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!

Forgot to attach my photos of edible garden excitement - potatoes, chard (from last year) and lettuce.

Well done @thebabessavedme

Wow, your tatties are coming along nicely, there @martha79 I need to check on mine to see if they need earthing up yet. However, the weather here is vile. It's been cold, dull and windy all day and is now pouring down. Typical as I finally have a couple of hours spare where I could have gotten into the garden!

Very envious of those with 25 degrees today and having al freco lunches. I do sometimes wonder why I live on the NE coast of England. It ain't exactly renowned for it's delightful weather.

Still, I've managed to have my hair done and lunch out with DD today at our favourite local Italian eatery. The lunchtime special is a really good deal so we will pop along again next week as she still has another week off.

All this among banging my head against a wall seemingly with my parents. Yesterday, my highlight was finding rotten sprouts and parsnips at the bottom of their fridge from before christmas (Oh, Yes!) Jeez, I could choke them sometimes. This is nowt to do with being old, they have always been a bloody nightmare.

Popping on to share view from our apartment in Menton and assorted other highlights and to say that the whole place is scented with orange blossom from the many orange and citrus trees around the town. Feeling very grateful to the friend who is letting us stay here.

Oh that looks and sounds amazing! Enjoy your time there.

I have missed the beach, today. Too many competing priorities. I am a woman who practices what she preaches, though and I am absolutely having my Me and the Sea time tomorrow. Alarm set for high tide.

Here's a funny little guy I found yesterday. Gotta love a hag stone with a shocked expression!

Oh my @LillianGish how spectacular! What a great description of the smell
of the place. I love getting off the train in Cordoba at this time of year as it involves walking through the citrus trees in the parks. Nice smells like jasmine and roses at the time of year we usually visit.

fab rock, @RainbowZebraWarrior we have collections of them all over the house. Ds too, and tiny bottles of sand with labels of the places he visits.

we had a good trip to Liverpool yesterday. The Viv Westwood exhibit at the Walker was underwhelming but the art was, as ever, magnificent.

Congratulations @thebabessavedme!

@LillianGish what a beautiful place! Hope you have a wonderful stay.

We decided to come home yesterday and avoid the 'everyone leaving the West Country on a Friday changeover ' traffic. We caught the last hour at Cleeve Abbey which was gorgeous and we will definitely return. We also realised that we haven't really ever explored Exmoor so that's on the list for a future holiday.

Today will be applying for more jobs, doing some washing and using an almost forgotten Christmas voucher for an eatery in the city. I also have waterstones vouchers to spend so an hour looking at books is highly probable.

I may also pop into oxfam because they often have new lingerie in my branch (think it's part of their tie up with M&S). Last time I went in I got a new with tags M&S bra in my very odd size (34H!) for a fiver!

Later will be choosing a new candle to burn. Can't yet bring myself to burn the Jo Malone one I won in a raffle! Feels like burning £150!

That looks beautiful @LillianGish

Excellent little shocked guy @RainbowZebraWarrior 😲😂

Enjoy your meal out and shopping @petitpasta

I'm not really sure what I'm doing with the rest of today. Started with an an hour's teaching (can't beat starting the day with Bach) and I've washed and hung out the towels and been for a little walk. Compost delivery is due so depending what time that arrives I might do a bit in the garden.

Had a delivery of assorted wax melts yesterday - the house currently smells of Lush 'Clear the Air' which is eucalyptus and lemongrass.

congratulations @thebabessavedme

@LillianGish those photos look lovely. Enjoy your holiday

Have embarked on the long road trip from Cornwall to Stirling . Stayed last night in Telford to visit family. Now somewhere North of Lancaster on the M6.

Oh now I really can’t wait to go @crushingonrubies.
he’s a lovely Little Rock @RainbowZebraWarriori like his face.
I didn’t know Oxfam had a tie up with M and S! That’s good to know. Our local BHF shop gets Zara seconds somehow and I’ve got some great bargains from there.
Im supposed to be going out in an hour with my women’s group but having spent the whole day literally wrestling sheep (working them and shaving their bums to avoid fly strike), and with hay fever of epic proportions I really feel knackered and I think I will plump for watching the Masters golf instead!

Every house, I feel, should have a collection of rocks, shells and sand from places visited @Bimblesalong An old GP pal of mine has a huge collection that he has displayed in his very grand house that he's collected over 70 years of living by the sea.

Can anyone remember buying small jars of layered, coloured sand from seaside gift shops back in the 1970s and 80s? My favourite thing in the world was a seaside or campsite shop!

Best of luck with the long road trip @CrushingOnRubies and enjoy your travels.

Hope your Dad is feeling a bit better @martha79 the wax melts sound gorgeous. My Mum has just given me some lemongrass magnesium bath salts. I intend to soak my feet in them later.

Enjoy your evening if you do go out @piscofrisco Lambing and Calfing(?) a go-go here, too at the minute alrhough I am not involved. Just an observer on the farm we keep our hives at. If you decide to stay home, then enjoy the masters and I hope you get to put your feet up, pet.

That's probably a good call @petitpasta to avoid the crazy traffic. Good luck with the continued job search. I have a feeling you're going to come up with something great. Also, good luck with the candle selection. I'm a nightmare for 'keeping that one for best' (whatever best is)

Speaking of which, it has been a difficult 24 hours here. I learned last night that a lovely lad who used to work for me had died - tragically and very suddenly. I went to the beach this morning as I had promised myself I would, and found myself talking to him as I was wandering along. Folk likely thought I was mad, but it has helped me process the shock. I cannot help but feel for his poor wife, however. As a tribute to him I will be burning my best Diptyque candle this evening.

