interesting snippet. It's not a book you need to read from start to finish, but one to dip into during an idle moment - though I must confess I couldn't put down. I would say it's must for all lovers of all things Nigel!

I'm enjoying the glimpses into other people's lives on this thread.

Can't taste anything here - all bunged up after dd passed her cold onto me. Even at 17, she gets very cuddly when she's not feeling well. The gnudi would be pointless.

I'm currently reading All Consuming: Why we Eat the Way We Eat Now, by Ruby Tandoh (yes, the former GBBO contestant) and she talks about how influential our Nige has been in food writing. She says that some food writers come to it via food and some via writing, and our Nige is more of the latter. I'm enjoying the book - she looks at how food culture is changing in the online age, which isn't something I'd given much thought to.

@LatteLadythank you for flagging the Quilts for Care Leavers - I do quilting too and I am running out of recipients (!), this sounds like a brilliant idea - off to join the FB group …..

@martha79 I sniffed that very soap earlier this week! I went for all the fruity and vanilla scents in the end though.

Just had my hair done then went for a walk along the hedgerows. Tis a strange time of year as the council will be putting up the Christmas trees next week, yet the swathes of wildflowers they planted along the grass verges are still in full bloom. I'm so pleased that they started doing this a few years ago. Such a happy sight! (though moreso on a sunny day rather than misty like today)

Decided to rearrange the 'candle cupboard' and promptly dropped one and dented it. Then proceeded to drop a bottle of essential oil which hit my ankle bone! Hence I am having a 15 minute rest.

@WeMeetInFairIthilien that pic is lush. I am mighty impressed by your pre-dawn running. Back in the day, I'd be down the beach running at 5am, but that was Before DD.

@HornungTheHelpful thank you re The Dark is Rising, I don’t really think it’s my sort of thing, I don't enjoy either YA or fantasy particularly. I don’t really have seasonal books I re-read each year or re-read much at all (I struggle to find time to read new books let alone re-read old ones) but this year I think I might try and find something cosy as I have a lot on and could do with some escapism.

There's a brand new copy of the CC just been listed on Vinted if anyone is still in need. £8

Happy Friday to you all, especially those who've had a bad week. It's so dull, damp and cold here. I've stocked up the log store again and the log basket. I might get the chainsaw out at the weekend and cut up some massive branches me and my Dad had to take off my willow tree last year. Going through logs at a rate of knots, so need to keep the kettle boiling.

My joints hate this time of year and I think it's why I seek out so much in the way of comfort and joy; candles, a roaring fire, blankets, cashmere gloves, delicious and hearty food, Nigel's wonderful words. It's all so beautiful and helps make the pain fade into the background somewhat.

Today’s chapter is one of my favourites, I remember learning about the tree being a gift from the people of Norway every year as a child (probably on Blue Peter or similar) and Nigel’s experience with it is interesting. Also makes me start to feel just a teeny bit Christmassy.

Oh I love marigolds. Such happy little flowers.

It's raining very heavily here and I've just got in from work and the school run, both of us soaked! We came via the corner shop for chocolate. Friday is Sweetie Day for us.

Now I've got a nice mocha in my big mug and I'm thinking of putting a candle on. I won't be making the gnudi- I'm not feeling it for some reason- tonight will be baked potatoes.
I might do my mincemeat.Tomorrow I'm getting cloves and satsumas to make pomanders.

Impressed at your chainsaw action, @RainbowZebraWarrior !

I am impressed by those who have a candle cupboard. I have a candle bag within a cupboard - definitely NVN. I wonder if I should at least upgrade to a shoe box or two?

I also love this chapter. Edinburgh also receives a tree from Norway each year - one of London's rejects, I think 😂 In recent years, they have taken to throwing a huge net of lights over it - much quicker, cheaper and easier than the way it used to be, but it also takes away the effect. By night, it looks more like a giant egg than a tree, by day it looks like a tree caught in a net. Not been in London around christmastime since before covid, so I hope they still take the time to decorate that tree properly, winding and draping the lights.

Interesting to read others' views on the recipes. I can definitely see the point if you are veggie. I have always loved reading cookbooks - I can read them like novels - and enjoy Nigel's descriptions of ingredients and cooking processes so much, I was actually a bit disappointed by ATF due to the lack of recipes. They are definitely my favourite part of CC.

I'm heading off to visit family in very un-autumnal, un-christmassy and un-Nigel tropical climes. It will be lovely but I am a bit sad to be leaving the ongoing autumn colour and crisp air. I won't take CC with me but have the audio version and have also read ahead today - just for the experience. I think the next week contains my absolutely favourite descriptive passages and recipes from the whole book. Will still try to join in the chat on the relevant days though.

@EphemeraleEudemonia those articles are fab, thank you! I remember hearing that Nigel's house has no side or back access and feeling proud because neither does mine - although I'm sure it's considerably smaller and less posh! I've also got those taprooted weeds and was interested to finally work out what they are.

