In the course of reading The Christmas Chronicles I found myself looking up Nigel Slater's birth date to see if he was a Virgoan as he's as obsessive about lists, rituals, traditions, and things being done 'just so' as I am. He's not, in fact, but he still feels like a kindred spirit, with his appreciation of rain - "it is a sound that refreshes the soul", his appetite for books - reading being "the carrot with which I tease myself on a busy day", and a deep love of and appreciation for home and garden.
I don't have, a candle shelf in the larder, as he does, next to a collection of balls of string, but I took note of his candle recommendations, covet the tear of frankincense, a gift from Lyn Harris, he carries with him everywhere ("the ghost of Christmas"), and ought regularly to adopt his habit of the seasonal kitchen cupboard stock-take.
He talks of opening a new diary and wishing to "hunker down", "settling", devoting his time to being "homemaker, gardener and cook", but then he writes so evocatively of his travels to cold places at this dark time of year, of his love of snow, and of his memories of Christmases past, that he must go on venturing forth, because for him - to quote John Muir - going out is really going in.
Notes, stories and 100 essential recipes for midwinter, is the book's subtitle; perfect comfort reading.
Oh, are you a fellow Virgoan? I agree with you that Nigel seems to fit the way I appear to be. I, too, have taken note of the candle details and am envious of the tear of Frankincense, a perfume which I adore. In my childhood home there was a proper, cold, larder where the candles were stored since it was thought they might burn down more slowly if cold to begin with. They were not perfumed though, just the ordinary household candles kept for the times when the shilling ran out in the electricity meter. Happy days.
Posted by: Toffeeapple | 07 November 2017 at 05:16 PM
Yes, I'm a 'typical' Virgo!
I have various candles dotted about but I like the idea of a dedicated shelf for them.
Posted by: Cornflower | 07 November 2017 at 07:30 PM
I am absolutely loving Christmas Chronicles. I have made the orange and poppy seed cake twice in the last week! Everyone loves it.
Posted by: Anne B-A | 08 November 2017 at 12:10 PM
I must make that!
Posted by: Cornflower | 08 November 2017 at 01:19 PM
Two special mentions here, Nigel of course. This new book sounds irresistible
And your selection of a quote from John Muir. We visited Muir Woods National Monument just two years ago and it was a true highlight of our couple of days in San Francisco. So important to have these beautiful natural areas preserved.
Posted by: Martina | 09 November 2017 at 08:16 AM
Yes, indeed.
Posted by: Cornflower | 09 November 2017 at 11:47 AM
I am reading this with interest. He writes wonderfully. Of that there is no doubt . On the whole the ingredients are available and his recipes straighforward. An encouragement to embrace and welcome winter has to be applauded but and this is a big but the candles he recommends are very very expensive. Also my daughter gave me a candle he derides with the smelll of apple and cinnamon combined two years ago which is still giving pleasure at a fraction of the cost. A reality check is called for not all of us are so well off!
Posted by: Someone reading The Christmas Chronicles | 09 November 2017 at 02:16 PM
Scents are such a personal thing, aren't they?
To balance Nigel's candle indulgence, I noticed that elsewhere in the book he gives evidence of being a careful shopper, not willing to pay over the odds for certain things.
Posted by: Cornflower | 09 November 2017 at 09:20 PM
Yes, I eagerly researched his candle recommendations only to discover that Ciré Trudon candles cost £70 a pop. Most disappointing. Diptyque are about half that but it's still a ridiculous amount of money to spend on something you burn.
Posted by: Sue | 10 November 2017 at 08:26 PM
Yes I had a look at them too in Liberty's.
The domes over them smelt wonderful and I was all for grabbing a couple
when my husband alerted me to the price card behind them.
Posted by: Lucille | 13 November 2017 at 12:49 PM
As we speak I am burning a small Coast Candle Company candle in the fragrance Salmon Bothy: https://www.coastcandleco.com/fragrances/salmon-bothy/
Not as expensive as Nigel's favourites but very pleasant.
Posted by: Cornflower | 13 November 2017 at 08:52 PM
I am impatiently waiting for two copies (one for me and one for a sister for her Christmas gift) to arrive here in the states. Cannot wait!
Posted by: Loretta Marvel | 13 November 2017 at 10:18 PM
Worth waiting for, Loretta!
Posted by: Cornflower | 14 November 2017 at 08:00 AM
Thanks for the recommendation -hopefully salmon bothies don't smell of salmon. I can recommend Feu de Bois by Diptyque which are also not as expensive as Nigel's. Wonderful fragrance of an open fire -lovely if you don't have such a thing.
Posted by: Sue | 14 November 2017 at 10:04 PM
I happen to have a Feu de Bois waiting to be used - lovely scent.
Salmon Bothy is similar and not at all salmon-y!
Posted by: Cornflower | 15 November 2017 at 09:27 AM
Is the book worth getting even if I wouldn't make many of the recipes? I would be buying it for the notes and stories. And have you read and enjoyed his other books? He sounds very interesting.
Posted by: Missi | 16 November 2017 at 09:28 PM
I'd say it is worth getting for the writing alone, Missi, and yes, I am a big fan of Nigel's and have a lot of his books.
Posted by: Cornflower | 16 November 2017 at 10:04 PM