Simply Cooking Outdoors

A fairly dramatic lifestyle change has taken place, we have moved, after 15 years, and into what began as a 400 year old rural cottage in Oxfordshire. Call us brave, but then we knew what we were getting ourselves into. The house will be worked on eternally but for now, it's livable, we have a garden and I even have my own woodpile and a new chainsaw that I bought for myself for my birthday.

The transition was not far off hell, but the the saving grace was that is was summer and mostly we cooked and ate outside out of necessity. Firefoodie heaven as compensation.

In the past four months I've cut down three trees, cooked countless meals on an open fire, entertained plenty and spent hours and hours on the tools. It won't end, but it sure is fun.

Originally named Stone Place, we renamed the house Ammonite Cottage, after some delightful fossils that were built into the first walls all those years ago. Found locally, treasured, and now there for all to enjoy. There is even a well in the kitchen.

So a few photos of food, house and garden, just to keep this poor little blog alive.

The remnants of a conifer, seasoning for the winter fires

Breakfast with Sue and Geoff Wier

S

Our first garden party for neighbours and friends

Our Welsh pony neighbours, loving the apples we collect from the ground

Cheese toasties in the braai tool

Snoopy keeping warm under the fire

Lolly nesting in the drop sheets

and the ammonite fossil, two halves split from one stone

The Best Roast Pork Ever

My second experiment with the garden spit roast gizmo gave me something very special recently. We had invited a few friends over on a Saturday night and a 3 kilo rolled pork shoulder had been loaded on the spit by my local butcher in preparation.

Pork comes into its own on the rotisserie. The self basting and high temperature radiant heat from the charcoal makes crackling to die for and perfectly moist pork within. This one was studded with loads of garlic and sprigs of rosemary and took about two hours over the fire. Our guests loved it and I will be definitely doing it again.

In the past weeks the cooking fire has been getting a hammering, almost too much so to keep up with posting articles. A few revelations have occured however:

1. THE GAS BARBEQUE: Mine is knackered. A wedding present from my Mum nearly 9 years ago, and the burners have corroded beyond repair. My obsession with experimenting with charcoal is now making me flinch at the idea of getting a replacement. Given that it takes 20 minutes to prepare a charcoal fire I am struggling to convince myself I need another one, but hey, it is the middle of summer. They definitely have their place 'though as a great way to cook outdoors (Viva the Gas Barbeque).

2. SELF LIGHTING CHARCOAL: I used some tonight. Basically charcoal soaked in wax wrapped in paper soaked in wax in convenient (and clean!) 1kg bundles. Provided that you let the fuel burn for the full 20 mins or so, there is nothing wrong with this. There is no smoke from natural wood tinder or smelly firelighters and once the wax has burned, there is no residue or smell to affect your cooking. Go for it. More expensive than pure lumpwood charcoal 'though, the only disadvantage I can think of. It could even be mixed with normal charcoal to make it more economical but would then be as messy as using lumpwood.

3. THE BRAAI TOOL: This has also had a beating lately since its maiden voyage during the Surreal Sub-Zero Boerewors Braai. This baby is fast becoming one of my preferred tools for grilling sausages, chops and thinner cuts of meat. It means I get to sit by the fire and keep an eye on the food. Perfect for using over the embers of an open fire or a brazier, but keep a few bricks or rocks at hand to rest it on to adjust the height over the coals. When clamping sausages between the two racks, leave a gap between each one to allow the heat to cook them from all sides.