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Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3

1000 replies

RainbowZebraWarrior · 18/11/2025 18:35

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!

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Thread gallery
326
martha79 · 21/03/2026 19:29

What a lovely collection of sunny and foody pictures today.

@EphemeraleEudemonia you've reminded me of battling the allotment office at the council here when I had an allotment as they claimed I hadn't cultivated enough ground with veg, whereas I was eating a lot of the things they considered weeds, including blanching dandelions.

A friend gave me a herb growing kit for Christmas so I've planted those today on the kitchen windowsill. Going to order some compost to get the rest of the salad and herbs planted now I've found the seed stash. I also have some garlic to go somewhere, not quite figured that out yet. Potatoes I chucked in a container a while ago are already starting to show a few leaves.

I had to look up Menton, wow, what a lovely looking place.

Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
ExquisiteDresses · 21/03/2026 22:20

Evening all, I’ve been struggling to find time to post but been enjoying lurking. Some lovely photos this week.

Sympathy to whoever it was that had the puncture, I had one a couple of weeks ago because DS clipped the kerb when turning round (passed his test last summer), mine has a spare wheel, space saver type, but very few newer cars seem to. DH’s last car didn’t and he ended up buying one and keeping it in the boot as he gets so many punctures, he clips kerbs but also seems to drive over lots of nails and screws. His new car doesn’t either and he thinks he migh buy one again, this car does have the compartment for one so it wouldn’t be filling the boot up.

I saw on FB that we maybe due some more aurora so keeping en eye on the sky at night.

I’ve managed a couple of hours at the allotment this week, I so love it up there and gradually spending more time in the potting shed and garden too, I find it so good for my mental health.

SheherazadesSeasonalNonsense · 21/03/2026 22:22

Here are my sunny photos - a fun goose, a nice magnolia, and also @RainbowZebraWarriora cat that isn’t one of mine! I don’t know whose he is but what a beauty.
Lovely day today. DH has mulched the beds while I mucked out the summerhouse to tie it for winter repository for assorted crap into a lovely place for an afternoon nap read

Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
petitpasta · 21/03/2026 23:00

Did a VN trip to a farm shop today which sells glorious ice cream. I had rum and raisin and cherry bakewell ice cream. Both were lovely but the wonderful rum and raisin ice cream I had in Orkney is still unsurpassed.

Home for sausage and fennel pasta and a catch up on the last episode of Call the Midwife.

Made a decent start on an application for another role as well. @RainbowZebraWarrior you were spot on in your critique of the civil service. I work for a public body so not far off. It's been terribly badly handled so far.

RainbowZebraWarrior · 22/03/2026 05:50

SheherazadesSeasonalNonsense · 21/03/2026 22:22

Here are my sunny photos - a fun goose, a nice magnolia, and also @RainbowZebraWarriora cat that isn’t one of mine! I don’t know whose he is but what a beauty.
Lovely day today. DH has mulched the beds while I mucked out the summerhouse to tie it for winter repository for assorted crap into a lovely place for an afternoon nap read

Loving the fact that we both had 'not my cat' photo's yesterday. I also rather love your summerhouse! That goose pic is fabulous and gives me the impression of him tootling through the long grass humming "tum de dum, dum de dum" in a Pooh and Piglet-esque sort of way.

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martha79 · 22/03/2026 07:23

Hehe I love the goose @SheherazadesSeasonalNonsense

Also, love a bit of rum and raisin @piscofrisco - remember it seeming like a very grown-up flavour as a kid!

This is my cat (thankfully, would be slightly worried if another cat had broken in overnight) enjoying the misty, hazy sunrise. The light is lovely this morning and it's really quiet. The dawn chorus was impressive at about 5am though - seem to have robin, blackbird, wren and a dunnock (thanks Merlin app).

Was supposed to have a small trip out with a friend today, but she's cancelled, so I think it'll be another quiet day. Want to do a bit of bulk order of toiletries/ household stuff to save the number of small deliveries or trips just because I've run out of toothpaste or something.

Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
RainbowZebraWarrior · 22/03/2026 08:38

martha79 · 22/03/2026 07:23

Hehe I love the goose @SheherazadesSeasonalNonsense

Also, love a bit of rum and raisin @piscofrisco - remember it seeming like a very grown-up flavour as a kid!

This is my cat (thankfully, would be slightly worried if another cat had broken in overnight) enjoying the misty, hazy sunrise. The light is lovely this morning and it's really quiet. The dawn chorus was impressive at about 5am though - seem to have robin, blackbird, wren and a dunnock (thanks Merlin app).

Was supposed to have a small trip out with a friend today, but she's cancelled, so I think it'll be another quiet day. Want to do a bit of bulk order of toiletries/ household stuff to save the number of small deliveries or trips just because I've run out of toothpaste or something.

That is a truly marvellous photo @martha79

Gosh, I haven't had rum n raisin ice cream since the 1970s @petitpasta I had forgotten it existed! It's not something you see in the supermarkets any more that's for sure. We will be paying a visit to our local Italian gelato shop in the Easter hols, so I am going to look out for it there.

We had aurora on friday night @ExquisiteDresses but the stats dropped back down again last night which was a shame as it was a beautiful, clear and starry night. Pesky solar wind really should play ball!

Right. Up and out. Market first, then picking up a new blender for DD to make smoothies in. My Dad wrecked my last one by making concoctions in it for the bees. Hopefully will be home in time to listen to the Tyne / Wear derby on the radio while I prep dinner. Hopefully it isn't as embarrassing as our midweek Champions league exit. Hopefully also get out in the garden later. Very cold here this mormng, so thermals it is again.

Happy Sunday and have a good day, all.

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RainbowZebraWarrior · 22/03/2026 08:53

Meant to also say that I thought of it as a very grown up flavour, too @martha79 - rum n raisin ice cream, that it - and it tasted very 'strong' to me as a child.

Loving the Dawn chorus too (that's what I want to call my All Things Nature podcast if I ever get round to doing it!) I had alll those same suspects in my garden at dusk last night. I love this time of year so much.

@EphemeraleEudemonia love the sound of that Macaroni cheese. I made a garlic mushroom one a few weeks ago which ended up being a but meh. Might try it again with extra garlic and some truffle oil.

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Bimblesalong · 22/03/2026 09:03

What a lovely picture @martha79 and also the other “not my cat” piccies!

I have a yearning for truffle macaroni now although have had a very decent local sourdough with chunky marmalade for breakfast.

The concert at the cathedral last night was magnificent. Mozart’s requiem, Vaughn-Williams songs and English folk song suite. All amateur musicians apart from the soloists and absolutely exhilarating. Performing in such a location brings so much more to the experience.

I must find a warmer place to start my dahlias in their pots. DH has completely trashed our garage space as he is such a hoarder and finds it really hard to organise things. He did start to clear out the shed yesterday in order to move things on from the garage. … we will see!

It’s a shame the northern lights weren’t playing last night. I think we have a few days of gloom now, too. It has been a lovely few days and really good for the soul.

martha79 · 22/03/2026 09:44

What a lovely concert programme @Bimblesalong - I'm not a huge fan of Mozart but the Requiem is lovely, and Vaughan Williams is one of my absolute favourites. My parents had an LP with the Folk Song Suite, Lark Ascending and Dives and Lazarus which I listened to endlessly (and have now played Folk Song Suite many times but it's always a delight).

@RainbowZebraWarrior you should definitely have a podcast!

CrushingOnRubies · 22/03/2026 15:55

More sunny photos. Breakfast with a view then went to the beach so the dog could have a charge round. Before heading home. Still in relaxed mini break mode when we got home so chilled out. Dp is doing a roast pork this evening

Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
RainbowZebraWarrior · 22/03/2026 16:17

Well, the less said about Newcastle United's footballing exploits this week, the better. It has been a disastrous week for the Toon.