A thoroughly Nigelesque day today with the morning spent at the covered market here in Menton, picking up (amongst other things) some fine asparagus and some beefy Italian tomatoes. After lunch we strolled to the Italian border - just because we could and that’s what we can see from our window - and picked up lots of treats at a bargain price from the store there. DH is now preparing me a delicious variety of small plates to eat at our window because we’ve decided we have the best view in town right here.

Oh that looks marvellous, and a reminder (hopefully) of things to come soon re: beef tomatoes etc ❤️

Absolutely agree on the seaside bits and pieces - my favourite is this sea-worn brick I brought back from Hornsea.

Really sorry to hear your news @RainbowZebraWarrior - the beach is a good place to let these things sink in I think.

Wonderful selection of treats @LillianGish. I've also been admiring tomatoes today, though mine were from Waitrose, and making a fancy salad.

I managed to combine two of my favourite (free) hobbies today; being at the beach collecting seaglass and watching planes doing Low Approach / Go Around training. You'll be lucky to spot the RAF Airbus Atlas in the background of this photo due to the low resolution of MN pics, but it was a fab morning.

Thanks x The tomatoes look amazing. I do love finding an old brick or bit of coal at the beach. It all just blows my mind about their potential history. I guess it's the closest to metal detecting that I will get to. The history beneath our feet, if you like. (I am literally quoting from Detectorists now!)

Me again! (I feel like some sort of Harry Enfield character)

My silversmith just messaged me to say that my new pendant is ready. I am totally in awe of her skill. It's immaculate. She is self taught, and I have toyed with the idea of dabbling myself, but I cannot ever imagine matching her level of ability.

P.S. New thread incoming by tomorrow morning.

@RainbowZebraWarrior sorry to hear that sad news. The beach seems a suitable place to process some news like that. I hope your memories help you.
The pendant is just gorgeous. I would love to know where your silversmith is. I am holidaying in Northumberland in September and will be visiting my university friend in Tynemouth too which is fairly near you I think?

The beach is a great place to process difficult things I think @RainbowZebraWarrior . So sorry to hear of your sad news.

I think you were wise to leave the West Country before the Friday exodus @petitpasta . There seems to have been quite a few traffic jams today. I love Cleeve Abbey. It's such a beautiful place.

Yes, I am just down the road from Tynemouth. Pauline is actually based there and sells her jewellery at Tynemouth Market as well as online. She isn't there every weekend, but she posts her dates on her Facebook page. She sells all over the world snd actually has quite a large US following. She doesn't currently have any Seaham seaglass jewellery which is why I am having her custom make mine. She has plenty of other beautiful things though.

Here's her website:

https://www.tuttifruttisilver.co.uk/

and Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/Tuttifruttisilverandgems/

By the way, September is a great time of year to come and visit.

Sorry to hear about your friend @RainbowZebraWarrior

Morning, all. What's everyone up to today?

I am lying in bed watching the rain via the wlldlife camera. I've had the heating on for the past couple of hours, so it's toasty now, but I was freezing when I woke up at 6am! Thankfully, I did the big garden tidy and filled the brown bin last night knowing the weather was going to be rubbish.

I really need to get us all up. We go to Tynemouth Market on both a Saturday and Sunday morning now as DD does trade / commission deals with some of the stall holders.

Right. Come on Rainbow. Get that kettle on!

Oh, new thread will be prepared tonight as we still have 30 posts left on this one. Have a good day, all.

P.S. Any inspiration for tonight's dinner would be very welcome. My brain is drawing a blank.

I’m up and about to go to Pilates with DH. Cool and mizzley here-a big come down from this weeks sun.
dd has some pals coming to stay and they are going for a bottomless lunch. She says they won’t be but I know they will-be hungry at dinner time so I’m doing a sort of slow cooked Thai beef curry that I’m making up as I go along. Then more master golf and the boxing to watch later.

Gosh @RainbowZebraWarrior what a place to process such awful news. I’m so sorry.

@LillianGish that view is bouleversant! Knock out and what a day you’ve had. Much as I love our own little part of the world I regret not being born in the south of France!

so grey and cold here today. Ds2 is larping with my brother in Gloucestershire and is camping. Ouch! Hope he’s not too frozen. Much fun will be had though.

Morning all. I'm also freezing, put the heating on a while ago but had forgotten I'd turned the radiator in my bedroom right down the other day. Couldn't work out why I was still cold despite having got back into bed with my dressing gown on. Off out for a little wander and lunch with a friend today, but I've got about another hour before I need to get ready.

I'm still in bed, did my first shift last night, my ears are still ringing from the volume of the music😪(old person alert) Staff and customers seem very nice.

DGS is here having gone to football with Grandad last night, I can hear Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows😀Thank God for the babysitter that is TV!

I think tonight I shall do a pasta bake with fresh pasta and my trusty 'spag bol' beef recipe (I cook it for a good hour on the hob to let all the flavours infuse)

Very dull and mismog here today but lovely and peaceful, I'm just waiting for our neighbour above to start his practice for the latest concert he is playing in, classical music on the grand piano, it's fabulous!

Wishing you all a very lovely weekend. x