The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles readalong 2025 - Part 2

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

Hello all, and welcome to Part 2. We Continue our CC journey.

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 began on 1st November.

We continue to read along and comment with the book which is set out in diary form. I will make a post each day (or let you know if there is no entry on a particular day)

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.

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!

Best of luck tomorrow Brightermornings and pace yourself.

Nice to see you Lucysmam - I'm catching up on the book too

DH is in Montreal ATM for work - snowing there.

Best of luck for tomorrow @Brightermornings-you will do amazingly!
waves to @lucysmam
And a good day to everyone else.
I’ve been for a walk with the new to the area women’s group this morning. 5 ladies and all very nice, so hopefully there will be some more meet ups going forwards. The river was very high and lots of flooded fields to negotiate.
I’m feeling a bit home sick and meh today, and I’ve got the house to myself for a bit as Dh is out with the DSS’s and DD is not yet back from her Dads, so I’m snuggled up with the Doggies and some trash TV for a bit. Will shake myself in a bit and make dinner for later-Lasagne (and just bolognese for the picky eater). I’m thinking of going to church later-I’m not especially religious but I’m craving the peace and restfulness of it. Just something about being in an ancient building and the ritual of it I suppose.

Just been to the bottom of the garden and look what I found, suspect they will not be up to much but there is probably a bolognese somewhere that would welcome them… found a strawberry in my window box on Christmas Day!

I've just booked all of my online shops up until Christmas- not long now!

Also popped out to pick up a lovely vintage evening bag which someone was giving away on our local Facebook recycling group. It's from the 1960s and is from Dolcis if you remember that shop.

I’ve lost the Christmas Eve pyjamas I bought in the sale 🤦‍♀️ anyone know where they are 🤷‍♀️

Christmas decorations boxes? That immediately springs to mind

Been following the thread every day, and appreciating all the posts, recipe suggestions and photos even though I haven’t been posting. Thanks to everyone, and especially @RainbowZebraWarrior for keeping this lovely thread going, Been knocked sideways by DHs terminal medical diagnosis, trying to keep things as normal as possible while we can. Away for a few days in the Lakes, haven’t been back there for a few years as it just became too crowded for comfort, but November should be quiet and we have many happy memories of previous walking holidays. And according to the forecast we may see snow while we’re there - that would be amazing!

In the meantime, Christmas puddings (Bero book with additions) and and The Cake (Delia) are sitting on the pantry shelf, and bread sauce in the freezer ready to take to Dd’s for Christmas.

I’m sorry to hear of dh’s diagnosis @Seasidebubblesand I wish you a peaceful and Beautiful few days in the Lakes

@Seasidebubbles I am so sorry about your DH. I also hope you have a peaceful and lovely trip.

@Seasidebubblesso sorry to hear of your DH's news. I hope you have a special time in the Lakes.

@Seasidebubbles oh gosh, I'm so sorry to hear about your sad news. Sending a gentle hug to you and your DH. Hope you manage to find some magic (and snow) during your time away. Go gently my lovely, and we will always be here whether you want to lurk or post x

@PrizedPickledPopcorn I was in Riga in mid December. Was hoping for winter wonderland landscape, but unfortunately the snow had melted week before our arrival. Temperature was slightly below zero, quite windy. I thought the prices in the market were similar to the rest of Europe. Although, oftentimes the quality of goods seemed better. For example, the food was proper wholesome, main course type of fare instead of chips, hotdogs and similar. Interestingly, food in the supermarket felt more expensive than in UK, but prices in cafes and restaurants were lower. Probably something to do with the tax and business rates differences.

we were lucky to be there when students of Latvian Art Academy had organised the art fair. Apparently, every year few weeks before Christmas they put on sale lots of their work for good prices. Lots of paintings, but also textiles, glass, ceramics. I bought a nice ceramic vase made by a 3rd year student of ceramics department. Price comparable to John Lewis, but mine is unique piece handmade by a future artist. I googled her name and found her on LinkedIn. Oh the temptation to drop a message 🫣 I didn’t at the end, wasn’t sure how creepy that would come across.

Tickets to cultural events were sooo much cheaper. We learned that in the cathedral next to the market there was a concert organised by a well known Latvian opera singer to support young musicians. Three tickets in very good seats under 100 euros. Booked opera tickets, top price range was 40 euros. Plenty of school children and young people attending the opera house. It just felt that the cultural life in Riga was more accessible and democratic than in UK, it was for everyone.

So sorry to hear about your DH @Seasidebubbles - I hope you have a peaceful trip away and see some snow.

So sorry to hear your news @Seasidebubbles I hope you have a truly lovely time away.

So sorry to hear @Seasidebubbles , wish you lovely time in Lake District.