I've planted some taties (golden wonder) - thanks for the reminder @martha79 and I also found some lurking from last year's crop, so they are now in the oven roasting.

It's cold, so I won't be doing much more today but I have watered the pots. I always use up the dishwater as I can't bear to see it go to waste when there are thirsty pots around.

My nature podcast has had a framework for almost a year, with eposodes on Birding, Beachcombing, Aurora Borealis, Foraging, Countryside folklore, Weather, Astronomy, Beekeeping and some other seasonal subjects. I have expert speakers lined up for all subjects, too. I just need to commit.

The blue tits are currently happily eating the buds from my pear trees (as is their wont) and Darcy is perplexed as to the starlings scuttling about building nests in the eaves.

Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
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RainbowZebraWarrior · 22/03/2026 16:18

CrushingOnRubies · 22/03/2026 15:55

More sunny photos. Breakfast with a view then went to the beach so the dog could have a charge round. Before heading home. Still in relaxed mini break mode when we got home so chilled out. Dp is doing a roast pork this evening

That looks glorious. Enjoy your roast!

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RainbowZebraWarrior · 22/03/2026 18:12

The stats are looking really good for an Aurora display this evening. The interplanetary magnetic field is decent, and if the Bz (solar wind) stays south - as it is just now - then aurora could be visible to the whole of the UK from nightfall. Good luck, all.

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piscofrisco · 22/03/2026 19:03

A lovely day here, DD2 has been home for the weekend and we went for a bike ride around Rutland water this morning followed by a spectacular belated Mothers Day meal out with all the kids and DH. For once no one had a strip (the first time in living memory).
missing my garden a lot this weekend-I wonder how it’s all looking. This year wood on eh the year for all my past planting to come into its own so I’m hoping our tenants appreciate it!

RainbowZebraWarrior · 22/03/2026 19:30

piscofrisco · 22/03/2026 19:03

A lovely day here, DD2 has been home for the weekend and we went for a bike ride around Rutland water this morning followed by a spectacular belated Mothers Day meal out with all the kids and DH. For once no one had a strip (the first time in living memory).
missing my garden a lot this weekend-I wonder how it’s all looking. This year wood on eh the year for all my past planting to come into its own so I’m hoping our tenants appreciate it!

That sounds like a brilliant day, but I do hope that you mean nobody had a strop as opposed to a strip! I have visions of the streakers of 'olden times' running across football pitches with body parts a-flapping 🤣

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piscofrisco · 22/03/2026 20:51

Strop. Not strip. That would have been a very different lunch

EphemeraleEudemonia · 23/03/2026 08:29

@Bimblesalong Look forward to hearing how the rose and banana tastes.
Your potential choir sounds quality and very exiting!
Re macaroni and truffles, if you have a plan to use up your truffles swiftly when you first acquire them, so don't need a long shelf life, if you first hang them in a muslin bag from the neck of an airtight jar filled with macaroni or arborio rice in the fridge, you get magical truffle infused macaroni or rice. (can also do this with cheese and eggs but need to tend the truffle more)

@RainbowZebraWarrior A very nice snaffle there. That's a very handsome murder moggy.
Mr Darcy is possibly in need of reinforcements against all the small creatures slowly taking over his habitats!
You should definitely do the podcast, I think you'd really enjoy it.

@LillianGish I'm seeing similar across creative industries I trade in, and also BSL translation. Clients not minding poor machine generated work, ideas, or lowered communication in exchange for ever cheaper. (also lots not wanting disabled freelancers on their premises as trying to lower insurance costs. The latter's particularly frustrating as I carry my own insurance)

On the one hand Nigel's clearly minimalist especially in his ability to respect space as an 'object' but on the other, this is a man who has a whole room just for plates and bowls. They're not of course any old plates and bowls of course, but still, even with a four storey Georgian house to play with, an actual room...
Though knowing there's another side to him, I feel he might like a share in my dream of one room just for vintage Christmas ornaments, housed in old wooden segmented thread cabinets, wrapped in their appropriate color coded acid free tissue, and my Japanese lacquer cabinet and chest, that houses work boxes of old tools, long ceased materials, and gilding supplies with which I can rescue and restore or (when reduced to small fragments remake) many...

