Year Round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 4

[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 has been running for a few years, and the contributors 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, grab a drink and relax.

A very hearty welcome to friends new and old!

Thank you @piscofrisco for the book recommendation, I didn't know she had written any more, will look out for it. Big decision re your job, I hope you find the right path for you.
Lovely flower photos from everyone. It's a gorgeous time of year with everything looking so lush.
Been for a swim this morning at outdoor pool. Was drizzly and chilly, but felt so good in the water. I don't get a chance to swim on my own much without DD so thoroughly enjoyed the peacefulness of it, and treated myself to a posh coffee afterwards.
It's always a good time for Christmas cake! DH not fond of it so I don't bother making one. That slice looked delicious and so rich@RainbowZebraWarrior

Oh that’s a good idea @EasterlyDirectionre the tins.
I’ve no Christmas cake (or indeed non seasonal cake) in the house so I’ve contented myself with a couple of Gold bars and a cup of tea in front of Rick Edwards castle rescue for an hour before I go and meet my pal. I feel absolutely knackered this week-like bone tired (this is always the way in week 2 of the progesterone phase of my HRT). Could quite happily get in bed and stay there for the rest of the day. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it’s no fun being a middle aged woman.

Thin air! That’s what it’s called @Markknopflersheadband

@RipplePlease Felicity Cloake has (had?) a whole series in the Guardian called 'perfect' where she tries 5 or 6 recipes for a thing from various well-known sources and comes up with the best one (she published some in a book but I think they are all online). She is strongly to be trusted - her raspberry ripple ice cream is to die for.
Pouring here today, on and off but mostly on. DH away to a funeral and we have DD's GCSE art show this evening. I had to drop her into school early for pre-maths exam revision (this was not a thing when I was doing my exams!) so I had an early run (8am, please don't picture me as one of those 6am types) and am now telling myself I deserve the sofa my book and a cup of tea. Tragically there is no cake of any description in the house. Not even a biscuit.

@RainbowZebraWarrior thanks for the Nigel fashion piece! No tracksuits to be seen (agree with whoever said he's a slightly less muddy Monty Don. Can't imagine him in a tracksuit either, can you. I don't see either one of them in an elasticated waist)

Oh I love seeing your baked bean can cakes every year. I hacked at my loaf one with a veg knife last night and it crumbled, but have cut it today with a heavy duty bread knife and it has cut beautifully.

Maybe I ought to cut them up before freezing them. We have a super sharp breadknife I could use. I think I might make a loaf one (or two) soon then baked bean tin ones at Christmas again, I do like making them that way and they thaw really quickly.

I used Good Housekeepings recipe from 1992 until 2024! and am I am now totally converted to Felicity's. Mind, I do as I please regarding which alcohol to add. It's usually both brandy and amaretto, then extra brandy to feed. Can't beat a bit of additional boozy almond flavour, eh?

I've posted this link a few times since I first happened upon it, but here it is in case anyone wishes to save it for nearer cake making time. I was just interested in the article in general, and was blown away by the revelation that is boiling the fruit. Makes them really plump (which, thinking about it, of course it would) I used to steep my fruit for days, and this is so much quicker.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2011/nov/17/how-cook-perfect-christmas-cake

Ah, now I remain faithful to Nigel for Christmas cake making if not much else

Ooh I love a Gold bar! Rick Edwards castle rescue you say? Sounds like my cup of tea. Must look it up.
I remember feeling like that on the sequential HRT. I can say that continuous is far more agreeable, as there's no sudden change up of hormones every two weeks. Pretty sure I was progesterone intolerant / sensitive. You should shift over to continuous HRT after a year of no periods just to note. I also believe some GPs try switching patients over from sequi to conti after a year or two regardless.

Ooh that sounds lovely. I love swimming outdoors in the rain. When I got married in Jamaica, I spent a happy half hour with the pool to myself each morning as we had a guaranteed rain shower. Everyone else got out and I got in!! I was looking despairingly at our outdoor pool yesterday. I could cry, looking at it.

1st pic, the lovely Tynemouth Long Sands with said pool right bottom. 2nd pic zoomed in. Full of sand and boulders after sitting unused for decades.

They switched me because, she said, I was over 50 - although I later looked it up and I don't know where she got it from as no guidelines say that. I feel better on the continuous dose but have had a period every 2 weeks for 5 months now so have an appointment next week in which I am planning to ask whether I switched too early or need to add a bit of progesterone back in as that's no way to live.

Yeah, that's rubbish bless you. I was 50 I think but I stuck to the no period for 12 months thing then asked the doc to change me over. My experience has been that Primary Care are still not clued up on HRT. I had to tell them what to do / quote the NICE guidelines at them (as I am fond of doing when needed) Good luck with the appt.

