The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles Readalong 2025 - Part 3

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

Hello all, and welcome to Part 3. 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)

For anyone new, it's a challenge to see of you can pick up the book as 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!

I thought I hadn't seen this thread for a while - lovely shiny new thread, thanks @RainbowZebraWarrior💐.

Candle and blanket present and correct. Thanks Zebra!

Followed thread one, been completely absent from 2, a good opportunity to jump back in on thread 3! Thank you!

Thanks for the new thread.

lovely persimmons, @Bimblesalong . I was hornungthehelpful on the last thread but since it’s a new thread it’s using my new user name.

I’m interspersing frantic work with frantic knitting today. Still got most of one jumper to do and loads to do before 23 Dec, when I take the horrors to the ballet with their cousins - or most of them anyway. Starting to feel “hhe fear” for the trip and work 🤣

Welcome back, Owly!

16 December

Pickles, pruning and a baked apple

I crave sharp, piquant flavours. That snap of acidity, that spike of lemon or vinegar. A spoonful of fruit chutney, a curl of soused fish or a little pile of pickles on my plate. It is these bright, clean acidic side notes that keep me interested in what I am eating.

Checking in for thread 3 and Thankyou RZW.
That article about St Eval was interesting. The family also sound …interesting. I went on holiday very near St Eval in summer and was very excited to see signs for the factory outlet. We drove around for an hour trying to find it (it’s down a tiny lane), only to eventually arrive and find it closed for, presumably, the renovations mentioned in the article. I was gutted!
We are more Nigel than Nigel with Denis Severs! I wonder if he is secretly on this thread?! And if so which of us is he? (I joke of course but it would be fabulous!)

I think I slept for about 2 hours on and off last night. I must get up for work in 7 minutes. I’ve a very active co farmer today and it will involve a 4 mile hike around the perimeters of the farm at high speed. I am packing some emergency dark chocolate orange in my bag to help me power through it.
When I worked managing luxury care homes (McCarthy and Stone type ones) we were only allowed to accept gifts of value under £5 and so when all the residents asked me what I wanted I said a Dark chocolate orange. I ended up with 35! I made a lovely Pyramid of them in my office and ate them until about Easter! NVN but at least it wasn’t the sacrilegious popping candy version :)

A happy Tuesday to all

Morning, all. I've woken up feeling rubbish. Nauseous, headachy and a sore throat. I was never going to escape it. I shall chuck some vit C and Propolis at it and see how I go.

Thankfully there are no builders to 'entertain' and I just need to work my way slowly through some chores at home then also do some wrapping after the school run.

We are in single figures, now. 9 more sleeps!

Sorry my name's changed again. Am in northern Scotland. Hurtling towards shortest day like everyone else. Dark, dark, dark here including early afternoon.

Rainbow sorry to hear of the lurgy. I've just been listening to Nick Robinson on Today and his voice has gone.

Mad in work. Last day Weds. Trying not to catch any virus.

Thanks for the new thread @RainbowZebraWarrior and sorry you're feeling poorly.

@piscofrisco your chocolate orange pyramid sounds fabulous.

I hope those who need medication sorted for the holidays get it ok - annoying that I have an almost full Oestrogel here after swapping to the patches recently!

Had a terrible night's sleep here too - got to get through an important work event/ meeting this morning, blood tests at lunchtime then I'll have a think about the rest of the week. Considering cancelling a few things to conserve energy but conflicted about letting people down and also not seeing people as it's easy to feel isolated as everyone starts to retreat to their family Christmases.

Yes @Hesse this year the darkness has really affected me. It just seems….darker than it’s ever been before for some reason!

sorry you are poorly RZW. My head is killing me but my trust seems a touch better this morning so I’m hoping I’ve got a lite version this time around (famous last words)

Ha! Well I will happily take it off your hands @martha79and reimburse you for the post if the Dr doesn’t come good today!

