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From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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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326
piscofrisco · 29/03/2026 20:01

Lovely crochet @bimblesand a lovely dinner indeed @CrushingOnRubieswhat a treat!
Glad dad is doing ok @martha79
be good to have DD home and I wish you better soon @leporello. DD2 is off to the Lake District tomorrow with her friends before coming home at last for Easter. Happy she is having a great time but miss her a lot as had thought we might see her a bit more in the holidays. She is living her best life however and I’m pleased for her.
I’ve gone down a rabbit hole re Anna jones recipes now @SheherazadesSeasonalNonsenseyes she is right up our street here I think!
and a big hello to everyone I’ve missed.
we are just back from a chilly London, where we met some friends who took us out for a smashing lunch. Faff to get there due to signalling problems but glad that we went. We had a turn around Hyde park and the spring planting looked very well and a little walk through Mayfair and down Bond Street to see how the other half live.
Lovely to have a lighter evening due to the clocks, it’s still not quite dark here even now. Though bloody freezing. Bracing to be cold at work tomorrow.

Confusedmeanderings · 29/03/2026 23:45

Sympathy to all those under the weather.

Also, lovely sea glass @RainbowZebraWarrior . That will look beautiful encased in silver. You have my sympathies too for the disastrous craft day. Ineffective advertising is precisely why we took over running the antique fair at Dunster. We could see what needed to be done, and it just wasn't happening.

It was the first antique fair of 2026 today and it turned out to be disastrous too but for a totally different reason. The fair itself was ok. A bit quiet, but we made good sales, so all fine. DH managed to hit a parked van as we left the venue to go home. He just got distracted, but this is the second accident in a few weeks, so it is prompting the discussion about whether he should be driving a lot earlier than I expected. At least it was broached by him and I didn't have to bring it up. We've agreed not to rush into a final decision, but for the time being I'll take over the driving. I feel so sad for him and I know he is really upset about it. Practically it won't make too much difference. Plenty of people manage with one car.

petitpasta · 30/03/2026 08:14

I've had a couple of horrible hectic weeks so I haven't got a chance of catching up so I am just diving back in to say hello. I'm on holiday from Friday and I feel like I am crawling through this week . I'm stressing over the redundancy thing even though DH keeps pointing out that we will have my full income until October so I have time to get something else. I have 3 applications in and another one ready to go.

The lighter nights are welcome, as is all the spring flowers I keep seeing.

ExquisiteDresses · 30/03/2026 08:31

Sorry about the driving issues for your DH @Confusedmeanderings I think we need to have this conversation with DMum at some point, her insurance is due in July and although she hasn't had any accidents it's going to be astronomical and she is getting more and more forgetful. Problem is neither DB or I ever have any reason to go out with her in the car normally so she will probably resist any attempts to assess how she's doing. She does only do short, local, well known journeys though.

PricklyBob · 30/03/2026 11:15

I haven't checked in here for a very long time. The festive thread is just about manageable but the year round thread feels like too much of a commitment. It's lovely to know you are all around though, and, on days like these when I do visit and read back the last few pages, it's really heartwarming to see continued photos of seaglass, as well as candles and crafts.

I've been dealing with a lot of stress with mum, as well as FiL, and work-related stuff (job at risk). Some days it's hard to find any light, but I have been doing my best to appreciate life's simple pleasures and really enjoying the slow (at least here) entrance of Spring. Some cherry blossoms are already out and others look on the verge of eruption. There are also a lot of stunning magnolias this year.

For anyone in, or within easy reach of, Edinburgh; I visited the new Cook Book shop on Leith Walk at the weekend. It's a beautiful, calm haven of gorgeous books. They have a section for winter cooking, which includes CC, as well as Advent and quite a few other titles which definitely seem to be on the same lines. Very Nigel-adjecent. I can see lots of future present ideas coming from there.

On a similar theme, on the same day, I picked up a copy of Delia's Winter Collection from a second hand bookshop for the princely sum of 75p. I remember this being the first "grown-up" present I ever bought for my mum. By that, I mean, I didn't make it (badly) myself or had my name put on something bought by dad, but I knew she wanted it and used my own money to go christmas shopping.