@Celiathebanshee
That series sounds good!
Re Nigel, I made his Christmas (?) malt loaf a couple of years ago and it was divine.
@RainbowZebraWarrior
boiling the fruit?? Sounds most irregular but, as you say, it does make sense. Where does the booze come in or do you boil the fruit IN the booze?

I too really rate Felicity Cloake - very reliable and love her cycling books too.

For Christmas cake, I use a Dan Lepard recipe for caramel Christmas cake I found in the Guardian years ago that gives a very deep, dark flavour - that and loads of rum. I don’t eat a crumb myself but DH and PIL love it, the darker the better.

Her cycling books are more like travel books aren't they? I have One more croissant for the road on Audible and it's an enjoyable listen.

I can't actually remember @RipplePlease I have a feeling I may have made it up as I went along. 😆

I have asked the gp to review but she told me I should double the progesterone dose which didn’t seem right to me. I cant summon the energy to fill the bottle online form in to try and have another bloody concert with the GP at this point 🫣
made myself for for a walk with dog and friend and feel wiped out. Have made Mexican dinner for kids and will probably be in bed by 7 at this rate.

i think I’ve decided to take the job. I think….

I didn’t start HRT till I was 58, I had had Mirena coils since I was early 40s so no idea when my last actual period was but I started some spotting about 18 months ago, had it all checked out and my last Mirena removed at the same time but weirdly, I then developed hot flushes and as my mum has osteoporosis I went and asked about HRT. I started on continuous oral progesterone and oestrogen gel but kept getting bleeding, so they doubled my progesterone which was a high dose then (200mg). Problem I had is that you are supposed to take it at bedtime on an empty stomach and I often eat late because of exercise. So in the end I had another Mirena put in. The nurse who did the Mirena seemed far more clued up than the GP.

Could you cut the bottom of the tin open, and push the cake through?

And also like something else I will have surrendered to,ultimately the choices and actions of DH’s ex wife, which have already taken so much from us. I totally get where you are coming from @piscofrisco , but I think you should just let it go. Don't let her poison this excellent opportunity. You've been offered the job through a friend, you'll be 20 grand a year better off - very useful with a child going to uni - and you'll be freeing up at least three hours a day, not to mention any other time you can free up through working from home. That's all time you can dedicate to doing stuff that brings you joy. Also you get to live your life knowing you are the bigger person - doing your best for the DSSs and I always think there is a certain satisfaction in that.

If you are still unsure, and have time, then sleep on it. Or, ask the Universe before you go to bed (write it down on a piece of paper if need be) and in the morning, you might wake with a clearer decision.

Also, are you likely to move back 'home' any time soon? And also I think you said it would be a friend you would be working for. Factor that in, as it is often the case that working with friends or family can be tricky. Is the company solid? Can you see yourself still working there in 5 / 10 years. I know you would love to have your own care farm. Which option may facilitate this? (Possibly the one with the extra dosh as you could potentially save it?) Does working from home suit you? Have you done it before? Do you stand to lose anything else other than missing the farm?

I am sure these are all things you have already considered, my lovely. I hope whichever decision you make is the right one for you.

I'm on patches as I didn't think that taking more tablets throughout various times of the day with different stipulations would be useful for me. Ultimately, my decision was made because my Mum didn't take HRT and now has osteoporosis and Atrial Fibulation. My Aunt did take HRT and didn't develop either. Ultimately, it also has to be considered alongside the known risks, obviously.

I do find it worrying that people are advised to up the progesterone, when progesterone is known to cause breakthrough bleeding / spotting, and a lot of women are progesterone intolerant.

Eesh! This is yet another problem that our Nige doesn't have!

Big decisions @piscofrisco and more wise advice, along with soothing cakey pictures.

We’ve had a bit of a week of it, so it’s so great to have the loveliness of the thread. DH’s best mate has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and tonight my very dear friend and wife of my fave cousin told me she’s being operated on for bowel cancer in a week or so. It’s so good to embrace lovely things and glimmers with all this nonsense going on around us.

I’ve taken the day off today, went swimming with DS and his girl (and DH), which was lovely, then took myself to see The Christophers, which I enjoyed muchly. The house reminded me a little of Denis Severs’ house - have any of you been there? I seem to recall it came up in our chat a while back. This evening was my stitch group at the local theatre. A most interesting older lady dropped in to knit, with a pet pushchair containing 4 cats. She tells us she has 15 but that not all of them travel with her. I believe she has social care keeping an eye on her and she made interesting listening and, I think, welcomed kind company.