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 believe yours must be the Brigadoon branch of Sainsbury's, @RainbowZebraWarrior . My two big local ones are devoid of all these marvellous bargains!

For anyone who's made/fancied making Nigel's potato and rosemary pie, this is an absolute banger of a recipe on similar lines: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/cheesy-celeriac-leek-rosemary-gratin

HOWEVER, I would strongly recommend the following tweak: use a food processor to slice the celeriac thinly after peeling, and give the slices a few (around 10) minutes on high in the microwave with a tiny bit of water, then drain. Otherwise I think it would take till next Christmas to cook!

@thebabessavedme you won't regret not watching the news, I can vouch for that. I stopped watching the news and stopped actively using almost all social media around 4 years ago. I only listen to the radio during the day, but I also avoid almost all TV now. My mother asks me daily "have you seen x, y, z" usually an advert that she's annoyed with, a particular newsreader she doesn't like or a programme that is irritating her. I just reply "Nope!" to everything. Obviously as I listen to the radio, I do catch most news, but not thr worst, of it. My mother watches TV all day then complains about the sensationalism and the relentlessness and repetition of it all. I must have said it 100 times; "So turn the bloody telly off then Mum!" Reminds me of folk who used to write in to Points of View to whinge about not liking a particular programme. There's so much out there that's designed to wind us up, to divide us. All the click bait and rage bait. It's a rather toxic world these days.

I am a much happier person not engaging in most of the negativity of the news and social media, only watching 'gentle' TV, and largely spending my time doing things that are either useful or enriching to me. I genuinely think it's had a marked improvement on my overall health. I only have so many Spoons every day before I am physically and emotionally worn out. Spoons are generally spoken about by those of us with chronic health conditions, but I reckon it's something everyone should apply to their daily life. DD likens it to one's batteries running out. Use them wisely, and don't waste any on people or things that drain you further.

Sorry that was a waffle and a half.

I intended to make the potato and rosemary pie today, I have all the ingredients, but I've just had to chuck the rosemary as it had started to go black. I'll check the one in the garden, and if not I'll just make it with spinach and lots of black pepper for flavour. Celeriac is a PITA. I avoid it like the plague. It's completely unchoppable and unpeel-able!

It is quite a large Sainsbury's (Brigadoon! 😁) and I also used to work there, so I know where they squirrel things away / where to find stuff. They have some rather odd corners of the store with a few random bits and bobs here and there. I was also a magpie in a former life I reckon.

Morning - a grey one here, doesn't look like we're getting snow after all.

Sorry to hear you've been so poorly @EphemeraleEudemonia and about your fall @PricklyBob. I have a habit of falling down stairs when I'm stressed or under the weather, which one slightly wrecked shoulder can testify too (when I decided to hold onto the bannister and said shoulder took the whole weight).

@thebabessavedme I think not watching news is an excellent idea, and generally avoiding things that stress you - there's enough stress in life without adding extra in.

I'm short on spoons today. I got settled down in my nice comfy bed last night - I've got my new cotton duvet cover on, my nice silk pillowcases, my body pillow (a recent purchase which has been a great help for dodgy joints), sleep story on the speaker... dozed off and woke up about an hour later absolutely boiling hot, because I'd been fiddling with the heating during the day and had obviously knocked it off the timer onto 'on'. Didn't really settle or cool down properly after that!

I have a bit of freelance work to do this afternoon so pacing myself around that. I have taken the tree down - channelling Nigel in carefully packaging up the decorations too, although I still need to put the boxes away somewhere.

Also dipping into reading this today - it's very pro-napping and staring into space.

Quick lunchbreak checkin. Sorry to hear of all the illnesses and falling down the stairs antics. Hope everyone is better soon. Did brave going to the gym this morning for a circuits class, also took the opportunity to teach DD how to drive in snow as we have so rarely had any while she's been a driver.

Thought I'd share this photo of a very cold but bright Lichfield yesterday, my nearest city. This is the view across minster pool to the magnificent 3 spired medieval cathedral.

Might try bread making later, feeling inspired.

Afternoon all

Hope those who have/are suffering with illness are taking care of themselves today and being adequately looked after.

I will admit I want to be in Paris now, it looks so pretty. We have just enough of a flurry to make the cycle path home treacherous for youngster, but his school football training has been cancelled so at least it will still be light when he inevitably ignores my message to “get off and push if it’s slippy” (it’s not a far distance about a mile) I am not being mean he is perfectly capable of walking.

Eldest has to battle the most unreliable train line in the country on way home but it seems they are managing the odd train so we shall see!

This is my first day home alone, a huge rearrange and clear out is happening, I can’t do nothing in the day, I can only do that once everyone has finished for the day and is also doing nothing.

I am clearing out the studio as it’s been a dumping ground for the festive holiday. And the teens received so much shower gel and deodorant as presents I am not sure we need to buy any until their birthdays! Think 15 is the age they start to smell like they have fallen into an aftershave bottle - what you hiding boy?

Would love to be able to Nigel around wrapping things delicately in tissue paper and putting on fruit crumble bakes, but alas we can only try and bring a bit of Nigel into our teen filled house.

Eldest wants to make venison burgers this weekend (being veggie since 11 I have never eaten venison, never will, never cooked it, never will) so he’s flying solo with this. But feels like the sort of meat Nigel would have a go at.

I will suffice with herbal teas and a hoover for the rest of the day and feel the need for butter beans to be involved with dinner, might do a version of bean pasta stew. That’s all I have right now.