@CrushingOnRubies What a lovely birthday present and photo's. A google shows the sculpture gardens look fabulous too.

@frozendaisy Baking bread under the grill may be a faff, but you're genius for doing it!

@martha79 Nice seed stash. There's been many a misunderstanding with some of my neighbors inability to understand my desire to grow what both we and pollinators can eat and how we do it. There's over 230 different dandelion species just in the Uk, including ones with sweet leaves, so always some in flower, and a lovely Kazach one that produces latex and you can make fuel from. Beautiful view of your cat view.

@ExquisiteDresses I think being forcibly disconnected to nature is half of many people's difficulties tbh. It's not what we're designed for.

@SheherazadesSeasonalNonsense Also loving the goose, and the 'not my cat's.' A little envious of the concept of a 'summerhouse.'

@petitpasta Rum and raisin ice cream has set me off. Orkney sounds fun, our notably memorable one was Cornish. I have rum soaked raisins here...
Good luck with the application.

@piscofrisco I initially thought you had a bunch of spontaneous wild swimmers on your hands there.

Hope those in with a chance of seeing the Aurora get lucky.

Decided to harvest all the last forced 'poly greenhouse' bok choi as the sudden warm weather has been damaging it and it's going over fast.
But it got cold here last night, and people wanted something hearty, so a new thing (for us) got born.
Sticky barbecue bok choi, mushroom, and chestnut pies. Apart from the butter and broccoli, it was a cost free meal and I wasn't sure the contents and pastry would go well together. They do!

Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
martha79 · 23/03/2026 09:10

Morning all

@piscofrisco I'm delighted that nobody stripped on your day out, still a bit cold for that!

@RainbowZebraWarrior did you see the aurora? I had an ever-hopeful look but too cloudy and too many streetlights here.

@EphemeraleEudemonia you've potentially sent me down a dandelion research rabbit hole there, how interesting. Your bok choi looks great. I grew chard in a big container last year - it did quite well and has self-seeded so hoping that is a decent crop again this year.

I've got containers and compost arriving today, so will get the rest of my seeds sorted out soon. It'll be a nice thing to do in small bursts this week, whilst I also try to manage the work conference 'at a distance'. It should be fine - everything is very well organised (if I say so myself!) and the team have all done it before, but it feels decidedly strange not being there.

SheherazadesSeasonalNonsense · 23/03/2026 10:00

I'm growing chard again, because it is pretty, but I don't really enjoy eating it. Am I doing it wrong and there is a trick to making it delicious? @martha79 ? I am generally very pro green vegetables but it just always tastes a bit muddy to me.
I'm pretty happy with growing stuff just to look good so no problem if it can't be done! But it would be a bonus.
Your dinner looks excellent @EphemeraleEudemonia
We had our first purple sprouting last night (not from the garden, from a shop!) which I enjoyed very much. And finished the kale from the garden so those enormous trunks have been pulled out and put in the green bin. It felt like a pretty productive weekend all round
This week I must have a really good think - DD1's 22nd birthday on Friday and I have NO IDEA what to get her. She says all her clothes are a bit scruffy so maybe I just take her shopping when she's home next week, but it's nice to have something to open too.
@Bimblesalong I'm a bit suspicious of rose and banana as a combo. Do report back

martha79 · 23/03/2026 11:21

@SheherazadesSeasonalNonsense I like chard with a bit of sweet and sour flavour - something like this https://www.caneyforkfarms.com/blogs/news/sweet-and-sour-braised-rainbow-swiss-chard but I've used sugar or honey instead of a jelly, and lemon or lime juice instead of vinegar. Also a bit of something savoury on top, like sprinkles of cheese or bacon bits. And I like it in stir fry - tend to put it in early and try to get it to soak up some spices/ soy sauce.

