Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3

[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 chair to the fireplace, grab a drink and relax.

A very hearty welcome to friends new and old!

Half term, yayyyyyy! This one is going to be mostly pottering, which is 100% fine by me. Out to choir practice tonight, then it's a large glass of merlot and catching up with The Night Manager (which I suspect is not that Nigel but I love it!).

Can't believe you have snow, @RainbowZebraWarrior , we're still in groundhog day rain mode here. Get that dog to keep you warm and cuddly.

Good luck with the public transport @martha79 , small steps are the way to go.

Happy half term all! It doesn't really affect me except that it'll be quieter at work with so many people off (although the rest of my small team are all off so I will be picking up some of their work).

Rainy here too, just a bit colder than it has been. It's meant to be sunny tomorrow, let's see.

I ventured out - walked to the train station (about a mile), got the train to the next station, walked over the bridge to the other platform and came back. Felt quite wobbly - more so on the way out than back, which suggests it's less about physical stamina and more about the nervous system stuff.

Bought pastries in M&S at the station on the way back (really wanted some fancy hot cross buns but they had none) and spent the afternoon on the sofa watching Bridgerton.

Oh, @leporello you have hit the nail on the head with "groundhog day rain"!!! It has rained every day in 2026 where I am. Very over grey skies and pouring rain now. I did manage to spot some daffodils gamely doing their best while walking from the car park into the office this morning, which was cheering!

Groundhog day rain sounds exactly right. Supposed to be dry here tomorrow though, I have so much washing I want to get out on the line. That's about the extent of my plans for the weekend. DH asked me as its going to be dry shall we go out somewhere, and all I could think was 'I need to do my washing!'
Half term for us here with preschool DD4. Hard to know what to do when it's so wet and dreary all the time but I've optimistically booked a forest school session for next week. Just having a glass of wine while DH does bedtime stories. Cooked a pot roast pheasant for tea which was a new recipe and came out rather well. Was inspired by the pot roast partridge in Christmas Chronicles. DD less than impressed but I guess pheasant is an acquired taste!
Hope those who are under the weather get some rest this weekend. Happy Friday all x

its finally half term. Longest two weeks ever. And it’s been a drag. Celebrating with a vodka and champagne raspberry cocktail. Was going to go to the pub but the weather after a lovely day has turned foul.

have a valentines meal deal for tea. A bit special but we are too shattered for effort

@Markknopflersheadbandpot roasted pheasant sounds lush.

Yes, I would have appreciated your pot roast pheasant @Markknopflersheadband , had to make do with lentil and carrot lasagne as it's one of our vegan nights of the week (so not real bechamel obviously). Not that it wasn't perfectly nice.

Absolute knife-edge wind walking back from choir practice, the cold has hit very suddenly.

Argh how frustrating @RainbowZebraWarrior

@martha79 sounds like a decent venture out. I’ve been a bit housebound this week due to the wonky back, apart from a very exciting trip to the cancer centre today (not) for blood tests. It’s been ok as dh is a superstar and has picked up shopping (& also stuff I can’t reach from the floor). I’ve had a young client this week and am busy with office work ahead of next week.

Really feeling the cold here too - last week’s holiday is a bit of a fever dream right now. Quite literally, as I dreamt I was u packing and was concerned about whether my plastic bag of live goldfish might have leaked into the suitcase. 😵‍💫. Current position is in front of the fire with a book.

stay warm, all.

Just been reading the last week or so's posts. Can't remember exactly who said what, but I like rose and violet creams too. However about 10 years ago when DH was still supervising the DCs gift giving, I was given them for Christmas, Valentines, my birthday a couple of weeks later and Mothers Day and I got a bit pissed off that he was just taking the easy option because I had once said I liked them. They've never bought me them again!

I have also had the free heart shaped crumpets from Waitrose, went in yesterday and there was a big gap on the bottom shelf where their label was but I knelt down and found one pack right at the back.

Half term doesn't really affect me any more which is weird, but I do appreciate less traffic on my way to work.

Piano Room - I don't listen to R2 generally but I have seen on FB that one of my favourite bands, James, have been on there and must give that a listen.

I've been meaning to ask, has anyone here read Winter by Val McDermid? It's on my wishlist, sounds as though it might be similar to CC. Look how beautiful the cover is.

I am listening to the audio book of Petroc Trelawney's Cornwall at the moment which is another part memoir, part meander through reality, in this case his home county. I love his voice and love this sort of book.

@ExquisiteDresses James were great on Piano Room. Im also loving their new music. I have Winter by Val McDermid on audiobook. It's a great read / listen. Mind, Val is an absolute master story teller. I'm hoping she does some more books like this.

I don't like rose and violet creams (or any creams for that matter), but I think it's fatal to say you like something to family members. It will be forever remembered as the thing you like as your story demonstrates. You're right. It is a lazy option, though a lot of the time. I noticed my mother still has christmas gift bags in the (unused) front room full of cherry liquers. I didn't buy her any this year as I noticed they were still hanging around well past Easter last year too.