Have a reflective Epiphany all.

I think I’d like somebody to teach me to drive in snow, I find it really scary. I love it as long as I’m not in a car! Unfortunately we got rain on top of it this morning so it is just slushy and disgusting here now 😭

@frozendaisy i feel your pain re teens. I have girls rather than boys but they are also not conducive to a Nigel life. I bet he never falls over shoes left in the middle of his floor or struggles to hear himself think over loud Olivia Rodrigo! (Although I do remember him enjoying listening to Lily Allen so perhaps I am doing him a disservice there)

@Celiathebanshee our eldest wanted to try SPAM recently - Nigel would faint!

And typically the treacherous ice layer seems to have melted so once youngster turns phone on he will, reasonably all evidence considered, think I was fussing!

I've just listened to a preview of that on Audible. Sounds fascinating! Have added it to my wish list.

We are just home after DDs weekly appointment at the GP surgery. It's awful outside with sleet now, turning the snow to slush, and the roads are flooding. When the temp drops to zero in an hour or so, that's going to create some horrendous conditions for tomorrow morning.

I also feel like I'm getting a cold. Tbf, I have managed to swerve anything virus wise so far this winter, so I knew something would catch me eventually.

The Burrafirth Sheltand webcam was looking very pretty earlier. Northern Scotland is on Amber warning again tonight for more snow and there's a mixed weather front due to hit parts of the UK on Thursday / Friday. It feels very much like we should all just hibernate I reckon.

I’m pleased to say one of tomorrow’s meetings has been made virtual. The other has not…. yet!

Fingers crossed for the other meeting @PrizedPickledPopcorn

That's a beautiful view @RainbowZebraWarrior and I absolutely agree on the hibernation.

Surprisingly productive day here in the end - bit of work done, finished my tax return, and spoke to my GP who has said I can go back to work next week but given me a "reduced hours/ workload" fit note for the next month, on the condition I get in touch with her immediately if I feel worse again.

Tree down, decorations packed away, galette des rois made and ready to go! For the first time ever this year I’d invested in a recylable bag to dispose of my tree. You stand the tree in the bag, rolled right down while you decorate and the when you are ready to dismantle the tree, you spread bag out to catch any falling needles and once you’ve taken everything off, you pull it up and over the tree and tie it in a knot. It means the tree can be carried downstairs and through the courtyard without dropping any needles (avoiding the wrath of the concierge) and then left on the pavement for collection. I’ve never bothered before because I wasn’t entirely sure how it worked and thought it was a bit of a gimmick to get you to spend more money on top of the price of the tree, but it was definitely 6 euros well spent! I’m definitely with Nigel in finding the whole process both unbearably sad and something of a relief. I’m happy to have finished the job, but it took me all morning and some of the afternoon - so much more arduous than trimming up - and it all looks rather bare now, despite the fact I’ve left a few twinkly lights up and have lit some candles.

@RainbowZebraWarriorI'm Northern Scotland - it's been snowing heavily again. It's rumoured schools will be closed all week.

We thought we had a leak so that livened up the afternoon WFH!

@LillianGish the bag is very sensible

Would anyone like some St Eval orange and cinnamon mini candles, free, gratis and for nothing? I bought some from Vinted and really don't like the smell!

@LillianGish I followed your and Nigel's advice and now everything is nicely packed away. I will remove the tree tomorrow, that bag idea is excellent!

@DarkEyedSailor that's very kind of you. If no one else would like them, then I'd like to try them, please.

Decorations taken down and Christmas mugs put away until next December - everywhere looks rather bare, but quite nice to get rooms back to normal. The garden has looked so pretty with all the snow, but raining here now. I shall be looking for pots of daffodils for the kitchen next time I’m out and about, looking forward to spring. Very impressed by the amount of cooking going on as reported on this thread, we just had a plain pan hash for dinner - sliced onions, potatoes and chopped bacon with stock, baked until cooked and crisp on top; quick and easy, and one of DH’s favourites.

Sorry to read about all the illness and accidents, hope everyone is on the mend and will soon be feeling much better.

Like many I'm catching up with the thread (quite far behind with the reading too) and am still here!

No snow for us, just very cold and windy, so glad I teach English and not PE!

Tree and decorations are still up, will probably take them down on the weekend. Have already eaten way too much galette des rois, some nicer than others (personal favourote being one with chocolate chips from our local chocolatier).

Very much enjoying my Durance candles, they smell amazing even when not lit.

Am now planning on using up my large stash of tissue paper to wrap my ornaments in, why I'd never thought of doing so is beyond me.

Also sorry to hear about the stairs mishaps, I'm very wary around them all now as we lost DS's DDad over a decade ago to a fall on some, which was pretty traumatic all round.

Send me a PM with an address and I'll stick them in the post

Oh Lord please everyone be careful. No more falls! And a happy Christmas to you @EphemeraleEudemoniaglad to hear you are feeling better and lots of love to those still under the weather.
the bag is a genius idea @LillianGish. I seem to remember wrapping a tree in an old duvet cover once to get it out of an upstairs flat relatively needle free. Don’t know why I’ve never thought to do it again.
it snowed today whilst on the farm
and for that hour I don’t think I’ve ever been as cold (in the uk at least). Back home, took the girls to see Marty Supreme (only ok in my view), now getting into bed and hoping for the washing machine repair man to finally fix our machine tomorrow as the laundrette is costing me pounds and is destroying my soul!