The Year Round Nigel Slater discussion thread part 6

[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 on Mumsnet 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

N.B. The Christmas Chronicles thread proper will start in late October, ready for the book beginning on 1st November (seems a long way off, but will be here before we know it!)

I've just had a rather fascinating morning taking a Ghanaian neighbour to an African food store in a nearby town. She's had a wonderful morning stocking up on tastes from home and I have bought some black tomatoes to have with some goats cheese later, some lavash bread and a delicious piece of baklawa. They had an online bakery with amazing cakes, breads and pastries.

That African food store looks amazing! We have one very tiny (very rammed) 'world foods' shop in our town which I love a browse around but that's as interesting as it gets round here.

Irate on your dd's behalf about the restaurant @RainbowZebraWarrior . At my birthday lunch last month dd1 (autistic, vegan) asked for the vegan version of a dish and it arrived with grated cheese on top! She is very mistrustful of restaurants anyway and this did not help.

That looks brilliant @petitpasta, I love the breads from shops like that.

My tomato candle arrived - couldn't really smell it while it was lit but now I've blown it out, it's tomatoey throughout the house. It's a bit less of a leafy smell than I envisaged (or whatever the scent version of 'envisaged' is, en-smelled?) but it is nice.

That sounds really interesting. How did it go? (Assuming it's already happened)

Also, edited to say that I'm pleased to hear that the walks are getting longer for you. Onwards and upwards hopefully my lovely.

That's shocking and this is exactly my issue, too. My heart sank when the server told her that as DD also mistrusts everything and we are the ones picking up the pieces and trying to tell them that not all restaurants don't care. I used to have a young lad with a severe egg allergy who came into my café with his parents. He loved my lentil soup, and I was able to swear on my heart that no eggs went near it. Apparently other establishments "couldn't guarantee it" That's just a crappy cop out.

It's 2026, not the 1970's. It really shouldn't be that difficult.

It was really interesting, gave me lots of ideas which I do not have the time or energy to pursue right now. Bit awkward though as I planned to just listen in, but found myself in a Zoom meeting with only 8 other people and had to introduce myself!

So sorry your DD had a rubbish experience at the restaurant @RainbowZebraWarrior

interesting day today. Dog ran into some stinky estuary mud to chase a duck. Then rolled in some fox poo & and a dead shrew. She seemed very happy with herself. And enjoyed her bath after

walk was on the way to the local Waitrose which is a bit posh for us but needed tea for tonight and bits. They also have a Cornish local store attached which includes a deli. So got some lovely beef and horseradish rolls and some fresh lasagne from there. Both very yummy. Dp has made a chocolate, coffee and orange cheesecake. Very rich but delicious so that is dessert for the next couple of nights.

My tomato candle arrived today too but did the coring thing and went out as the wick was drowned in liquid wax after an hour so I had to blow it out and reconfigure the wax a bit. Nice container, undecided about the fragrance, I will do a comparison with an actual tomato plant tomorrow. And take a photo.

@RainbowZebraWarrior that is inexcusable, not just for vegetarians but so many people don't eat pork for religious reasons too. So sorry for your DD.

I have started reading the simple things thread. I like lots of the things mentioned so far. And it has made me want to go to the beach for fish and chips.

That's also a really good point. Poor people being subjected to pork that they don't/ can't eat. Unforgivable.

I've read a couple of pages of the simple things thread and agree it is mostly lovely (one rather odd post)

Re: tomato candles. I'm on the fence, as although I love it as a scent, I remember a contributor on last year's thread ravinv over a Sainsbury's tomato candle which I went to seek out and couldn't smell a thing. It is odd though how sometimes the unlit candle (or even the lit candle as @martha79 says may not smell of much, but leaves a strong after smell (like an after taste?)

I cannot smell anything of Diptyque's Feu de bois in store, but I know folk rave over it. I intend to purchase one this year as I love other Diptyque candles.

Lordy that's quite the triple whammy from your DDog. Ours does love a bit of the old fox poo, too!

That cheesecake sounds immense!! I feel like I need that in my life at some point soon.

By the way, to anyone making the apple pie bars; they are delicious, but must be left for hours and hours after coming out of the oven in order to garden enough to cut.

I have made cherry plum brandy this morning and am now off to pick up a parcel and purchase a cinnamon stick to shove in with the brandy. Best wash my hands before going to the post office. The smell of brandy at 7.30am is not a great impression!

Gosh your cheesecake sounds incredible @CrushingOnRubies

Interesting to hear about your candle @ElegantDress - I wonder if that tomato leaf smell is actually a tricky one to capture.

I've got my coffee one on this morning as a caffeine free way of trying to wake up!

Work again today, then I'm off until 7th. Looking forward to having some leave without having to do anything. This evening I'm doing an online sewing workshop (an art therapy thing on the theme of 'home' where you make a little fabric house, seemed like good timing). Tomorrow I've got a massage booked - just 30 minutes, at a place five mins walk from home, with someone I know quite well as I used to go to dance classes she runs. Hoping it'll ease off some neck and shoulder tension without being too much of a shock to the body.

I left the tomato candle in the kitchen last night and couldn’t smell anything this morning, but picked it up for a sniff and it is quite strong and tomatoey. But disappointing that it did the coring thing, I had to faff with it a lot to get any wick showing again before it colled down last night. Off out today but will light it again tonight.

If you light the wick and then wrap some silver foil around the top of the candle so there's only a small hole, it should sort out the wax issue and make it burn evenly! I've used this trick a couple of times and had good results with unruly wicks!

@ElegantDress here is a picture from the Internet to demonstrate what I mean!