Oh and hi Nigel if you're reading (or am I Nigel? 🤔 🤣)

Morning all! Just placemarking for after work 😊

Hmm. It is definitely very coincidental isn't it? 😁

Gosh it's still So Dark. Leaving for school now bit like others have said, it's been harder this year. I wonder if it's because we had such a wonderful Spring and Summer?

I’ve had a beautiful thrush singing outside my window this morning. Well the sound is beautiful. He may well be, but I can’t see him. He’s been going for a few days actually, including at 3am. Not sure what he’s having for breakfast! Possibly practicing for Spring…?

I love persimmon. I came late to them. Along with quince. And I commend to you all the vinegar recipe on Nigel’s quince pickles! It’s gorgeous. I used it on red cabbage as well, which is still going strong. Packed the jar with shredded cabbage and poured vinegar in, topping up when it had steeped in a bit. Keep it in the fridge. It seems to keep forever.

I have a couple of days off for making now, before my last work day. Then a day off, and then I get mum. 🤐

Waves to all the ‘could be’ Nigels. I know it’s not me, but it could be the rest of you! I do find this thread educational- I hadn’t heard of the Severs House.

Sending 🙏 for better health for everyone. We are becoming ever more avoidant of bugs. Soon we’ll be venturing out with masks and hazmat suits. Must try and resist before it becomes too deep rooted!

Catching up here after being laid low with the lurgy, cancelling nice things, and a flying visit to my elderly Mum a long way away. Sending love to those of you with health worries and challenges, loved ones needing support, and work being difficult. I have a raft of health stuff coming up including a scary-sounding DVLA driving assessment tomorrow which hangs heavy. It's hard to feel Christmassy with these things going on and not resolved, so this community is wonderful. I think it's all/mainly women (?) and I'm blown away at how resilient, humorous and tough everyone is as you carry all these cares. Hope it's a good week for you all.

Just sending a nice hot cup of tea to anyone that needs one

☕️🍵🫖

Including @BitKnackered64 and Prickly Bob and Lucy's mum.

I the spirit of the thread it's a very Nigel cup of your favourite loose leaf, brewed to perfection a la Thousand Feasts and served in vintage China or hand thrown pottery according to your whim.

@RainbowZebraWarrior Im so pleasedto hear you are finally builder free. We have electrician coming this evening and that will be it until the new year.

We still don't have kitchen doors... but we do have appliances and worktop so good to go.

Thank you @RainbowZebraWarrior for lovely new thread and beautifully tidied up last one ❤️

I’m Nigel and my friend is too! I smiled muchly seeing Nige’s post today.

DD2 is home from uni today!! and the Christmas tree is being delivered. And my friend is out of intensive care and on to the ward. Three good things - I'm going to focus on those.

Thoughts to all fending off seasonal bugs. I've been to the Dennis Severs house and it was fantastic - well worth a visit if you're around Spitalfields any time.

Hello! It's not raining here at the moment. Small win, but a win nonetheless!

Sending gentle hugs and best wishes for the DVLA assessment @BitKnackered64 Yes I think we are all women. Though there was a poster with a male sounding name plopped by on our year round thread the other day to say he liked Nigel much better than that Gordon Ramsay chap.

I've done shopping and cancelled this week's hair appt (CBA) I'm in next week before Christmas so will manage with a hat in the meantime. I am currently sporting a rainbow santa hat, and as I took a turn around Tesco and Dunelm earlier, folk were shouting out to me that they loved my hat, so I feel it is good for festive vibes. DD good naturedly sniggered at me this morning which is a cheek as she has the same one!!

I've done a bit more gentle cleaning of the conservatory and some brief poncing (big bunch of eucalyptus in the middle of the table) and now I am going to wrap presents and watch Food Network. Possibly one of my favourite things to do in December. I've built the stove ready for this evening when DD and I will put the rest of the lights up and write out teacher cards. Lovely!

I have my x-ray report and there are no acute injuries. Hurrah! They have spotted my arthritis is worsening and I have a calcified loose body in my knee all of which is probably hindering recovery. That's fine.

Here. Have a Rainbow hat photo!