Going to go and look out of the window to see how bad things are. It's minus 3 so hoping it's not too icy and very much looking forward to the sunshine thats been forecast for today, whatever the temperature.

Morning, Happy Valentine's Day Nigelistas! Let me virtually offer you all a chocolate (imagine I have done of your favourites if you're not a fan of the rose & violets).

How true about lazy repetitive presents - this is why I have a cupboard full of gin when I only drink very rarely now. Also an awful lot of items with cats and/ or musical notes on, which seems to be compulsory if you have cats and play/ teach a musical instrument.

@Markknopflersheadband you've inspired me to get some washing out today as long as the promised sunshine materialises.

@ExquisiteDresses the James episode is definitely worth a listen.

I think it was someone on here (on the CC thread) that recommended the Val McDermid book - I thought it was absolutely lovely and ended up buying multiple copies for people as Christmas presents.

@Bimblesalong that looks so cosy. I've also had weird dreams the last couple of nights, my favourite being that we abandoned normal catering at our work conference and ran a tuck shop in the breaks instead. 300 people queueing up to buy sweets...

Crikey, I've never dived back into bed so fast in my life. It's bitter cold and has snowed overnight. I could tell that by the chink of bright light coming through the blinds before I got up. Heating is on, but I wish I'd made a cuppa to bring back to bed. Darcy is what we used to call 'nipped by the frost' and is wandering the house absolutely howling. He always does this when it's bad weather outside. He's been fed, so hopefully settles soon as he is Very Loud. More snow forecast this evening.

@Bimblesalong I have regular dreams - as in weekly - about packing and there being some sort of issue. I've usually left it too late / have too much stuff / late for my flight, but I've never had the live goldfish issue before. My generic ones symbolise feeling overwhelmed or uncertain about the future. Goldfish usually signify wealth and good luck, but when the goldfish are specifically in a bag (who knew it was a thing) it relates to bottled up emotions. The dream is apparently telling you that you either need to nurture / indulge or release / free these feelings as they are holding you back. It can also mean that you feel you aren't thriving personally to your full potential due to temporary circumstances.

The mind and subconscious in particular is, well, mind blowing at times..

Morning @martha79 and a happy valentines day to you too. I'll have some Anthon Berg plum in madeira marzipan please. I've bought DD some Black Magic which are on the kitchen bench and she's very much looking forward to opening today. We were discussing the varieties last night and she said I can have the caramels and coffee creams. I like neither.

Oh now I really want some Anthon Berg marzipan chocolates and I just finished the last a couple of weeks ago. I also really need a cup of tea.

happy Valentine’s Day everyone. Have a date night tonight. No idea what to wear. And woken up with a stinking cold. So dosing up on cold meds and hot lemon and powering through. Typical being look forward to this evening for ages.

We also benefited from the Waitrose free crumpets.

@ExquisiteDressesi love Petroc Trelawny and has Cornwall is my home county think I might like that book. Will look out for it

I'm a big fan of lovely Petroc too @ExquisiteDresses , @CrushingOnRubies , I so wanted to see him when he did a book festival event near me but couldn't because I was working .
Just bought an unconventional Valentine's gift for dd - gin and tonic flavoured green tea. She loves G&T and loves green tea so it had to be done .

I read yesterday that this has been the longest unbroken run of rainy days since 1908! it didn’t say where - whether the UK as a whole, or just England (or frankly just Chester - all my neighbours are out building arks 🤣). Today, though, we have a blue sky! I feel quite giddy and not sure what to do. Washing out is a good idea.
my mum always buys me things with cats on, and green & black’s chocolate, no matter how many times I say (politely! Not when she hands it over) that I don’t really like it. She knows I like chocolate and like organic groceries (!) and she can’t help herself. It’s such a waste. See also liqueur chocolates - love chocolate, love alcohol, dislike the combination 🤷‍♀️
I used to enjoy Val McD’s books but have really gone off them in recent years and I think it is her not me! But willing to give this one a try on all of your recommendations

We've just had two dry days <faints> and it was sunny (but cold) today too. I spent an hour weeding at the allotment and listening to the James Piano Room which was lovely, will have to try some of the others.

I have mixed feelings about Val McDermid too, I read one of her earlier crime books last year and it kind of hadn't stood the test of time, shall we say, also the crime was so sadistic it made me wince. But I do like the sound of Winter.

I'm another one with a huge stash of gin in my cupboard because about twice a year I have a G&T when I'm out somewhere so people think that's a good gift idea. I do really enjoy one occasionally but I've just never got in the habit of drinking at home.

I heard that too, @SheherazadesSeasonalNonsense and believe the record was for England.

