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!

@PricklyBob I would guess the treacle is for moisture and colour rather than flavour. I don’t find it bitter, but it definitely isn’t sweet. It’s mouthwatering- intense and almost umami, like soy sauce without the salt. Gosh it’s hard to describe!

I’d be surprised if a Tbs did anything bad in a Guinness cake. The flavour should be similar to the Guinness.

I’m keen on the idea of a JAdvent calendar. I will keep an eye out in the sales, and on EBay/Vinted.

@martha79 I'm also in South Yorkshire! Bloody cold...but no snow still.

I'm just in from work & having a coffee with dd1. Guessing dd2 is still sleeping - she went to bed at some rediculous hour this morning 🙄.

Work was ok - I've mainly pottered about the classroom since we're up to date on everything but clearing out 2 drawers, selecting 3/4 pieces of work for display, and tittivating a corridor display.

Plan for this afternoon is to finish a craft project from my WIP's, make something to add to the corridor display, and start on some peg dolls. Also need to put away birthday decs, although hopefully the girls will get them back out for mine on Friday!

My MIL makes treacle scones and they are very delicious.
Last day of the hols for my youngest today (only one still in school). I'm easing myself back in with a morning deleting a million emails and unsubscribing from all the mailing lists I got myself onto with my christmas shopping. I made soup for lunch and about to take the tree down - the rest of the decs went yesterday. I'm quite sad about it as it is still looking lovely and not a needle dropped, but ready to put my dining table back in its proper place.
@PricklyBob we went to Berlin in October and I was very taken with it. We saw a beaver in one of the lakes so you might be really lucky and have some up-close nature encounters!
@RainbowZebraWarrior I am loyal to Nigella for banana bread and she soaks the sultanas in rum first - it is so delicious. Except 2/3 of my annoying children don't like dried fruit (are they even mine) so I mostly have to use boring chocolate chips instead
We have a little snow - maybe an inch tops - but it is extremely satisfyingly crunchy. The perfect snow. We've all been out and had a stomp up and down the garden path in it. I might leave my outdoor baubles where they are for a little while longer, don't they look lovely? I suspect DH will want them in and dried and up in the loft though.

Oh wow - now swimming in Berlin is definitely becoming a must-do. Would love to have an encounter like that.

I'm also sadly taking the tree down later (or, more likely will croak instructions from my blanket burrito on the sofa about what gets wrapped where and how). Also no needle drop here and it is a thing of beauty. I'll miss it, but, on the other hand, it stands in my yoga space and I'm desperate to get back to practice.

Snowing heavily here now - you were right @RainbowZebraWarrior!

Ooh now treacle Scones sound gorgeous. I might have to think about making those. I'm always up for a different sort of scone! Love your outdoor baubles and also love the fact that you have a focal point bird bath. I really need to rearrange my garden and am now itching for Spring to come. I have fake pine cone baubles on my outdoor Christmas tree which I think might just stay until they rot and fall off.

Oh I do love to look at the weather charts and especially snow radars. Nerd that I am 😁

@lucysmam that doesn't sound like too bad a day. I meant to say btw that those decorations (kit) you linked to the other day are gorgeous. I've decided to try and be realistic about my crafting limitations though and buy no more for now. The cupboard is full of festive fat quarters that I was going to make some sort of patchwork runner out of two or three years ago.

@PricklyBob I was so tempted with a Maltesers advent. They are my absolute favourite. I'm kicking myself now.

@PrizedPickledPopcorn that's actually a very good description of treacle.

Sitting outside school waiting for DD (she says she's OK to walk out to me on her own today) it's just gone to a balmy 1 degree now, but due to dip again to -5 so I'm sort of hoping we might be treated to some icicles after a very brief thaw then refreeze (Camera at the ready)

@RainbowZebraWarrior it is a bird bath but it is actually full of stones and house leeks 🤷‍♀️

I’ve been forced to take evasive action and bring my plants in away from the blizzard!

Heavy snow showers this afternoon on the north east coast - no wind, so snow looks beautiful settling on all the branches.

DD doesn't live in Berlin @LillianGish - she wishes! - but she's been obsessed with the place since a school trip in 6th form and is now planning a dissertation on the subject so she's gone for a few days of research. Much as she loves wild swimming, she might give the lakes a miss just now...but I'm sure she'll be back at a warmer time of year.

I've just taken all the baubles off my Christmas tree, sad times. Soon it will be out in the drive waiting for the treecycling truck to do its rounds on Saturday.

Beautiful cyclamen @LillianGish i didnt get any this year and I'm regretting it as I love their vibrancy. I'm making a shortlist at the moment of my plant preferences for the year ahead. I've shortlisted the best performing dahlias, and will definitely be ordering more herbs from a company called Herbal Haven. Especially more blackcurrant sage.