Cooking was definitely a love language in my house growing up and once we had the book, all three of us would cook from it - sometimes together, sometimes choosing something and cooking for the others. I was always really excited about cooking and having a monthly scheduled "turn" to choose and make something from scratch for the rest of the family - something my schoolfriends never understood. Maybe it's because of recently losing dad and mum's health deteriorating quickly, but as soon as I saw the book, I knew I had to have it. I've been amazed at the emotions it has stirred up though - so many of the recipes genuinely seem like old friends. Mashed potatoes infused with olive oil was a revelation back then - also using creme fraiche in mash. I also have particularly fond memories of the red onion tarte tatin and French onion soup, and all the black bean recipes which clearly changed my mum's life - the black bean chilli with avocado salsa, salmon with black bean salsa and black bean soup with black bean salsa were VERY regular occurrences on our dinner table. Then there were the poached pears in red wine... There are very few recipes in the book which I don't remember cooking or eating, but not all were successful. I remember cooking the Singapore noodles by myself and proudly serving them up but we all thought they were disgusting - not sure if I did something wrong or our palates weren't ready for that. Also I hated the rum and raisin sauce served with the roast gammon - but mum and dad both loved it.

Although I've just been rhapsodising about the end of winter and start of spring, I'm very tempted to make dishes from this book over the coming weeks.

martha79 · 30/03/2026 18:05

Evening all

Hello @PricklyBob! That sounds like a lovely collection of recipes and memories, and the bookshop sounds wonderful.

Sorry to hear about DH's driving issues @Confusedmeanderings

Had a lovely day here with friends visiting for the afternoon - late lunch of bread, cheese and deli bits, walk to the city farm admiring all the blossom, a baby goat tried to suckle my finger... then back for tea and cake (homemade that they brought with them). Feeling tired but in a nice way.

My dad's been moved to a different hospital to be kept in for a few days and have more tests, but is generally in good spirits, we had a good chat this morning.

Got another day off work tomorrow - with all the bank holidays and various bits of leaves this coming month I've got quite a few short weeks, which very much suits me right now.

The amelanchier in my garden has been looking glorious in the sunshine...

Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
RainbowZebraWarrior · 30/03/2026 19:29

Hello all and good to hear from you @PricklyBob but sorry to hear of your struggles with Mum and FIL. Your food / family / Delia memories were lovely to read, though. I'm the same with the gardening threads, BTW. I can't keep up, and nobody replies to me as I am such an occasional contributor.

Pleased you have had a lovely day @martha79 and that your Dad is in good spirits. Hope he gets sorted and home soon. Gorgeous photo!

Sorry to hear of DH and his driving issues @Confusedmeanderings but good that he has recognised himself that there's an issue there. Still a very tough thing to navigate, however. Sending hugs your way.

@ExquisiteDresses I reckon I am going to be there with my Dad sometime soon regarding driving. It also doesn't help that he has now waited 3 weeks on the 2 week cancer pathway and still doesn't have an appointment. If my Mum hadn't had a fall on friday, I would have followed it up. That's next on the never ending list for tomorrow.

I am keeping everything crossed for you with the job applications @petitpasta Good to hear that you have a bit of a cushion, time wise, but still hoping you can get something concrete so you know where you are at.

I dropped a tray of borlotti bean seedlings last week @SheherazadesSeasonalNonsense what an absolute mess I made. Compost up the walls and windows. Thankfully, they are now thriving after I re'potted them. I have sowed some extra, just in case.

Hope you are doing ok @leporello as there is nothing worse than thinking you are feeling better, then going downhill again. Sending gentle hugs your way.

Hope your DD2 enjoys the Lake District @piscofrisco I know you were there recently, so you already know how amazing it is. I know Keswick like the back of my hand and it remains one of my favourite places in the world.

Fairly sure I have missed stuff I meant to say. I'm a bit shattered after a long day. There was an awful lot of coal dust on the beach today, and it was quite deserted when I got there. I often sing while I'm pottering along, so today's tune was "Ha ye seen oot o' my bonny lad" (a North East England folk song) I eventually turned round to see load of folk behind me. I had forgotten that some had already broken up for Easter! (DD doesn't finish school until Thursday afternoon)

Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
OP posts:
leporello · 30/03/2026 19:33

Wow, I have never seen a beach like that @RainbowZebraWarrior , does that happen on a windy day?