I find Val McDermid's crime novels hard to stomach these days @ExquisiteDresses Whilst it is very powerful and clever writing, it's beyond disturbing. I remember reading A Place of Execution about 25 years ago. A gripping tale, but I absolutely could not read it now that I'm a mother. I used to love true crime and horror in my younger days, but I think we become more sensitive as we get older, and - rightly - perhaps most of us steer away from utter gore for good reason. Pleased you enjoyed James. There aren't many stand out performances for me this year on PR, but Alison Limerick was excellent, and Elkie Brookes was amazing last year and had some entertaining tales to tell.

Hope you enjoy your date night and found something suitable to wear @CrushingOnRubies

Beautiful, but extrmely cold here, with ground frozen solid, and there's still snow on the ground. Had a lovely hour down the beach with DD this morning after scrambling to get a honey order to stock up our allotment shop (they had sold out of the original stock in half an hour) We got a great haul of seaglass including some beautifully sea tumbled marbles. The garden was alive with birdsong about 45 minutes ago, and I heard an oystercatcher -among other things - which Merlin helpfully confirmed for me. The birds are loving my new coconut feeders.

Hope you have a great date night @CrushingOnRubies

There was a lovely video from BBC Scotland News this morning of a little girl going "look Mummy, the sun!" - apparently Aberdeen hasn't had any sun at all for three weeks. I believe we hadn't had any so far in February. Today has been very bright though - got a couple of loads of washing done and hung out, and though it's not all dry, it's finishing up on the radiators now and making the house smell lovely.

I think I've overdone things between yesterday's venturing, housework this morning and then deciding to go for a rather hillier walk than usual this afternoon (close to home but there's a big hill and a great view, and it was sunny...). Felt decidedly odd when I was out and had to go straight to bed when I got back - two hours sleep later, I'm waiting for fish & chips to be delivered.

Fish and chips sounds just the ticket @martha79 it's so hard to know when too much is too much when you're navigating chronic illness. It's also so bloody frustrating when we've usually been used to being fit, outdoorsy people. I always think it will be good for me to 'build my strength up' but then realise that's not actually really possible. Annoying.

Watching The Toon on the box, and, I have to say, that I don't really miss the days of following them to away games in the winter months.

Back to Piano Room, and I can also heartily recommend a listen to Miles Smith, Tom Grennan and Richard Ashcroft from last year. Coldplay amused me as they admitted that they hadn't been aware of their cover song until veey recent times. I was rather shocked as it's a Very Big Song (one for the Scot's on the thread to be similarly perplexed at, too, perhaps)

That’s a really interesting analysis @RainbowZebraWarrior thankyou. It randomly coincided with my neighbour’s news that they have had an otter in their garden pond which has eaten their beloved fish and our lovely frogs. Surreal as they back on to the canal and we haven’t had otters around before, but they’ve got footage of it at 3 in the morning on a special nightcam by their pond.

seeing the sun was lovely today. We’ve also seen the moon, of sorts, as a giant inflatable one is in the cathedral. My friends, a dancer and composer couple, put on some creative work there today, under the moon. It was super!

I scored zero candles but quite a few nice kitchenaid and le creuset cooking spoons and thing in tkmax - a good trawl. The city was crammed, haven’t seen it so crazy for age and, tbh, I’m glad of the uplift for businesses but will keep out until it’s less crazy!

I believe I’ve seen that moon -in the cathedral at St Albans. Is it doing a tour? It’s beautiful.
Hope everyone had a nice day yesterday. The Sun! It felt miraculous. We went out for a very lovely lunch and people were sitting outside and everything! Which was brave as it was still freezing cold.
Came home to find the Daschund had somehow lost a claw and blood all over the place so today will be holiday packing (I managed to find a few bits in big m and s yesterday and did some emergency next day delivery shopping too) and nursing him as he is feeling very sorry for himself. The girl Jack Russel is cuddling him lots and licking his ears so he is getting all the fuss.
Have a lovely Sunday all- normal service resumed here and we are back to grey drizzle.

Yes that moon is a touring art installation @piscofrisco and was definitely at St Albans last Jan. I think it's been going around for a couple of years now as it was up here at some point. Happy holidays.

I haven't looked out of the window yet but I should as we will be getting uo to go to the market soon and I need to know what im dealing with.

I'm sure I've seen that moon but I can't remember where. There was a Planet Earth one doing the rounds before that - we saw it in some woodland on top of a hill.

Back to rain, gah, but I had a very lovely meal at a local fish restaurant last night, perfectly fresh fish and lots of food that I could actually eat, so I'm not going to moan too much.

Poor daschund @piscofrisco - hope it heals up quickly.

I've seen there is a touring sun as well at the moment, it's coming to Victoria Baths in Manchester soon which I'd love to visit.

The real sun has cleared off again today though. Still feeling quite out of sorts this morning so making myself have a lazy day.