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!

OMG I've just checked on my Christmas cakes and they are the best ever. I know I ditched my old Good Housekeeping recipe that I've used for over 30 years for a change of scene, but what did I go with? I can't remember! I have a feeling it was one by Felicity Cloake. I'll have to go and Google and make sure I save it for next year.

Whatever you end up having, I hope you enjoy it @martha79 and you have my sympathies. My ability is dwindling further every year and I also have DD who stresses over food. She's making her veggie chilli non carne on Christmas eve for us, and I've just gently said to her that if she wants her usual spaghetti on Christmas day then that's fine. I'm picking up stuff from M&S in the morning and giving most of it to my Mum and Dad.

Well apart of the continuous tumble dryer machine we are slipping into Christmas week here quite nicely

I like brown ink 🤷‍♀️

Hello everyone! Just been catching up.

We've been Christmas food shopping and just got back. It's a long trip- a ferry ride and a long drive- and it's taken all day but we're in and cosy with the fire burning away.

@Celiathebanshee I like brown ink too!

I am quite fond of lists too, sometimes I get a little carried away and spend way too much time making the list whereas I could be actually doing said things on list 😅

@AlicePottery lovely looking lists! Mine are exceptionally basic...whatever pen's lying about, on whatever notepad's been slid into my cover thingy.

I'm currently baking gingerbread house pieces with dd1 (2 is upstairs sulking because her bedroom has been tidied for her [been asking since the summer hols btw...not just invaded her space]). I have no idea whose recipe I've used but it has a pleasing snap, and slight chewy element. Not overly ginger-ey though 🤔.

My favourite pen is a midrange (around the 100€ mark) fine nib Waterman fountain pen with turquoise ink of the same brand. It's quite old and battered but the nib is still perfect and I would be heartbroken if anything were to happen to it despite having enough pens and stuff to open my own 'papeterie'

My name is Alice and I'm a stationery addict.

Hello all-jsut going to try and have a catch up. We hosted our family Christmas yesterday so had 17 people in the house. A good time was had by all but it was very difficult to get up and go work this morning!
One more day to go!

@AlicePotterythe only way out is through - surround yourself with stationery to try to break the habit 😁

What lovely photos - and gorgeous pens. I’d like to find the perfect fountain pen in 2026. My italic pen is a cheapie cartridge pen but I’ll happen upon just the right nib and barrel when I have a shop around at some point.

I’ve been to physio, then to get next round of meds. They have the most amazing gingerbread house competition amongst the staff on the chemo ward. Some even had little flashing lights in - I voted. What wonderful people these staff are.

I’ve made 10 500ml pouches of parsnip and apple soup, which are cooling ready for the freezer. Tomorrow I’m making carrot and rosemary soup, ready for the same destination. It’ll give us some easy meals as we go through darkest January.

@Bimblesalong I've made curried summer squash soup today with the ludicrous tromboncino that has been lurking since I brought it in in the autumn, for the freezer. I have way too many carrots and haven't had carrot and rosemary so that sounds like a good plan to me, especially as some of my family are coriander haters. Do you make it up or is there an official recipe?

I CAN'T FIND MY CHRISTMAS PLANNER, trying to stay calm as this is a Very Bad Thing. I last had it when we put the decorations. FFS BRAIN THINK 😭

Oh no!! Don't panic. Have you looked in the paper recycling?

Decoration boxes? Has it fallen behind the sofa?

That gingerbread house completion sounded great @Bimblesalonghope physio was helpful

What Christmas veg is everyone having? DS requested sweetcorn, for me carrots and dh like broccoli. Last year we overdid it vegwise and with stuffing and pigs in blankets we'd just too much. I made red cabbage for the first time then.

It’s already in your mind
relax

Roast parsnips
steamed cabbage and tenderstem broccoli
swede carrot mash

@Hesse we are all happy to eat leftovers so I don’t worry about quantities. So we have red cabbage, cauliflower and leeks in cheese sauce, carrots, roast potatoes and parsnips, sprouts with chestnuts and maybe bacon.

I never know how long to cook sprouts. Everyone says it’s bad to overcook them, but I really like them well cooked and almost soft with a spoonful of cream.

Always robust veg that can stand to be kept warm while the potatoes finish roasting.

My veg list looks like @PrizedPickledPopcorn with addition of swede mash.

Oh yes, the swede! Our Tesco delivery came today and the swede was pitiful. Teeny. Distressingly small. So we’ll need a few more 🤣

23 December

Getting the blues

A wedge of blue, the veins running like a road map through the creamy curds, something soft and giving, it's tendency to roam held in place by a downy white robe; a firm textured cheese with a hard rind for eating with a comics pear or a crisp, chilled apple. Christmas in this house is unthinkable without cheese.

Good morning all….we have ALL the cheese and leftovers from family Christmas in the house. Unfortunately both dd2 and I feel not great with upset stomachs and sore throats, so whilst I want to want to eat it I very much also don’t want to at the moment.
last day at work today and then off til the 29th (and even then only one day before I’m off until the 2nd).
DH is in charge of tidying the house today and going to the laundrette as our washing machine has given up the ghost, and then if we are well enough we have carols and dinner this evening.

No real Christmas prep to do here as we are going out for Christmas dinner-I’ve just got a few things left to wrap for Christmas Day and Boxing Day birthdays x 2, which I will do tomorrow.

pleased to Report that my December candle
plan has worked perfectly. I’ve got left a Eucalyptus and fir one that will be used up today, A NVN Yankee Christmas Eve for tomorrow, two Winter Thyme for Christmas Day and Boxing Day, then I will be into my Wintery but what I think of as less festive ones-Winter Nights and a weird Nutmeg one that I got from our local candle shop, followed by Sea salt type ones for the new year, (which I think of as blowing the cobwebs off like a New Year’s Day beach walk).
We have a lot of sheep’s hooves to clip today at work as we have a few limpers. Much easier said than done-and we all got very muddy wrestling with the ewes yesterday as per the picture attached.A lot of falling over happened whilst we were trying to get them to hold still whilst their pedicures happened :)

That does sounds like fun, @piscofrisco! Though I hope you and DD feel better soon and get to eat all the goodies!

I am cheerfully living in the moment. I’m fairly confident everything is in hand, but DM fills my head to capacity so there isn’t much opportunity for planning. It would be fretting rather than planning, iyswim!

An element of unpredictability today- I get a food box from a food waste place. So there will be on or past date things that I’ll need to get eaten or frozen, on top of what’s already been bought. So that adds excitement.

I’m falling behind on my sock- I wanted to turn the heel last night but misunderstood the instructions and had to unpick it at the point I thought I’d finished. However, it’s all learning. If I can get it done today that means I’ll have an easy bit to do over the next couple of days.

I finalised the crib service yesterday, allocated all the readings and poems. We’ll need to arrive early to practice some of the songs and light all the candles.

Desperately hoping I still fit in some of my clothes, or I’ll look a right Charlie!