Dd made it home from uni and, guess what, she has the flu... Didn't stop her going out to work on our beach (no coal dust) in the gelato hut today but she's absolutely shattered now, poor thing. I'm still a bit feeble, making the most of my mornings as I start to fade mid-afternoon.

piscofrisco · 31/03/2026 07:01

Wow, I’ve never seen coal dust like that on a beach either! Hope you got a good nights sleep RZW.
sorry dd is poorly @leporelloand that you are still under the weather.
hello to @PricklyBob
something will come along @petitpastahang in there.
Ive tried to broach driving with my mum too. She won’t hear of it. Which is ironic as she spent the last ten years of my dad’s life hiding his car keys and fretting about it.
and hello to everyone I missed.
Hoping for a warmer day today as I was frozen at work yesterday. Started out annual re paint of everying ourdoors-sheds and fences and what not. Paint everywhere but where it needs to be-Co farmers love it. Me not so much!

RainbowZebraWarrior · 31/03/2026 07:11

leporello · 30/03/2026 19:33

Wow, I have never seen a beach like that @RainbowZebraWarrior , does that happen on a windy day?

Dd made it home from uni and, guess what, she has the flu... Didn't stop her going out to work on our beach (no coal dust) in the gelato hut today but she's absolutely shattered now, poor thing. I'm still a bit feeble, making the most of my mornings as I start to fade mid-afternoon.

I'ts brought in by the tide periodically from some coal seams in the cliffs a bit further north. At least the sea has finally returned our sand. The winter storms absolutely covered the beach in rocks and pebbles in January and it's good to see the sand again.

Bless your poor DD. Fingers crossed she shakes it off soon!

Edited to add: Picked a few chunky lumps of coal up to keep to one side for auld fashioned NYE first footing purposes.

OP posts:
RainbowZebraWarrior · 31/03/2026 07:23

Meant to add yesterday, the Belvoir Farm Paloma mocktail I mentioned a few days ago is on offer at a few places. I usually pay £3.75 for it at Waitrose, but it's on offer at 2 for £4. It's also £2 at Tesco with clubcard.

Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
OP posts:
RainbowZebraWarrior · 31/03/2026 07:26

It feels and looks cold and gloomy this morning @piscofrisco but it's supposed to get up to 15 degrees. Fingers crossed it feels a bit warmer for you working outside.

I grabbed 5 mins in the garden early evening yesterday. The sun came out a bit and I snapped some flower pics. My tête a têtes have been going strong for 2 months now!

Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
OP posts:
EphemeraleEudemonia · 31/03/2026 08:10

Trying to do far to much with far to little on many levels here, but some of it is creatively challenging at least.
Also trying to catch up with the last few days posts, and apologies to those I've missed.

@ExquisiteDresses One of my lot managed to put petrol into a diesel tank once, not quite as bad, but close.
Lost half a day, all dignity, and a lot of brain cells, parked up on a forecourt, harangued by multiple men, (who have never made this mistake) manually flushing it out with a length of tube into containers, before having to gingerly drive away muttering about whether my big ends would be ok or not.

@RainbowZebraWarrior and @martha79 Sorry to hear about parents health and it's impacts. Fingers very crossed for you and them. @martha79 Hot cross buns and salad sounds nice, but I hope things improve for you. Very impressed by your ability to enjoy literature in more than one language.

@RainbowZebraWarrior your post about what leads us to fail to put our oxygen masks on first, and where it takes all, is spot on.
The importance of making what DD values happen, made me smile. Four Lidle's later, all but gladioli and dalia's gone. Fingers crossed for a restock.
Love the glass, and well done with the NYE sock.

@leporello Well done looking after yourself. Doing otherwise just masks problems. Sorry DD's unwell.

@Bimblesalong RZW and @martha79 Thank you. Everyone says it's brave, and I'm now finding out why, the hard way.
But I just can't keep being trained in the importance of the care of the 'Emperors new clothes' any longer, while watching hypothermia set in.

I've been unable to change it from within and and my silence becomes part of serious problems affecting the most vulnerable.
It isn't minor stuff but its awfully hard to stand up and challenge the status quo.
Martha Ah what a brilliant little goat.

@Bimblesalong I assume there are names for the crochet stitches used in that lovely piece. Do you know them? You've inspired me and given me an idea, but my crochet knowledge is very 'workaday' practical only.

@piscofrisco Your poor mum, and yes poor you too . The sandwich generation and all it brings as we try to make things work.
Beautiful lamb. You have the added problem of the job itself being enjoyable on top of all the other factors, when unwell. Lambing and wormery building sounds like a great way to earn a living, freezing while painting, not quite so much.