The year I first read CC this chapter made me smile because the Trafalgar tree was decidedly sketchy. I don’t think last years was all that either tbh :) perhaps it got a bit bashed in transit!
also glad it’s Friday. A long week here for various reasons. But we have no children all weekend and a party to go to tomorrow night, so can’t complain.
Happy Friday all!

Hello,
Im so glad I found this thread and have been reading though. I’ve got a copy coming from eBay, fingers crossed for tomorrow.
Im so happy, I love winter and the prep.
I'm going to have to do some reading to catch up.

8 November

A seat at the pantomime

There are lads in tights, girls in breeches, elderly men with pancake make-up, and bare chested boys in baggy pants. There are dwarfs and giants, fairies and wizards, a puss in boots and babies in a wood. There are death threats and dreams, genies in lamps, a witch, a princess, and pumpkins that turn into stagecoaches. Pantomime is a gorgeous cacophony of comedy, music, cross gendering and high jinks.

I have a lot of sympathy with that. My family are massively into fantasy and I get exhausted by the book recommendations I’ll never read.

I’m awful for re-reading, though I have a very entertaining trashy crime series that I’m reading at the moment on Kindle Unlimited at a rate of knots. Though to be fair, it’s very similar to rereading as the author writes “by formula”. Still one must get escapism where one can 🤣

Good luck with finding something cozy!

I am staring down the barrel of a VNN weekend. Today is swimming lessons (the horror) and riding but I’m on my own with the children this weekend so logistically it’s bad. There’s also a piano exam in three weeks so I have to make sure at least one of the three does some proper practice.

I got up to watch that knitting show and knit but the tv is playing up and now the first one is up. Oh well.

Happy weekend one and all.

Didn't sleep well last night as a result was up early and enjoyed a nice potter around with DH and the dog and a coffee - lovely morning - beautiful morning light. I've downloaded the first book in the Dark is Rising series looking forward to starting it. Not a fan of pantomimes but like the sound of the lentils in todays recipe although possibly without the aubergines I've got some cream in the fridge so may give them a try be a nice veggie supper for me tomorrow. Going to head to the butchers later and get some beef planning a slow cook stew tomorrow - keen to start using the slow cooker a bit more. Off to scent class with DDog this morning then a coffee with my brother who I've not seen in ages. Have a lovely Saturday everyone ☀️

I’m away for a few days while DS’s mates take over the house. Leave them to it!

We had the gnudi last night. I suspect Nigel’s ricotta is more expensive than mine as there was no way the most angelic of hands could have rolled a ball of it! However I quite liked the end result and will definitely experiment with little semolina rolled dumplings- but a more robust filling. I really fancy a wanton type filling. Pork, ginger, spring onion… or perhaps sun dried tomato.

I found it rather magical the way the semolina flour turned into a pasta case when it was cooked.

Mixed weather here this morning, I'm still I'm bed enjoying watching the fog float along the valley from my bedroom widow. I'm not going to be making the noody as don't have time and it doesn't sound like it's really worth the faff.
I am however going to get up any minute now to make DD some pain perdu for breakfast and then try and convince her to come out for a walk to make the most of the autumnal colours and magical light before she settles down to do the usual mountain of school work she constantly seems to have.
I haven't looked at today's recipe but aubergines and lentils sound right up my street so I might ask DH to have a look to see if he can add it to the menu for this week.

Autocorrect decided noody was a more common word for me than gnudi 😂

I was awake early and it was a very pleasant start to the day to read CC with a coffee in bed.
We had my version of the sausages and beans this week, very comforting autumnal food.
Now awaiting the grocery delivery and looking out over the town, snuggled in a sunlit valley with vivid autumn colours. Hope the weather holds when we take the dogs out later and I really need to start putting the garden to bed; pelargoniums and nasturtiums still going great guns though.

Nicely November-ish here this morning, I won't take a photo because the back of my council estate is NVN!
I'm in bed with a huge mug of tea and the dog. We're going to the library this morning, followed by hot chocolate and a look at Christmas decorations in TKMaxx.

That is such a stunning and evocative image @AlicePottery noody gnudi is how I shall forever think about that particular chapter now.

I don't like pantomime either @imp2007 I am also not sure about the lentil / aubergine dish, but must get round to trying an aubergine and walnut stew I've been meaning to make. I love the images from today and have some similar wooden decorations that I've been toying with painting for a while. I think I might leave well alone as I'll probably end up making them look like something a reception aged child would bring home from school.

I am making beeswax candles, cutting logs and curing my own pancetta today. (My local waitrose have stopped selling the one I loved, so I thought sod it, I'll make my own!) I feel like I should have lived in some sort of 14th century Italian monastery keeping bees in a walled garden (perhaps I did in a previous life)

At some point, DD wants to take Mr Darcy for a ride in the car again, so my imagined medieval lifestyle sort of ends there, but at least I'll get a spot of bird watching in.

I also need to start putting the garden to bed. I am terrible at putting this off.

I know a lot of you like Monty as well as Nigel. I did think this photo was great on Monty's socials recently.