Gosh it's so cold. I have five layers on, as well as my cashmere gloves and beanie and I've been home for an hour, but the stone floors in this little bungalow are refusing to warm up, so despite wool socks and sheepskin slippers, my feet are still like ice. I've skipped ahead a CC chapter on Audible, and Nigel is very welcome to our snow, ice and frost AFAIK as I'm getting rather bored with it now. My poor old Mum is really suffering too. They don't have central heating, so she spends most of her day in the kitchen next to the Aga.

Gorgeous photo @Seasidebubbles I think that might be it for snow for this evening for us, but my goodness the radar looks absolutely full of snow for early tomorrow morning.

I have incredibly cold feet and I swear by one of these for when I'm stationary at home: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-Automatic-Switch-Off-Temperature-Technology/dp/B07YJBJSHV

Very cheap to run, and unobtrusive under my desk.

Thank you so much! I've been looking for something for my Mum and one of those would be perfect. She has Raynauds, so could be a real life saver for her.

Just had a pack of noisy Geese fly over the house. After I dropped DD off at school today, I also saw the resident flock of Parakeets flying round in circles screeching like mad. I still find it rather a strange sight, as, although I'd heard there was a local flock, I'd never seen them until DD started this school last year. Most discombobulating to see them flying around whilst it was actually snowing.

Crock pot curry has been on for 6 hours now, but I'm tempted to add even more chillies. Anything to aid getting warmer.

Courtyard looking its most Christmassy for the last day before the decs come down. This is what we dream of when we start reading CC. I’m about to venture out now for bread, so channeling Nigel and will try not to complain about the inconvenience!

I feel the need to have this treacle scone recipe urgently! Sounds amazing.

We’re revisiting the turkey stuffing today, as I kept half the mixture in the freezer. I’ve wrapped little meatballs in bacon and crisped them up, and made a soup out of rather old five bean salad, a stock cube and some fruity chilli jam.

We’ll have it with those part baked rolls. It will make a hearty soup. And there will be cake for pudding 🤣

Comfort food is particularly necessary as in addition to the chilly weather, I have had a flu jab and fallen spectacularly down the stairs. Well, more of a flying leap conveniently interrupted by a door frame that I fortunately met with my hand and arms rather than my face. I feel so fortunate that I’ve just got a couple of wrenched places and a sore hand. It could have been far, far worse. I saw my life flash before my eyes 🤣 and there wasn’t enough sex, drugs and rock and roll! Candles, chocolate and wine!

Enjoying all the snowy pictures bit yes it is flipping cold! I've had so many layers on today I feel like movement is restricted 😂 aA friend popped by on their way home from work (a school which they'd decided not to heat for inset day 🥶) and warmed up here with a cuppa. They also brought me some heat-up mittens which I suspect will be mostly used for working at home in the coming weeks.

I also have treacle in the cupboard and I can't remember what I bought it for, but I like the sound of a nice dark bread.

My main birthday treat to myself has been to watch Wicked Little Letters again (loved it at the cinema), bundled up on the sofa with tea and crumpets (with butter and orange & ginger marmalade).

Ouch @PrizedPickledPopcorn - I hope you're ok!

@PrizedPickledPopcornthat fall sounds awful - though you did make me laugh at your description. You just get a terrible fright.

Oh no @PrizedPickledPopcorn that sounds particularly awful and what we call in the business a 'FOOSH' (Fall On Outstretched Hand) I have a feeling you might be very sore tomorrow so I hope you can take some time out to heal if need be. The shoulder usually takes the brunt of such a fall. Rest up and medicate tonight if you can x

It truly is a winter wonderland - and so rare to see the snow actually settle here! Sorry to hear of your tumble @PrizedPickledPopcorn - glad you are able to make light of it! Sounds like you have a delicious supper in the offing - I too have made bean soup. Off to re-read all Nigel’s snow chapters now.

Ugh I’m SO jealous of everyone’s blizzards and snow. We had a tiny bit in Lincs and in Herts (work) but it was very very cold. Bright sun and blue skies kept us all cheerful however and we had a lovely soup making session. Everyone was back this morning and I must say it’s the only place I’ve ever worked where everyone was happy and excited to be back. I feel very lucky.

beautiful pics all. Paris and the cyclamens look very Nigel.
took the dogs and dh (on his new year health kick) out for a walk when I got home. None of them impressed at all.

No snow in South Yorkshire but it is very cold indeed. I've bought a furry muff (quiet at the back, please) and a rechargeable hand warmer.