@DameProfessorIDareSay Can you say more about the alpaca cuttings? My interest is in affordability for felting? though your pictures of VN Corvid nest material selection is a joy. (I have a lot of hair, which the birds get the sheddings from. Nothing like as posh as as alpaca lined nests but it made me chuckle to realise one long term nest lining has of course changed color as I've aged.)

@SheherazadesSeasonalNonsense I shouldn't laugh about the cats and DD behaviors, but...
Good to hear the design flaw on humane traps has been fixed.
Our mouse was VN, no interest in cheddar, it was only when I reluctantly handed over some of the sneaked in garlic and black pepper goats cheese, he couldn't resist. Felt guilty turning him out on a cold night, but ours seemed to know the drill, and shot off at high speed so hopefully built up body temperature.

@Confusedmeanderings Sorry to hear DH's accident, but the fact he's seeing the situation is good, however painful. I think the not making final decisions is sensible and will allow him a better sense of agency especially as we move into a 'driverless' vehicles era. Having hope matters even when in reality we know the chances of it coming to fruition is small.
Here we're already in a situation where we're learning new driving skills to cope with the influx of 'driverless' cars behaving differently, that hit the roads a few months back. We're in early days but in a week I expect to see/navigate around five to eight of them. I know one of my Dc's will never be able to operate one in the future, but they where just on the cusp of learning to drive when everything changed and every so often they remember, and ask when. Currently the idea of 'driverless' makes their future feel brighter to them.
How magical to have seals checking you out. We refer to them as sea dogs because they display such playful curiosity in humans in their environment.

@PricklyBob Lovely to see you, I struggle to keep up here, but i don't think it matters too much. I hope you will post when you can regardless of committing, you already are part of this community.
Sorry that things are as they are, but your post was lovely to read and sparked off all sorts of conversations here.
I have a lot of experience of trying to find light in the darkness, and having places like this that one belongs to, can make a lot of difference, it certainly does for me.

Pair of pretty parakeets. They look spectacular when they're amongst the pink cherry blossom, but they insisted on posing on something plainer.

EphemeraleEudemonia · 31/03/2026 08:12

Would help to actually attach the picture!
Lovely flowers@RainbowZebraWarrior

Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
sueelleker · 31/03/2026 08:50

Rainbow; My piece of coal is at least 40 years old, as it's that long since we used solid fuel!

thebabessavedme · 31/03/2026 10:19

well, you've all done it again! This thread never fails me - this week I'm mostly battling with my DF (86) about the scam he has fallen for and lost £500 and won't believe me, the fact that his driving is now terrible and very scary and he needs to stop, I still haven't got a job and my Colitus is playing up because I'm so stressed😱Oh and I have been roped into having my DGS for the weekend, I love him dearly but he drains my life force and has said that my choice at the pictures 'what's that' is boring, Magic Faraway Tree, guess he is too old for it😰

So some light relif and a small laugh for you all - Last week I saw an advert from Aldi, it was for a whole kit thing to turn your car into a camper, so like an extension tent thing, and all you had to do was put the back seats down and use the special car airbed. It was all for under £100! 'Well' I thought what a wonderful idea, a few weekends away in the summer with DH could be great fun, so I spent about half an hour making my case for buying it to DH, he did'nt seem very keen, was a bit quiet and then said, 'It's a great idea but our car is not a hatchback'😂I'm not living down anytime soon.

Love and strength to you all

leporello · 31/03/2026 11:41

Aw, @thebabessavedme , I shouldn't laugh but Grin. What a brilliant innovation though! And I hope life (or at least the grandson) cheers up for you soon.

Also sending thoughts to @EphemeraleEudemonia as I have nothing but respect and admiration for whistleblowers. More strength and power to you.

Things looking cautiously better today. DD still feels well enough to work (with bundles of throat spray, pastilles, tissues and paracetamols) and I've had my first beach-based coffee of the season.

Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
martha79 · 31/03/2026 18:25

My goodness, you've got a lot going on @thebabessavedme

Great beach pictures @RainbowZebraWarrior and @leporello

Quiet day here, I've napped a lot, finally planted some seeds, eaten lots of leftovers from yesterday including very nice lemon drizzle cake. Sorted out the lovely bunches of tulips my friends brought. Back to work tomorrow but it's only two days and then an extra-long weekend again.

My dad is home from hospital - all fine but with strict instructions to look after himself better. He's always trying to look after/ help other people and definitely one at risk of pouring from an empty cup!

Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
thebabessavedme · 31/03/2026 18:36

I have had a reasonable day, took my CV into a local pub which has just been taken over, had a nice chat with the landlord and then heard my name being called, a whole table full of my regular customers who have changed destination and were really pleased to see me, all well paid office workers so spend a fair bit. It left a good impression with the landlord.

Came home and made a very tasty stilton and celery soup for this evening, cost about £2. Very pleased.

Bimblesalong · 31/03/2026 20:41

Huge fingers crossed there for you @thebabessavedme .

I can’t keep up with writing down my responses to everyone but I’m thinking of those who have poorly parents and who are struggling with illness themselves.

@EphemeraleEudemonia thank you for asking re the crochet. It’s a designer called Janie Crow. You basically start in the middle with a circle made of four chains, then build outwards from that. Her patterns are pretty straightforward - I still occasionally have to look on the internet to see what each stitch is!
This is the free pattern that I’m working on: https://www.janiecrow.com/the-fruit-garden.html

THE FRUIT GARDEN

The design for the Fruit Garden Crochet Blanket was inspired by the work of May Morris and was released as a crochet along in 2020 with the choice of 3 colourways. The patterns remain available to...

https://www.janiecrow.com/the-fruit-garden.html

piscofrisco · 01/04/2026 06:45

Fingers crossed for you thebabesavedme -it sounds promising! DH and I were planning to tour Scotland in a campervan in autumn but it is exorbitantly expensive. I too saw those mattresses you can put in the back seat of your car and thought they were a great idea until dh pointed out that once in you have no room at all for anything much else to go in said car, much less a few Dogs, so it would be a miserable trip. Though I didn’t see the ones with the tent part….hmm… either way It needs a re think-even basic little campervans are £240 a night-bonkers!

try to take it a bit easy EE -you always have such a lot on and I worry you will get poorly again.

glad dad is home Martha79

First beach coffee of the season is a lovely glimmer, cold ridden or nay.

Nor for the first time I wish I could sew or crochet or knit. It’s beyond my skill set. Your crochet is lovely Bimbles

My day off today and I’ve a nail appointment and a few errands to run, a big shop to do, and the house needs proper clean (though if it’s warm later that will get sacked off for a long dog walk I would imagine)

DH and I are going to our first reformer Pilates class later. Never done it before. Bit nervous I will fall off the machine or that it will feel like being tortured on a rack Tudor style! I vaguely know the teacher from one of my women’s groups -not sure if that’s worse or better really.

A lovely Wednesday to all

DameProfessorIDareSay · 01/04/2026 09:05

The alpaca cuttings came from here @EphemeraleEudemonia but were not cheap! They don’t seem to have any at the moment but there seem to be a number of similar shops so may be worth a search.

https://thealpacashop.uk/

I just thought they would be fun to have in the garden and I have been blessed with some sort of tit hacking at them this morning (they seem to prefer the white, must have a minimalist nest 😀)

Hard to see but the little bird is just to the left of the hanger...

Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
CrushingOnRubies · 01/04/2026 12:48

Loving all the pictures of garden starting to bloom

@RainbowZebraWarriorwill definitely try out that Paloma mocktail. Also I have been accepted to walk with the kids and dress all fancy on Flora day. Do you know what Durham has in terms of a John Lewis type department store. Think I’m on the hunt for a new blazer/ jacket

@thebabessavedmehope the job interval was successful and you hear back soon.

martha79 · 01/04/2026 13:55

Good luck with the job @thebabessavedme

And good luck with pilates @piscofrisco - I haven't tried the reformer, I'm quite uncoordinated and fear I'd fall off or get tangled up!

@DameProfessorIDareSay that looks like very cosy bedding.

Back to work today and it's all a bit hectic. Latest Vinted book purchases just arrived though. The Lillian Beckwith one just popped into my head the other day - my grandma loved this series and I remember reading them when I stayed with her. (I hope I still enjoy it!). They're about a woman who moves to the Hebrides because her doctor has told her to get peace and quiet - three or four books in the series I think. Picked up the other one from the same seller as they were only £1 each.

Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
leporello · 01/04/2026 15:55

I was obsessed with the Helen Forrester books as a 13/14 year old, @martha79 ! I would read them all over again now. Not the most cheerful but proper page-turners. I've never forgotten her description of the family Christmas. Let's just say it was NVN.

Fingers crossed for the job @thebabessavedme .

I thought @RainbowZebraWarrior might appreciate the April picture on my fridge calendar - very classy!

Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3
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