Thanks @WhoAteMyBiscuit I have just googled because I knew I had read somewhere how to do it. I think the problem might be that if the whole top melts the wick will be below the surface. I’ll have a go tonight.

Ooh. You always seem to find cool things to do online etc. Would you mind sharing the details of the sewing workshop. It's something I really want to try and can't get booked in for a workshop at hobbycraft as the lady who runs them has broken her hand!

I've had quite the morning of simple pleasures. Made the plum brandy, went to the beach for seaglass, had a rummage on Sainsbury's book table and came away with three books, just had cheese on Dutch rye toast with a big mug of tea, and I am now about to read 'Made for you, Summer' which arrived yesterday and now completes the collection of four seasonal books. Ooh. And there's just been a knock at the door. The 80 dwarf iris bulbs have arrived that I ordered in Spring! Someone else here ordered them too I think.

Expecting the rain later that most of us will be getting, so at midday, DD and I will get our heads together and plan some indoor fun for the next couple of days. Thinking movies, baking, and sorting some sea glass! Need to start making those little wreaths.

@CrushingOnRubies Did you get round to getting some seaglass? If not, give me a shout and I will send you some.

Oh. And the apple bars have been divided up and put into tins / the freezer. Utterly delicious. Would highly recommend and will be making again (and again) as we have apples coming out of our ears here!

The African food store sounds fascinating @petitpasta . When I commuted into Bristol for work I loved the diversity of food stores within easy reach. I very rarely go into the city now though.

@martha79 if you are interested in carnivals, can I suggest having a look at Bridgwater carnival. It is amazing! The carts are huge and it takes place at night so they are illuminated by hundreds of light bulbs. There is actually a carnival season and a circuit of parades around various Somerset towns, but Bridgwater is the big one. It is followed by a squibbing display (basically fireworks on long poles), which is truly spectacular. Nowadays it is a very health and safety conscious affair, but in my younger days it was the thing to wear old clothes and get as close to the squibs as you could, then proudly display the scorch marks and burns in your jacket in the pub afterwards! The squibs are bought in now, but they used to be home made in people's back gardens!

I had a shocking day yesterday. I went to art as usual and when I came out I discovered my car had a puncture. I called the RAC, who advised me they could send an RAC man to see if they could sort it, but if they couldn't then I would have to wait for a tow to the nearest tyre place. So there could be a double wait. Alternatively they could arrange for a mobile tyre person to come out and sort it. It would be more expensive but only a 60 to 90 minutes wait. I opted for that but I wish I hadn't. A basic tyre set me back £250 quid and the 60 to 90 minutes turned out to be 3 and a half hours. I was not happy! It didn't help that the hormone treatment I have to stop breast cancer returning was kicking off big time. I normally tolerate it fairly well, but the last few days I have been hot flushing and tearful. Solidarity with any menopausal women amongst us!

Oh bless you @Confusedmeanderings That is absolutely shocking. Sounds like RAC are in cahoots and the tyre folk are making a killing. I hate it when you're completely at the mercy of such things. Sending gentle hugs. The carnival thing sounds amazing, mind!

We had a small African store / kitchen open up recently next to DDs school. I went in one day and asked about ordering some jollof rice, but you basically had to order £22 worth, and it would only be me and my Mum eating it. It was a bit dark and dingy unfortunately (set up in an old windowless garage attached to the bus station) but I'm hoping they really make a go of it and get some nicer premises for themselves.

I also happened upon a 1973 good housekeeping booklet yesterday that I was going to cook a west African beef curry from. I did jerk beef instead. I don't know why I bother though, as it never tastes anywhere near as good as it does on a beautiful evening eating it on tbe beach in Jamaica.

I've enjoyed the Simple Pleasures thread as well. My simple pleasures mostly involve drinking tea. Drinking tea in the garden, drinking tea while reading a good book, drinking tea while eating a bacon sandwich... You get the idea. But also listening to the rain while tucked up all cosy in bed (tea optional) - a simple pleasure that's been in short supply lately but last night we actually had some proper rain!! Even a couple of puddles on the pavement for DD to splash in this morning. Had forgotten what rain was like!
Sympathies on the flat tyre @Confusedmeanderings

Oh posted that too soon. Was also going to say that cheese cake sounds amazing and I think we all need the recipe @CrushingOnRubies
Looking forward to bank holiday weekend. A local farm is having an open day with stalls, animals etc so will take DD. Last weekend before she starts school! This summer has gone very quickly, but in the spirit of the simple pleasures topic, it's been full of lovely low key things, baking, walks, parks, swimming. Very relaxed. Will start the weekend tomorrow with spag bol and a nice glass of wine.

For all those asking about DP’s cheesecake. It’s this one https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/tiramisu-cheesecake

@RainbowZebraWarriorsorry but I think you might mixed me up with someone else about the sea glass.

A wonder down to a local beach today. Between the rain showers.

The carnival sounds amazing @Confusedmeanderings - there was a lot of talk last night about how health & safety has changed things over the years.

PMed you about the workshops RZW (as you already know!). I enjoyed this evening's - surprisingly more attendees from the States than anywhere else, considering it's a UK organisation. There was less guidance than I expected (as someone who doesn't normally sew) - more some ideas then left us to it for a bit, then back to chat about what we were doing. Here's my little house-shaped creation anyway!

My apologies. I am indeed confused. It is, in fact @Confusedmeanderings who lives on the Cornwall coast and mentioned the sea glass.

It was me, but Somerset coast 🤣🤣🤣 I haven't managed to get to the beach yet, but I'm hoping too!

I do live in Cornwall 😁 hello @Confusedmeanderings& I think @piscofriscowho are fellow south westerners