Mine is only green, I might get some rainbow seeds for this year too.

RainbowZebraWarrior · 23/03/2026 12:40

SheherazadesSeasonalNonsense · 23/03/2026 10:00

I'm growing chard again, because it is pretty, but I don't really enjoy eating it. Am I doing it wrong and there is a trick to making it delicious? @martha79 ? I am generally very pro green vegetables but it just always tastes a bit muddy to me.
I'm pretty happy with growing stuff just to look good so no problem if it can't be done! But it would be a bonus.
Your dinner looks excellent @EphemeraleEudemonia
We had our first purple sprouting last night (not from the garden, from a shop!) which I enjoyed very much. And finished the kale from the garden so those enormous trunks have been pulled out and put in the green bin. It felt like a pretty productive weekend all round
This week I must have a really good think - DD1's 22nd birthday on Friday and I have NO IDEA what to get her. She says all her clothes are a bit scruffy so maybe I just take her shopping when she's home next week, but it's nice to have something to open too.
@Bimblesalong I'm a bit suspicious of rose and banana as a combo. Do report back

The only way I enjoy chard is in soup. It's absolutely delicious made into chard and Lentil soup either with green lentils or red lentils. I sometimes also add chicken. Or just as part of a nice, chunky veg soup.

I reckon your DD would be over the moon with a clothes shopping trip for her birthday. I know I would have done at that age, and still would now!

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RainbowZebraWarrior · 23/03/2026 12:43

martha79 · 23/03/2026 09:10

Morning all

@piscofrisco I'm delighted that nobody stripped on your day out, still a bit cold for that!

@RainbowZebraWarrior did you see the aurora? I had an ever-hopeful look but too cloudy and too many streetlights here.

@EphemeraleEudemonia you've potentially sent me down a dandelion research rabbit hole there, how interesting. Your bok choi looks great. I grew chard in a big container last year - it did quite well and has self-seeded so hoping that is a decent crop again this year.

I've got containers and compost arriving today, so will get the rest of my seeds sorted out soon. It'll be a nice thing to do in small bursts this week, whilst I also try to manage the work conference 'at a distance'. It should be fine - everything is very well organised (if I say so myself!) and the team have all done it before, but it feels decidedly strange not being there.

Yes, we had a very brief display of aurora at about 7pm (and then apparently again at 11pm, which I missed as I was asleep)

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martha79 · 23/03/2026 15:26

RainbowZebraWarrior · 23/03/2026 12:43

Yes, we had a very brief display of aurora at about 7pm (and then apparently again at 11pm, which I missed as I was asleep)

Ah, lovely!

I'm distracting myself from ridiculously hectic work with brief forays into reading about dandelions (really want some of the pink ones now) and ordering some interesting seeds from the Real Seeds website - got some bright pink chard, spinach called 'Black Magic' and both black and white 'breadseed' poppies.

RainbowZebraWarrior · 23/03/2026 15:36

martha79 · 23/03/2026 15:26

Ah, lovely!

I'm distracting myself from ridiculously hectic work with brief forays into reading about dandelions (really want some of the pink ones now) and ordering some interesting seeds from the Real Seeds website - got some bright pink chard, spinach called 'Black Magic' and both black and white 'breadseed' poppies.

Ooh, these all sound very interesting. I think I might need to take a look. I am running out of windowsill space, but I will start rotating once I get my cloches tomorrow.

@Bimblesalong i got a ten pack of large plastic bell cloches for £15 on Amazon and am thinking of getting the dahlias in, then covering them and grouping them into a little huddle against a protective wall. I don't know if this would work for you. I just know I can't leave it until May again as some had only just got going by the end of summer.

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