@Seasidebubbles I am so sorry to hear about your DH. I hope the Lakes are magical and crossing fingers for a sprinkling of snow (enough to show up in the photos, but not enough to inconvenience). Keep lurking or posting as the mood takes you and know we are all here putting an arm round you and holding your hand 💐

17 November

Pork and panforte

Just as I might eat a wedge of butter-soft panettone with shudderingly bitter coffee on a winter's morning, or bream a marzipan-scented slice of stollen after and afternoon spent sweeping up leaves in the garden, I too get a fancy for a tiny triangle of chewy panforte. Looking forward to the gentle slap of sweet spice as much as I do that of Lebkuchen or gingerbread, I am more than a little ashamed that I had to warm to it's honeyed tone when I visited its rust-red hometown, Sienna. With hindsight, I probably though the slim, white packages piled high in every shop were soap.

A weekend of catching up for me too - I love the candle chapter even if they are all far too expensive for me I'll continue to content myself with St Eval! Enjoyed today's chapter found it really interesting and gently festive that really is my favourite part of the book more so than the recipes although I do have Nigel's Sausages and leeks on the meal planner this week. A huge thank you to those that recommended The Dark is Rising books - I decided to stick with book one as I'd already started it and am really enjoying it - have been sneaking in little snatches of reading around the decorating all weekend. My home town of Helston has just been mentioned for our Furry Dance and the description today of "chewing a medieval manuscript" felt very apt! Can't wait to get onto wintery book two! @Seasidebubbles I'm so sorry for your sad news but glad you are able to be in the beautiful lakes, hope you find some peace and make some lovely memories. Life just seems so unfair sometimes. Thank you for sharing with us and jeep joining us here when you can x

The pork in miso and the pears are a favourite in our house-we have had it twice since September already. And I often do the pears on their own to have with cheese or in salad.
glad you are enjoying The Dark Is Rising @imp2007
A Chilly morning here and both DH and I have woken up feeling rubbish with the shivers, headache and sore throat that is going about . Annoying as it’s our wedding anniversary. We were going to go out for dinner but I’ve cancelled it as we are due to go to Krakow on Friday for a very much needed weekend away, so we are resting up and taking ALL the Medicine. At least we are together for the day which is nice. I did get a lovely bag from Oliver Bonas as a present (three years is Leather I think) which I’m very pleased with :)
Have a lovely Monday all :)

So sorry to hear your news @Seasidebubbles I wish you peace, happiness and cherished memories for the time ahead. The Lakes are such a beautiful place to be. DH and I used to visit once per year without fail but got out of the habit. We returned this year for two nights - first time in over 7 years and fell immediately back in love with the area.

I am back in the UK following a tropical break. Unfortunately my audio files didn't work as expected so I'm glad I read ahead on CC before heading off. Also, didn't have the time I had planned to keep engaging with this thread - there were over 350 posts to read this morning so hopefully you'll forgive me that I saw the new thread and skipped straight here.

Folk keep telling me I must be miserable to be back in the cold weather but I really don't mind. Don't get me wrong, last week was great, but being home in the autumn/winter climate feels like the world has been righted. Luckily I missed the storms last week so have only had the best of the season since arriving home. Yesterday was the most glorious say of sunshine and crisp cold - we took a long walk in the woods and around the reservoir and then came home to snuggle under blankets on the sofa. I haven't been outside yet today but can see that there is frost on the tips of the grass and on leaves in the garden.

DH bought me a beautiful book: Wintering - The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times, by Katherine May. I started reading this last night and feel it will be a lovely companion piece to CC.

As for CC, I've missed some of my favourite chapters and recipes: The candles, the orange and poppy seed cake, the brisket... The latter two are the recipes I try to make every year. The brisket has become a tradition on christmas tree decorating day. It doesn't align with Nigel's diary but I love having something slow cooking while the house is transformed. I'll need to find time to make the cake in the coming weeks.

bream a marzipan-scented slice of stollen

Hi, hope it’s okay to join in. I’ve lurked other years too but always fall behind in my reading 🫣
Just intrigued as I’ve never heard ‘bream’ used as a verb before (only as the fish). Just looked it up and it means cleaning the underside of a ship. Is it more widely used too in the sense Nigel uses it? I’m Irish and not in the UK so wondering if that’s why I’ve not come across it before.

It's meant to say break. I noticed the typo after I posted this morning but didn't have time to change it.

Well spotted. I thought someone would 😊

@petitpasta I love that bag! I used to work for Dolcis when I was 16.

@PricklyBob I downloaded that book on Audible recently. I found that her story wandered a bit for me, but her descriptions are glorious. I quite like one of her other books, Enchantment, but found that it knocked my algorithm to more 'therapising' books which was annoying. I think I prefer less of the autobiographical and more hearing people just describing things.

If someone could just write a book describing things like food, snow and candles, that would be great. Oh... wait! 😉

Ah, I see, makes more sense. Thanks @RainbowZebraWarrior.